“Anything?” Beatrice tilted her head, a hint of a teasing gleam returning to her eyes. “What if it’s something ridiculous?”
“Anything.” He held her gaze, his tone lacking any of her teasing. He needed her to know he was sincere. “If you ask, Iwould pledge my love in front of the entire Court. I would fetch you the rarest flower. I would…I would set off on a quest to kill Claudius if that is what you wished. He’d likely beat me in a duel, but for you, I’d try. All I’d ask is to die heroically in your arms.”
“I’m not going to send you off to duel to the death.” Beatrice rolled her eyes with a huff, her smile fading. “What I really want is the one thing you can’t give me. Time. I’m not ready to just leap into marriage yet. I’m not like you fae who fall in love and get married in mere weeks without a thought. I know that is very human of me.”
“I am enamored with your very humanness.” Benedict cradled her face. “From your very human rounded ears to your very human perspective.”
That earned him a brilliant blush across her cheeks, though her gaze wouldn’t meet his.
“If you want a human courtship, then a human courtship you’ll have.” He traced his thumb over her blush-brightened cheek. “I did say to ask anything of me, and I’d do it. As killing Claudius is a little out of my skill set, this might make a better second option.”
“Yes.” While she smiled, she still wasn’t looking at him. “But it’s dangerous to leave a binding half-done like this.”
“Normally, yes.” He clasped her hand and lifted it, their matching marks winking in the light of the golden glow. “But we’re fated mates. After tonight, this bindingcan’tbe broken or turned into anything else. It gives us the freedom to court each other in a way most fae can’t.”
“Oh.” Beatrice’s eyes widened. “Just like Viola!”
“Your sister?” He wasn’t sure what Viola had to do with this.
“Yes. She and Favian were bound by a bargain, so they too had time.” Beatrice’s gaze finally lifted to his as a glorious smile lit her face. “This is what I want. A courtship. Flowers. Notes to tell me that you’re thinking about me. All of it.”
“Done.” Benedict dropped his free hand to her waist, tugging her closer. “I’ve made my choice. It’s you, Beatrice.”
Her gaze searched his for a long moment before she stepped even closer. “It seems my heart has already wholly made this choice. I choose you, Benedict. Not because of the mate bond. But because you’ve always been my choice all along.”
That was all he’d waited to hear. He leaned down and kissed her to seal his promise.
Beatrice strolledwith her hand on with Benedict’s arm, her smile so wide it ached even as her feet felt like they were rising off the floor with every step.
As they stepped into the ballroom, Beatrice jumped as someone called her name. She turned, her hand still in Benedict’s, and found Viola, Favian, Sebastian, and Olivia waiting for her to one side.
No need to ask where Basil and Meg were. Even from across the room, Beatrice could see Basil stationed next to Head Librarian Marco, Meg tucked to his side, as he accepted the congratulations of his fellow librarians and the Court at large. Her poor brother-in-law still had such a shocked look to him, like he’d been walloped by that branch instead of lightly tapped.
Sebastian scowled at Benedict’s and Beatrice’s hands, which still sported the gold marks. “I take it you didn’t break the bond?”
“Does this mean you love each other?” Viola’s voice and tentative smile held a more hopeful note than Sebastian’s frown.
“Do you love me?” Benedict looked down at Beatrice, his eyebrows quirking in that teasing way of his.
“Not especially, no. But as you were half-dead with love for me, I had mercy.” Beatrice raised her eyebrows right back, fighting to hold back her smile. “You?”
“Not really, no.” Benedict shrugged, his lips pressing tight as he fought the grin she could see in his eyes. “But as you were sick with love for me, I thought I would spare you.”
Viola laughed and sighed. “Youarein love.”
Beatrice held Benedict’s gaze another moment before the two of them grinned. She turned to her sister. “Like you, the mate bond gives us the freedom and time to court properly without worrying about a half-finished binding causing trouble.”
“I’m glad. I know you didn’t want to rush.” Viola nudged Sebastian, who gave a nod. Favian and Olivia had stepped into the background, as if not wishing to intrude. But now they both stepped forward, offering their own congratulations.
Across the room, the collection of fae wielding instruments struck up the first strains of music. One couldn’t call them an orchestra nor were they all playing the same song. Instead, each fae played his or her instrument with a wild abandon, creating a chaotic jangle that somehow melded into music.
“We might not be rushing to tie the knot, but I am in a rush to dance with my fated mate.” Benedict took a step away, gave a bow, and flourished his hand to her. “Shall we?”
For a moment, she considered refusing, just for the fun of teasing him. But as she rather wanted to dance with him again—this time while actually in love with him instead of being annoyed with him—she clamped down on the instinct. Instead, she took his hand and let herself be swept onto the dance floor with him.
There would be plenty of time for teasing later. She couldn’t fully suppress her smile. They would, after all, be stuck together for the rest of their lives.
As they whirled into the steps, Benedict leaned closer. “Remember our dance a month ago?”
