“The day you were taken from me, I saw a fraction of that protective streak in him,” I carried on. “That caring, almost gentle side that slipped free because I was in distress and he reacted instinctively. He’s still a grump, but I know he’d never intentionally hurt Alex. He’s good for him, and I’m just glad they’ve found each other.”

Cair smiled. “As am I.”

We reached Cair’s apartment building and Mal, his assistant, greeted us at the elevator, using the gold card in his jacket pocket to send us up to the top floor. Since the penthouse was where we’d successfully portalled in before, we didn’t want to run the risk of messing up by changing the location. We could’ve tried opening one at the lounge, but it was safer to stick to what we knew worked. We couldn’t be certain the energy from the Veil wouldn’t interfere with the magic. Besides, Cair had wanted to speak to Mal about keeping the place in order while we were gone, so it wasn’t exactly a wasted trip.

While my mate discussed wards and other security measures with his assistant, I circled the apartment, taking in the view that still deserved a top spot on my Best I’ve Ever Seen list. It made me feel as if I were standing on the clouds, looking down at the little patch of paradise that was the monster side of Edenglas. Not much would ever compare, though I’d save my full judgment for our trip to the Outerlands. I had no doubt there would be many beautiful scenes to rival this, especially so far from the palace, where the land was in its most natural and simple state.

Peeling away from the windows, I scoured through Cair’s endless supply of records. It had shocked me to learn that my mate had a fondness for human music, especially hits from the seventies. I’d always pegged him for a classical guy, the pianoforte or opera type, but he’d said that after a lifetime of his interests being dictated to him by his father—and what he thought was appropriate for royalty—he enjoyed rebelling a little. I liked that about him. It made him seem less godlike, less out-of-reach Fae prince, knowing he had regular ole hobbies and passions like regular ole people.

The penthouse filled with expensive furniture may have shown off his status, but whenever we came here, I could almost pretend we were just two normal people, living out normal lives in the big city.

A break from reality.