Power Shift (Shifter Lords #3)

Chapter 1

Chapter

One

The Shifter Lord and I were at war. Not literal war—think psychological warfare mixed with a hefty dose of passive aggression. Like most great wars, it started innocently enough.

A few months ago, Caelan sent Simone over with a request to hire me to make twelve table centerpieces for an event at the Keep.

Fair enough. I rarely turned down good money, even though I had a ‘no travel to the Keep’ clause in all my contracts now. Caelan either had to pick up any arrangements he ordered from the shop, or I sent Moira or Ash to deliver them, and occasionally a trusted courier.

It had worked well for the last three months, even though everyone knew Caelan was trying to get me to break and talk to him.

No one needed that many centerpieces in ninety days, and now that I knew Caelan had rarely planned events at the Keep until after I came into his life, I realized this was a poorly veiled attempt to wiggle his way back in.

That was not going to happen.

Simone’s warning rang in my ears once more, the same way it had for the last several months. The Shifter Lords had been quiet, too quiet, lately, and I’d been on edge since the moment I’d stepped out of Caelan’s home after the debacle of his wedding.

He’d reached out to me multiple times since then, and I’d rebuffed him every time.

I would have softened toward him eventually, I think. And then I found out he’d nominated Ben for the open Shifter Lord position, replacing Halvard, effectively forcing the Healer to move to a new territory, far away from here.

Not that we were dating. We weren’t. Ben and I had started the engine. It sputtered a few times, and then the vehicle died before ever moving forward. I hoped to find a good mechanic and get it working again, but thanks to Caelan, that engine was now across the country.

Convenient for Caelan. Bad for me and Ben. Just the way the Shifter Lord wanted things.

So now, the Lord could rot in hell for all I cared.

I’d keep taking his money, but I’d die before I let him into my life again.

I wasn’t thrilled when Simone showed up, but she wasn’t the one I was angry at. Her request is what pissed me off.

Twelve table centerpieces was a normal order—if I were making them for anyone other than a Shifter Lord. What pissed me off was why he wanted them.

The event’s name was a nod to my burgeoning power, and Caelan’s request for themed centerpieces felt oddly specific.

He requested three centerpieces per table, four tables in total. I muttered a running commentary on the tiny size of Caelan’s assets while pressing fresh blooms into wet floral foam.

Moira breezed into the shop, holding two cups, one full of tea and the other blessed java.

“Lir gave you an extra shot of espresso on the house,” she said as she set the coffee down. “He said he saw you biking aggressively on the way home last night and thought maybe you could use a little boost of love.”

Brewtide Beans was Joy Springs’ local merfolk-owned coffee shop. Their offerings ranged from the unusual to the mundane, and so far, I hadn’t had a single thing from there I disliked.

“Thank the gods,” I muttered, setting down my floral shears and picking up the cup.

Moira picked up the contract Simone had brought over. I hadn’t read it all the way through yet, but the price we agreed on was insane, even for me.

“Blooming Wild: Celebrating the Magical Diversity and Rare Gifts of Joy Springs through the Lens of Local Flora.” Moira’s nose wrinkled. “Gross.” She flipped through the contract, pale brow wrinkling as she skimmed the contents. A low whistle pierced the air.

“Holy shit,” she murmured, her gaze flying to mine. “This price is highway robbery.” A slow grin curved her lips. “Always knew you had it in you, girl.” Moira wiggled her hips. “Vegas, here I come.”

I shuddered. “Vegas? That’s where you’d go?” The thought of being pressed against all those strangers made my throat tighten.

“Hell yeah.” Moira tapped a bright nail on the worktable. “All those lights and the noise, and those handsome men with deep pockets. The free booze.” Her nostrils flared. “Vegas makes me feel alive.”

I shook my head. “I think I may go visit Rowan soon. It’d be nice to visit home again and explore his Keep.”

Moira wiggled her eyebrows. “Plus, he is super-hot.”

“Yes, but all the Lords are hot. And I’m not in the market for a Lord or a shifter or anything with a penis.”

“Ooh. What about the innie?”

I laughed. “No innies, either. No situation where I have to worry about how my breath smells in the morning or how my hair looks. I want peace in the valley for a while.”

Moira leaned over and sniffed one of the blooms. “Peace is overrated. You know what isn’t?”

I gave her the side-eye. “What?”

“Hot, dirty, uncomplicated sex.” She flicked my nose and darted away before I could slap her hand away.

“You know I don’t do casual.” That had stopped on a clear, starry night in a field in Scotland.

Moira’s face softened. “One man can do a lot of damage, but one day I hope to see you shine again. Take the time you need, Evie. Even if it’s years from now.”

I shrugged. “Maybe one day.”

“One day is a good start,” my friend said. She gently stroked one of the blooms. “All of these flowers seem oddly themed.”

“Yeah,” I grumbled. “Because the Shifter Lord is a dick.”

Moira snorted a laugh. “Let me guess. You have plans for these arrangements?”

I could feel the crazy shining on my face. “Who, me? I would never.”

The vampire grinned. “There you are friend. I was wondering if you’d retired your sassy pants.”

“My sassy pants have been lost in the laundry for a while.”

“Laundry is the worst chore, but isn’t it nice when you get to wear your fresh, clean sassy pants again?”

I tossed an extra leaf at her. “Why are you so weird?”

She snatched the golden leaf from the air and fanned herself with it. “You like weird, Evie Quinn.”

“Not necessarily,” I grumbled. “But I do like you.”

“Aww,” Moira cooed. “BFFs forever.”

“Go do something useful, will you? I have to finish putting this together so I can drop it at the courier.”

Moira waved the contract at me. “Umm. You may want to look over this paperwork.”

My hands stilled. “What did he do?”

Moira winced. “He didn’t do anything, but I think he knows how much all of us like vacations.”

I snatched the paper from her fingers and skimmed.

Moira helpfully pointed out the passage in question.

I swore like a sailor and closed my eyes, slowly counting to ten in my head.

“It’s a lot of money,” Moira said quietly.

“He always does this,” I snarled. “And I always fall into his stupid trap because we’re a small business, and we all need money to retire, eventually.”

Moira’s eyes crinkled at the edges. “Honey.” She laid a hand on my arm. “We’re all immortal. The only one who might not have a retirement fund or an assload of money in the bank is Tess. She’s the only one of us who’s young.”

My shoulders slumped as Moira brought me in for a tight hug. “You worry far too much about everyone else and never about yourself.” A hand stroked down my hair. “We love you far more than we love the money.”

“Money really does buy happiness, though,” I mumbled against her shoulder.

She laughed. “Yes, but not at the risk of your health.” Moira gently pushed me away and held me by both arms. “But I still think you should take it.”

I stared. “That speech that just rolled off your tongue was all a lie, then?”

Moira sniffed and leaned against the bottom cabinets. “No. We don’t need the money. But that isn’t the reason you should take it.”

I put down my shears and crossed my arms. “Oh? This should be good. Why should I take his offer?”

Her eyes darkened. “You should go and show them who Evie Quinn is. No more hiding. No more staying in your shop and keeping your head down. The Chimera threat is hanging over Joy Springs, and we are the only ones who know.”

“Moira.” A hysterical laugh bubbled from me. “I can’t show anyone that I’m a Chimera. The Lords will string me up and feed me to the wolves.”

“You don’t have to show them the Chimera to show them who you are.

” She sighed. “My best friend is powerful beyond all reason, and she hides herself behind her pretty flower arrangements. You are not only a Chimera, and you are not only a Floromancer. You are a frigging demi-god, Evie, the daughter of a powerful goddess. And you’re all the other things combined.

If you don’t think you can kick the shit out of a Shifter Lord…

” Moira laughed. “Then you haven’t been paying attention. ”

My heart warmed even as fear flooded my veins. “I’ve been avoiding this my entire life.”

Her smile was sad. “Maybe it’s time to stop running.”

I mulled it over. “Caelan is paying an obscene amount of money for me to attend.”

Moira’s eyes glittered. “Every contract with him is negotiable. Ask him for another dress.” She shrugged. “Shit. Ask him for the damn moon. I’m sure he’d figure out a way to lasso it.”

“You think it’s the right step? Going into the Keep and showing everyone who I am?”

“I don’t think you need to plan on razing the place down, but if the opportunity presents itself or someone tries to dominate you…” Her voice trailed off. “Then I think you should kick some ass and take some names.”

The door opened. Ash poked his head in and grinned. “Seconded! We’ve been waiting for this moment for years.”

The dryad was tall and lean, his skin naturally golden brown due to his nature. His hair was a gorgeous mix of light and dark brown, and his eyes were a deep mossy green that changed to emerald when his magic rose. Tess trailed behind him, the banshee dressed in brighter colors than I’d ever seen.

She wore a soft pink dress and an emerald-green cardigan, her pale hair pulled into a messy bun.

Bangles clinked on her wrist as she lifted her hand in a wave.

“Thirded.” Her smile was soft and tentative.

Tess was soft-spoken and quiet, but she was smart as a whip and powerful, though she kept the most powerful tool in her arsenal tightly leashed.

None of us had ever heard Tess’s wail or the mournful cry that signified a looming death. The cry wouldn’t harm us, but her scream might end us all if she failed to control her power.

“Guess I’m outvoted,” I said lightly.

Tess reached for me, taking both my hands in her pale, cool ones. She so rarely touched anyone that the gesture took me by surprise. “None of us is immortal,” she began. “Immortality is a myth. We can be killed at any moment of the day. Eternal life is a gift and not one to be squandered.”

Where was she going with this? I stayed silent and waited.

“If you walk through the world hiding yourself, eternal life becomes a chore, Evangeline. We love you. We love working with you and being your friend. But all of us see the sadness in your eyes.”

I blinked my tears away. “Tess—”

Her eyes glowed pale silver. “You’re worried about us. Don’t be. We’ll be fine.” She smiled, a bright, unexpected gesture that made my lower lip wobble. “You might be the most powerful, but none of us are helpless.”

“I know you’re not helpless—” I protested.

Tess interrupted me. “And yet you still hold yourself back because you want to keep us safe.”

I closed my mouth and stared at her.

“Aww,” Moira said softly. “Our baby has grown up.”

Ash placed his hand on Tess’s shoulder. “She’s right, Evie. Stop rolling over.” He dropped a kiss atop the banshee’s head. “Hiding yourself only gives them power. They’re working behind the scenes to control you. Don’t let them.”

I put my hands on my hips and stared at them suspiciously. “Is this an intervention?”

Three pairs of innocent eyes avoided looking at each other.

“Guys…” My voice held a note of warning.

“Normally, we would never consider an intervention, especially not for you, but things with the Shifter Lord have gotten out of hand. And with Finn back in the picture, we think you should have more of a presence.”

I gave her a flat look. “Presence? What exactly does that mean?”

Ash rolled his eyes. “She means stop hiding at home and the shop and maybe get out into the community and do some things for yourself. You haven’t even gotten takeout since the wedding!”

“Are you depressed?” Tess asked.

“What? No!” An exasperated breath escaped me. They didn’t know about Gianna and the discovery in my backyard. Plausible deniability is what I kept telling myself. I’d destroyed any trace of Caelan’s ex-fiancée in the unique way only a Floromancer could.

The poor woman was officially part of the Joy Springs ecosystem, not a single recognizable or identifiable piece of her left because I’d turned her to mulch, and I was now the brand-new owner of a large, unusually healthy Japanese maple planted in the spot where someone had buried her.

To make it less suspicious, I planted a small grove in a circle and dug out a fire pit in the middle.

A little morbid for some since I liked to take my tea out in my new cozy space, but from the universe we came and to the universe we returned.

Eventually.

Many things bothered me about Gianna’s death, but the main one I hadn’t come to terms with was my belief that I’d never met the real woman.

She’d been dead for at least two weeks before we found her, but it’s possible she’d been gone for longer.

Had all my dealings been with Gianna, or had I been speaking with another Chimera the entire time?

And if I had, who was it?

And why had Finn told me I was the only one left? Was he as much in the dark as I was?

Impossible.

“I’m not depressed. I’m cautious. That’s all. I wanted things to die down before I resumed normal life.”

Ash, who had a strange knack for unearthing secrets I wanted to keep buried, gave me a long look, but he didn’t pry.

Not in front of everyone.

He’d catch me when I was alone and twist my arm until I spilled the beans.

Or try to, at least.

Keeping my friends safe would mean this is one secret that would have to stay buried.