Chapter Two #2
“Azreen said he was paying for everything directly.”
“I didn’t add my work to the original quote.”
“But the catering.”
“The profit goes to maintenance and expansion, and paying the staff a decent wage.” She winced. “Look, I have already been lectured by the mayor’s accountant. I will try to get better at this.”
Vaia sighed. “Damn it.” She hugged Krys. “I sucked when I started a business myself. You can want the best for your people and still fall short. That’s why I focused on real estate. Less people-y.”
Krys looked at her and smiled. “Yeah. Hey. Oh, geez. Is he the analyst?”
Reynal was speaking with one of the doctors, who immediately spoke to a nurse and a younger doctor, and then they scrambled into action.
His wings were folded tight against his back, and he walked out, smiling slowly as he took Krys’s finery in. “Granting wishes tonight?”
“No. I would have to register that under a new tax number,” she grumbled.
He laughed, and she saw the very pointy canines that he sported. She shivered, and his smile got intense.
Vaia looked between them. “Right. I see the fascination with guys with wings is a family trait. Imara is dating a griffin.”
Krys’s body went cold. “No. I am not. I would never—”
Vaia grabbed her and said, “Sorry. I didn’t mean to be flippant. You look... exhausted.”
The hug was heartfelt.
“Yeah. Good word for it.” She smiled. “No offense, but I can hardly wait for your wedding day.”
“And then the next one is going to hit.”
“I will deal with it. My day job is causing the issues. I love it, but I can’t straddle both for long, so I am hoping for a dry spell at the mansion.”
She released the hug and slowly opened her eyes. Reynal was standing in his suit with his wings folded against his back. His smile was friendly, not pitying.
Vaia turned to him. “Hello, I am Vaia Depford. You saw my friend Axa?”
He nodded. “She has dwarf bloodlines. She has been kept in a coma state because of the wrong medication.”
“She has one of those alert thingies on her arm. She always kept it on.”
“There are scars around her wrist. I am guessing that it was torn off somehow. The recovery medications are simple and in stock. She should be awake by midnight.”
Vaia had silent tears running down her cheeks. “Oh. Can I see her?”
Dorn smiled. “You are her next of kin, so go ahead.”
Vaia headed for the room where the medical team was gathered.
Krys stood in the hall, her poofy gown around her.
Reynal said, “Is there a reason for the dress, wand, and tiara?”
“Vaia wanted to run around and just play the night before her vow renewal, and as we are cousins, it seemed a little enough thing to grant.”
He grinned. “So, you are granting wishes?”
“If they are easy and don’t cost too much.”
“I saw the image of you with the XIA.”
“Oh, that’s quick.”
He smiled and showed her the image of her zapping Neekil into the bunny suit. “I have your name as one of my alerts.”
“I... oh.”
Reynal looked confused. “You look upset.”
“Probably just tired. I know I am a financial screw-up. Do you have to watch that closely?”
Understanding lit his gaze. “That is not why I have an alert for you.”
Krys stared at him. “Then why?”
“Because you are an interesting woman, and you have a spark that I find very attractive.”
Krys looked at his dark eyes, the smooth golden skin, and the serious expression on his face. “Oh.”
“However, you seem tense when we meet.”
She mumbled, “Instinct run amok. Trust me, it is better that way.”
“Instinct? I thought you were a mage.”
“I am. Sort of. Descended from a forest wolf and a shapeshifting mage.”
He blinked. “Oh, those kinds of instincts. Yes, you did mention something of the sort.”
“I should not talk to hot guys when I’m tired.” She slammed a hand over her mouth.
His brows went up, and he smiled. “I think you need some coffee while the bride waits for her friend to wake.”
“Um, okay.”
“And on the way, we are going to cruise you through the children’s ward and the ICU. I think seeing a giant glittering fairy will lift a lot of moods.”
She blinked, and he put an arm around her shoulders, steering her away from Axa’s room. Vaia glanced up from inside the glass room and smiled, waving. She was waiting for her friend to wake up.
Krys fluffed her crystalline wings out to complete the appearance. She was a big hit in the ICU. No idea why the nurses didn’t stop her.
“I saw those in the picture, but I didn’t think they were real. Can you fly?”
“Yeah, I can even hover. I have no idea how it works, but it works.”
He let out a sound that was part sigh, part growl.
She paused. “Wait. Was that a horny noise?”
He sighed. “Maybe. We haven’t gone on a date yet, so it is inappropriate.”
“Right. Definitely inappropriate.”
They went to the children’s ward, and with the nurse’s blessing, she walked through the ward. When one of the children inevitably asked if she could heal them, Krys sighed.
“Sorry. I am useless when it comes to that sort of thing. All I can do is give everyone here shiny shoes until one in the morning.”
An eight-year-old boy said, “I thought it was midnight when the shoes disappeared.”
Krys walked over to him and curtsied deeply before fluttering her wings and flying. “Daylight savings time, my dear boy. We get an extra hour this time of year.”
There was a lot of shrieking and laughter as she floated through the ward and turned before exiting, using her wand.
The kids had sparkly shoes, and the boys had onyx boots.
Even the shy kids were smiling at the bit of illusion magic.
She floated out and dropped to the ground as soon as she saw Reynal’s heated gaze. She huffed. “Let’s get that coffee.”
He chuckled and put his hand along her shoulders, cupping her right shoulder with him on her left. She dismissed her wings, and they continued to the commissary.
When she was seated with the coffee he brought her, she sipped it slowly.
“So, how long are you going to go without sleep?”
She smiled. “It will get easier when the vendors are used to the venue. The first time is always the most awkward, so I try and slow things down to make sure everyone is aware and feels in control at all times.”
He grinned. “Is that a euphemism?”
“Might be. I am rather tired.” She smiled.
“Hm. How long will the sparkly shoes remain on the children?”
“Another two hours. I told you. One in the morning.”
“How do you know?”
“Because that is when I go to sleep, so that is when the illusion cuts off.”
He nodded. “What spurred on these costumes?”
“Vaia wanted the hen night experience, but Amy was at a family meeting with her new fathers, so I was what was left. Oh, the costumes. She saw some sleazy costumes online but doesn’t like sleazy in general, so she got these together because of my enormous fairy properties.”
“You are a lovely fairy.”
She sipped at her coffee. “Thank you. Oh, and the coffee is helping.”
“Good.”
Her phone chirped. She checked it. “Oh, Vaia says that Azreen is with her, and he will get her home.”
“Did you want me to verify?”
She shook her head. “No, I have his information.”
She got confirmation from Azreen and sighed. “Okay, me and this poofy dress have a date with my mattress.”
He frowned. “I will see you home.”
“Nope. I am good. We aren’t seeing each other socially, remember?”
“Yes, but you are tired and will be driving.”
“I will be fine. The coffee was helpful, and the air outside is pleasantly cool. Oh, what do I owe you for your appearance here this evening?”
He looked at her and said, “I will keep a favour in reserve.”
“Fine.” She bolted back the hot coffee and shuddered. “Right. Tomorrow is the big day, so I need to get what sleep I can.”
She got up, slid her wand between her breasts, and straightened her shoulders. Reynal walked behind her, and she smiled at the nurses who enjoyed her appearance.
“Are you going to follow me all the way to the parkade?” She didn’t look behind her.
“Yes.”
Krys paid for her vehicle and left the building, walking toward the parkade.
She unlocked her car when she was ten feet away and hiked her skirt up before opening her door and hauling herself into it. As she settled, hands smoothed her skirt into the vehicle so the door wouldn’t catch it.
Reynal pressed his fingertips to her cheek. “Stay safe. You have a busy day tomorrow.”
She jolted and looked at him. “What the...”
“My people have rules just as yours do. Now that I have been able to analyze your responses, I am formulating a plan.” His eyes showed he was making calculations. She had seen it in his office.
He made sure she was tucked in and her skirts were away from her feet. “Off you go. I will be shadowing you until you are home.”
She blinked as he closed her car door and stepped back. She started her car and didn’t see him anymore. Buckling up, she checked her mirrors and reversed out of the spot, moving slowly toward the exit of the parking structure.
Her house was twenty minutes away, and fatigue was pushing at her again, but she made it home safe, parked, unbuckled, and headed into her house.
She heard something as she unlocked her door and looked up.
A golden gargoyle in a suit was smiling at her.
She blushed and went inside, hearing the slight scramble of claws on her roof as he flew away from her house the moment her door was latched.
She looked at her phone and set an alarm for nine.
Ten hours of uninterrupted sleep was unheard of, but everything physical except for the flowers was already at the venue.
Tomorrow, she and the catering staff would just make it pretty, and all Vaia and Azreen had to do was get dressed and walk down the aisle.
It took her three minutes to get out of the dress, one minute to brush her teeth and wash her face, and then she was in bed and curled up. A little rest was definitely in the cards.
* * * *