Prologue #2
The pixie flitters over to Feray, straightening to her full six inch height.
Her colorful spiked hair and head-to-toe leather aren’t normal for her kind—as far as I know, which could be all lies because of the idiot witch council.
Holding up a palm for the newcomer to land on, my sister smiles as she speaks. “Hi, I’m Feray.”
I keep my gaze on the tiny woman, wondering a million things I hate as she preens a little.
My life hasn’t been filled with people I give a shit about, and this spark of possessive jealousy isn’t normal.
I don’t like it and it’d better not get worse.
My irritation grows as the pixie smiles back at my sister, then turns to look at my Fae mate.
“Thoughtful this one is; I like. I’m Rowena or Ro. Not like row, row, row your boat, though.” Her glare falls on Revelin, and he winces. It must be a common theme for them.
The monster in my gut uncurls little more, and I have to look elsewhere while I gather myself.
Not the time, Fiadh. Instead, I pretend to laugh at her, joking with the Prince like everyone would expect.
Tilting my head, I address Ro directly. “I guess she can just pop up wherever you are and pass messages back and forth?”
She nods, agreeing with my statement, but I can tell she’s not sure about me.
That makes two of us, Punky Pixie.
“More or less,” Rev says, checking his phone when it buzzes. “I can summon her and send her back to you at will. For fuck’s sake, it’s plus four…Organizers.” He shakes his head, looking irritable as he motions to the door to excuse himself.
He has agents, but some places bypass the duo because they have connections to the royal family.
It means while they’re finalizing details of his four kingdom tour, he gets way more questions than he should about things he shouldn’t be concerned about.
I told one to fuck all the way off and back to Earth again when they called at three a.m. and woke us all up on one of my days off.
I’m not supposed to answer his phone again, but we had a good laugh afterward.
“What’s got Prince Picky Pants in a tizzy?” Khal asks as they come in right after Revelin yells outside.
“Tour shit again,” I say with a sigh. “Take pictures of everything so we don’t forget it.”
Khol rolls his eyes, but mutters, “Yes, boss.”
That earns him a smirk of approval as his twin makes nice with Feray. Khal seems interested in the pixie hanging out with her, asking, “Hitchhiker?”
“She’s how we’re going to keep in touch between the realms in case the phones don’t work. This is Ro.” My sister grins and looks at the pixie as she leaps to her shoulder. “Ro, this is my mate, Khal.”
“The pleasure’s all mine,” the quieter twin says as Ro sticks her tiny hand out to wave. “I better go help Khol before he has a fit. I’ll grab the scrolls and books we need.”
Both the basilisk and the pixie disappear in their own ways before my sister turns back to me.
I dislike delegating and assigning them to make sure we have things ready makes my eye twitch.
I’m not used to having people to depend on and the stress is giving me a sharp pain behind one eyeball.
Clearing my throat, I address Fer. “Rev and I have gone over where the dream says the items are extensively. His tour will come within range of them all, so it won’t draw suspicion. ”
I tilt my head as Tier brings me the map we’ve been using, circling the spots with a pencil lightly.
They’re located in off-the-beaten path spots within each of the four kingdoms, but since his dates are decently spaced, we should have plenty of time to search.
I wish we had better markers, but it’s not like I can ring up the stag or anyone else to ask for step-by-step directions.
It wouldn’t be a damn quest if we didn’t have a bunch of legwork to do.
Not that I’m the kind of girl who enjoys Fae treasure hunts, but more info would make this less annoying.
Feray nods, pulling out her phone to show me the route they’ll be taking to Blackmoor.
She’s got it all planned out in the app, which actually makes me feel better.
“According to the Sphinx, I have relatives in Blackmoor. They may know where my parents are. We’re going to head there first, and hope for the best.”
Her expression is unsure, so I smile at her, nodding.
“Seems like a solid plan.” I can’t complain about the open-endedness of it because our plans aren’t much more cohesive.
We’re simply following Rev’s tour path and improvising along the way, “The only bad part of this adventure is I can’t be there to keep you safe. ”
Tiernan’s chest hits my back just as the fear runs through me and I have to school my features, so I don’t sigh in relief.
“Knuckles, she has two mates that can wield fire, one that can poison and turn things to stone, and the fourth has the strength of ten men. Torben’s people are known for being berserkers in battle; don’t underestimate him.
He’s at peace and snuggles with Feray, but he’ll kill to protect what’s his. ”
My eyes linger as Torben nods emphatically, and a little of the weight pressing on my chest lifts.
Feray has a fierce team with her; she will be okay.
I won’t have to claim her charred remains like I did my parents.
Repeating that in my head over and over as we grew helped me not lose my shit every time someone threatened us, but now I feel more confident in the words.
I’ve never told anyone—not even Feray—how often I woke up with nightmares about that situation after our parents died.
“Remember, Fer, the hidden wolf clans are hidden for a reason,” Tiernan is saying when I check back into the conversation.
“They won’t take kindly to strangers entering their territory.
You may have to shift and fight. Torben and I have talked; he’s going to start your fight training on the road.
That should put Knuckles’ mind at ease because you’ll know how to defend yourself in the fur. ”
Feray gets a strange look on her face, turning her head to look at the corner nook where the ancients are murmuring amongst themselves.
None of them know I can hear it, too, so I keep my expression normal as I catch the plans to barter for information along the journeys.
I want to ask them what the hell they think they’ll need to use or obtain with that method, but I’m not ready to out myself yet, so I stay quiet.
“This is it, huh?” Fer says, watching the twins come out of the hidden room with the items we need. They finish packing the stuff in the main room without fanfare and I’m glad. My sister’s expression is flickering again, and I know her emotions are getting the best of her.
“Yeah, well, I get to wrangle this bunch of clowns,” I reply with a grin.
Hitching my thumb over my shoulder at the men, all whispering as if we have no idea what they’re plotting.
Tier is less secretive than the Prince and Kohl, but they’re so damned stubborn and over-protective.
Dezi is a mystery and I’m honestly not sure why he’s even coming sometimes.
He acts like being close to any of us will give him non-ancient dude cooties.
Fer smiles softly as she looks at Torben and Khal, then glances at the phoenix.
He’s been watching her, but not in the same way my jackasses stare obsessively.
She touches the amulet at her neck when she sees him, and I know the glow it’s emitting is because he’s claimed her in his own way.
She’ll have to deal with his stodgy hang-ups, but that’s her bridge to cross, not mine.
“Give him time, little wolf,” Torben says as he kisses her cheek. I wink at him and he smiles, knowing I’m always monitoring her, too.
When he grabs the bags to go outside, I turn back to my sister. “He’s good to you; they both are.” I wave my hand at the nerdier basilisk when I notice he’s packing her favorite snacks for the ride.
“Yeah. For once, things actually went well for us. Your mates are great, too,” she says with a knowing look. “Tier’s my favorite, though.”
“Who knew the cat and the dog would always be scheming together? What happened to them hating each other?” I grumble.
Feray mocks a shocked look. “You want me to hate your mates? That doesn’t make any sense, Princess Craft Herpes.”
My eyes narrow when she brings up my new tendency to randomly spread glitter everywhere. Jumping from my seat, I chase her around the island, but she’s cheating with her shifter shit. By the time we’re winded, Revelin motions for my attention, and I know it’s time to head outside.
We’re leaving and I won’t see Feray for fuck knows how long.
The thought hits me like a ton of bricks as I see the portal Rev opened in the corner of the yard where she sometimes hunts with Tier.
It’s the portal we’ll step through to meet his crew of people that will join us on the blasted tour—which makes this ever so real.
Fer is staring at it reverently, and I realize she’s never had the chance to examine the method my Prince and I take to his homeland.
It’s become normal to have a sparkling, glowy rip in reality to travel though while my sister is looking at it in awe.
“Wow,” she murmurs, then gives me a small grin. “Your personal rave is more intense than this, you know.”
I roll my eyes, slapping her arm lightly. “Fer, it’s time.”
She squeezes my hand harder, then pulls me to her for a tight hug. I feel her sniffing me like she’s trying to get my scent into her memory, then she sniffles a little. “I’m gonna miss you.”
“I’ll do my best to come together for the holidays or the Prince will sleep alone,” I whisper. She glares at Revelin, and he blinks before going back to typing furiously.
“Holidays on the list…”
Chuckling as he adds reminders to the family calendar, I watch Tiernan and Khol wave to everyone, then step through the gateway.
Rev is waiting for me next to it as Fer’s men finally tug her away from me.
They’re pulling her to a blacked out, armored car I assume belongs to the twins.
Walking backwards until I get to my mate, I take his hand.
“Be safe, Fluffy!” he calls out. “Remember, we’re only a pixie away.”
“I love you, Fer,” I add as they try to push her into the car again.
She’s got tears running down her face and I’m biting the inside of my cheek hard enough to keep mine at bay.
But my sister knows me and she knows I’d rather slit my wrists and swim through iodine than let all these people see me vulnerable like that.
“Love you more,” she calls as my mate pulls me through the portal before this drags on any longer.
We stumble into the meadow where the rest of my men are waiting next to the most ridiculous looking tour bus I’ve ever seen and a crowd of people who start cheering as soon as they see Revelin.
I turn to look at him and clear as day, he shifts into the persona he wears when he’s required to be ‘on.’
Looks like we don’t even get to gather our wits before having to play the game here.
“Gooooooood eveninnnnnnng, Dayyyyybreeeeaakkkkk!” Rev yells in the husky growl he uses on stage.
Merciful Hecate, I’m going to need a lot of alcohol to get through this shit.