Page 37 of Shadows Lost
But I knew different. I could smell it on her.
“Kira!” Remnant beamed and gave me a pointed look.
I nodded but remained quiet. I would follow her lead.
A calculating gleam flashed in her emerald green eyes but was gone when she turned back to her friend. “I had almost forgotten about the traditional paints. How do they look?” Remnant asked, twirling in the water.
“Beautiful as always! Bay does exquisite work. It was hard parting with her but I knew tonight had to be perfect for you.” Kira exclaimed. “What do you think of my look?” She spun.
Remnant smiled knowingly. “Like a queen.” She purred, leaning into her friend intimately.
I perked up at Remnant’s statement. The orange haired guard Cyrus had called Kira the same but I had thought it to be some sort of sickening bed play. There was only one queen allowed to be crowned in Faerie and she was dead. Ladies and lords ruled the courts of fae but the Queen of Faerie presided over them all.
If Kira was making a play for the throne then she was getting help from somewhere…or from someone.
I pretended to watch this spectacle of a festival play out with my body half turned away from the chattering friends. Listening closely to any other information Remnant unwittingly fed me.
Sudden cheers muffled their conversation when across the shallow waters a grouping of eager males, holding trays of globulous pearls, joined the soiree.
“Drinks! Drinks for my friends!” Kira ordered and snatched a cluster of drinks that looked like fish eggs from a stumbling fool who stared at his declared queen with simpering adoration.
“What the fuck is it?” I growled when Kira shoved the slimy pile of gelatinous pearls into my hands.
Kira laughed. “Ambrosia pearls of course. They are a water fae specialty. Shifters are so unsophisticated.” Her razor teeth smiled brightly at me.
“You call slimy ball sacks sophisticated.” I said dryly.
Remnant snorted and rolled her eyes. “What a wee scaredy little pet you are, shifter.” Then shot me a wink before she downed her pile with one swig.
I gnashed my teeth together, staring down at them and forced my stomach not to revolt.
“Not again, fairy boy. I absolutely refuse this time.”The cat snarled.
Kira giggled and threw back her own slimy ball sacks in one go. “I'll see you later darling.” Kira said huskily, leaning in to kiss Remnant’s cheek while her rainbow painted hand trailed down her body. “Save me a dance, Solaire.” She cooed seductively.
I barely restrained my protective growl when I scented Remnant’s fear and anxiety at the water fae’s unwanted touch.
Moving to intervene, Remnant flashed me a warning look, stopping my assault. I growled, fisting my hands at my sides while I watched her smirk at Kira and shove her playfully away. “Get going you uncontrollable flirt!”
Kira giggled with a wink before blowing her a kiss and swimming away. Remnant caught it with a smile while her scent was sharp with disgust.
Nauseated with the display, I threw back the pearls to keep the guttural snarl from escaping my clenched jaw.
“Fuck the goddess to Sheol and back!” I gagged on a burp.
Remnant spun around and scowled. “Why exactly did you follow me here, shifter? You clearly know nothing of water fae customs. It’s a miracle you’re even still alive!”
I peeked out through one eye while another burp escaped me. “I’ve been known to have many lives.”
I did have a cat beast.
Remnant’s lips pulled back with disgust.
I straightened, pulling in the tainted air to ease my stomach. “Besides, the real question is why did you come here? We had an agreement, remember? You come with me to The West Isles. Not the fucking Under. What in the Goddess happened to change that? What did you see when you were unconscious?”
Her gills flared. “I don’t need to share my reasons with you.”
My beast met her ire and I snarled in her face. “You jumped head first into a den of goddess damn water snakes and I am owed a reason why, little—”
