“Part of the agreement,” he began, “was to return the queens to their rightful realms.”
“Yes, I know that,” I said, my tone as haughty as I intended.“However, the most important thing was to get the Crossroads closed.And I did.”
“You closed the Crossroads?”Tani moved into the living room now taking up a spot close to me.She gave Voss a proper glare.
“It’s temporary,” Voss said, folding his arms across his chest.
“One crisis at a time, eh?”Owen snapped.“She, at least, got it closed for now.”
“Did she now?”Tani’s gaze never left Voss.“For a rookie, I’d say that’s pretty good.”
“I’d agree.”Red stood up and moved to stand next to Tani.
Solidarity.I loved it.
Even Willow yawned, stretched, and hopped down off the couch.She parked her furry body between us and Voss, blinking up at him with her golden eyes.
It seemed he wasn’t exactly popular.
Voss eyed the Red Queen who still wore my borrowed clothes and her ruby and diamond crown perched on top of her head.Then his gaze drifted to Tani and her rumpled ren-faire clothing.
“They belong in their own realm,” he said.
“I met your ridiculous deadline,” I said slowly, “and I’ll get them back when I have time.Right now, I have to get ready to open the flower shop and you have a date with never coming back here.”
Voss’s jaw clenched.
“In the meantime,” I said slowly, “they’re perfectly fine here and not hurting anyone.”
Owen squeezed my hand as if to say he was in full agreement.
“And I’m not leaving until I can rescue Oberon,” Tani announced, her arms folded across her chest.“Alice promised.”
“Which is now my promise,” I added.“The Fae treasures are safe in Dougal’s storeroom.When we’re ready, they’ll be there.”
Tani went still.Her eyes softened as she looked at me, relief creasing her features.
“And,” Owen added, “she has me to help her, too.”
Voss’s expression tightened as he stared at me.I wasn’t certain he was happy with the turn of events—and the fact that this motley crew that included two queens, a charmed cat, and a druid were against him.
But I didn’t care what he thought as long as he was out of my house and leaving me alone.
Finally, he said, “I will report to the Council that the seal is adequate.On my authority, they’ll accept it as temporary compliance.”
“How generous of you,” I said, deadpan.
“And,” he continued as if I hadn’t spoken, “you still have thirty days to complete the closing of the Crossroads, return the queens, and find out who murdered Alice.”
“I’m aware.”
“We want answers, Miss Wakefield,” he said.
“So do I,” I snapped.
She was my mother and I never even knew it.She was the one person who could have told me everything about the Crossroads, who my father was, and my life in general.But she was gone and that was something I was going to have to come to terms with.
“And one more thing,” he said, his voice tight.
