murmur as I step past her. “Just call me three times and I will come to you—always.”
I draw her scent deep into my lungs as I slip by her. Her perfume stirs a voracious hunger within me, but I do not linger. I continue to walk to the door and place my hand on the knob. I look at her over my shoulder and note that she has turned to watch me and is staring at me, her expression revealing none of her thoughts.
“Oh, and I hope you enjoy your mating gift,” I say with a nod to the flowers and sweets still lying on the table.
Her eyes shift to the table but immediately return to me, and I can feel them on my back as I leave. Although there is a new trepidation weighing upon my heart, I hope she will call for me.
Chapter 6
Steph
My family doesn’t wait even two minutes after the unicorn leaves before they’re rushing back into the living room. Harriet is practically vibrating with excitement as she grabs my arm.
“Are you going to do it, Auntie Steph?” Harriet asks with an impish excitement. “If you go, can I go with you?” she begs, ignoring her mother’s frown.
I smile down at her and stroke her braids because I can understand where it’s coming from. I probably would have been over the moon at her age, too.
“Oh no, I don’t think so,” Tonya interjects. “If your auntie goes, it’ll be because it is something she needs to do. It’s not a vacation. There is no way you’re going to miss school or set foot in the fae world.”
She scrunches her face up at her mother, unhappy with the response.
“But Mama,” she pleads, “school is boring, and I never get to do anything exciting—not even a sleepover because you don’t trust anyone else but Auntie and Grandma to take care of me. I want to go, just this one time. He might end up part of our family, and I want to see their world. Please, please, please.”
“I really don’t think it’s a good idea, Harriet,” I say, earning a grateful look from my sister. “Trust me, it’s not going to be a lot of fun. Just a quick trip to get this done, and then I’ll be back in no time.”
Her little face falls, and I hate that I’ve disappointed her. Just one more thing to add to the disaster that’s become the unicorn courtship. I sigh and swipe a hand over my face. My bed has never been more tempting than it is right now. I am exhausted from my long day and the emotional roller coaster I just rode to death.
Tonya glances over at me and squeezes her daughter’s arm.
“Auntie’s right, baby. Besides, it’s just not safe.”
A disgusted huff escapes from my niece that I’ve never heard from her before.
“Ugh. You don’t think anything is safe. If you have your way, I won’t ever do anything fun. I’ll just grow up to be so boring that no one will want to be around me and end up all alone like you.”
“Harriet Grace Lawrence, watch the tone,” Mama advises sharply, her arms folded over her chest.
My niece looks mutinous for all of five seconds. She looks over at my sister and back at her grandmother’s stern glare before she wilts, her face crumpling.
“Sorry, Mama,” she mumbles. “I didn’t mean it.”
No, she probably didn’t mean to say something hurtful, but I have little doubt that it is what she feels, and I know that stings. Tonya’s lip quivers with emotion, and she swipes at her eye. Drawing in a rattling breath, she stoops down to meet Harriet eye to eye.
“I know, baby,” she murmurs, cupping her daughter’s cheek with one hand. “I do work a lot because I’m scared that if it weren’t for Auntie Steph that we would have nothing at all. I worry about us being safe and having what we need… and that goes double for you. But you are going to have a lot of years for adventures. Just be patient with your boring mama for now… okay? I’m sure when Auntie Steph gets back, she can tell us all about everything she saw.”
I feel like I’ve been forced into going now, but I don’t say so. In truth, my decision was already made when the unicorn—Eliph—offered the third option. I may not want to be mated to him, but he clearly didn’t choose this anymore than I did. I certainly don’t want