“We are most grateful for your kind hospitality, Sirius. We look forward to it.” The male dipped his chin.
“Royal guards will escort you to the palace in one hour. If there is anything you need in the meantime, please speak to the guards stationed outside.” The words were polite, but I caught the threat loud and clear. It was a warning, but I decided not to worry. Farris might be an asshole, but we’d made a second bargain. One that meant he had to ensure our safe passage from the mer kingdom. If he failed, the consequences would be dire.
For him as well as us.
Farris said something polite and then the male left.
“Banquet?” I looked down at my casual attire and immediately had a meltdown. None of us were suitably dressed for a royal banquet, aside from Farris, because from what I could tell, all fae dressed like characters in a Regency romance novel.
The mer queen might be a psychotic bitch, but I felt compelled to at least try to make a reasonable impression on my mother-in-law.
“Yes, the mer queen holds banquets for her court at least once a week. She’s big on entertaining. It’s an opportunity to show off her wealth.”
“I have nothing to wear!”
Rasmus plucked me from my chair and blinked me into one of the three bedrooms so fast my head spun.
“Little witch, it would be my honor to dress you for the banquet.”
“Um, how?” Did he mean literally dress me?
“Magic,mea amica.”
I reached up and touched the ruby necklace he’d gifted me, currently disguised as a plain gold chain thanks to a glamor spell. A bit like Rasmus himself, who looked like a high-born fae with long blue-black hair, topaz eyes, and pointy ears.
I could see the real Rasmus under the glamor, but nobody else outside our little group could.
“You mean a glamor spell so my current outfit gets a magical glow-up?”
He squinted in confusion. “I don’t know what a glow-up is, but no. My magic will change your clothes in a physical sense.” He clicked his fingers, and my functional pants and jacket disappeared, replaced by a slinky silk gown that barely covered anything. If I ventured out wearing this, a nip-slip was in my immediate future.
“I can’t wear this!”
“Please wear that,” Zane purred from the doorway.
Rasmus clicked his fingers again, and my hair transformed from a tangled mess into a stylish up-do.
“Perfect,mea amica.”
“My mate is not going out dressed like that!” Maverick’s angry growl sent tremors through the room, and I cringed.
Goddess, did he not think I looked pretty?
“Little mate, I think you look good enough to eat, but so will every other male in this cursed place, and we don’t have time to kill them all. As much as my bear would love to unleash all his frustrations on the mer people for stealing his mate’s other mate.”
“You want to eat me?”
Zane chuckled. “Oh yes, pet. He wants to eat you, alright.” He moved closer and slid his arm around my waist. “We have time…”
Rasmus’s eyes glowed, and his fangs popped out. “I could do with a drink before we leave,” he agreed.
“Not with the fae in the next room!” My bear clenched his fists and glared at my other two mates.
“Don’t mind me,” Farris called from the living room. “Happy to watch!”
The bedroom door slammed shut. I assumed that was Rasmus, but it could have been Zane.
“Fucking fae,” Maverick grumbled.
