Chapter Eight #3
Matthias said, “Flighty? Yes, I know. Her extranatural situation is listed in my office. She’s impressive. Manifestations from both mother’s and father’s sides, as well as some whatthehells in the middle. She’s an impressive nut job.”
Krys was grinning and did a slow twirl.
Amy laughed behind her hand.
Normic was trying to hold a straight face, but he smiled. “Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I will make sure she is free to chase her crazy wherever it leads.”
Amy saw the couple in the back, who clung to each other in relief. Krys’s parents.
Matthias sighed. “Thank you. I would have hated to sic my assistant on you. She’s attached to Krys somewhat fiercely. Frighteningly actually. Well, good evening. Krys, see you Saturday. The wedding had better be all that was promised. Wait. How the hell did you do that?”
Krys giggled and hung up. “A girl needs her mysteries.”
Amy asked, “What did you do?”
She smiled and lifted her head up. Giant, glittering snowflakes made their way from the ceiling to the floor, where they disappeared. “I did that.”
Normic blinked. “You threw an illusion... from this distance?”
“Sure. Can’t everybody?” She fluttered her lashes. “Right, so are we good? Any other clan business?”
“Take a seat, Krys. Wherever you like.” Normic rubbed the back of his neck. “Right. Well, that is Krys delt with.”
She grinned and resumed her dark hair and dark eyes, the sparkles and wings nowhere to be seen. She went to sit with her parents.
The two hundred participants laughed, but it wasn’t unkind.
“Right. Well, the city has asked us to organize the winter festival again. Any interested parties should contact me. Once we have a council grouping, we will bring the plan to the mayor’s office.
So, everybody, get thinking of ways to depict winter without freezing people to death. That’s it. Have a good evening.”
Amy grinned and turned to Keel. “Well, that was fun.”
Keel asked, “Did you know about her?”
“Nope. We bumped into each other at the food truck. I followed her here. That was it.”
“What about meeting her at the XIA?”
“We don’t work in the same departments.”
“Ah. Well, that’s good.”
“Don’t want me keeping secrets?”
“Definitely not. How did you enjoy your first Frostfire meeting?”
“Oh, it was interesting.” She grinned. “Now I have to take myself off to the Grunwald mansion. My friend Vaia wants me to pop by.”
“Vaia? Isn’t she...”
“The bride for the upcoming wedding. Yes. She’s been married to the dragonborn for fifteen years, but they have just gotten together. It’s fitting that they are giving a new start to a cursed building.”
Keel said, “So, have you and Emmers made any progress?”
“In a few days with him on nights and me on days?”
“Ah, yeah, I guess that could complicate things.”
She got up and hugged Keel, then walked over and squeezed Normic’s hand, and she whispered, “Good game, everybody.”
He gave her a rueful smile and returned to talk with the other clan member who was talking about private school accommodations for heat-sensitive students.
Amy was still smiling when she was outside and walking to her car. Krys came by. “Did you need a pilot fish to the mansion?”
“Yes, please.” Navigation was not her strong suit.
“Okay. Come on. They are making a break for it.” Krys sprinted to her car.
Amy did the same and was behind Krys a moment later. The other woman drove efficiently, not crazily, and didn’t try to lose her by instinct.
They pulled up to the mansion, and Krys slowed. The gate swung open, and they drove up to the house itself. Amy was grinning when Vaia was standing in the open doorway.
She parked and walked toward the house. “Well, this is quite the place. But do you have a tattoo artist next door?”
Vaia laughed. “True, but the option to run around naked is definitely here. I am pretty sure that I can create a salon on the main floor and work from home.”
“What about Minayel?”
“She can run the shop in town, and I can do my designing here.”
“So, you suddenly want to spend time at home?”
Vaia shrugged. “The world is made of change.” She glanced to the side. “Go ahead, Krys. She’s waiting for you.”
Krys nodded and pulled a small disk out as she sprinted through the house and out the back.
Amy smiled. “She’s testing the tacos.”
Vaia led her inside. “She mentioned that to you?”
“Oh, yeah. That’s how we met.”
“So, the reason I asked you here is kind of short notice.” Vaia linked arms with her. “I would like you to be my maid of honour?”
Amy stopped. “Seriously?”
“Yup.”
“Why?”
“Because you came with me, laughed with me, and my senses tell me you are going to be wound into my future in different ways. As a model, if nothing else, but I would prefer it as a friend.”
Amy blinked and then hugged Vaia. “Yes, I will be your maid of honour.”
Vaia grinned. “Excellent. I have just the dress.”
Amy laughed, and they continued in to have some tea and snacks on the rear expanse made of stone.
In the distance, Krys was talking to a black woman with an amazing crown of braids that cascaded over her shoulder. The other woman had a hand to her collarbone and was laughing with delight. The sound carried over, and the trees shivered happily. The stone they stood on vibrated with joy.
The woman hugged Krys, and Krys laughed and spoke softly. The bright amusement from the statue made the entire property seem lighter.
Krys pointed back to where Vaia and Amy were standing, and the two ladies walked toward them.
Krys stood to one side as Vaia made the introductions. “Amy, this is Sable. She has a body of stone and a heart of gold.”
Sable grinned. “And today, I had goblin-strength tacos for the first time.”
Krys grimaced. “Yup. She did.”
“And... lemonade?”
Amy nodded. “I was there. It was lemonade.” Amy stepped forward and smiled. “I am Amy, and I will be here for the next week, off and on. I was just asked to be the maid of honour. My first time in a wedding.”
Sable smiled. “My first time seeing one. It’s going to be a fun weekend. Krys, do you know what it will look like yet?”
Krys looked at Vaia. “Do you want to see it?”
Vaia pulled close to Amy. “Yes, I do.”
Krys stood next to Sable. She closed her eyes, and the lawns, gardens, and surrounding spaces were taken over by magic. Flowers, trees, lights, and dance floors were all arranged in a graceful and glorious arrangement of magic.
Krys looked at Vaia. “What changes do you want?”
“Nothing. This is... so much more than I could imagine.”
Krys nodded. “Good. I was trying to find a place for the jugglers, but I thought it would be a little much.”
Vaia laughed. “Thank you. This will be amazing.”
“I hope so. I made a bit of an ass of myself at the Frostfire clan meeting today. So, if I don’t pull this off, I think I have to move. Did you get your invite list done?”
“Yes. It took us all day, but we did. It will be two hundred and fifty friends, family, and obligation invites.”
“Fabulous. Send them over, and I will send them out tomorrow. The catering is in hand, and that can fix a lot of things. What kind of wedding cake flavours do you want?”
Vaia blinked. “Oh. Right. We didn’t have that the first time. Um, chocolate for him, vanilla for me.”
Krys smiled. “Chocolate tier, vanilla tier, and a lemon berry tier on the bottom. Those are usually the favourites. Sheet cake on the side for everything else. Chocolate and vanilla.”
Amy asked, “Cake topper?”
“Oh, leave that to me.” Krys smiled. Her phone chirped. “And chairs and tables have been acquired. So, food, tables, chairs. Linen colour?”
Vaia smiled. “I think Azreen wants it in his colours. Gold and black. Or maybe blue.”
Krys chuckled. “Where is he?”
“Talking to Benko next to the mantelpiece. I think they are trying to figure a way to disguise it.”
Krys looked at both of the men, who were looking concerned about the very graphic stonework. She flicked her finger, and the carvings turned to leaves and oaks. “There. Settled. I can lock the appearance into an object, and you can keep it anywhere in the house you like, turning it off and on.”
Azreen paused. “Thank you. If we are using this as a public space, it is better to have all contingencies covered.”
“I agree. I can hold the illusion on the day, but I have an important question for you: do you have a preference for linen colours?”
“No. Did you get our invite lists?”
“Yes. They are being processed right now.” She smiled. The app she had designed was confirming addresses and creating elegant invitations. “I will have a mock-up for you in about thirty minutes. You can alter anything then.”
Azreen grinned. “My mother will think you are interesting.”
“I am fucking fascinating. Now, back to Vaia.” She swanned out and back to where the ladies were talking. “So, did you get a hold of your aunt?”
Vaia grinned. “I did. She’s coming with her husband and one of her kids.”
“Oh, excellent.” She smiled. “Glad that worked out.”
“So, you knew who I was talking about when I said Aunt Sophy. I could never find her online.”
Krys smiled. “Her name has a weird spelling. It wouldn’t show up in a search.”
“Yeah, but how did you know that?”
Krys pulled out her business card and held it up. “What’s Sofi’s kid’s name?”
“The one she’s bringing? Chrysalis. Krys-Alys. Oh. My. God. You?”
Krys grinned. “Hey, cuz.” Krys stood still as shadows grabbed her and pulled her in for a hug. Krys smiled as Vaia hugged her close, but when she showed no signs of stopping, light began to trickle out of her, and Vaia’s shadows flinched.
The seamstress and psychic vampire sniffled. “Sorry. I got carried away.”
“Well, the Depfords didn’t want you to meet me. One of us would have been a bad influence, and even though I am five years younger, I would tend to agree it would have been me.”
Amy chuckled. “I saw her in action tonight. I would agree.”
Krys grinned.
Vaia blinked. “What did I miss?”
“A size twelve frost fairy.” Krys snickered.
Vaia laughed softly. “That surprises me the least. Wait, why didn’t you tell me you were my cousin?”
“Oh, you didn’t remember me as particularly helpful, but you did remember my mom, so that was the starting place. She’s so chill. She and Dad are the most relaxed wolves that I have ever seen.”
“I thought she was a mage.”
“She is. She is a shapeshifting mage, so she spends minimal time as a wolf, but it was enough to get me started. She flipped her tail at another wolf one too many times.”
Vaia blinked. “Oh. Wow. That wasn’t expected.”
“They were very clear on how they met and how I started in the world. The sex talk followed.” She wrinkled her nose. “Several of them actually. I had to understand what was going on if any other race was trying something with me.”
Vaia blinked. “I hadn’t considered that. My mother got pregnant with me at what I am guessing was some kind of fetish party. I don’t know what kind of manual there is for under-the-bed monster sex.”
“I am guessing it has a lot of tabs and indexes,” Amy muttered.
“Did you want to do a walk down the aisle with Kremoryn?”
“No, I think that ship has sailed. I will go on my own, but if your mom could read something, I would like that.”
Krys winced. “I don’t know if she will. She has a pathological fear of public speaking.”
Vaia smiled slightly. “She can write it, and you can read it.”
Krys sighed. “I am going to be getting the cocktail hour ready while you renew your vows. This is just about you and Azreen.”
“Well, now it is about my family. Any other fun cousins?”
“Sure. Imara. Her mom was sold to have seven sons but ended up with seven plus one daughter. The moment she was free, she got a divorce, but the contract didn’t let her keep her daughter. So, Imara grew up in family fostering, and she is now a spectral investigator here in town.”
Vaia paused. “Is this the same Imara who pulled Neekil out of Hannah?”
“Probably. I don’t know of any other spectre specialists.” Krys grinned. “Do you want to meet her?”
“Isn’t it getting late?”
“She’s up late. This is when the ghosts and spectres are up and running. So, do you want to meet her?”
Vaia chuckled. “Sure. Yes. Please.”
Krys called and spoke quietly. When the call was done, she grinned. “She’s on her way. She’s always up to expand her family. She’s met her mother now, so she’s a lot more satisfied with her place in the world.” She chuckled. “Her kitten can be annoying, though.”
Krys had to examine the kitchen, so they retired there while she ordered a ton of takeout. Planning had to be done, and there was no reason to do it on an empty stomach.
She conjured chairs from her storage company, and when Imara arrived, there was a lot of chatter and introduction of cousins to cousins, and Krys took her tablet out.
As a council of ladies, decisions were made and a wedding was planned.
When Neekil and Hannah came by, Amy blushed and went for a walk with Emmers.
The dark elf and his fiancée were excited as well, and they had a lot more stuff nailed down for their wedding.
After the food, the chatting, and the planning, there was just one question left in Krys’s mind. Who was the third wedding going to be, and when?