“Fine. I can do that.For another favor.”
Kenji sidled over to the fae while his attention was on me. As I inwardly seethed, my kitsune pissed all over the fae’s leather boots.
“Are you sure you wouldn’t prefer me to buy you some new boots instead?” I smirked as the fae cursed loudly.
If Kenji had peed on anyone else’s boots, I’d have died of embarrassment, but because it was Farris, I just laughed.
“You little shit!” Farris lunged for my kitsune just as the outside door to our rooms swung open to reveal a tall, pale, lilac-skinned male wearing a flowing white robe.
His eyes widened when he took in the sight of a fae chasing a kitsune around the room. Luckily for all of us, it was the distraction I needed to retract the last of my magic. The shadows above us vanished, leaving nothing but a faint smell of brimstone behind.
The male cleared his throat loudly to attract our attention. Farris stopped dead before forcing a smile.
“Rhys.Alwaysa pleasure.” From the dark undertone in Farris’s ostensibly polite greeting, I had a feeling this Rhys dude was a prick.
“Is there a reason you’re attacking your cousin, Farris?”
“My cousin?” Farris looked confused for a moment before he remembered our cover story. “Oh, my cousin. Yes. Kenlyn has a strange sense of humor,” he said through gritted teeth. “Lots of energy.”
“Is he unable to shift?” The male stared at Kenji, who’d begun grooming himself again.
“He likes to, um,experiment.We fae are all aboutexperiences. If it’s new and exciting, we’re all in.”Farris laughed. “You know how it is when one lives for centuries. Life gets boring. We have to spice things up somehow!”
“Do fae live for centuries?”I asked Kenji.
“Yes. That’s why they have zero sense of humor.”
“Goddess, I can’t imagine living for hundreds of years.”
“Don’t worry your pretty little head, witch. You’re way too stupid to live that long.”
“I hate you.”He really was an obnoxious kitsune. The moment we got back to Starfall, I planned to file a complaint with Kitsune HR and request a new familiar.
Kenji must have read my intentions because he sidled up while I watched Farris dig his way out of the stupid cover story he’d concocted, and licked my hand.
“Eww! You were licking your butt not that long ago!”Kenji hissed and showed me way too many teeth for comfort.
“A familiar is for life, witch, not just for the good times.”
“EXCUSE ME? We’ve not had any good times! You’re not supportive; you’re mean, and you steal my blankets.”
He rolled his eyes.“Hey, I deserve some credit for helping you kill the demon that wanted to take you back for a daddy-daughter reunion.”
I shuddered at the memory.
“Okay, fine. You get some credit for that. But I haven’t forgiven you for peeing on Zane’s tree back at the cabin.”
“I haven’t forgiven the little shit for that, either,”Zane said, making me realize he’d been listening to our conversation.
Stars above. Would I ever have any privacy in my own head?
Apparently not.
“Her Royal Highness, Queen Laryssa, the Esteemed and Most Beautiful Mer Queen is unable to meet with you currently,” the snooty male was saying when I tuned back into the conversation.
My bear and vampire mates circled me protectively, which I appreciated. Zane took a few casual steps to the right, putting himself between the merman and the door. Did he expect the merman to attack us? Surely not. The dude seemed decrepit, and his skin could benefit from anti-aging serum.
“Oh, why’s that? I was hoping for a meeting as soon as possible.” Farris frowned.
