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Castor laughs again, ignoring the way she glares at him. “Just tell her already. The suspense is killing me.”

“Tell me what?” she demands. “What else could there possibly be?”

“Eden, sit down.” I jerk my chin towards the picnic rug.

“No.”

“Do not disobey me.” It hurts me to use that tone, but the sooner she learns who is in charge here, the better.

Her lower lip wobbles. “You’re not my father, Lux.”

“I’m not,” I speak coldly. “But I do own you.”

Her pretty lips pop open. “What?”

“I own you,” I repeat. “Last night you accepted my marriage bond. Therefore, we are now mated and you belong to me.”

Horror dawns across her face, intense enough to make my chest ache. I never wanted today to go this way. This was supposed to be a happy day for her. For us both. Castor, too.

“Eden,” I start in a gentle tone.

“What do you mean mated?” she stammers. “I don’t understand any of this.”

Castor chuckles. “You’ve never heard of a faerie mating bond?”

“Faerie?” she blurts. “But you’re not…”

“We are,” I correct her. “Well technically only half-fae, but our magic is as strong as a pure-blooded faerie.”

“Magic? What magic?” She stares at me like she doesn’t know me at all. But she does. Everything I said in our letters was real, I just… left out a few parts.

“I’ll show you.” Castor grins.

“Don’t you dare,” I snarl at him. “You’ll only scare her.”

“I think she’s already pretty damned terrified.” He shrugs.

“All the more reason not to frighten her.” I shoot him a warning look. Castor and I may be connected through our magic, but Eden is still mine. And with our new mating bond coursing through my veins, I see no issue with reminding him of that fact.

He smirks at me. “You can glare at me all you like, Lux, but it won’t stop your princess from getting away.”

I scoff. “What are you talking about⁠—”

A scream cuts through the forest, loud enough to wipe the smirk from Castor’s face. Bolting up, I turn to Eden, but she’s gone.

“I saw which way she went.” Castor sprints towards the forest, while I focus on following him instead of the urge to strangle him for letting her run away from us.

Panic grips me as her quiet cry weaves through the trees.

“Sounds like your mate is alive,” Castor taunts.

“Do not speak another word unless you wish to start crying too.” Her cries sound as if she is injured, and my jaw hardens with every sob. The second we get back to the manor, I’m bundling her up in blankets and locking her in my bedchamber for life.

Eden may be the best chance at revenge I’ll ever get on her waste-of-space father, but she’s still my mate. My princess to protect.

And I’ll die before I ever let her get hurt again.

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