Page 205 of Fated or Knot

“Aye!”

“Look at this cool fucking rock,” I said, echoing him. I slid onto my knees beside him and opened the box. “It glows in the dark!”

“Oh, you mean it’s phosphorescent? Or fluorescent?” He took the silver-veined prism from its velvet bed, inspecting it with a giddy air.

“I’m not sure,” I admitted.

“Easy test. We can do it later.” He placed it next to his crystal, beaming. “Look at these rocks! They’ll make beautiful jewelry together. I was thinking of replacing my earrings.” He flicked the largest eight-pointed star hanging off his earlobe. “You would look nice with some guiding stars of your own. Or maybe a ring.”

“Or both?” I suggested.

He nodded. “I could just cover you in stone match jewelry and my brothers could never buy you shiny things. Or we could stick to a ring. Hmm. Are you hungry?”

I nodded too. The wine was nice and all, but I was starting to crave solid food. When he got up to signal to one of his house moths, and the little beta male came in with two berry trifles in decorative jars, I couldn’t help but feel a bit suspicious.

We sat back down on the loveseat together. Of course, I dug in first when neither of them batted a lash about dessert being delivered first. The cake, berries, and custard layers hit my tongue at the same time and my eyes rolled back with pleasure. Stars,yes. This was the best food they served in the palace. No protein could compare.

Fal was halfway through his trifle when I started scraping the sides of my jar to get at the bits I’d missed. I settled against his side, purring with lingering pleasure from my bellyful of sugar. He glanced over at me, and back to his dish, before he offered me a spoonful of it. Once his dish was also empty and cleaned, he sighed and pressed a lingering kiss to my temple.

“I need to tell you something,” he sighed.

Oh, so hewasbuttering me up for something. My purring faded, replaced with a worried mewl.

He played with my hair, petting it in soothing strokes. “I still believe communication is vital to our mating, so I want to tell you everything and give you an option. Even if it does potentially ruin my father’s plan for tonight. My brothers and I are in a rare consensus about hating his fucking plan. It is risk-reward. The reward is the deaths of Pack Ellisar, and hopefully Cymora too.”

“But the risk?” I murmured.

His expression smoothed to a disapproving mask. “Is potential harm to you. Listen carefully. If you want to do it, we’ll do it. If not, I’ll call to our pack and we’ll push you into heat and claim you right now.”

While I was flush with heat and anticipation just at the thought, I tried to clear my mind enough to listen to the plan. His only omission, that I could tell, was that we were going to a mysterious “event.” But the rest…

I gulped an audible swallow. Rennyn probably didn’t want me to hear all this, but I was glad Fal told me and gave me the choice. There was another reward he didn’t mention. If I agreed, I would also save my stepsister from the fate of an unwilling mating.

It’d push the limits of what I could take, as a violence-averse omega, but it was a sound plan, and the reasons for every move made sense to me. “I’ll do it,” I said, unable to raise my voice above a frightening whisper. “But I want a weapon.”

“You’ll have the best one in my arsenal,” he promised. “Now, let’s go back to your rooms. The mothkin have been preparing another surprise for you. I think you’ll love it,mo stór.”

56

LARK

When we stepped out into the hall, three heads turned our way. Tormund and Marius had joined Kauz at the entrance to the royal wing. They must’ve been waiting to hear my decision, and their expressions said it all. Kauz wore his concern most openly, since the alphas were distracted quickly by my presence. Their nostrils flared, and they eyed me up and down in a cascade of sparks. Yellow and gold from Marius, and gray and orange from Tormund’s ignited eyes.

“Get dressed, lads. We’re going out,” Fal said.

A rumble of denial rose from the gentle giant. But Fal had his arm around me, and steered me down the hallway before he could voice a protest.

“He told you everything?”Marius asked over our bond.

“I think so. Everything except for what event we’re going to.”

“Good.”That was all he said, plus a low growl of approval.

I wondered why the secrecy, when we stepped into my rooms and I spotted the next surprise with a gasp. A cluster of alert female house moths, with Jani and Lon at the front, waitedbeside a small boutique. First there were clothes still hanging in protective wrappings, then shoes, makeup, and jewelry new and on display in their boxes.

Tingling with giddiness, I glanced at Fal, who soaked in my reaction. “Remember when I got your measurements? These are all yours. The dresses are audition pieces from several designers who want to be your personal tailor. The prompt was to make a pixie dress for a Serian princess. They’ve included accessories to complete the looks, but no one would mind if you mixed and matched.” He winked at that.

“All this is for me?” I asked. My lips wobbled with emotion. Stars, he had to have been planning this since he’d first gotten my clothes measurements, and that was when I was still wearing a cast.

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