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I gulped the cup down, barely registering when French Fry whacked me on the side of the head with his wings.
My bratty sister was too busy wiping tears from her eyes to help. “You should have seen your face,” she said. “Your eyes bulged out of your skull, and he just looked soproud!”
I eyed my sister. “Next time I visit your apartment, I’m sleeping on all of your pillows in my cat form and will leave my fur everywhere.”
“Now, now, it was a touching display.” Queen Leila patted my back with her left hand while she refilled my cup of water. “Though you might want to down a fae potion—there’s no telling where he was keeping that fry.”
Muffin wailed in her goblin-y voice, unnecessarily backing her queen up.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I sourly said.
Leila set the pitcher down, then returned to my side, rubbing French Fry on the top of his extra round dome before reclaiming Muffin’s leash. “But I think the display proves my point: whatever the reason, French Fry has chosen you. You shouldn’t consider him a Night Court creature, but rather yours.”
French Fry cooed under the fae queen’s gentle touch, but he stayed glued to my jacket.
“Thanks.” My voice cracked awkwardly, and I finished off the rest of my water, just to give myself something to do so I didn’t have to look at the lovely queen.
I could feel myself rapidly growing awkward the longer the moment lasted, but—finally—salvation arrived.
Landon slouched back into the café, a moody frown pulling on his face. “Rhonda says the pest with wings and a tail can stay,” he said. “I tried to tell her his existence is breaking health codes, but she cited the precedence of cuteness. I made the argument that he isnotcute and that her ability to judge cuteness is broken. She informed me that once I have my own café, I can make my own judgment calls.” The barista shook his head as he fussed with his apron and took his place behind the counter. “As if I’m crazy enough to ever think of opening a café after working here! Nah-uh! So, what can I get you, owners of the garbage creature?”
“He’s a trash griffin, Landon. Don’t insult him,” Leila called to him before her phone chirped. She glanced down at it and made a face. “I’d love to keep on talking, but I really need to finish a few errands.”
“We understand,” Joy said in her sunny voice. “We hope your trip to the other Courts goes well.”
“Thank you, I appreciate it. Now, if you’ll excuse me…” The fae queen smiled one last time, then turned on her heel. “Rigel, are you ready to go?”
The silky sensation of fae magic that tickled at my elbow intensified, and a guystepped outof the shadows in the back corner of the café.
Chapter Sixteen
Chloe
Inearly turned into a cat—it was only the thought that if I did that French Fry would land on top of me and, with how my day was going, would probably squash me, that kept me from following the instinct.
Tall, with silvery white hair and tawny, copper colored skin, the fae crossed the café and picked up the remaining drink on the coffee table.
“K-king Rigel,” I gulped. He was easy to recognize considering we were standing in a shrine to his wife that had his face plastered everywhere.
King Rigel nodded to me and Joy before he sipped his drink.
Queen Leila handed him Muffin’s pink leash, and he took it, somehow looking even more deadly with the gloom, despite the bright and happy color of her collar and leash.
“I’ll pop outside, hopefully Eclipse will sense that we’re ready to go. Goodbye!” Queen Leila waved before she slipped outside, the wind tugging on her ponytail and jacket.
“I’m going to order a drink.” Joy headed for the counter, where Landon still suspiciously eyed us. “You want anything, Chloe?”
“Do you have steamers?” I asked.
Landon blinked. “You mean you just want hot, frothed milk laced with a flavor syrup?”
“Yes.”
“Weird vibe, but yeah. I can make it. What flavor?”
I shifted French Fry to one arm so I could dig into my coat pocket for my wallet. “Caramel, please.”
“I got this one.” Joy made a shooing motion before she eyed the chalkboard sign that displayed the café’s monthly flavors. “What is the ‘Gloom’s Glory’?”
