"I had heard a rumor of a human among us," the queen stated plainly. "I am curious how, after showing no interest before, you come to bring a human into my court on the night of the full moon."

"I did not bring a human into your court, Majesty."

Her thin brows rose. Cara knew enough about faeries to know they couldn't lie, which was why they spoke in riddles, to skirt around the truth instead. "Does your guest have a name?"

"You may call me Selene, Your Majesty," Cara answered, offering a low curtsy.

"Pretty name for a pretty girl." Her vibrant emerald eyes looked her over. "Such a shame you came tonight. Humans aren't allowed to witness our full moon ceremony."

"Please, Majesty," Kiran begged, flinching the tiniest bit. "She owes me a debt. Let her return home before we begin."

"Oh? What debt could she possibly owe?"

"Her firstborn, Majesty."

An audible gasp traveled through the room and whispers grew louder. Queen Tatiana raised her hand, silencing the room. "How intriguing. Especially when the girl isn't pregnant. Does she have children?"

Kiran glanced at her quickly.

Cara swallowed. "No, Your Majesty, I don't."

"How interesting. You have piqued my interest, Kiran. I am curious how this will turn out. Go. Take the human to her dwelling. I wish for constant updates, and more information upon your return." The queen turned to her. "As for you, you'd better get started. Babies take a while."

"I will, Your Majesty," she responded, dipping into another curtsy to hide her face flaming with shame. Everyone in the room knew about their deal, a deal she had made without a second thought. And the queen was interested in developments. Cara felt like a whore among these Fair Folk.

Kiran bowed again too and Queen Tatiana turned away with a smile. He escorted Cara back around the room, the Fae moving out of their way this time, now that the queen had called them out directly. The exit was clear, the door adorned with floral decor shaped like a faerie dancing on water.

Her brows knitted. How had they missed it? It was lit up with a string of lights surrounding the door jambs.

Kiran leaned down to whisper in her ear. "She must've glamoured it when she saw us enter. I don't know how the news spread so quickly, but she knew of your presence."

"And now you have to keep her updated on our bargain. Is that usual?"

He flexed his jaw. "No."

"So why–?"

"Because despite being Unseelie, I haven't shown interest in a human before, let alone making a deal with one. It's my own fault."

"What's Unseelie?"

He stopped beside the door, fingers wrapped around the handle, and looked at her with shock. "Seelie and Unseelie Courts? Seelie are the calmer faeries, while Unseelie are the more rambunctious, always messing with humanity. Do you know anything?"

"I don't know very much," she admitted. "We have faerie tales but I always thought they were just stories, and my mother never elaborated."

"My, how you would've been the perfect victim for any other Fae." He opened the door and shoved her through. He led her up the sloped earth, back into the forest. The music followed behind them, the only sound in the dark night. No moon beams could penetrate the thick foliage above their heads where they were.

"Why is it so quiet?" Cara whispered, fearful to disturb the near silence.

"Because even the animals know to remain hidden on the full moon when faeries are in the area." Kiran looked at her pointedly.

She ducked her head and clasped her hands in front of her. She took his slight but that didn't mean she had to feel guilty. One shouldn't find fault in what was unknown prior.

Walking through the woods with Kiran seemed to go a lot faster than it did when Gaelish had shown her. He warned her of thorny bushes and told her to mind her step so she didn't tear the gown. Before long, moonlight peeked through the trees and they stood before the farmstead.

"Will you wait here while I change? My mother will ask too many questions if this gown is in my closet."

He stared, scarlet eyes shifting over her once again, and then nodded.

She snuck back through her window, changed quickly into her nightdress, and bundled up the silver gown, admiring the fabric longingly. Oh, how she wished she could keep it. But she couldn't, she knew she shouldn't. Climbing back out her window, she strolled over to Kiran and handed him the gown. He accepted it with a small frown.

"You're forgetting something."

She cocked her head, about to ask, "What?" when her hair shifted. The horns. Reaching up to pull them from her hair, she found them stuck. Her head burned from the pain of having nearly ripped half of her hair out. "Will you take them out? You did a fine job of securing them."

"Keep them." His gaze was dark but it warmed her from the intensity, her blood rushing faster. Glancing between her eyes and her horns, he added, "They suit you. All you have to do is deconstruct the braids."

"My mother–"

He touched her chin, immediately silencing her. Leaning closer, his face intimately close to hers, he whispered, "Keep them. I insist." Kiran's eyes locked with hers and she didn't dare breathe. He was so close. One small shift and she could kiss him.

"Kiran."