Chapter 5
Chapter
Five
Ablissful, normal week passed, and I was practicing changing forms when Cernunnos appeared in my back yard. This time, his presence didn’t scare me. I’d become sensitive to his magic and felt the telltale swell of his power in the air before I saw him.
I’d just turned from a hawk into a lizard and back again. Cernunnos didn’t disturb me, instead settling onto the rocking chair on the back porch. I had a few more things to try so I decided to keep going.
Twenty minutes later, I flew onto my father’s knee and squawked at him, nudging him with my beak.
Cernunnos laughed and picked up the clothing I’d left on the small table by his chair. “I’ll step inside. Call me when you’re ready.”
True to his word, he went into the house. I shifted into my human form and dressed quickly, shivering as the cold air hit my bare skin.
When I called out for the Fae King, he stepped outside carrying my fuzzy sweater.
With a grateful smile, I tugged it on and curled up on the outdoor love seat.
“Question,” I said as he settled in. “Why do I get to keep my clothes when I shift into my wren form, but not when I use the Chimera magic?”
Cernunnos’s brow furrowed. “I guess I never thought about it. Different magic, I suppose. Fae magic is much different from shifter magic. They don’t keep their clothes, either.
But Chimera magic is different from shifter magic, too, though it’s similar.
The changes are DNA deep. Fae magic is simply…
magic. We are our other forms. I take the form of a stag, and you take the form of a wren. ”
“Shifters only have one form, too.”
“Yes, but their changes are physical.”
I blinked. “That makes no sense.”
Cernunnos’s teeth flashed. “It’s DNA versus magic.”
“But a shifter has magic.”
He inclined his head. “Yes, but it’s not the same as ours. Fae power is ingrained in the soil, the water, the air, everywhere around us. We are the world. Shifters are more earthbound. We are pure magic.”
My brain hurt, but his explanation made me think of something else. “I don’t feel any different now that I know I’m your daughter.”
Amusement made his multicolored eyes swirl. “Why would you?”
“No idea.” I tugged my sweater closer. “I guess I thought now that I’m the daughter of the Fae King, I’d suddenly be ripe with power.”
“Do you want to be?”
“Ugh. No.”
He laughed. “Your logic makes a good point. I still have a…” His eyes narrowed. “Block, I suppose is a good word, on your power signature. It keeps your heritage a secret.”
“Is that why I don’t feel anything?”
“Yes and no. Your magic has always been yours. If I remove the block, everyone will know who you are.”
“Which means I’ll be subject to requests for favors and people sucking up to me to get closer to you?”
Cernunnos grinned. “Clever girl. The choice is up to you. Your power will always be accessible, and that’s why I’m here. I won’t show you how to ‘use it.’ Magic is instinctive. I will show you your responsibilities and introduce you to the fae world.”
“What if I screw it up?”
“Intent is everything, Evangeline.” He stood. “Now come inside. I have a dress for you. We have an engagement this evening.”
I blinked. “Erm. Tonight is Tuesday.”
One eyebrow went up. “Time is a construct.”
My lips thinned. “It means I have tacos. Taco Tuesday. Every week.”
“Tacos?”
I rubbed my face. “You’ve never had tacos?”
“We’re scheduled for dinner at ten.”
I gawked. “Ten p.m.? Am I in hell?”
He gave me a dark look. “First lesson. You need to learn to measure your responses. The fae do not take well to glibness.”
“And I do not take well to eating dinner past my bedtime!”
The Fae King sighed. “Fine. We have time for you to eat your tacos. If you make them now.”
I huffed and uncurled myself from the couch. “You’re eating with me.”
“What if I don’t like tacos?” My father held the door open for me.
“Then I denounce your claim as my father.”
“Serious words for human foodstuff.”
“Tacos are serious business, Pops.”
The Fae King sighed again.
Cernunnos not only liked tacos, he stuffed a baker’s dozen down his greedy gullet.
“You’re lucky I made extra,” I grumbled. “You have the appetite of a frat boy.”
“I do not know what that means,” he said with his mouth full, “but I approve of these meat shells.”
“Yeah well, my grocery bill doesn’t.”
Cernunnos’s hands paused in mid-air. A strange look crossed his face. “You are the heir to the throne. Money is no object.”
I snorted. “Only if I take the crown.”
Cernunnos’s eyes narrowed. “When was the last time you checked your bank account?”
“I never check my bank account. Everything is set up for auto pay and direct deposit. I have no hobbies, and I don’t go anywhere. As long as I have enough for groceries and the mortgage, I’m good.”
Cernunnos looked like he was counting in his head. It took him a long moment to speak. “Even if you decide not to take the crown, you are still my daughter and, as such, will suffer for nothing.”
I stared at him. “I don’t want your money.”
Cernunnos shoved the rest of his taco in his mouth. “I don’t care,” he said through a mouthful of meat.
I realized a while ago arguing with him would get me nowhere. “Can I buy a Lambo now?”
“Buy whatever you wish. Though I don’t know why you’d want a lamb. They’ll eat all your grass.”
“A Lambo is a car—a really fast one.”
He grunted. “Why would you need a car? You can turn into any animal you wish.”
“Good point. But no animal can run two hundred miles per hour.”
Cernunnos shook his head. “You have so much to learn, child. A Peregrine falcon can dive much faster than your lamb.”
“Lies,” I said hotly. “A falcon?”
“Almost two hundred and fifty miles.”
“What about regular flight? I’m not going to be diving all the time.”
The Fae King rolled his eyes, surprising a laugh out of me. “You are fae and my daughter. If you want to go two hundred miles per hour, just do it. Save your money for a fortress in the sky or something.”
My taco fell out of my hand. “Can I get one of those?”
His look held censure.
I held my hands up. “Fine. But don’t get all weird when I get a floating castle.”
We finished up the tacos, and after I cleaned the mess up, Cernunnos held up a fancy dry cleaning bag. “Wear this.”
I frowned. “Is this a fancy dinner or something? What’s wrong with what I have on?”
“Are you going to argue with me over every little detail?”
“Probably,” I muttered.
Cernunnos closed his eyes and exhaled. “In this, I know best. Please wear this daughter before I strangle you.”
I clicked my tongue. “That’s not very kingly of you.” But I took the bag and headed to the back.
Good gracious. I looked like a fae queen.
As soon as I put the dress on, the damn crown appeared on my head again.
I glared at it, but since it matched the dress, I didn’t try to take it off.
The dress was a slim fitting, glittering concoction strewn with blush pink living blooms and dark green ivy.
I looked good, though my hair was a different matter. If my father was correct, I could mojo it into submission, but doing so right before dinner seemed like a bad idea, so I settled for mundane means, i.e., a curling iron, what felt like a thousand pins, and a shit ton of hairspray.
“Shoes?” I called out. “I don’t have anything to match.”
A shimmer in the air and a pair of golden slippers appeared from nowhere. Thank the gods they were flat. They held the same flowers and ivy, but the straps wound around my ankles and calves.
After I put them on and added a few cosmetic touches, I stepped outside.
Cernunnos waited for me, dressed in completely different attire.
His pants were the same dark gold as mine, but he wore a crisp, white button up shirt with the first four buttons undone.
His antlers were gone, but he wore a crown similar to mine.
“Dang, Dad. You look smoking hot.” It was true.
Cernunnos was the most beautiful being I’d ever seen, but where Caelan was warm, Cernunnos’ features held an ancient coldness.
Power cloaked his skin, held in check but evident inside the room.
As it was, I’d have to trim my plants back.
Every time he visited, I wound up with dozens of new cuttings, some of them I’d never seen in nature before.
Even if he hadn’t given me money, I’d be rich just by virtue of all the cool new plant life he was giving me.
“Hot is not what I was going for,” he said dryly, eyes narrowing on my appearance. His eyes dragged down my body in a cursory inspection, and he lifted his finger to zap the dress in certain areas where it didn’t fit as perfectly as he felt it should.
The entire thing felt very much like I was a runway model about to step onto stage.
“Your hair,” he murmured. “Wear it down, please.”
My nose crinkled. “Really? I spent like fifteen minutes on this do.”
“Evangeline,” he groaned.
I pointed at my head. “A little help with the pins? Otherwise, it will take me all night to get them out.”
As one, every single pin fell from my hair. “Cool.” I shook the curls out, but he wasn’t done.
The smell of fresh tuberose tickled my nose, and petals brushed my ear. I hurried over to peer in the mirror.
“I look like I stepped out of one of those Ren Faire photoshoots.” Flowers bloomed all over my head, the stems wound into my curls. “Are you sure all of this is necessary?”
“Very.” He held out his arm.
I hesitated. “One more question. If you don’t want everyone to know who I am, why are you taking me to a fae dinner?”
“Because I trust everyone here tonight.” He paused. “As much as one can trust the fae.”
“They won’t tell Mom?”
Cernunnos laughed. “Come. It’s time to introduce you to your heritage.”
I touched his arm, and the world swept out from under me.