Page 67 of A Beastly Court

He leaned forward, resting his forehead against mine. “I didn’t know how to otherwise tell you. You are mine, Meadow Ní Violet. What I showed you… that’s what you mean to me.”

“You need to work on your communication skills then,” I told him, only half teasing. “You can’t rely on showing me memories whenever we have an argument.”

Ossian released a watery one-note chuckle.

“And you do know that was you basically using the reason we’re fated mates, right?”

“Yes, but I didn’t tell you that, per your demand.” With his hand still on the back of my neck, he pulled me forward for one of his bruising kisses, but I slipped a hand between us, melding over his lips.

“I need you to promise me you’ll never cast an illusion like that again.”

He nodded slowly, showing me he’d heard me. “I prom—”

“I want a fae bargain, Ossian. Something binding.”

His coppery eyebrows arched up into his mop of curls. “Meadow,” he began.

“I need to know I can trust you never to use such a tactic against me again. From your memories, I know you did it for the right reasons, but that’s not good enough.” I shuddered. “I can’t go through that again. They’re so strong, Ossian. I didn’t know what was real and what was fake, and that was terrifying.”

The fae king considered me a moment. I could almost see the thoughts whizzing around in his head like sparrows after the evening flies as he examined every angle of my request. For a moment, I was afraid he would refuse. Then what would I say? This was something I would not budge on.

“I can vow to never to use them again on you alone, Meadow,” he finally answered. “It is part of who I am, the birthright of the high fae of the Court of Beasts. I must make use of every tool available to me if I am to reclaim my court.”

“Fair enough.”

“Then I, Ossian,” he said, his voice deepening another octave, “promise to never use another illusion on Meadow Hawthorne again.”

“I accept.” I leaned in for the kiss and the resulting whoosh of air against our faces. Our bargain sealed, he rose with me still straddling his lap, letting me slide down his body until my feet touched the ground.

“Now that we are all settled”—he pressed my left hand against his heart, his fingers toying with the ruby engagement ring—“it’s time to get ready.”

“Ready?”

He nodded, a grin like that of a lean winter wolf spying a deer all alone in the woods spreading across his chiseled lips. “You’re bonded to your magic now, just like a fae. There’s no more reason to wait. You’re summoning the portal today, love. We’re finally leaving this mortal realm behind.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Today? But we still had thirteen days before the deadline. I was all for completing an assignment early, but were we moving too fast? I’d just de-curse-ified myself only a few hours ago. “But I’m t—”

His eyebrow cocked as I choked off my customary excuse. “Are you tired, Meadow? Truly?”

“N-no,” I realized. Even after the day’s events, I felt incredible. Fusing with my magic had unlocked a kind of stamina I’d never before known.

“That’s what I thought,” he chuckled. “Then we’re going.”

“Now?” I panicked. I wasn’t packed, I hadn’t said farewell to my friends—hadn’t even invited them to join me in Elfame—hadn’t figured out how I was going to sneak Sawyer in through the portal or if I was just going to leave him secreted away with Daphne and the others, I didn’t have a weapon—did I even need one with such magic at my disposal? It would’ve been nice to have my iron knife, just in case, but it was still lost.

“Of course not now,” Ossian laughed. “Midnight. That is the witching hour, you know, when your magic is at its peak.”

“So you found a summoning spot?” I asked excitedly.

“Everything is in order, Meadow. We were just waiting on you.”

“I don’t need to, um, practice first?”

He shook his head. “There’s no need. It’s a relatively simply process that just requires a lot of power. I’ll guide you through it. And, if it’s not a success, then… We’ll try again. We’re ahead of schedule, after all.” The fae king swept the backs of his knuckles down my cheek. “Thanks to you, you amazing witch.”

Ossian squeezed my shoulders, giving me a little push in the direction of the east wing. “Prepare yourself now, love. Take a bath then wear the dress I left for you. And the white fox-fur coat. We leave in an hour.”