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My hair is longer than it’s ever been, but I manage to knot it tightly on top of my head and I throw on some light makeup to cover the bags under my eyes. It doesn’t matter how many hours I sleep, it seems they never go away, but when I’m happy with my reflection, I head back into the bedroom.
Rafe is dressed, as always, in a perfectly pressed suit. His black hair is pulled back into a slick ponytail that makes his dark features more pronounced. He’s drop dead sexy, as always.
“Do you think I’m underdressed?” I ask, looking down at my outfit skeptically. Normally I opt for comfort over elegance, but I don’t want him embarrassed to be seen with me.
After all, I am the queen.
“No, you look perfect.” He smirks and crosses the room to my side, gabbing me by the waist and pulling me into him. “But I wouldn’t be surprised if we see monsters everywhere wearing jeans because of you.”
I giggle at the thought of monster children running around in flip flops and blue jeans. It sounds adorable.
We meet up with Elio in the entryway, a wide space with black walls and a high, arched ceiling, and he sweeps me into his arms immediately.
“Hey, Princess,” he says, catching my mouth with his. “Did you sleep well?”
“I did, but I could probably sleep for ten more hours. Where’s Azarius?”
“Here.” I whirl around to see Azarius approaching, a fat piece of sweet bread in his hand. “And I brought you breakfast.”
“Aww, you’re so sweet,” I say, taking it from him. He bends to kiss the top of my head, and I can’t help but wonder if Azarius is the reason my pants are fitting a little snug. He’s always bringing me snacks.
Yep, definitely his fault.
“Am I flying with Elio today?” I ask, my eyes bouncing between my three mates.
Elio opens his mouth, but Rafe cuts him off before he can say anything. “No. You’re traveling with me.”
My brows shoot up, intrigued by the thought. I’ve seen him shift into shadows and move like smoke, but I have no idea how that’s going to work with another person. Will I turn into shadows too? Does he have another way of moving I don’t know about?
The questions are mounting, along with my excitement.
“Alright then, let’s get a move on.” I say, nibbling on the corner of my breakfast. It’s sweet and delicious, but the nerves turn my stomach and kill my appetite. Maybe I’ll just eat it when we get to Ignatius’ house.
* * *
Flyingwith Elio is fucking terrifying.
Teleporting with Ignatius, unsettling.
But whatever this shadow travel is that Rafe does, is incredible, and I don’t think I could ever get tired of it. Shifting across the landscape in a cloud of smoke, somewhere between existing and not existing. It’s like ice skating on air, and while my feet aren’t touching the ground, I feel safe only a few inches away from it. Even if Rafe dropped me, I wouldn’t fall to my death.
The strangest part is not being able to communicate. While I can look up and catch glances of Rafe through the wisps of smoke, I can’t talk while we’re shifting through space. I can’t even open my mouth, despite several futile attempts, so I finally give up and enjoy the trip in silence.
Havec is farther away from the castle than it is from our old mansion, but we still make it in decent time. Neither Elio or Azarius are there when we arrive, but they catch up soon and we’re greeted by a small crowd.
We sit through a brief meeting with the newly appointed officials governing Havec, and I try not to doze off while I sit in the corner of the small meeting room. It’s more of a one-room building with no windows and a steel door, and Azarius has to keep poking me in the thigh to wake me up.
Politics have always been boring to me, and it seems that truth carries over to monster realm politics.
Finally, after what feels like forever, it’s time to stop by Ignatius’ house, and I’m practically skipping through the streets as we follow Elio’s lead to the familiar, beige house in the middle of the city. The previous damage has been completely repaired, and it looks just like the first time I ever saw it.
I grin from ear to ear, and nearly run over Elio on the way to the front door to pound my fist against it.
“Excited much?” Elio laughs.
I look over my shoulder to throw him a cocky look. “A bit. I haven’t seen my best friend in forever. It’s overdue.”
“Best friend, huh?” Rafe asks, looking extremely out of place. Even though we’ve been traveling for weeks, it’s still strange to see him existing casually in other places besides the mansion. He looks too elegant, too powerful to just be standing on a cobblestone street. He definitely belongs somewhere grand, like his castle.
