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It must have somehow contained a gate, because I felt the tingly sensation of portal magic before wind blasted me in the face and I automatically shut my eyes. The ground morphed under my feet, changing from the standard tile the Curia Cloisters used throughout its buildings, to what felt like a wooden floor.
The temperature warmed, and the fragrant scent of lavender filled the air. I opened my eyes, surprised to find myself in a pleasantly dim room.
At the far side of the room I spied what I think was meant to be a desk, except it appeared to be made out of living tree trunks. One of the branches that made up the desk leg grew a few leaves while I was watching, and then gave them a tinge of red so they matched the fall colors I’d started seeing on some of the trees around Magiford.
A model of a phoenix was set precariously on top of a giant, golden statue of a dragon head. Next to it was some sort of kitchen area, with a closed cupboard and racks of glittering fae potions arranged on top of a counter space.
A ping-pong table was covered with what appeared to be drying herbs and a half-finished Lego set of what I was fairly certain was a castle.
But what I really loved about the room was that it was basically wall to wall bookshelves. Some were filled with modern things—one, planted by his living desk, had a tv and what appeared to be video games and DVDs—while others were stuffed with books. Some of the tomes were covered in brightly woven cloth while others were made of such faded and worn leather they must have been centuries old.
“Mmert?”
Oh no. I forgot about the cat!
I watched with bugging eyes as a pink skinned, hairless cat poked her head over the top of the Paragon’s desk. “Mmert!” The cat repeated her purring, chirp-like noise and hopped on the desk. Consumed by my inner panic, I noticed with only a vague recognition that the sweet sphinx cat was wearing a blue baby onesie. It had cute little cartoon wolves on it and said “Will Howl For Food,” which seemed kind of odd for a fae pet to have, but then again the Paragon was mostly odd.
I’d met the Paragon’s cat before, as Ama, when the Paragon had toted her over to Noctus’s Cape Cod home. The problem I’d learned, was cats were the sole creature that could recognize me no matter my shape, and were naturally drawn to me as a result.
She’s going to know who I am!
I was mostly sure the Paragon’s cat was normal. At least, I was certain she couldn’t talk to him. No, the real danger was whether the Paragon would notice if Aphrodite’s demeanor was different with me.
“Aphrodite!” the Paragon boomed. “Thank you for greeting me—what’s this?”
Aphrodite trotted past the Paragon, coming to a stop at my feet. She didn’t pause to sniff me or show any sign of hesitation that any cat would show a stranger—no matter how magical.
Instead, she immediately began to rub her head into my legs, purring intently.
The Paragon frowned, watching us.
I laughed nervously as I crouched down and petted Aphrodite’s head, then patted her onesie-clad back. “Sorry. Cats just like me. I guess it’s part of the magic that comes with being a shadow.”
It’s true, and a reasonable explanation. Maybe he’ll buy it.
The Paragon’s forehead puckered into deep furrows. “Oh, yes, that makes sense. It is merely that, that is the kind of greeting she reserves for friends.”
Nope, of course he would notice the difference in his cat’s behavior. He’s the only cat dad on the entire planet that’s even more intense than Noctus.
I forced a smile—because otherwise my expression was going to freeze in place. “Oh really?” I asked.
Aphrodite, meanwhile, placed a paw on my knee and stretched up, attempting to tap my chin with her other paw so I’d start petting her again.
“But,” he continued, his expression turning stormy, “what I cannot fathom is…” The Paragon’s long mustache somehow drooped, and his spectacles slid down his nose. “Aphrodite, no matter what kind of magic she has, how could you just ignore me like that?!” he complained.
I relaxed—the danger was over. Almost lightheaded with relief, I petted Aphrodite, who purred deeply as she ignored her overly doting owner. She boosted herself up just enough to touch her nose to mine, “Mmert”-ed to me, then ambled back to her owner, who was holding a hand over his heart.
“No,” he declared. “It’s too late to console me. You walked right past me and—youch!” He yelped when Aphrodite stretched a paw up over her head, pressed it into his robes so it sat on his inner thigh, then hooked her claws through the material, presumably into his leg.
When she let him go, the Paragon stooped over and scooped her up like a large baby, going so far as to adjust her onesie for her. “You are a mercurial feline, but you deserve all my love and adoration.”
“Wow, wow, wow,” someone said behind us. “That was a sight I never thought I’d see.”
I whipped around, my jaw dropping.
Leaning against one of the many bookshelves—this one was covered by globes with land formations that looked nothing like earth—was a beautiful woman with silky black hair and the most gorgeous purple-blue eyes I’d ever seen. Gifted with fae grace, but lacking their too-perfect beauty with her smile that had too much sass and warmth in it, I knew on sight who this woman was. Her picture had been plastered all over Magiford for the past two years.
This was Queen Leila—fae ruler of the Night Court, who was slowly rallying the fae Courts in the USA and becoming the first fae emperor in years.
