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“Almost. This time, bring your BFF.”
Both Ayla and Darla obviously knew I meant Officer Khan, but thankfully didn’t say anything else. I was grateful for Aodin helping my mate, but this didn’t mean I trusted him. I didn’t trust someone from the isles as far as I could throw them. For a race that couldn’t lie, they were trickier than one would think.
“Heard. I’ll make sure I’m ready on time.”
With that, I tilted my head and dismissed myself. I wasn’t exactly comfortable just abandoning my mate to deal with Aodin, but I’d put far too many ripples in the water. I was sure the fae had plenty of conquests who’d hang onto any rumor he started, so it was best not to get on his bad side.
Unfortunately, this left me in the strange spot of not having a lot of time to do anything meaningful, but just enough time to feel uncomfortably idle and bored. Heading back to my room, I needed to figure out how to occupy myself.
I missed the fort. In the few rare instances where I had downtime, there was always plenty I could do, whether work or leisure. The palace was no longer my home.
I was relieved.
I’d been worried returning to my original home would bring back the younger, more foolish Prince Nikolai—the man I’d worked so hard to leave behind. I didn’t think it was at all improbable that being surrounded by all the vapid people, the strict social rules, and all the luxuries I’d ever want would have a bad influence on me. Our gardener used to say, when we were younger and one of our nannies would take us out to play in the hedge maze or amongst the flowers:
When you wear gloves into the garden, they get dirty. The dirt does not get glove-y.
I hadn’t understood it at the time, but I did now. Our surroundings influenced us, but it wasn’t a two-way street. I could be the kindest, most mature version of myself I couldpossibly be, and still end up having zero positive effects on the palace while the place affected me negatively.
Soon enough, it was time to head to the servants’ entrance. I tried to be quick on the way there and change up the rhythm of my walk. I didn’t know if it worked, but at least no one interrupted me on the way.
I didn’t have to wait long for Darla and Ayla, either, who arrived a few minutes later in different outfits. I recognized them as being palace-issued, and I agreed they needed to get into the city and buy things more suited to them.
Then my mind plunged into a fantasy of taking my mate on a shopping spree, buying her anything and everything she wanted, cloaking her in all the finery she deserved. But that wasnotthe way to avoid drawing attention to ourselves.
“Hey there,” Ayla said, smiling happily once she was close enough to me. It had only been a single day, but it felt like she was much more open to showing positive emotion since Yvonne had put all those protective wards on me. It cost me an arm and a leg, but it was more than worth it for me. It felt like we were just regular mates… at least as regular as the two of us could ever be.
“Hey,” I said just as softly. I wanted to offer my arm to her, to hold hands as we followed Oren, but it wasn’t the time.
Would it ever be?
Maybe. Maybe if we broke her curse and were able to return to Fort Canid. Surely then, we’d be able to have at least a little PDA.
“Shall we go?” That was Oren, who approached us from outside the entrance.
It was a rhetorical question, naturally, and the three of us followed him to the same alley and loaded ourselves into our car.
I had to hand it to Darla for not asking a dozen and one questions. I wasn’t sure how much Ayla updated her since I’d asked for her to come as well, but the psychic seemed muchreadier to go with the flow than normal. Perhaps she was far too occupied with reading the minds of everyone around her.
It was a bit underhanded of me, but it was half the reason I’d asked her to come along with us. Yvonne and her lovely partner seemed relatively trustworthy and loyal servants to the crown, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to get a peek behind the curtain, so to speak.
Hopefully, the enchantress wouldn’t take too much offense to it, if she even realized Darla was a psychic at all. If she did, hopefully she’d assume Officer Khan’s abilities were of future-sight, not telepathy.
“I hope it’s good news,” was about all Ayla said before we reached our destination and we piled out, going to the same front door, which opened by itself.
Sure enough, Euthalia greeted us with a fresh tray of what looked like scones in her arms.
“Hello, dears,” she said, a sweet smile across her cherubic cheeks.
Anyone with sight could see the charms of this soft-looking woman, with her lilac eyes, and the gentle blush of pinks and golds along her joints, as well as her long, blonde hair falling in gentle waves around her generous form.
I hadn’t missed how much Ayla blushed around her, either. I’d gently teased her about it before, but I didn’t blame my mate—sirens were quite enticing. We only had one or two at the fort during my entire period stationed there, and they were in entirely different quadrants. “Are any of you hungry?”
Apparently Darla felt no need to hide her interest. “I think I am now, gorgeous,” she said as if Oren wasn’t standing there. Normally, I’d think she was just making Oren jealous, but considering she was an undercover spy for me, I figured she wanted to seem caught up in the siren’s natural thrall.
Glancing to Oren, I wanted to assure him, but he was still standing guard at the door, his face impassive.
Maybe we’d talk later.
