None of them dared make eye contact with each other, knowing they'd lose their composure completely if they did. The puppy's tail thumped harder against the table, sending another spray of glowing embers through his fur. Troy's exasperated sigh only made it harder for them to maintain straight faces.
"Jacinth? Clinic. Now." He paused, listening. "No, now." Another pause. "Because I've got a puppy the size of a bear, throwing off sparks like a firework show, that's why."
The puppy released a sound somewhere between a bark and a freight train's whistle.
"Yes, actual sparks." Troy pinched the bridge of his nose. "Like tiny embers. Just... can you get here?"
A soft pop of displaced air announced Jacinth's arrival in the exam room. The petite Djinn's dark eyes sparkled with delight as she took in the massive puppy sprawled across the exam table.
"Oh, aren't you just precious!" She cooed, moving closer. The puppy's tail wagged frantically, sending another cascade oftiny flames through his coat as he attempted to give her face a thorough washing.
Jacinth laughed, not bothering to dodge the enthusiastic greeting. "Such a sweet baby! Look at those paws - you're going to be enormous when you grow up, aren't you?"
She grinned at Troy. "I call dibs on telling Douglas."
Troy cleared his throat pointedly. "He's already enormous, if you hadn't noticed. What exactly is he?"
She shrugged. "I don't know. I never saw anything like this before."
"You don't know?" Troy ran his hand through his hair, exasperated. "Can you at least get someone here who does?"
"Of course!" Jacinth touched her silver bracelet, her voice taking on a more formal tone. "Kieran."
Beth watched in fascination as tiny blue symbols flickered across the surface of the bracelet, reminiscent of the red sparks dancing through the puppy's fur. The puppy seemed equally intrigued, his oversized head tilting to one side as he watched the magical display.
Beth startled as the exam room door flew open with enough force to rattle the cabinets. A tall figure filled the doorway, his white hair gleaming under the fluorescent lights.
"I was on my honeymoon," Kieran grumbled, his nordic blue eyes narrowed in annoyance. "Can this not wait?"
Despite his irritated tone, the Djinn prince managed to look both casual and regal in his cream-colored kurta - the loose-fitting tunic and straight-legged trousers adorned with gold embroidery that caught the light as he moved.
The massive puppy let out an excited bark at the new arrival, his tail wagging so hard his entire back end wiggled. More embers cascaded from his shaggy dark coat, making Troy take another step back.
"Does this look like something that can wait?" Troy gestured at the sparking puppy with obvious exasperation.
Kieran moved closer to examine the puppy, his long silver hair falling forward as he leaned in for a better look. His black eyebrows shot up. "How in the hell did you get your hands on a hellhound?"
Beth's jaw dropped. Around her, she heard Nathan and Harper's sharp intakes of breath. The puppy's tail thumped harder against the metal exam table, sending another shower of red sparks through his dense coat.
"HELLHOUND?" Troy's voice cracked as it rose several octaves.
But Jacinth seemed to have missed Troy's panic entirely. She stared at Kieran, her dark eyes widening as she replayed his earlier words.
"Wait." Jacinth held up a hand, completely ignoring the sparking puppy. "Did you say you were on your honeymoon? You got married?"
Kieran's silver eyebrow arched elegantly as he turned to face the smaller Djinn. "That is usually what a honeymoon would indicate."
Beth pressed her lips together, fighting back a smile at the prince's dry tone. The hellhound puppy chose that moment to flop onto his side, more red sparks dancing through his fur as he grinned up at them, tongue lolling.
"But... but..." Jacinth sputtered, waving her hands. "When? How did I not know about this?"
"Perhaps because I desired privacy?" Kieran's nordic blue eyes held a hint of amusement despite his stern expression. "Not everything requires a grand celebration with the entire Djinn community in attendance."
The puppy woofed, which Beth thought, with a snicker, sounded rather like a foghorn with a head cold. He attempted to roll over, his gangly legs tangling with each other in the process.
"Right," Troy said firmly. "As fascinating as your love life is, can we please focus on the HELLHOUND currently taking up my exam table?"
The puppy woofed happily at all the attention, completely oblivious to the bombshell Kieran had just dropped. His oversized paws scrabbled against the metal table as he attempted to turn in a circle, nearly sliding off before Beth and Nathan steadied him.
