Title Page

Dedication

To every reader who decided to give this book a shot. Apologies in advance.

SUBJECT MATTER

The following content can be found in this book. Please note that this list contains SPOILERS.

• Fae/Half-Human
• Size Difference
• Royalty
• Dirty Talk
• Going On An Adventure
• Soulmates
• Established Relationship
• Protective MC
• Magic & Spells
• Happy For Now-ish (the MCs are happy and in love, but a few elements of their story will be concluded in book four)
• Lots of Fluff & Banter
• Neurodivergent MC & BC
• Low/Medium Spice (there is a mix of fade to black scenes and explicit sex scenes)
• Self Discovery
• He Talks Him Through It
• Found Family
• Angst
• Sex While Flying
• Past Banishment
• Poisoning
• Bathing
• Pet Names Used (both in sexual and non-sexual scenarios; “little one” is used often; “pet” is used in a British term-of-endearment way, not derogatory or kinky)
• Mild Self-Esteem Issues
• Very Briefly Referenced Past Child Abuse (background character had food withheld when he was a child, but the event is not described in detail)
• Broken Mating Bonds
• Mentioned Depression/Suicidal Thoughts
• Breeding Kink (MC likes the idea of getting his mate pregnant; mpreg is not a possibility in this universe)
• Mentioned Reproduction (MCs discuss the prospect of having children, but no conclusion is given in this book)
• Lingerie (babydoll night-dress)
• “Good Boy” (used sparingly)
• Mentioned War & War Planning
• Brief Seizure (not explicitly described)
• Very Brief Water Incident (background character falls in the shallow end of a pool and panics; he is not in danger)
• Ambush/Fighting
• Mild Blood & Injury
• Very Descriptive Character Death & Grieving
• Briefly Mentioned Self-Harm Scars
• Explicit Language/Swearing
• Mentioned Kidnapping
• Bigotry
• Possessiveness
• Electrocution (background character uses magic electrical currents as a defibrillator)
• Very Slight Plot Cliffhanger (this book ends with the intention of the next installment tying everything up)
• Anxiety & Anxious Thoughts
• MC Needs Reassurance Often
• Panic Attack

INTRODUCTION

Please be advised that the Veiled City series must be read in order as many minor background elements as well as the overarching plot will not be resolved until book four. Rest assured, each main pairing will have their happily ever after by the end.

Prologue

TWENTY-SIX YEARS AGO

“No, no, no,” I cried, wrestling against the guard’s clutch as they hauled me from the Veil. “You can’t do this. I have done nothing wrong!”

My mate would be waiting for me in our usual spot behind the library, away from prying eyes, wearing one of her ankle-length dresses dotted with flowers, her red plaits hanging down her back. Every week we would meet and spend hours eluding the king’s spies and savoring what little time we had to spare, but today, I wouldn’t show up.

She will think the worst.

I was forced to my knees in front of the dais, my hair tugged roughly until my neck arched. My gaze landed on the looming figure atop his opulent pedestal, his sharp features set in a callous mask, yet his black eyes burned with outrage.

“I think you will find that I can do whatever I please,” the king said, his voice as cold as ice and laced with threat. Two gloved fingers rose from the arm of his throne, and before I could anticipate his next move, my arms were yanked behind me, cold metal hooked over both my wrists. Shackles. I panicked, but it was no use. The restraints clicked into place, and I felt my magic weaken to a faint shimmer.

If it hadn’t been for the guard’s grip on my hair, I would have doubled over. The energy draining from my body left me grappling at consciousness. I was almost grateful for the bastard who kept me upright. The king did not deserve to even pretend I’d thrown myself at his feet.

“Why are you doing this?” I demanded, slurring the words through my fangs. “What harm have I caused? I’ve done all that you asked. I’ve been a loyal subject, a friend. I have⁠—”

“You had notions of breeding with a human, of bringing it through the Veil.” The words dripped like venom off his tongue. “I will not have my kingdom polluted with filth.”

“She is not—” I gritted my teeth, stifling the protective instincts clawing at my belly. It would not benefit my cause to show anger. “I didn’t bring her back. We haven’t even bonded, so how can you say⁠—”

“You planned to.” He cut me off again, his fingers flexing so subtly I almost missed the crack in his composure. “You think I am ignorant of your purchase of land, your hopes to take your human pet there?”

I barely suppressed the hitch of breath in my throat, my chest tight.

My journal. I thought I had been careful. I thought I had locked away my flyaway thoughts and innocent fantasies of our future together. Mentions of a home I had wanted to one day make our own, but knew it would doubtless never be. None of it had been plans set in motion, only the delusions of a lovesick male and impulsive decisions with no real conclusions, but he had found them.

How could I have been so careless?

“Th-that is speculation.” My courage wavered, though I hadn’t an abundance of it to begin with. “You can’t punish me for⁠—”

“You forget that I know you.” He leaned forward, a hint of smugness creeping into his demeanor. “You lose yourself to flights of fancy. You forget your place. I already refused your appeal to remove the ward once before. Do not believe me a fool.”

“You were the one who ordered the Veil open,” I argued lamely, the heavy shroud of anxiety making my voice shake. “You were the reason I was in the human realm in the first place. I would not have met her otherwise, and now you’re punishing me by taking it all away?”

She would be standing there on that quiet little cobbled street, glancing up at each set of approaching footsteps, a smile spreading over her sweet lips, her breath hitching in anticipation of seeing me walk around the corner. My heart shattered at the vision of the dejection that would fill her sapphire eyes when she realized I wouldn’t.

How long would she wait? Would she return every day to see if I was there? Would she look for me?

Will she forget?

“You disregarded the orders of your king,” he said, eerily calm. “And this is not your first transgression, is it? Your task was simple, to oversee the humans, but you let your greed prevail. You have no one to blame but yourself.”

“Greed?” I scoffed in disbelief, dejection worming its way deep into my bones. “I fell in love. It was not a decision I made. I didn’t do it out of spite, or whatever other nefarious reasons you’re inventing. It just happened. The Creators’ will.” Despite the situation I was in, for a split second, frustration overtook my senses, and I bared my fangs. “But I suppose you wouldn’t know what that feels like.”

The minute hint of an expression on the king’s face vanished in an instant. My blood ran cold.

He straightened, lifting his chin—a ruthless leader, preparing to dole out my sentence. I had signed my own death warrant. “Zadok Velarde, you are hereby banished from the kingdom,” he decreed. “You will remove all memory of yourself from the creatures who knew you and be shipped to the Outerlands, where you will reside for the rest of your days. Forgotten, except by the one you love most.”

No.

No, no, no.

“Banish me to the human realm,” I begged, tears welling in my eyes as I struggled against my bonds, my scalp burning. It was what he wanted. To see me broken and humiliated. Well, he could have it. I would forfeit what remained of my pride. I’d give up everything if it won me the chance to be with my mate. “I won’t return! I won’t bring her back through the Veil, I swear!”

“If you make an attempt to return to the human realm, I will have your human killed,” he rumbled, the sound a death knell haunting my very soul. “Do you understand me?”

I trembled, feeling three feet tall, a child in the shadow of a monster. “L-let me send her a missive, a note to explain that I won’t return. Grant me that mercy, at least? Please.”

“No. I want you plagued with the knowledge that she will spend whatever human years she has left believing you abandoned her.”

“Naeron, please,” I sobbed, uncaring of my dignity. “I’m your oldest friend. Don’t do this. I’ll do anything, just let me be with her.”

There was a pause. It lingered, allowing a flicker of hope to swell in my chest before it was snatched back. “Escort him from my sight,” he ordered, blank, emotionless. Bored. “I never want to see his face again.”

The world was a blur, a muffled din as I screamed and fought. It was futile. The progress I had made in the human realm, the dreams I had allowed myself to believe, the plans we had whispered to one another in the quiet of night—all of it gone with a snap of his fingers. I would never know that taste of peace again. I would never see my mate again.

My Rosemary.

Chapter One

LUCA

PRESENT DAY

(Two Days Before Teighan Epilogue)

There were really only two things that made early mornings more bearable. The first was breakfast in bed: stacks of soft pancakes with lashings of syrup, or Chef Milo’s savory meat pies with cheese and relish brought to me on a silver tray.

The second was having Cair’s mouth on my dick.

As divine as it was to slowly blink into consciousness with my mate’s arms surrounding me in a warm, safe cocoon—one of my life’s simplest yet greatest pleasures—my lazy ass sometimes needed extra encouragement. However, as I stirred awake, squinting as the sun laser-beamed straight into my retinas, I could not smell the sweet, sticky scent of fruit and fluffy goodness in the air. Nor did I feel anything special happening between my legs.

Was Cair bored of our mated-and-in-love routine already? The fact that we’d already formed routines made me all giddy. We were adorable. It had only been six months since we came back to the Otherworld after Alex and Teighan’s mating, and if Cair was no longer feeling the honeymoon-like bliss, he never let it show. His enthusiasm spoke for itself, and seriously, how anyone could be as perky as he was at the ass crack of dawn was beyond my comprehension.

Without fail, on the mornings when he couldn’t stay in bed with me, he’d nuzzle the back of my neck, wait until I stirred, then grind up against my ass, getting me all hot and bothered before slipping under the covers to suck me dry—almost like an apology for leaving. If he deemed me too peaceful to disturb, he’d sneak out while I was dead to the world and return later to present his platter of freshly baked goods before going about his duties with the most self-satisfied smirk on his face. Either way, he always seemed eager to follow his provider instincts, and on the days when he felt particularly doting, I got both. I was out here living the dream.

Except… this morning I was awake with no food, no blow job, and no mate in sight.

Where has he gone?

Groaning, I rose to a sitting position, rubbing my eyes and almost dislocating my jaw with a yawn. There was no note on the bedside table, and his overcoat still hung by the door, so he hadn’t left for work yet. It was funny. I’d never been overly enthusiastic about the prospect of a ‘kept husband’ life. It was ingrained into every fiber of my being that earning my keep and never relying on others for anything was the only way to be. I mean, I still balked at the idea of Cair spending money on me, or lavishing me with all manner of extravagant gifts, but… the acts of service? Yeah, those were something I could enjoy, especially since it made Cair happy—let it be known that I was willing to compromise. However, as I scanned the room for any hints of where my devoted mate could be, I realized I might have got more used to the prince treatment than I’d thought. I was mourning it.

My belly even rumbled as if to say, “He’s laaaate.”

Christ, what was I thinking? I really had taken to that royal sense of entitlement like a duck to water, huh? He’d probably been called away on business. If the king needed him, he wouldn’t have had the chance to do anything else; his father was not a patient guy and would not be kept waiting. Briefly, a worry about Cair being in trouble crossed my mind, but I shook it away. Rathe, his steward, would have come to me if that were the case, and I would have felt his suffering through our bond. No, he was safe, just busy, and maybe that was a sign for me to make him breakfast for a change.

Or at least go down to the kitchens and scour the cupboards until they took pity on me. The last time I’d tried to make anything was the cake I’d had the naive idea of baking for the twins’ birthday. I’d almost burned the place down, so Mrs. Loris would probably stop me at the threshold and shoo me away, promising to send a feast up.

It was the thought that counted, though, right?

I peeled back the covers and swung my legs over the edge of the bed, stretching before shuffling to the en suite. The fizz of magic hung in the air, making my skin tingle, and with a quick snap of my fingers, the lights flickered on. Barely anything in the Otherworld operated as it did in the human realm, though they shared a few amenities. There was running water, indoor plumbing, and electric lights, but instead of physics and engineering, it all came from magic. The king preferred his land as close to its natural state as possible, but he allowed for certain necessities to be made less rudimentary—or medieval.

Technology wasn’t used here—no mobile phones or the like—and nothing that caused pollution or the unnecessary demolition of nature. Cars were a total no go, though since teleportation was a thing, there was no real need for them. It was baffling to think that I could have a hot bath in minutes, and switch on a lamp to read at night, but if I wanted to speak to Alex, I had to write a letter.

I had to admit, the transition was a little strange, but the fresher air in my lungs and the breathtaking landscapes were an acceptable compromise.

As I washed my hands, I glanced at myself in the mirror. My curls were sticking out in every direction, a result of Cair’s fingers running through them last night and how I wriggled in my sleep. There were also teeth and finger marks speckling my shoulders and chest, purple and raw. My belly heated at the memory of their sting, though I’d have to remember to cover up before heading downstairs. I’d been on the receiving end of too many knowing looks last time.

I left the bathroom and was making a beeline for my dressing robe when the bedroom door creaked open. I’d half expected one of the maids to come storming in to change the sheets or offer to bathe me—an offer I refused every time it was made—but instead, relief rushed through me as Cair’s gorgeous face came into view.

“You’re up,” he said as he entered the room, tray in hand, gently toeing the door closed behind him. He sounded shocked. Maybe even a little disappointed. “Forgive me, pet. I was ambushed in the corridor by one of my father’s chancellors. I had no intention of making you wake up alone.”

“It’s okay,” I reassured him, and with my plans foiled, I crawled back under the covers, robe forgotten. The smell of warm batter and sweet fruit compote filled my nose. I squirmed happily. “I assumed you’d been called away.”

He hummed and placed the tray on my lap. There were two plates piled high with pancakes, two glasses of iced tea with lemon, a bowl of freshly cut berries, and a big jug of syrup. It looked delicious, and I was eager to tuck in, but before I could lift my fork, Cair swooped in to kiss me hard, knocking me off balance.

My lips were all tingly by the time he withdrew.

“Good morning, my heart.”

“Morning.” I smiled, dazed, though when I looked down at the spread he’d brought, a pang of guilt made me falter. “I should make you breakfast. I feel selfish.”

“Nonsense,” he said as he lowered himself onto the bed beside me. “I enjoy doing this for you, and I am grateful that you indulge me.”

I couldn’t exactly argue with that, could I? Not with the reverent expression he aimed at me. I chewed the inside of my cheek, hesitating for a moment. “Well… if you’re sure?”

“Most definitely.” Cair bowed his head, his grin turning impish, and before I could warn him against saying exactly what he was going to say, he tacked on, “Your Highness.”

I groaned and hid my face in my hands. The bastard chuckled, perfectly aware of how that particular bit of teasing affected me, especially since it wasn’t exactly a tease. It was a goddamn fact, and that only made the discomfort worse.

Being mated to Cair meant I was now a prince of the Fae, and whoever had spun that little thread of fate clearly had a stellar sense of humor. Thankfully, there had been no official ceremony or celebration. There was no custom for it as I was the first to be mated into the royal family in thousands of years—or at least for as long as the king had reigned—so they weren’t prepared.

Though he had never voiced it outright, the quiet integration suited the king, considering he wasn’t exactly ecstatic with my presence in the first place, but for once, his assholery worked in my favor. Normally, I would have done anything to spite him, but I wouldn’t have survived standing in front of a throne room full of creatures, accepting my new title. It was terrifying enough knowing that when the day came for Cair to ascend the throne, I would have to ascend with him. It may be a hundred, or even a thousand years from now, given the king’s stubbornness and his reluctance to have a half-blood human polluting the royal line, but naturally, I still stressed myself out about it well in advance. I mean, I barely coped with people calling me that honorific and dipping their heads in respect as I passed them in the hallway. I could only imagine what it would be like to hear “Your Majesty.”

I shivered at the thought.

“Open up,” Cair prompted. He had the fork—loaded with pancake, syrup, and fruit—hovering in the air, waiting for me to obey.

I did, and though I’d had this exact meal many times before, my eyes still rolled as the sweet and tart deliciousness hit my tongue.

Easily the best pancakes I’d ever had in my life.

“I can feed myself, you know,” I said once I’d swallowed, though I opened my mouth for the second bite.

“Yes, but why should you when you have me?”

He presented a solid argument, so I focused on chewing and watching as Cair fed himself with the same fork before preparing the next bite for me. His tongue peeked out to catch a smudge of syrup at the corner of his lips, and the tempting sight had my imagination whirring.

I grinned as a thought popped into my head.

“Well, I sure hope you brushed your fangs after eating my ass last night,” I joked, feeling much too smug when Cair paused mid-slice of pancake, peering up at me with one eyebrow raised. I probably should have known better than to think I’d ever win in a contest of wits against a Fae, but I was a little delusional at six a.m.

“Considering your penchant for riding my mouth after I’ve come inside you, sweetheart, I’d say it’s a little late to act squeamish about such things. Wouldn’t you agree?”

The instantaneous blush that heated my cheeks spread all the way down my chest.

Welp, he had me there, and since no clapback to that very rhetorical question was forthcoming, I kept quiet and opened my mouth for the next bite.

Cair obliged with a chuckle, alternating between feeding me and himself until both plates were clean. I blew out a breath and reclined against the headboard, rubbing circles over my stomach. Cair set the tray on the bedside table before scooching closer to comb his fingers through my hair.

If I were a cat, I’d have been purring.

“Do you need anything else?” he asked.

I shook my head. “No, I’m good. Think I’m going to need a nap now.”

“I’ll be in my office most of the day, though it pains me to leave your side.”

“That’s okay. I was going to check on my patch of nathrach, anyway. They’re starting to bloom. I might do some reading in my nook, too.” During one of my visits back to the human realm, Alex had given me the idea of finding a hobby when I’d expressed my discomfort with being idle. ‘Working’ wasn’t a possibility for me here, and it was rare to find someone willing to let me help out. Mrs. Loris sometimes gave me vegetables to peel when I showed her my best sad-puppy eyes—and only when there was no one else in the kitchens—so I’d come up with the idea of gardening.

I loved plants. They soothed me somehow, with all their unique shapes, scents and patterns, and though I wasn’t always perfect at nurturing them—as Teighan would attest to—it was something I found joy in and was willing to improve on.

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