Chapter Two
Krys was there when the furniture and the food prep started arriving in the rented cooling units. She had things covered with power backups for the fridges. The sous vide units were filled with water and waiting.
She checked off all the food prep, including the temperatures in the hired fridges and the refrigerated trucks.
Everything was ready: tables were up, chairs were in place, and the property was waiting.
The bride’s and bridesmaids’ dresses were in place, and everything was ready for the arrival of the makeup artist at noon for the four o’clock photos.
They would all be done before the ceremony as the sun set. Dia was all lined up.
Krys was packing up to go when Vaia came down, and she looked nervous. “Krys, I know it’s a lot to ask, but could you spend the night here?”
“Oh. Um, sure. Did you want me to invite anyone else?”
Vaia paused and shook her head. “No, just you. I... we are cousins, and I just wanted to sit with someone who is family.”
“Did that someone want to order takeout?”
Vaia grinned. “Yes, please.”
“What is Azreen doing?”
“He’s with his parents tonight at the mayor’s mansion.”
“You weren’t invited?”
“Oh, I was, but I said I was going to be spending the night with family, so here you are.”
“I think we can have some fun, but why me?”
Vaia looked at Krys. “Because you don’t have enough fun in your life. Now, what do you think we should do?”
“I have no idea.”
“How do you feel about go-karts?”
Krys smiled slowly. “When do we go?”
Vaia chuckled. “Let me make a call.”
Driving a go-kart in a ball gown had a particular level of fun that could only be topped by the sparkly wand and tiara that Vaia had furnished. She was dressed like a fairy godmother, and Vaia had a bride’s sash. It was funny, and Krys was having a great time.
She made sure her poofy skirts were under control and went for another lap, passing Vaia with a maniacal laugh, and then she went to cut off two goblins and an orc.
She was wheezing with hilarity at their offended expressions when she finished her run and beat a track record.
She pulled the magic wand out of her cleavage and tapped her go-kart.
The glitter and frost that she had decorated it with slowly faded away.
Vaia already had her pictures of them from their third lap and the before pictures, when the other competitors had laughed at them.
Friday night at the amusement centre was busy.
Vaia asked, “I don’t suppose that you would be willing to have tacos with me?”
“Of course, cuz. But dressed like this?”
“Please? I think it’s hilarious.”
“Fine, in honour of hilarity. I will be there. Let’s go.”
Vaia laughed and giggled and skipped around. Krys followed, zapping people with random sparkles from her wand.
She got behind the steering wheel and hiked up the frothy skirt while Vaia giggled. “When we get to Dem-rah’s, can you pop your wings out?”
“Will it help you relax?”
Vaia looked sweet and fluttered her lashes. “Absolutely.”
Krys grinned. “I am so going to get even with you after you come back to the world after your time away.”
“We are only going to take three days. We will go on a proper vacation if I end up pregnant.”
“Why then?”
“To get away from his mother. She isn’t a fan of mine, but she is rabid for grandchildren. So, I will need some breathing room.”
“My mom and I can help out. We are excellent at diversions. Feel free to call us if you need someone to run an interception. I can always pull you away to discuss details of the next event or landscaping or something.”
Vaia smiled. “I may take you up on it.”
“We will come up with a code word. If you tell me that you need to talk about the rose garden, I will be there in seconds.”
“At the mansion?”
“Wherever you are. Wolves are good at tracking, and I was trained by two of the best.”
Vaia smiled. “Thank you. I know Azreen is going to try to keep me safe, but his mother has a look in her eyes that I can’t figure out.”
“Well, you can call on Kremoryn as well if you need him. He would be there faster than I would. He might not be wearing pants, but he would be wearing shadows.”
“I wish I could call on an old friend, but she’s unavailable.”
“Why?” Krys pulled into the lot where the XIA were on break, and Krys was still in a fairy godmother outfit.
“My friend from college is in a coma.”
“What? Why?”
“She and I went to a party, someone put something in her drink, and she fainted and never woke up. She doesn’t have family, so I am paying for her, but I wish there were more I could do.”
“How long ago was this?”
“Seven years?”
Krys looked at her. “I remember that. We were all warned to keep our eyes out for someone, anyone putting things into our drinks. There was a rash of assaults around the college. She was one who was caught before anything worse happened.”
Vaia laughed sadly. “Worse. She went into a coma and didn’t come out of it.”
Krys frowned. “Have you had any specialists look at her?”
“I can’t. I am not family. She doesn’t have family. She aged out of the system, and now she is on her own.”
Krys blinked. “Huh. I think I can work with that. I may become an indentured servant, but I can do something about this.”
Vaia looked at her cautiously. “You can?”
“Dude, dressed like this, you are lucky I am not out looking for pumpkins.” She looked at Vaia.
“You get me some bland tacos and lemonade, and I will make the calls. We are going to meet at that table.” She lifted her wand and snapped it forward, a glittering bistro set materialized, and she popped out her wings and sashayed over to it.
Vaia laughed.
Krys picked up her phone and called Leo. She explained the situation and blinked as Leo offered a solution. “Seriously?”
“Seriously. He can meet you there in half an hour.”
“Um, okay, I am dressed like a fairy godmother, and Vaia is wearing a sash that says Bitch in charge. We are having pre-wedding tacos.”
“That sounds like fun. You have to come by one night when you have a chance to breathe.”
“So far, that is looking like ten days from now.”
“Yeah, so you think. I am pretty sure that with all of this city and the surrounding area’s great and good coming tomorrow, you are going to stay busy. You might need an assistant.”
“I am training one, but I have no idea how to pay her.”
“Okay. Explain.”
“Sable. She’s on the property, knows everything that is going on, is able to lift heavy, and is bulletproof. All the things a good wedding planner should be.”
“I will ask around, and you can ask her what she wants.”
“I will after tomorrow night. If she likes it, I will work on her.”
“Okay, Dorn is headed out and will get the paperwork underway. He’s also sending an analyst to get to the heart of why she’s asleep.”
“That’s great. Thank you. How much do I owe?”
“Just keep being you, and if Reynal asks you to dance, give it some consideration.”
“Fine. Matthias is going to swat you for selling help so cheap.”
“Nope. He knows what that will cost you.”
“Vaia’s bringing the tacos. Thanks. I will see you tomorrow.”
“Would not miss it. No one thinks of having late weddings. Fortunately, I think it is about to become a trend, and Matthias loves dancing. Have a good night.”
She didn’t have a chance to answer. Leo was gone.
Vaia sat and slid her order in front of her. “So?”
“Someone is meeting us there. They are using legal means to become your friend’s guardian.”
“Oh, good. Axa deserves help.”
Krys paused. “Axa Dorning?”
“Yeah. You know her?”
Krys started to eat deliberately. “She’s our cousin. She disappeared, and they told me she had left town for graduate school. She’s a Depford, out of marriage, but a Depford.”
“What? Like me?”
“Yes, but it was her father who was the Depford. Her father is an arrogant prick. Plenty of power, not a lot of money, so he went after Amelie Dorning, and she got pregnant, but her father refused to part with any funds, so Urvin ditched her and their baby and went off to try and find a woman with enough money to satisfy him.”
She finished her food and sipped at her drink.
Vaia was eating slowly. “That is... perhaps why she felt like a walking hug.”
Krys smiled. “Perhaps.”
She sent the name and details that she knew to Leo, who said she would forward them.
Neekil wandered over and was grinning. “Krys, can you stand up so we can take in your magnificence?”
“Only if Vaia comes, too.”
Vaia blinked. “Oh. Shoot.”
She set down her empty paper wrappers and wiped her hands before getting up and standing next to Krys. A bunch of phones were directed at them, and then Vaia sat down. Krys grinned at Neekil, waved her wand, muttered some non-magical words, and he was standing in a white bunny suit.
Vaia was taking photos and giggling. Krys posed with a very impressed Dem-rah, and then it was time to be on their way.
Neekil’s bunny suit disappeared, leaving his uniform behind, and his guys were laughing as they all sent the image to Hannah. Krys would hate to be her phone. Neekil could take the ribbing. Hell, Krys could have put him in a tutu, and he wouldn’t have done more than twirl.
She did a slow, glorious spin with her wand and tiara, and then she headed to the car for their trip to the hospital. It was time to see if they could wake a sleeping princess.
Dorn was standing with the administrator, and he had a file folder full of documents. His normally dour expression split into a grin when he saw her. He slowly raised his phone, and the flash flared. He chuckled. “Leo will not believe me.”
“Uh-huh. She said you were bringing a specialist?”
“Yes. We have assigned Vaia as her guardian, but the analyst is in there checking over her test results.”
Vaia blinked. “Me?”
“Miss Bright isn’t financially stable right now. She’s doing too many things.”
Krys grimaced. “Squealer.”
“What?” Vaia looked at her.
“She likes to plan the parties, make everyone happy, and neglects to get paid as soon as things get awkward.”
Krys winced.