Page 108 of Christmas Magic

“Where are you going?” Cora asked.

“To settle an important matter.”

“The parade’s starting soon. We need you—”

“This can’t wait.”

“It’s not a good idea.” Molly studied the cats herded by the antique shop’s front door. She and Julius were about to go search the town streets for Lucian. The felines had offered to look for him, too.

“We’ll stay close to you. We’ll also stick together,” Galahad said.

Molly shook her head. “It’s not safe for you outside.”

The fluffy feline growled. “I’ve been outside lots of times before. I’ve also been Lucian’s squire for centuries. I owe it to him to help look for him.”

“I know you’re worried about him,” Molly said. “So am I.”

“Then let us help,” Petunia meowed.

“If one of us were enchanted, he’d do all that he could to get help us,” Galahad said. “So, we’re going to help him.”

“Hey! Don’t forget me.” Tim limped over to the squire and sat down beside him.

“You’re too little,” Daisy said. “You have to stay here.”

“But I want to hewp!”

With such large crowds, tiny Tim could easily get stepped on or lost—or taken home by a parade-goer. While Molly hadn’t known the kitten for long, she couldn’t bear the thought of him being adopted by someone else. “Daisy’s right. You need to—”

“I know my way around de town.” The kitten looked at the other cats. “Do you?”

Galahad shrugged. “Tim has a point. We could use a navigator.”

Julius’s footfalls sounded from the back room. He slid his phone into his jacket pocket. “Ready, Molly?”

“Yes.” While her last memory of Lucian was of him accusing her of contacting The Dealers and lying to him, she’d do whatever it took tonight to get the man she knew and loved back. She had to. He was her fiancé. Her soulmate. They had so much more love and life to share.

Galahad’s chin nudged up. “We’re ready too.”

“Yeah,” Tim mewled. “Open the bwuddy door.”

Daisy gasped. “Tim!”

The kitten grinned. “Nabigaydors get to use bad words.”

“He could have said a lot worse.” Rose flicked her tail. “Come on. We need to break that bloody enchantment.”

Tim yowled. “You said de bad word.”

“So I did.”

Marigold sniffed. “Well, that was a bloody silly thing to do.”

Shaking his head, Julius strode for the door. “We’re wasting time. Let’s go.”

“Just one more minute, please?” Molly gestured to the cats. “If they’re coming with us, I have an idea to help keep them safe.”

Cora smiled as Lucian strode toward the Coquina Castle float. He really did look magnificent in the velvety costume that accentuated his broad shoulders and enhanced his air of masculine sophistication. Somehow, the sword, too, suited him perfectly. Oddly enough, it looked like it belonged at his hip.