Emma had known Silas had been anticipating this day for what felt like forever. In an instant, Silas was yanked into the room by his collar, and before he could react, she tackled him onto the soft grass of the valley. "Emy, slow down for a second..." Silas wrapped one arm around her waist, the other shielding her head to prevent her from hitting it. He tilted his head, dodging her eager kiss. Emma frowned. "What's wrong? Don't you want to bond?" Isn't he the one who's been so eager to bond earlier? "Or... you don't want to do it here? No big deal. We can go back to the cabin." She crawled off him, grabbed his hand, and hauled him to his feet before leading him toward the cabin. Silas had been undeniably eager, but today... "Emy, I—" He tried to explain, but she silenced him with a kiss. Emma pushed him onto the bed and straddled him. "I know we're pressed for time today, but it's fine. Whatever we can't do now, I'll make up to you when you return." She was fair—there was no way she would let Silas lose out. "Emy, breathe... calm down!" Silas caught her wandering hands on his chest. His Adam's apple bobbed as he steadied his breathing before trying again. "Emy, I want to bond with you too, but not today." "Why?" Pinned beneath his grip, her wrists locked above her head, Emma stared at him, confusion flickering in her eyes. Does something like this need a special day? Silas drew in a deep breath and murmured into her ear, "Today's my blooming day. If we bond today, you'll end up with fruit. And once there's fruit, until it ripens, we can't... do anything." That was why Silas didn't want cubs just yet. Petalyn etherians and beast etherians both faced certain unavoidable restrictions. On the day he bloomed, he couldn't entangle himself with his huntress. Emma stared at him, stunned. This was the first time she had heard anything like it. Curious, she asked, "So, our cub would be a fruit?" How could that even happen? "Emy, that's not the point." Silas kissed her gently. "We're not having cubs now anyway. When you're ready, I'll explain everything. Right now, you need to start picking flowers." As soon as he spoke, buds erupted across the cabin's vines, blooming rapidly. Tiny, translucent blossoms unfurled one by one before Emma's eyes. Silas scooped her up and handed her a delicate basket. "I'll carry you to pick them, okay?" Emma nodded, though if only he weren't still pinning her down, it would be perfect. She plucked the clear blossoms, placing them carefully into the basket. By the time they finished, it was overflowing. Emma lifted one to her nose. Its clean, elegant fragrance reminded her strikingly of Silas. She inhaled deeply, realizing that some flowers contained nectar. She pushed the basket toward him, noticing he had just straightened his clothes. "You're heading to the battlefield soon. You need these more than I do. Take them." Leaning in, she lowered her voice. "Silas, do your flowers have nectar?" Nectar? Why is she asking that now? Silas hesitated, a faint blush coloring his sharp features. "Emy, I don't have nectar, but I do have vine dew. If you want it, I'll give it to you when I return..." "Why wait?" Can't we do it now? Emma's curiosity piqued. What exactly is this vine dew? His flowers and leaves were remarkable already—vine dew sounded even more potent. "Does getting the vine dew hurt you?" Seeing him hesitate, she asked quickly. "If it does, forget it." Vine dew might actually have been his blood, and the thought made her recoil; there was no way she could ever accept it.Silas stood and approached her, bending down to claim her lips. "It won't hurt me. You just need to take it yourself..." "What?" He carried her to the bed, guiding her hand beneath his shirt to rest on his abs before inching lower. Her fingertips brushed his belt, and she recoiled as if burned. Silas chuckled softly, catching her slender wrist and pressing her palm back against his waist. "Weren't you going to take vine dew?" His voice dropped, low and coaxing. "It's right here." Emma's lashes fluttered as realization dawned. "I thought you said we couldn't do it when you're blooming." Silas withdrew from her lips, lingering close. Soft kisses traced her quivering jawline until he reached her ear. His hot breath brushed the sensitive curve of her skin, sending shivers down her spine. "Blooming only stops us from bonding..."