Royce Whitethorn Galathynius couldn't move. When she was fourteen, she and her mother had gotten ready together for a ball. Her mother had sprayed two squirts of perfume on her wrists and told her as she rubbed it on her neck, Put the perfume where you want to be kissed. Not on her mouth of course, but Royce had never really understood what was so grand about neck kissing. Elian had never done it and he was virtually her only experience.

Now-now-she understood completely what her mother was talking about.

Well, he-gods she didn't even know his name-wasn't exactly kissing her neck. But his face was buried in it, lips caressing her skin every few moments. She should move away, goddamnit. He was a stranger, whose animal form was a panther. That was the extent of truth that she knew about him.

And that he was related to Maeve-the evidence was impossible to ignore.

And that he was her mate.

He jerked back suddenly, eyes that were like chips of frozen shadow wide. "Shit. Shit."

Then he was off-away-and Royce could breath. She stood, hand finding the hilt of her dagger on instinct alone. "You're Maeve's son."

"You're my mate." His voice reminded her of the soil beneath them, solid and shifting with promises.

She wouldn't hurt him because of that fact, because of the blinding snap she'd felt the moment he said the word. But he was the offspring of the Queen of the Valg and-who? She hadn't even been aware Maeve could have children, couldn't even imagine her great-great aunt pregnant.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Azel." he said, and it sounded like every part of her soul. "What's yours?"

"Royce."

His dark brows pinched. "Royce Whitethorn? Rowan Whitethorn's daughter?"

She nodded. "And Aelin Galathynius's. I'm here for the cure."

He mouthed the words silently to himself. "Oh… oh no." He strode forward, grabbing her wrist. "You can't be here. You're not allowed out here."

She wanted to yank her arm away but every nerve in her body was screaming to stay close to him. "Why."

"Because you're not supposed to know I exist."

Before she could protest more, a dark wind surrounded them and she couldn't draw the breath to scream as Azel pulled her through the folds of the world.

Then she was in a new room-much nicer than hers. A desk sat cluttered with books and quills, a dresser with close piled high as if he'd been too lazy to put them in the drawers. Plush red carpets on the stone floor to match the bed spread-which was also messy.

Royce stumbled forward, head spinning madly. "What the-"

But Azel was already moving towards what she assumed was the closet. He said as he dressed, "Make yourself comfortable."

"What? I need you to show me back to my room. I can't stay here,"

He came back out as he pulled a shirt over his head. "Why?"

"Didn't you just say I'm not supposed to know you exist?"

"Yes… but… ," He rubbed the back of his neck. "I… ,"

There was a polite knock on the door and Royce cursed, making to throw herself into the closet but without the time when it opened to a fae face.

"Fenrys." Royce breathed.

"Dad," Azel said, looking at his bare feet.

Royce whipped her head between them. He looked like Maeve, yes, but he had Fenrys's face and eyes, his tanned skin. So the rumors about Fenrys being the queen's whore were right.

Fenrys pointed between them, nostrils flaming. "This… what is this?"

Azel angled himself in front of Royce. "Dad, if you'll allow me to-"

"You're mates." his father interrupted, hands shooting into his golden hair. "Shit."

Silence stretched between them and Royce tried to become accustomed to the fact that she had a mate.

"Maeve doesn't know." Azel said, "That gives us some advantage, I guess." He shifted nervously under the weight of his father's gaze.

Then Fenrys looked to Royce. "I'll take you back to your room. As far as you know, he does not exist."

She nodded quickly, stepping towards the door, but Azel slid his arm through hers. "I'll do it."

Fenrys growled, "No. You won't. You will stay here, take a bath and change into some new clothes, and do not say anything about this to anyone. Understood?"

Azel glared hard. "Father-"

"Am I understood?" the fae shouted.

Azel stepped forward, towering a few inches over his father and dragging Royce along. "She is my mate-"

"I changed your diapers, boy, and you have known this girl for less than an hour.

Mating bond or no, you will trust me with this because if you don't, people will get killed. I will not… have one of those people be you, Azel. Now, am I understood?"

Azel's lip curled and he said nothing, but dropped his arm from Royce's.

Fenrys pointed to the bathing room. "Bath. Now. You need it. And stop staying up in that tree for hours just to scare the shit out of the guards looking for you."

Azel glanced back at Royce, then leaned in, as if to kiss her, but Fenrys shoved him back and grabbed Royce's collar, pulling them between folds of the world.

This time, Royce managed not to stumble, but the act still awed her.

"How do you do that?" she asked, the cell now seeming lonelier than it had before.

Fenrys shrugged. "Magic."

Royce sat on the cot, pulling her knees to her chest. "H-how does he exist? Maeve couldn't let a mistake like that happen. Not-not to be offensive."

He sat beside her with a sigh, none of the warrior of grins that her parents told her about. "He wasn't a mistake. Maeve wanted… wanted someone she could use as leverage against me when I still fought the bloodoath. She also wanted a… weapon and he was supposed to be one. To work by her side."

"But it didn't work?"

"It almost did. Sometimes I fear it will, but I will always be the one to protect him."

"Frankly, it doesn't sound like he needs much protecting."

"He does, you will soon learn, from himself. The only thing more devastating than two minds, is what you can do with one."