Page 14 of His Summer Prince

“How do we go about it?”

Elior paused. “Juniper has completed her training to become an officiant. I’m sure she’d be happy to bond us. It couldn’t be traced back to her.”

Juniper sometimes came to see Elior and Wren when theywere shepherding over the summer. Usually, she was carrying bad news in the form of messages from the Summer Queen demanding Elior return to the faerie realm for some “important” occasion. Juniper never stayed long, but Wren liked her, and he was glad Elior had a friend to keep him company throughout winter. He’d never seen her as competition for Elior’s attention. There was no competition—Wren knew that if Elior could spend every second with him, he would.

“Then let’s ask her,” Wren said. “The sooner, the better.”

“You know I love you, right?” Elior was pressing his hot face into the crook of Wren’s neck, and the words came out muffled.

“Yes. And I love you too.”

Wren was surprised by his readiness to bond with Elior. It was a decision that’d affect the rest of his life. Technically, he’d be marrying Elior—that was, after all, what bonding meant to the fae. But his reaction was unambiguous—the prospect filled him with bright joy. Elior would be tied to him. Forever.

That night, as they had for years, they went to sleep in the berth at the back of the shepherd’s hut. The scent of straw engulfed Wren as he climbed into bed. Elior crawled in after him, and Wren pulled a woolen blanket over them. It was warm for spring, but in Vale, nights were cool, even during the hottest weeks.

Elior rolled onto his side, his back to Wren. He’d been so uncertain how Wren would react, vulnerable in his need for reassurance. Wren would never leave or reject him.

Elior’s body called to him, and tentatively, Wren reached out, placing a hand on his shoulder, stroking it. The muscles under his fingertips relaxed into the caress, and the need to hold Elior overwhelmed him. Heart racing, Wren shuffled closer and curled around him from behind. He pressed his face into Elior’s hair, his woodland and flower smell rushing onto him. No matter how much time Elior spent around sheep, he nevertook on their animal scent, always smelling of fresh flowers. Wren wrapped an arm around Elior, who sank into the embrace, leaning against him.

“Feels good,” Elior mumbled, the words followed by a pleased hum. His warmth and scent seeped into Wren, who did his best not to have a bodily reaction. Not that Elior would take it badly—they were men now, and men sometimes reacted in ways they couldn’t control. Elior knew that. Still, Wren was careful not to cross the line.

“I haven’t been hugged in half a year,” Elior said, the pain audible in his voice. Wren held him tighter.

“Same.” God, how had they survived winter? The lack of physical touch and affection became more difficult each year. “I don’t ever want to let you go.”

Elior purred, pushing his back harder into Wren’s front. He clasped Wren’s hand where it rested on his sternum and laced their fingers together. It was heaven. Wrapped around Elior, Wren drifted off.

Over the following days, they fell into the easy rhythm of years prior, working side by side tending the sheep. When Juniper came to see them, she listened with wide eyes as Elior told her their plan and asked her to conduct the bonding ceremony for them.

“You understand this is risky, right?” Juniper asked. They were sitting on a blanket by the lake in the midday sun, a bowl of berries to feast on between them. “For starters, you’ll have visible wedding marks on your hands.”

“I’m good at glamouring.” A light wind brushed Elior’s hair and drove into the willows by the shore, rusting their leaves. “Nobody will see the wedding marks—or have you noticed the matching necklaces Wren and I are wearing?” Juniper blinked and cocked her head, blond curls falling over her shoulder. “Exactly.”

“When the bond between you and the Winter King doesn’t take, there’ll be questions.”

“I could be one of those fae who can’t bond. No one will be able to tell it’s because I’m bonded to Wren. They won’t think of that.”

“And you agreed to this?” Juniper asked, turning to Wren. “You’d bemarriedto Elior.” She said it like she expected him to bolt.

Wren put a hand on Elior’s knee. “I’m aware. It’s what we want.” They sat nestled together, facing Juniper’s questions as a united front.

“The bond might create issues for you. For your relationship. It’ll tie you closer than a human marriage ever could, and I can’t let you go into this without knowing the risks.”

“So you’ll do it?” Elior asked. “You’ll bond us?”

Juniper continued as though she hadn’t heard him. “You’ll feel each other’s emotions, more so because your bond has such a strong foundation of friendship. I have to warn you that it’s unlikely you’ll be able to fall in love ever again. Even if you’re going into this as friends, the bond expects romance, meaning you might not be able to be intimate with other people. Your connection would certainly rebel against such attempts.”

So where was the problem? It sounded perfect to Wren. He’d never fallen in love, all his attention fixed on Elior. If the bond brought them closer and intensified their connection, even better.

“There are other considerations…” Juniper’s cheeks pinked.

Wren made a dismissive gesture. “It doesn’t matter.” He caught Elior’s gaze. “We’ve made up our minds, and we want the bond. Elior refuses to marry the Winter King. This is the only way to prevent it. I’m aware of the implications, and I don’t care. In fact, I’m happy with them.”

“So am I,” Elior said, his voice deeper than usual. A smiletugged at the corners of his lips as if he, too, was glad that there’d be no one else in Wren’s life.

“Fine,” Juniper said, lifting her hands in surrender. “We’ll agree on a time and place to—”

Elior shook his head. “I want to do it now.” He looked at Wren. “Unless you want to wait?”

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