“This path has not been traversed in some time. Are you certain the temple still stands?” I asked, glancing at him. It would be justmy luck that we had wasted an entire day riding to a place that had fallen into disuse centuries prior.
He smirked, grasping hold of the tree branch that blocked both our paths. He lifted it as he watched my face, undoubtedly seeing the moment I laid eyes upon the sanctuary before me. I glanced at him in surprise, stepping forward on feet that moved of their own accord. Drawn to the magical haven before me, I took in the sight of something that made no sense whatsoever.
The haven was surrounded by trees on all sides, creating a private alcove that no one would ever find by chance. “Only Kings and Queens of Summer and their guests are allowed to step foot in this place,” he said, following after me. “Since Rheaghan was unmarried, he often brought companions to share in the experience with him.”
Lightning cracked above us, rippling through the daylit sky with the force of a summer storm. The light mist of summer rain fell down around us, rinsing the sweat and remaining blood from my skin as I tipped my head up to feel the moisture on my face. The sun shone bright here, like we were at the peak of day with the sun at its apex, even though it was already dusk outside the sanctuary. Flowers bloomed around the tree line, covering the ground in life and bursts of color as I moved to the baths carved into the earth.
I was no stranger to the concept of a communal bath, but the one in the tunnels had been far less refined work. Made out of necessity rather than from love and devotion. Four statues surrounded the bath, their forms recognizable even from a distance.
Diell,with her crown of gold as she reached up toward the sky, her eyes closed as if she were basking in the daylight.
Oshun,where she knelt at the edge of the sea, her fingers and feet covered in grains of sand, drops of water dripping down her forearm. Her hair was wet, plastered to the side of her face and neck.
Tempest,with a lightning bolt held in his palms, his chest squared as he stood upon a summer rain cloud.
Gerwyn,with her feathered wings spread out behind her, a smile on her face as she watched a couple embrace.
The four Primordials of the Summer Court sat around the small, circular bath, which was far more intimate than the one I’d spent time in since becoming an adult. “What exactly does thisofferingentail?” I asked, everything in me going still as Etan’s hands went to the laces of his tunic. He stepped away from me as he untied them slowly. He reached over his head, grabbing the back of the shirt and tugging it over his head in that distinctly masculine move that I’d never beenable to master. His torso was broad, his chest and abs defined. His Fae Marks curled over his collarbone and onto the left side of his chest, swirling lines of red that served as the reminder that no matter what marriage said, he would never really be mine.
There was no mate bond between us, only the simmering attraction between a man and a woman who found one another desirable on a physical level. My soul did not reach out to his as I stared at him, didn’t crave him in the way I both feared and hoped would never happen for me.
“That, Sunfire, is up to you. This is the part of this marriage wherewehave control, where Mab cannot dictate who or how we rule,” he said, drawing my attention back to his face. “Every court functions a little differently. The magic flows in ways that were determined by the Primordials that brought that magic into existence and made it a tangible thing. Diell and the others chose this place for their transfer of power, where others value family bonds above all else. Only one of us needs to enter the bath, but according to Summer Court tradition, only those who have offered and been accepted, and have been given the blessing of the Primordials in return, can sit upon the throne of the Summer Court.”
“If I do not get into the water, I won’t be your wife?” I asked, trying to keep my voice neutral. It was such an unexpected turn of events that I couldn’t be sure I’d managed it, that the lilt of hope hadn’t snuck into my voice. Etan might not have treated me poorly, aside from kidnapping me against my wishes anyway, but that didn’t mean I desired to tie myself to him without really knowing him that well. I hadn’t had time yet to see if he kept his promises, or if they were empty entirely.
“You’ll still be my wife. It’s the only way Mab will be satisfied, but she is very aware of this tradition. She knows as well as I do that I cannot force you into this water. You have to enter of your own free will,” he explained, dropping his gaze to the surface, which shimmered in the sunlight. “But if you do not enter, you will not be Queen of the Summer Court. Not unless we come back one day so that you can offer yourself when you’re ready.”
“You would do that? Allow me to change my mind and rule alongside you, after rejecting the notion today?” I asked, leaving off the part where I would be rejectinghimas well. Though he did not speak of it, I had the feeling that this was the precipice where we determined the type of marriage we would have. While we may not be a love match or fated mates, we still had choices as to how wecontinued on our path. We could live entirely separate lives, with me as the estranged wife of the Summer King.
Or we could undertake this endeavor together as partners, as temporary as it may be, and embrace our marriage to the full extent of its capabilities.
“That depends on how much you piss me off in the meantime, but yes. I have no desire to take away your choice in this, Sunfire. I want you to choose,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest with a smirk. He curled a brow, glancing toward the water. I followed his gaze, staring into the slow current that seemed to keep the water moving, like it ran somewhere in spite of being an isolated pool.
“That’s a no, then,” I laughed. “What happens if I decide I want to be Queen? Am I required to share your bed?”
His eyes heated as he stared at me, keeping his distance even though I suspected he wanted to close it. “I won’t require you to fuck me if you aren’t interested, Fallon,” he said, that heated stare drifting down my body. “But I am certain this attraction is not one-sided. Should you decide to rule alongside me, I would ask that you be monogamous to me as your husband, whether you are in my bed or not.”
“And you? Will you fuck around while expecting me to remain celibate?” The venom in my voice shocked me. I’d never understood why women from Nothrek were upset when their husbands slept with other women—most of them didn’t desire their husbands anyway. Why be upset when it meant he left you alone?
Etan grinned, as if the show of jealousy pleased him. “No. So long as I expect monogamy from you, I will return it. I do intend to spend every waking moment buried within mywifeeither way. She just may make me work for it.”
I smiled, chewing on the corner of my mouth as I tugged at the laces at the back of my dress. It loosened around my chest, hanging lower in the front to reveal more of my cleavage as I paused.
“There is one thing you should know before you enter the water, Sunfire. To step into the bath is to give yourself over to the Primordials. You will no longer be in control of your body until they’re done with us,” he said, giving me pause.
“What do you mean I won’t be in control?” I asked, tipping my head to the side.
“The Primordials will be in control. We will do as they see fit until they have taken their offering and are willing to give their blessing for our sacrifice. If you get in the water, you must do so with theknowledge that anything could happen, but the most likely outcome will end with me inside of you,” he said, smiling as if thinking of stories he’d heard from Rheaghan. “Repeatedly.”
The idea of losing my control with Etan didn’t bother me as much as it should. Sex was the easiest and simplest part of making this decision. What made me nervous was all the unknowns, the wondering about what else the decision might affect within me, but ultimately I made the choice to take that leap of faith anyway.
The alternative would mean I was subordinate to my husband, and I wanted to be his fucking equal.
I shrugged, backing toward the pool as I slid the straps of my dress down over my shoulders. The dress gathered at my feet, leaving me bare before Etan. His eyes on me didn’t bother me in the slightest; I’d gotten used to being seen naked in my time with the rebellion. “I guess it’s a good thing I don’t have to like you to fuck you, then.”
TWENTY-TWOETAN
She glided down the stairs smoothly after stripping off her shoes, the water shimmering and glowing in a halo around her as she trailed her hands through it at her sides. Her back was to me, her face hidden away as my eyes drank in the sight of her fair skin, of the contrast of her raven-black hair as it swept down her spine to touch the surface of the water. The swell of her ass disappeared beneath the haze of the surface, and she didn’t stop until she was waist-deep. Her body went still for a moment, waiting, as if the Primordials themselves wanted to know if I would leave her to be ridden by their magic alone, or if I would join her in seeking their blessing.
