“Careful, Winter Prince, or you’ll freeze your charm rating entirely,” I reply, although my flushing cheeks as I drink in the sight of him likely betrays the heat scorching my veins.
From the way his eyes dilate, I know he’s feeling the exact same way.
Eros’s amused expression vanishes as his attention snaps back to the broken fragments of his bow. “Enough of your lovers banter,” he says sharply, all trace of humor gone from his voice. “Fix my bow. Now.”
The sudden shift in his demeanor reminds me that for all his flirtation and wounded vanity, he’s still a god—ancient, powerful, and dangerous. And right now, he’s a god whose most prized possession lies in divine pieces on the ground because of me.
“Of course.” I kneel and reach into the leather satchel at my hip, my fingers closing around the vial Fleur prepared, the potion glimmering like the summer sun.
The moment I remove the stopper, its sweet scent fills the air.
“What is that?” Eros shifts, not bothering to hide his curiosity.
“A gift from the Summer Court’s master weaponsmith and potions maker,” I explain, turning the vial in my hands. “After I sliced her enchanted dagger in two with the Star Disc, she developed this to repair magical weapons.”
“I really need to have a word or two with Celeste about how much power she gave you with that Star Disc,” Eros mutters, glaring at the weapon.
“You know each other?” I ask.
“We’re gods.” He scoffs. “We’ve existed for thousands of years, and we’ve all been around the block a few times. Especially Zeus. He’s remarkably talented at?—”
“Enough,” Riven interrupts, although he’s focused on me, his silver eyes burning with a desire that I’ve seen many, many times. “After watching that handshake, I’m fighting an increasingly intense urge to show Eros that you’remine,”he says, and my gaze drops lower, where I see exactly how large that urge is. “Fix the bow. Then we can get the blood sharing over with, so I no longer feel compelled to tempt you into joining the Eros’s Twisted Love Garden Club with a god as our witness.”
“A club.” Eros’s eyes glimmer with amusement. “Can I join as well?”
“Shut up,” Riven and I snap at him at the same time.
He holds his hands up in mock innocence. “Message received. But you’re both missing out,” he says, refocusing on me. “Now, do what your lover commands and fix my bow.”
Pressing my lips together, I pick up the first two fragments of the bow, somehow resisting the urge to tell Eros that Riven is far more than mylover.
The weapon’s edges are cleanly severed. So, I pour the potion on each broken end, coating them carefully and pressing them together like I’m repairing a fragile object with superglue.
There’s a golden flash, and the pieces fuse, leaving no trace of the fracture behind.
Eros’s eyes light up. “Very good, Star Touched. Keep going.”
“Given that we just made a fae bargain, I don’t have much of a choice,” I tell him, and his eyes remain locked on my hands as I repeat the process with each fragment.
It’s like solving a three-dimensional puzzle. And as the final piece seals into the bow’s elegant curve, magic pulses outward, a golden ripple shimmering through the air.
“Done.” I exhale softly, holding the restored weapon out to the god.
He snatches it immediately, examining every inch of it for imperfections.
I can barely breathe as I wait for his assessment.
“Impressive,” he finally says, his fingers tracing the weapon’s seamless, unblemished surface.
Riven steps closer to my side, hovering protectively over me. “I told you that Sapphire doesn’t disappoint,” he says, his voice full of smug satisfaction. “Now, it’s your turn. Your blood freely given, to rebalance our bond, exactly as we agreed.”
RIVEN
Eros setsthe repaired bow down, his eyes sliding toward me with clear reluctance.
“Let’s get this over with, Winter Prince,” he says, and then he pulls a gold-tipped arrow out of what looks like thin air and draws it across his wrist with practiced ease, barely wincing as blood wells from the cut.
Goldenblood.
