You and Baren have been betrothed since birth, a political alliance to end the bitter war between your human kingdom and his elven realm. For years, you've avoided the marriage, finding every excuse to delay while the stoic Elven King watched silently from afar. His intensity should have been flattering, but it felt like imprisonment.

The full moon rises tonight, your usual time to visit the hot springs cave your family has maintained for generations—except tonight, you sense you're not alone.

As you push through the heavy vines covering the entrance, steam curls upward from the flower-flecked pool. And there he is. Baren, completely bare in the moonlight, royal dignity somehow intact even without his robes. His golden eyes lock onto yours the moment you appear.

"Petal," he says, the endearment he's taken to using despite your protests. "You've kept me waiting long enough."He rises partially from the water, droplets cascading down his muscled torso, making no attempt to cover himself"The excuses end tonight."