My soulmate strode into the bedroom and out into his sitting room, and for one live-wire moment I thought Dain was going to just straight up carry me to the throne room and go down on me in front of whatever few revelers still remained. But rather than break down the door, Dain grabbed one of the heavy wooden chairs from next to his chess table, hauled it to the center of the room, then set me down on it, dragging his fingers along my entrance before taking his hand off of me.

Holding my eyes, Dain sank down onto his knees with liquid grace, then raked his heated gaze down my body, clad only in the twining shapes of black serpent tattoos. He wet his lips and closed his eyes, a faint line appearing between his brows.

The room around us went strange, as if we were underwater, the edges of everything going soft and indistinct, and I peered at the wavering lines of the furniture with some consternation. "What—"

Suddenly, a new room rushed out from Dain to replace the old, like a blastwave peeling the leaves off of trees. We were in a throne room—not quite the Stag Court throne room, but a similar one, and I was sitting on a throne with Dain kneeling at my feet. I stared at him, astonished, as the frozen tableau of revelers began to dance and music wound through the air. I could feel the stone beneath me, warm and solid, and smell the floor wax and frankincense.

"Will this do?" Dain asked, opening his eyes again. When I didn't say anything, he smiled, slow and satisfied. "Faerqen is also the god of glamors and illusion, beloved," he said, a curling heat in his voice and golden eyes. "I would have gladly given you my throne in front of all of Stag Court, but perhaps for now you will allow me to imagine the scene for you."

"On one condition," I said.

He looked up at me with hunger and eagerness. "Name it."

"I get to have my hands on your horns."

"Leah," Dain purred with a delighted smile. "I insist."

He took my hands by the wrists and planted a warm kiss on one of my palms before placing my hands on his horns. I closed my fingers around them, my heart pounding as Dain looked up at me with desire and affection. He shifted, spreading his legs to settle lower, then ran his warm hands up my thighs, looking up into my eyes.

"Your highness," he said, his voice low and heavy with lust. A slow smile spread across his face as he dragged his gaze down along my body. "Let me show you thorough."