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“Maybe I won’t go help.”

At least not for a little bit longer, not until the guilt truly ate away the part of me that was enjoying cuddling for the first time in my life. He huffed a laugh and pressed a kiss to my temple.

“Your mirror activated while you were bathing,” he murmured conversationally.

I sat up, so fast I almost clipped his jaw. He raised an eyebrow even as he dropped his arm to keep me from overbalancing and falling to the floor. “Why didn’t you say anything? Oh my gosh, it’s been weeks.”

She’d promised to call once she’d gotten through her busy schedule around the equinox, but it hadn’t happened. I’d been too caught up in my own thoughts to call her first, especially that entire week Callum was gone and I was trying to keep myself distracted. Seeing Monique and Arden wrapped around each other was almost too much as it was. I didn’t want to see Sloane and feel jealous or resent her happiness. So I hadn’t called. And then, well, obviously the last week had happened. It had been nearly a month since that first call with the mirrors.

I scrambled to my feet and rushed to the nightstand where I kept the mirror carefully perched. The turquoise gem in the handle of the mirror pulsed with light, slow enough it felt more like a homing signal rather than an SOS beacon. I twisted the mirror the way I’d done once before, and Sloane’s brilliant smile appeared in the glass.

“Oh, hi, Mimi! I’m so sorry I didn’t call when I promised I would. Life has just been very hectic here, but I imagine you know that since there was a Marish delegation that came to help with the mediation. Anyway, I had a moment and I miss you! Call back whenever. Bye!”

I walked back to the sofa and curled into Callum’s side, twisting the mirror to activate it again. Like the first time, it sat inert in my hands for nearly a minute. Then the glass melted away again, silver pooling in the bottom curve before disappearing.

Sloane’s smile filled the mirror again, nearly identical to the message she’d left earlier.

“Mimi! Oh my gosh! I’ve missed you so much. I’m so sorry for not calling.” She moved a bit and then set her own mirror down before stepping back. She was in the same room as before, and Jacob was stretched across the sofa, his smile softer than before as he focused on my sister. He wore a simple tunic and pants, just like the last time. My sister wore a light blue dress that landed just above her knees, the neckline a similar shape to the one I wore today. Her hair was down with only a small braid on one side, the rest cascading over her shoulder and down her chest. “How are you? How have things been there? I see you did your Freia rites.”

Thankfully, I didn’t blush. She would never let me live it down if I blushed about sex with her.

“We did. We just got home yesterday, actually.”

She frowned and tilted her head. “Those are healing really fast for just a day.”

I scrunched my nose. “I said we got back yesterday, not that we completed the rites yesterday. Our rites were six days ago.”

“Right.” Her cheeks flushed. “I can read between the lines just fine, no need to elaborate.”

I couldn’t help but laugh as I set the mirror propped against a few of the books on the table, turning it so Callum was fully in frame too.

“Holy sternum tattoo batman,” Sloane muttered. Then she cleared her throat as Jacob grunted, clearly amused. “Sorry! Sorry! Just pretend I didn’t say anything.”

“No, it’s pretty impressive,” I admitted. Callum’s amusement was a warm weight in my chest even if he only offered a small smile outwardly. “So how have things been there? Callum mentioned when he left last week the talks were going all right but nothing was set in stone or anything.”

Sloane’s eyes widened. “You were here?!” When Callum nodded, Sloane shot out of her seat nearly as fast as a bullet. “Why didn’t you come see us?! Mimi!”

There was true hurt in the words, and I quickly tried to assure her I hadn’t avoided her.

“Just him. I was still here in Starguard. He was part of the trio sent to be intermediaries.”

She stood there, her eyes narrowed, for a long minute. Jacob eventually threaded their hands together and quietly urged her back to the sofa. She sat beside him with a huff.

Jacob said, “Nolan says the talks have gone well. They are expecting to sign a new trade agreement in the morning that will hopefully alleviate the desire for some of the merchants and nobles of Sepra to target our ships. Even if it is not a perfect solution that may need to be revised down the road, a true war has been avoided, and that is what is most important.”

Sloane nodded her agreement. “Which is good. Now we can focus on other things, like scheduling our travel and lodgings for your coronation.”

I couldn’t help but look at Callum. “Has that been scheduled?”

Anything at all could have happened while I was in heat, and I wouldn’t have a hope of knowing about it. He shook his head and combed his fingers through a bit of my hair, draping it over my shoulder and covering the bond mark.

“After our celebration tomorrow night,” he said, “we’ll leave for Embercrest. Once we’re there, we’ll begin the planning process of the coronation. I imagine it will be sometime near the solstice, though. They take quite a bit of planning, and my father will likely choose to hold the public celebration first so you have a chance to meet more of our people before taking the formal title.”

“We’ll leave so soon?”

“We could stay a few days longer if you’d like, Sterre,” he said. “But by the end of the week, yes. You need to be introduced to the rest of the main court that lives mostly in Embercrest. We will also have more privacy there, as I have my own private residence.”

Well, that part sounded very nice. Callum felt the pulse of arousal, and he smirked, his gaze dropping to my lips. That fast, I wanted him again, needed him against me and inside me.