One long, awkwardly silent ride to the Autumn palace later, I found myself alone in a bedroom that exceeded every basic white girl fantasy I ever had. They sectioned it into two spaces. A sitting room and a bedroom, but there was no door between them. A stone hearth big enough to walk into was lit with a roaring fire that warmed the furthest corners of the sizeable space, and over the glittering flames, a simmer pot of oranges and clove perfumed the air.

The sitting area had a low ceiling that made it cozy, while the bedroom had a high, domed ceiling with moonlight shining through glass windows. The bed took center stage, but instead of light linen sheets, it was covered in thick plaid and fur. Perfect for burrowing beneath on chilly nights when frost glazed the windows.

I walked to the bookshelf in the sitting area and ran a finger over the gilded spines. What I wouldn't give to take one to the overstuffed sofa beside the fireplace and read until my eyes drifted shut. This room was tangible bliss, but I couldn't enjoy it because of the twisted knot in my stomach.

After Cyra's announcement, Calix pulled her aside and whispered something to her. I hoped whatever he said was along the lines of I have a mate, so the deal is off, but it was left to my imagination since he wouldn't tell me what he said. Only that he would explain as soon as he could, and that we were going to have to take a detour to the Autumn palace.

For her part, Cyra didn't appear upset, which didn't give me a very good feeling. If Calix had agreed to put a baby in me and backed out, I would not take it so gracefully, leading me to believe he hadn't told her anything of the sort. But right now, I wasn't sure what upset me more. The idea that my mate might have to father a child with another female or that Calix was keeping something from me.

Sinking into the sofa, I warmed my hands near the fire and explored option one. From what I'd been told, such agreements among the Fae were normal. Lorcan and Niamh were both the offspring of such contracts, and neither talked much about their mothers. Calix didn't have to maintain a relationship with Cyra just because they had a baby together. He didn't even have to see the child if he didn't wish to.

But that idea bothered me too. I couldn't imagine having a child and abandoning it. Maybe it was the human half of me, or maybe it was trauma from being abandoned by my mother... Yet, my heart told me Calix wouldn't be comfortable with that arrangement, either.

"Crap," I groaned, sliding my hands over my face. I hadn't even been on a proper date with the guy, and here I was contemplating my life as a stepparent. Did the Fae even do step parents?

The bedroom door groaned as it opened, and the click of heels against the wooden floors alerted me to Cyra's arrival. I dropped my hands from my face and wrapped them around my middle, as if that might hide the grunge on the tunic I'd been wearing for two days.

"Already done?" I snipped, then winced. My quarrel wasn't with her. They had not drawn the contract up as a slight against me, and I was a guest in her home.

She paused mid step and arched a delicate brow. At some point she had changed into a dark green velvet romper, and damn her, it looked fabulous. Hell, I couldn't blame Calix for agreeing to make a baby with her. I'd never been into women, but if I wasn't taken, I would say yes if she offered.

"I'm sorry?"

"It's nothing. I was being rude."

"Oh." A twinkle appeared in her eye. Then she giggled. "I know you meant to insult Calix with that barb, but I cannot jest about his lovemaking. He is the most thorough male I have ever been with. Almost as devoted to my pleasure as my female lovers. You must not have consummated your relationship if you think he is quick in bed."

I scowled, not about to tell her I was all too aware of how devoted he could be as a lover. From now on, I didn't think I would count that night at all, considering it happened under duress.

"Would it ease your mind if I told you we have agreed to dissolve the contract?"

"You have?" I sat up straight, heart thundering loud enough for her to hear it.

She sat beside me and pushed my hair out of my face. Heat flooded my cheeks. "In light of new information, I was bound to release him."

It was strange to me that she didn't come out and say because he was mated, so I didn't ask her to clarify the information she spoke of. "That was kind of you."

"No," Cyra said. "It is the law. Any child of mine will belong to the Autumn Court, and as a second son, Calix was the perfect choice. But now that he is king, his firstborn will belong to the Summer Court."

"Oh." So, it wasn't because he was mated.

"Yes. But all is not lost. Honor demands that he give me a consolation gift. I'm still making up my mind."

Cyra inched closer. Her wine colored lips were almost on mine. I swallowed and tried to lean back, but the sofa's arm was in the way.

"Anything in particular you're leaning toward?"

She grinned and her fox ears stood straight up. "Oh, yes. You."

Me?

I gaped at the female, frantically searching for any hint of teasing. There was none. Only desire burning bright enough it was as if it seeped out of her and into me. She was almost as intoxicating as a Druil blossom, and I leaned into her, curious about how those plump, plum lips tasted.

Cyra's pupils dilated, and a low vibration filled her chest. She was purring, and dear lord, I liked it. Once again, she was close enough to kiss me, but she didn't close the gap. Instead, she cupped my neck and dug her slender fingers into the base of my head, kneading and pulling the skin there until I let out a soft moan.

"So tense," she said, hiking her dress up and straddling my lap.

At this angle, her firm breasts were directly in front of my face. Only the sheerest scrap of green lace covered her nipples, and this close, I caught glimpses of the taut pink buds through the lace.

"That feels so good," I said as she continued her massage. My head dropped back, and the only real reason I didn't fall was because Cyra held me up.

"It would feel even better if I did it while we were in a hot bath. Together."

As muddled as she'd made my thoughts, I wasn't completely lost to her seduction. Gripping her hips, I pushed her off me, and when I had the space, I jumped up and put the sofa between us.

"As wonderful as that sounds, I think I'll have to decline." And then when I found Calix, I was going to murder him for putting me in this situation. Right after I convinced him to fuck me senseless. Between Cyra and our moment earlier in the tree, I was in a state.

Cyra's fox ears drew back, and she crossed her arms over her chest. "You cannot say no. You're my boon."

"She said no, Cyra. You've two sets of ears, so there is no reason for you to mishear her."

Calix stepped into the sitting room. I'd missed him entering the room, and I wondered how much he had witnessed. From the storm raging in his silver eyes, I suspected it was enough.

"You owe me."

"Not Luna."

Not my mate. That's what I wanted him to say. Why was he so reluctant to tell her? From everything he'd told me, finding your mate was something you wanted to share with everyone. Not just from joy, but to make sure everyone knew they belonged to you and only you.

"We'll see about that." Cyra straightened, her fox ears twitching furiously as she glared at Calix.

"No, we won't. She's not interested, and by the laws of the Vow, you can't force her. That little magic trick you just pulled was borderline criminal."

My attention snapped back to the princess. So, she had been using magic to stoke my lust. Irritation knotted my gut.

"How did you do that? I thought you couldn't glamour humans like that anymore."

"It's not a glamour." Cyra wouldn't look at me.

"Cyra's father is an incubus, which means she has sex magic."

"Oh."

Instead of making me feel better, I frowned. She looked like that and had sex magic and Calix had slept with her before. He had to be disappointed that the universe chose me as his mate and not Cyra.

"It's not something I always have control over."

"You have enough control," Calix growled.

She picked at her nails and shrugged. "Fine. I'll think of something else. She probably wouldn't have been fun, anyway. I've never had anyone, especially a human, turn me down like that before."

With those words, she flounced out of the room, leaving me alone with Calix. We stared at one another for several seconds without speaking. Finally, I broke the eye contact and stomped over to the bed.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Going to sleep."

"No, I think we should talk about what I just walked in on."

"And I think I don't want to talk to you at all!"

I yanked back the covers, preparing to climb into the soft sheets. Only to find myself spun around by the shoulders by a very angry Fae male. His fingers pressed into my skin with enough pressure to bruise.

"Tell me, Luna. Would you have fucked her?"

"You know I wouldn't. I said no before I knew you were here."

"But you wanted her. I smelled your arousal."

I struggled to free myself, but it only made him hold me tighter. "What is wrong with you?"

"What is wrong with me?" He hissed the question. Then he shouted it. "What is wrong with me? I wanted to kill her for touching you, and if our bond was sealed, I would be in my rights to do so."

"No, I don't think you would. How could you punish her when you're the one who didn't tell her?"

"Because you're mine, Luna."

There was only a faint line of silver left around Calix's pupils, and his chest heaved as he held me in place. He had gone feral. That was the only explanation, and a smart woman would have backed off. Let him cool off.

But I'd always liked a little risk. I grabbed his wrists and stood on tiptoe until my lips brushed his. "Then prove it."