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“What do you mean?”
She shook her head. “It’s fine. Paragon, are you satisfied that she can’t be spelled or charmed?”
“Yes.” The Paragon sighed. “Though the side effects of Lament-Be-Gone aren’t that obvious.”
“What kind of charm is in it?” I asked as I hid my legs and hands under the table so any unexpected reactions to the revelation wouldn’t be visible.
“It’s a memory charm,” the Paragon said.
A memory charm…I get it.There was a small, ridiculous part of me that was disappointed the charm hadn’t worked on me. Life would be so much easier if I could just forcibly disconnect from my memories of Noctus, Charon, Ker, and Aristide. But they meant too much to me.
“Amemorycharm? Is that even legal?” Queen Leila growled.
“It’s temporary,” the Paragon insisted. “And quite mild—it’s meant to help you forget your troubles. I assume your memory is fine as ever?”
I made myself smile. “Yep. It’s just fine.”
“You are unbelievable.” Queen Leila scowled at the Paragon. “And your drugged teas must be against some kind of law. Do the Dominant, the Ancient, and the Magister know you have them?” she asked, referring to the top werewolf, vampire, and wizard officials in the USA.
“Of course,” the Paragon chortled. “Why do you think I developed the teas in the first place? And they are perfectly legal, I’ll have you know. I don’t force anyone to drink them—it’s agift. Anyone who doesn’t think twice about a fae gift deserves what they get!” His laughter shook Aphrodite, who leaped off his lap with an agility that surprised me considering her rotund shape.
“I can’t argue with that.” Queen Leila leaned back in her chair and grinned at me. “But you don’t have to worry about us, Chloe. Your powers will keep the Paragon honest!”
“I am honest,” the Paragon complained. “I’m a fae! Fae can’t lie, and Aphrodite, are you truly abandoning me?”
The pink skinned cat ignored her owner and instead hooked her claws into my jeans and purred.
I smiled—a real one, not a forced one or the kind I used for customers at the Book Nookery—and picked Aphrodite up, setting her in my lap where she purred so hard I could feel it in my legs. “Thank you.” I fiddled with Aphrodite’s onesie, straightening it on her. “For everything. I don’t want to make a big deal out of this—I just want to live a quiet life and keep my family safe. But I really appreciate the help.”
“Of course,” Queen Leila said. “You’ve been alone for so long. It’s high time supernaturals help you.”
“Yes,” the Paragon said. “Also, Aphrodite likes you, so I am honor bound to help you regardless!” There was a gleam in his eyes that had my gut instinct hissing. “And help youI shall. Let me make some inquiries, and let’s set up another meeting to discuss my findings.”
Queen Leila didn’t seem to notice, but the vow would have had me puffed up if I was in my cat form.
I hope I don’t regret this meeting. But they’re offering to help catch the tracker, and Pat and Joy’s safety is the most important thing to me.
* * *
I tried notto salivate and hyperventilate at the same time as one of the most amazing scents in the world tickled my nose while I passed a customer a paper bag that contained their book purchase and a Book Nookery business card. “Thanks for your business, come see our store,” I managed to say.
The customer waved as they walked away.
Ms. Booker delicately adjusted her glasses as she peered up at me. “You’re smelling the apple cider donuts again, aren’t you?”
I owlishly blinked in the afternoon sunlight and self-consciously checked to make sure the bun I’d pulled my hair back into was still neat. “They made a fresh batch.”
“I would guess that you have werewolf blood in your family tree if your ability to smell things didn’t seem limited to fresh bakery items,” Ms. Booker dryly said. “Go take your break. See the market—and bring me back a tea from the bakery stall the brownies are running.”
“Yes, Ms. Booker. Thank you!”
I grabbed my backpack—I could no longer carry just a purse since I had too much to carry, including my weapons, my weapon harness, and two spare fae potions—then slipped out of Book Nookery’s stall, joining the crowd that strolled around the closed off main street.
Today was the fall supernatural market—it was always held in mid-September, and it had crept up on me this year between the drama with the tracker and my meeting with the Paragon and Queen Leila.
The supernatural market was held once per season, and was supposed to be the magical version of a local farmer’s market. Realistically, it was a marketing campaign that let supernaturals promote our good side to humans.
It bought a lot of good will as it was one of the only ways for humans to purchase supernatural goods, and it was a great opportunity for the handful of supernatural businesses that had human clientele—like Book Nookery.
