The moment we touched down,Penelope instructed me where to go. It wasn’t as easy to take direction from someone I wasn’t bonded to, but eventually we made it to the tavern she wanted. The place looked absolutely ancient, made of stained dark wood and surrounded by moss-covered trees. The grass was thick and lush, with more dancing colorful lights.
Penelope ran in ahead of us, making it past a few onlookers who were staring openly at me, Sebastian, Isadora, Ringo, and the imp. Isadora dropped to her knees right then and there and puked.
A flurry of questions followed, then excitement over the pathway, then more questions. Several of the fairies spokeEnglish, probably because they’d had big plans to trick lots of humans before the pathways were destroyed. A good thirty minutes passed before we finally made it into the tavern with an offer of food and drinks. Plenty of drinks.
We were jostled inside to an empty table, our shoulders pushed upon until we sat, then the fairies ran off to fetch food and drinks. Other patrons in the tavern stared, but my stare was all for Penelope.
She sat at a table with a cat-like creature. I had seen a few of them in the Crystal Vale before. Their necks and limbs were longer than a normal cat’s, their eyes huge and oblong, and their fur came in various colors. The one she sat with was deep green, its eyes a matching emerald. It lifted its chin as Penelope scratched it, her lips moving almost imperceptibly as she cooed softly to the creature.
“She went to all of this trouble…” Sebastian trailed off.
“For a cat,” I finished.
“Ridiculous.”
I laughed. Isadora seemed too distracted by all the fairies to notice our conversation.
Sebastian put a hand over mine on the table, drawing my full attention. “You don’t want me to kill my sister.”
He didn’t say it like a question, but still I answered. “I do not.”
“And I don’t get to destroy your grandfather either?”
“Correct.”
He sighed heavily. “What have I become?”
I didn’t have time to answer him as the fairies returned with food and drinks. Everything smelled divine, and there were small colorful cakes I knew Crispin would love, so I would have to pocket a few. Ringo hopped right to the table and went for the cakes, so I would have to pocket them sooner rather than later.
I snatched one and bit into it as I watched Penelope with her long lost fairy cat. Normally it wasn’t a good idea to accept food and drinks from fairies, but I’d chance it and let fate decide the ending.
It had worked out pretty well for me so far.
Epilogue
Iwoke in Sebastian’s apartment to the sounds and smells of cooking, made more apparent since the bedroom door was slightly ajar. Ringo must have already gone out there since I didn’t see him anywhere.
I stretched my arms over my head, yawned lazily, then took my sweet ass time strolling to the bathroom to get dressed in a soft gray pajama set. While normally I might wait to brush my teeth until after coffee, being a true romantic had made me a little more aware of my morning breath.
When I was ready I went out to the kitchen, expecting Sebastian, but finding a tall elf and an even taller goblin fighting for space in the small kitchen.
Crispin had a spatula in hand, and was prodding at the most massive pan of scrambled eggs I had ever seen. Gabriel was on pancake duty, but managed to step away long enough to pour a cup of coffee, which he handed to me without a word.
I stared at both of them, steam now wafting around my face. Ringo waited on the counter, his eyes glued to the growing pile of pancakes beside Gabriel‘s station.
“Not that I’m complaining, but I think Sebastian was planning on providing breakfast.” While we didn’t quite have aschedule, we did have certain patterns we had fallen into. And sometimes that involved breakfast with just one guy.
Gabriel tossed another pancake onto the pile, not speaking.
But of course Crispin couldn’t help himself. He lifted the big pan like it weighed nothing, moving the eggs to a large ceramic bowl. “He is surely out in the city doing just that, finding something fancy and entirely not to your taste. We figured there would be plenty of time to slip in and feed you properly.”
Shaking my head, I sat down at the kitchen island and Ringo hopped over to me. I wouldn’t burst their bubble and admit that I loved the fancy food Sebastian liked to feed me. Because I loved pancakes and eggs just as much.
My watch buzzed and I looked down at a text, wincing when I saw it was from Dawn. I still hadn’t managed to find the time to go console her about her crush departing to the elven realm.
Feeling dread, I opened the message.
Eva! Wonderful news. Rian has invited me to visit the elven realm with him and King Francis is going to allow it. I’ll need you to water my houseplants while I’m away. No arguing. You owe me.
