Page 62 of Tracking Snow

Two million people now follow Goldie on social media since she went viral last month sharing her body positivity mindset and style. It started out as one of her many hobbies, but she’s gotten popular so fast it feels like she is careening toward a permanent new career. Making women see they are beautiful at any size or shape, and how to be their best selves. The realm certainly needs more of that, and I couldn't be happier for her.

"Well, a shoot in Miami sounds nice," Cinder says with a sigh, looking into her mug. "Before taking a little break from Midnight to come slum it with you guys in Poison Apple, I was stuck in meetings," her eyes narrow, "for eleven days."

"Being royalty is not all people think it’s cracked up to be," Aurora says with a small laugh as she cuts off a piece of Goldie’s cake with the little frosted daisies on it.

"Pffft," Cinder blows a raspberry at her. "Don’t talk to me. You’re still on some crazy romantic rumspringa with your dragon shifter hottie, having insane nympho sex across the realms instead of being trapped in boardrooms with boring, pretentious politicians trying to rebuild a realm."

"Yeah, but before that," Aurora says without any offense in her tone, even as she licks a bit of frosting off her finger, "it was like, congratulations, you're a princess, enjoy bureaucratic bullshit and shoving your personality in a tiny little box so you can be an icon for your people to respect. I know how painful and suffocating that is. Everyone always thinks it’s about getting to wear a pretty tiara."

"Yeah, but the tiara is pretty," Ariel says with a wistful sigh. I rub her leg and give her a sympathetic smile, knowing what she’s thinking. Ariel gives me a small, grateful smile back. I feel her pain. That’s what sisters do.

"Besides," Aurora goes on, "I get to have an extra-long vacation since I never had one in my entire life until I ran away and came here. So, hell yeah, I’m seeing the world."

And she has never looked happier. The tan she’s sporting after visiting Santorini makes her glow even more than usual.

"P.S., is it still cool if Talon and I come stay with you and Kai next month?" Aurora asks Cinder. "I really want to see more of Midnight."

"Yes," Cinder nods solemnly, "but only if Talon comes to a couple meetings to stand menacingly behind me and whips out his wings if someone says something that displeases me."

Aurora just laughs.

"We're so proud of you, you cranky little diplomat," I say, stretching to pat Cinder’s head.

She grabs a handful of popcorn and throws it at me, hitting Ariel and Goldie as well, who yelp a protest at the buttery assault.

"Red says hi, by the way." Goldie waves her phone. "She's drowning. The firm signed two new clients, and one of the twins learned to climb out of the crib, so Brexley's installing what she describes as a containment system."

"She promised to host the next Hex Island night," Ariel says. "Pinky promised. Over text. Digital pinky."

"Binding," Cinder confirms.

As the conversation about Hex Island picks up again, an older episode playing in the background, I lean over to grab another Magic Morsel box. The kindly looking Grandma on the box is Red’s actual grandmother. It’s because of her that Red, Goldie, and Cinder have magic powers now. These tiny little temporary magic bites are incredible, and she’s the only one who can make them happen, but the other girls got the real stuff. An actual cookie that activated real magic in them. But not me. I came onto the team just a day and a dollar too late. And of course, Red’s grandma is now forbidden by federal law to do any such thing again.

I unwrap the Lucky Dip, a cream-filled chocolate sponge cake that produces a random effect. After one bite, my fingers start to glow a bluish-white.

Bioluminescence.

My entire body emits a faint glow. A pretty power, but kind of useless.

To be fair, unlike Goldie’s siren charm and Cinder’s blood magic that keeps the vamps in check, Red’s power is also pretty much useless since she’s forbidden to use it.

And I can’t say any of us disagree with that. Red only stripped those dickheads of their powers for good because it was a kill-or-be-killed kind of deal.

Lord knows what the HAMs would do with that kind of power. They’d strip everyone of magic, not caring what a violation that is.

"So, speaking of romantic drama..." Aurora says, segueing from the crying woman on the show. "I keep hearing something about a guy coming to Poison Apple to see Snow?"

Goldie sits up straight. "Oh yeah, you don’t know about Snow’s man. Men? The man-men. Update." She turns to me. "Are we going to shun him forever? I’m starting to feel kind of bad with the tips he leaves, considering I don’t ever actually serve him."

Yeah, I got tipped the other day too, but I don’t mention it was a different kind.

"There's no update," I say, shoving the rest of the cake into my mouth like an animal to avoid having to speak. My glow intensifies.

"She's lying," Ariel sing-songs.

I make a sound of protest with my full mouth, now regretting the temporary gag I gave myself.

"They had a tryst when Snow was closing for the night. And then she told him he still had to grovel to her for a week."