At first, Cair had been a little uncertain, but only because it wasn’t proper etiquette for Fae royalty to get their hands dirty, and definitely not to be seen by their subjects doing so. Sure, we may have lived to be a thorn in his father’s side, testing the limits of our boundaries, but breaking the rules outright was a level of disrespect we wanted to avoid. Thankfully though, we managed to sidestep the issue by keeping me hidden from the public eye. There was a small plot of land in the palace courtyard with a sculpted water fountain, a wooden love seat, and a cobbled path, all walled off by tall hedges and secured with a locked gate. I called it my Secret Garden—a place just for me, where I could plant all sorts of flowers and herbs without being watched. It was a diversion, something to keep me occupied whenever Cair wasn’t around. It also lessened my anxieties about being a burden, as anything I grew could be used in the kitchens or for medicine.

Each plant in the Otherworld had a purpose, and it was my goal to learn them all.

That was where my nook came in handy. It was a cozy blanket and beanbag filled hideaway Cair had commissioned for me near our rooms on the top floor. The palace library was insane. It had more tomes, scrolls, and written records than I’d ever seen, but it wasn’t always vacant, so on the days when I needed peace, I would borrow as many books as I could comfortably carry and take them up to my den.

I appreciated having the option to be completely secluded, able to immerse myself in research or whatever fantasy world I wanted to explore away from any prying eyes. The winding staircase was a pain in my ass—it really gave off some ‘princess in a tower’ vibes—but was worth it for the tranquility. There was even a desk and a blackboard for whenever I found myself so absorbed in a topic that I ended up down a rabbit hole and in need of a place to map out every fine detail.

I could stay there and fixate for hours until my prince came to rescue me.

“You know how I am,” I said with a light shrug. “I can entertain myself.”

“Very well.” Cair smiled before leaning in to kiss me again, though it wasn’t the sweet and longing goodbye kiss I’d expected. It lingered. It grew impatient and greedy. His tongue swept out, demanding entry, and my lips parted for him without hesitation, every nerve in my body his to command.