Chapter 11

ELEVEN

Cobar

I don't know anything about this wild woman who doesn't want to be with me, but I like her. I liked her the second I saw her. The moment I touched her. I truly couldn't understand my fascination with her at the time, but when she was shown to be my mate, I admit I was happy rather than upset.

Which was entirely unexpected, given how anxious I've been about finding the right mate. At the right time in my life.

From the first time I walked in on one of my parents' orgies as a child, I promised myself I would be faithful to my wife. When my parents put me in the middle of their constant affairs, becoming more and more outrageous with each partner, I swore that I'd cut off my own cock before putting a wife and a child in a similar situation. But I've never met a woman I could imagine giving all other women up for until Cassia.

She intrigues me. She makes me laugh.

Which means the woman must be the mate for me .

"Are you sure you don't want to find a better way to pass the time?" Forrest asks, lifting his brows suggestively at Cassia.

A ball of jealousy forms in my stomach that I try to push away. Many fae have shared mates before. It's said that when the bride is found, the men unite too, creating a bond unlike any other friendship. I can easily imagine that happening with Sulien and Zane, but Forrest? Not so much. The man is irritating at best, so watching him with my mate won't be easy.

Luckily, she's not falling all over him. "I would sooner walk on hot coals."

He laughs again, but I enjoy the confusion on his face. Forrest might talk a big game, but he's the worst in our group with women in general. Most Fall Fae spend their time fighting, hunting, and drinking. They're like big drunken fools clumsily trying to attract their women. He lacks the grace of the rest of us, and he knows it.

Leading to him not having a clue what to do with this woman.

"The elders will be fair," Zane says, and I'm suddenly reminded of why we're out here.

Of course, they'll be fair. They can't decide to give her to just one of us; she's our mate. We'd die for her. We'd start wars for her. Which is exactly what they're trying to avoid.

I do find myself a little concerned about what ideas they might have for preventing war. Last time this happened, I believe the bride remained with each mate for a season. It was a decision that ended in tragedy.

My gut twists, and I glance at Cassia again. I don't want to be a fool, but I won't allow her to be gone from my side for so long, even if I have to argue with the elders. Sulien might be reluctant to challenge them, but I'm not, and I know Forrest and Zane feel the same given the way they've been looking at our mate.

"And what will the elders consider fair?" Cassia finally asks, and some of her bravado is gone.

Zane turns so he's facing her, and there's sympathy in his pale eyes. It surprises me. Not that he's sympathetic–Zane has a heart of gold–but that he's allowing his feelings to show. He only does that with people he trusts, specifically Sulien and I. "If the elders say something you don't like, we'll take care of it. We're your mates now, which means you're our top priority."

She smirks and looks at Forrest first and then me. I think when she realizes we agree with every word Zane spoke whatever smart remark she had ready to go dies on her lips. We're a group of idiots, but Zane's right. We'll die for our clever mate.

"They just better make their decision soon. I'm ready to go to bed with my mate," Forrest says, and his tone is grumpy. Like the elders are the only reason he isn't fucking Cassia right now.

"You're kidding, right?"

I'm having a hard time not laughing at the way she scowls at the three of us. Worse fates exist than a night with a handsome fae prince. But I like that she doesn't want to be forced into anything. That she didn't hear the word "mate" and rush to fall into our beds. She has her own mind, and, apparently, cares about more than being queen.

This marriage might prove to be better than I ever imagined.

Things will be different for Cassia and our children than it was in my home with my parents. Of that, I have no doubt.

Whatever the elders say, I won't let her be taken from me even for a moment. If she's like the last queen with four mates, she'll have four children, and one will rule my court, but all will be mine. Four children who will always have their mother, fathers, and each other.

They'll never be lonely.

It's hard not to smile when I think about it.

"What's so funny?" she asks, glaring at me.

"You won't think it's funny." I shrug. But maybe one day the thought will make her smile too.

The doors beside us suddenly open, and we all stand. I might be willing to argue with the elders if they say something I disagree with, but I'll still show them respect until then. None of us want another war on our hands, after all.

One of the elders of the Summer Court clears his throat. Beside him, Sulien stands silent, his face a mask of indifference, his favorite facial expression.

My body tenses. As much as we've teased Cassia, I'm nervous about what they'll say too. If they decide something stupid, fighting will begin between the courts, which is never fun. Especially when I'd much rather focus on my beautiful bride-to-be.

I guess I better hope they're as smart as they're supposed to be.

The elder clears his throat again, regarding us all.

Come on, old man, use your words.

And he finally does. "The four of you will wed Cassia in a fortnight."

A fortnight? It seems so damn far away. I realize it takes time to plan a royal wedding, yet I want to be done with it sooner than that. I want to have my bride in my arms and in my bed, with everything settled and my child already growing in her belly.

But if it makes the fucking Summer Court elders happy, I'll obey.

When none of us argues, he continues, "You will rule your respective courts, traveling to them as needed, but your marital home will be the Celestial Equilibrium.

"The Celestial Equilibrium is the castle in The Crossing where the boundaries of all four courts intersect. It lies uninhabited by royals, but it's in good shape, a castle that's fit to rule all courts from, and the town that surrounds it is lovely. There, you will spend the majority of your time, together, with your bride."

It takes everything in me not to pump my fist in happiness. Apparently, these elders aren't as dumb as I thought they might be. They didn't even try to restrict when and how often we can see our bride. Doing our work from The Crossing will make it easy to slip to our courts, do what must be done, and return to Cassia, the place we'll call home, the place we will raise our children, together.

This is the way to keep the four princes happy. But what does our bride think?

I glance over at Cassia, and my heart drops. She's visibly shaking. I slide an arm around her and brush my fingers along her back. She stiffens, but doesn't move out of my reach.

"And what about how she'll be… divided?" Forrest asks gruffly.

I wince at the poor word choice.

"Divided?" she asks, her tone outraged. "I'm not a pie! "

The elder lifts his hand to silence us. "We cannot relive the marriage that caused the Great War. When the Queen spent a season with each prince, jealousy and animosity destroyed our kingdoms. We must do everything we can to prevent that. So, to keep the peace and maintain fairness in your marriage, you will share your wife at all times. When you travel to each of your homelands, you will travel to them together." He tilts his head. "Any questions?"

Honestly, it seems like the best solution, and it gives me what I want: Cassia. "None."

The other men shake their heads.

Cassia stands up taller. "What about my feelings on the matter?"

Her words are met with silence. My hand drops from her back. What does she mean, her feelings? I mean, she's been vocal about not having an interest in us, but she had to have gone to the ball knowing she could be matched with one of us. This might be unexpected for her, but it can't be unwanted. Can it?

"What do you mean?" the elder asks.

Sulien shakes his head. She notices, but presses on. "What if I don't want to be the mate of four princes?" She hesitates. "Is there another solution?"

My heart drops. I look at the other men. None of them look happy, even Zane.

"What kind of solution?" The elder looks more than a little annoyed.

She puffs out a breath and throws up her hands. "Can I just pick one? Or…I mean, I can't have four husbands."

The elder moves so he's closer to her. "Lady Cassia, could you really give up any of your mates?" He studies her, frowning. "And if you could, who would you be rid of?"

Now, Sulien looks pissed. "I believe the lady is just feeling overwhelmed. She is rather timid, and the thought of four husbands may be too much."

Timid? Her?

I don't know why, but I'm fucking pissed. "If she can give up someone, it's not me."

"Or me," Zane and Forrest say together, then exchange an angry look.

The elder lifts his hands and sighs, "Lady, surely you can see that even the idea of this will lead to war."

"It won't," she says with a scoff. "I'm not… war-worthy to you, princes, is it?"

We all stare at her hard. Her gaze meets mine, and she flinches back. I'm not an angry man, but if she keeps talking like this, I'm going to rip this Summer Court palace apart piece by piece until the anger inside of me calms.

The power of my thoughts overwhelms me. Which of us would she be rid of indeed?

Again, the elder sighs. "You live with your elderly grandmother and bed-ridden father on the outskirts of town. Be thankful for your blessings and stop questioning them."

"But I'm happy with my family." Her words are soft, pulling at my heartstrings, and she never breaks eye contact with the elder of the Summer Court.

The elder reaches out and takes her hands. "Be brave, Lady Cassia." Then, he turns and disappears back into his chambers.

When he's gone, Cassia looks at Sulien. "Is that all that came from your conversation with him? "

"All that needed to be said was said," he tells her, a warning in his voice.

She looks angry. "This isn't at all how the night was supposed to go."

I don't know why, but I find her reluctance to be my queen frustrating. "Yet many would consider it a blessing."

She doesn't look convinced.

I glance at Forrest. He's locked in on her, trying to figure her out too. Who is this woman who sees being queen as a bad thing? Who seems to dislike all of us so much? And why was she working as a maid, believed to be a human, until now?

Sulien walks over and touches Cassia on her shoulder, leaning in almost as if to whisper in her ear. "We need to talk."

To my surprise, instead of one of her angry retorts, she nods, looking relieved.

She was ready to throw us away, but she's relieved to speak with him? Alone? Why?

Something inside of me clenches and burns with anger. They're both from the Summer Court. He probably knows her better than the rest of us. Perhaps they even had a relationship before the magic claimed them as mates.

An image of Sulien grabbing her away from Forrest earlier this evening flashes in my mind, and I wonder how well he knows her. She escaped from my arms, but she didn't resist him. On the contrary, she seemed relieved to dance with him then too.

Then there were her words when I first came upon her. She said she was looking for someone. Was it him all along? Is that who she wants instead of the four of us, just him?

I feel hotter and try to shake the feeling away, but it's unfamiliar and uncomfortable. Jealousy. It's jealousy I'm feeling. I try to push the feeling away, unaccustomed to being jealous of anyone. He may know her, but I'm Cobar of the Spring Court. It may take some work, but I'll win her heart too.

Still, when he leads her away, my jealousy grows.