Three hours and I lost count at six drinks later, Jones and I sagged against each other in the cracked vinyl booth at our favorite diner with half empty plates of extra crispy fries in front of us. He picked up a fry and aimed it at the glob of ketchup in the center of the plate and missed twice before he gave up and popped it into his mouth with a crunch that made my stomach churn.

"I told you we were too old for this," I said, putting a hand on my stomach to keep my food down. Once water and grease had been a cure all for drinking too much, but I suspected the only cure for what ailed me right now was vomiting or pain meds and sleeping in. Maybe all three.

"We're doing," Jones stumbled through a hiccup, "fine, honey. Besides, didn't you have fun?"

"Yes," I admitted, propping my chin in the palm of my hand and peering through the misted glass of the diner's window. "I'm glad I came out."

"Hell yes, you're glad. You look fine as hell." He sat up and gestured toward me. "That dress. Those fuck me curls in your hair, and that eyeliner. I didn't know you could do siren eyes."

"TikTok," I said, batting my lashes playfully and immediately regretting it as the diner tilted sideways. "But hush. My eyeliner is smeared everywhere now while yours is still perfection."

"Lots of practice."

"Modesty suits you."

Jones shrugged. "Modesty is pointless. I don't know why you can't say you're good at something if you're good at something."

I picked up my water and gave him a meaningful side eye. "Like bathroom blowjobs?"

My friend didn't even pretend to be ashamed. "Don't be hating just because you turned down the blonde Mr. I Could Bounce a Quarter Off My Ass."

"I don't like blondes."

And he had a creep factor times ten. Then again, maybe Jones was right. I'd been reading romance novels for so long my expectations were unrealistic, but was it too much for a girl to ask to be swept off her feet? Preferably by a dark-haired Fae who did and said things that would be walking red flags in real life but were hot as hell on the page. Like dismembering anyone who mistreated you. Or sinking his teeth into your neck to claim you while he railed you all over his castle.

"Earth to Luna."

"Sorry," I muttered, pressing my thighs together to ease the ache my fantasies had caused.

Maybe I really did need to have sex with someone other than my battery operated boyfriend? Once, I'd had an active dating life, but when my father got sick, I pushed paused on everything, and after he was gone, I didn't have the energy to hit the play button again. It didn't seem worth it.

"I was just saying I got a text from the bathroom blowjob. He wants to meet up."

"Now?" I looked at the time on my phone. "It's two in the morning."

"So?" He successfully dipped a fry this time. "You gonna tell me it's a booty call because newsflash, that's exactly why I wanna go."

"Fine, fine. You're a big boy. Go on."

"I can wait until you're finished and get you home."

"Jones. I can literally see my apartment window from here. Go on."

"You sure?"

"Absolutely." I leaned over to hug him. A strange tightness filled my chest. "Thanks for talking me into tonight. It's been a long time since I had that much fun."

"Hold on, hold on." Jones held up his phone. "Can you say that again? I want to record it for the next time I have to beg to get you out of the house."

"Shut up and go." I shoved him.

"Alright. Bye, Luna. And hey—" His demeanor shifted, losing some of its playfulness. "Kevin is proud of you for coming out tonight, you know that?"

I sniffled, knowing he was right. Not necessarily about the fact that I was shit-faced in a diner at two in the morning, but that I'd pushed myself out of the toxic comfort zone I'd created. He would be so angry if he could see how I'd shut myself off from the world.

Fifteen minutes later, I stumbled outside. The chilly, wet air eased some of my nausea, but as I swayed on my heels, I realized I was still quite drunk. Maybe I should've asked Jones to walk me to my place, but it was too late now.

"Just gotta make do," I mumbled to myself, leaning against a brick building while I peeled my shoes off. A sign caught my eye, and I realized I was next to the park's entrance.

On an impulse, I dropped my shoes on the sidewalk and stepped onto the dirt trail. Even this late—or early, depending on your perspective—lanterns glowed gently along the pathway, making me feel safe as I wandered deeper into the park. Or maybe it was the alcohol giving me a false sense of security.

During the day, it was a peaceful spot, but with its well-tended gardens and sizeable crowds, you could never forget you were in the middle of a busy city; however, at night, the shadows and stillness lent it a wild air that could almost convince me I was in the middle of a forest.

"Hello," I called out, spinning in circles and making the flowing skirt of my dress flare out around my hips. "Is there a Fae King out there who would like to make me his bride?"

No answer. I tried again.

"I'm healthy. Want children and enjoy the practice of making them," I giggled. "Even if I must admit, I'm out of practice in that regard."

Mud squeezed through my toes as my poor balance carried me off the path. Frowning, I shook my foot, trying to dislodge the worst of that, but it only caused me to slip, my legs going in opposite directions until I fell on my backside with a wet squelch.

"No," I moaned. "I'll never get the mud out."

But after two attempts to stand only ended with me covered in more muck and farther away from the trails, I flopped onto my back with a huff and peered at the sky through the budding branches. It was times like this I wished I lived in the country where the light pollution didn't obscure the stars.

At the beginning of summer and autumn, my father would take me camping, and our favorite thing was sleeping under the stars. He would spend hours teaching me about the constellations and the stories behind them.

I lifted my hand and traced my favorite constellations where I knew they would be if I could see them, only... I blinked. Then squinted. Was I hallucinating?

With dawn approaching, the stars should be growing fainter, not brighter, and yet that was precisely what was happening. And not only did I not recognize a single constellation, but the color was wrong. Instead of blueish white against a black sky, they flashed with gold, and the sky had a distinctly violet tone.

"Never again," I said, sitting up and putting my head on my knees. "Okay, Luna. Let's try this again."

I looked to the heavens. Golden stars and amethyst skies. No amount of blinking or eye rubbing changed it. My eyes drifted to the trees and discovered other changes. The small, new spring buds were now fully blooming flowers in an array of colors I suspected humans had no names for.

"Where the hell am I?" I demanded, not expecting an answer.

"My home."

Shrieking, I twisted to look behind me. The speaker was cloaked in shadows, leaning against a tree, but his eyes glimmered brighter than the strange stars above—and they were pinned on me.

"W-who are you?"

He grinned. I knew he grinned because his teeth were bright against the darkness. "The Fae King you requested."