Page 95 of Shift of Morals
Everyone stood gathered around the work table as I put the finishing touches on the last round of centerpieces and bouquets for the Shifter Lord’s upcoming nuptials. Moira was right. They were hideous.
“They look like Christmas threw up all over an evergreen forest,” Tess said.
“This is a candy cane hellscape,” Ash added helpfully. “You’re sure this is what his bride wants?”
“Confirmed multiple times,” I said, an aggrieved note in my voice.
“What are her bridesmaid colors?” Moira asked.
It took me a beat to even say the words. “Navy.”
Three equally horrified gasps rang through the room. “No,” Moira breathed.
“I’m surprised you didn’t fall into a dead faint when she told you,” Ash said.
“Sometimes even pretty people have zero taste,” Tess added.
“Not my wedding, not my monkeys.” Those words were the mantra I was living by these days. “Caelan is paying us a small fortune to get this done.”
“Even if the wedding doesn’t happen?” Moira asked. “Because I would definitely second guess someone who thought this aesthetic gave off any other vibes than angry Santa Claus.”
“Even if it doesn’t happen,” I said. “The bonding ceremony will determine whether the wedding continues, but even that should go off without a hitch. Rarely do the gods spurn a Lord’s match.”
Moira put her hand on my shoulder. “I’m sorry, Evie.”
I put my hand over hers. “Not like I could have had a relationship with him anyway. If Caelan ever finds out what I am, he’ll be forced to put me down.”
“There are ways around everything,” Ash said. “You haven’t turned into an evil, slavering mess, so there’s hope for you yet.”
I snorted. “Thanks, I think.”
“Ash is right,” Moira interjected. “You’ve had some weird magical blips, but you seem the same old Evie to us.”
I stopped twisting a bit of wire and glanced up. “Did you expect something different?”
No one said a word. “Guys?”
“Umm,” Tess said. “Finn is a dick, and we wondered if that was because he was a Chimera…or if he was just a dick.”
Ash let out a scandalized gasp. “Tess!”
Moira’s eyes widened before a delighted giggle slipped from her lips. “I knew we’d finally bring her down to our level!”
“Probably just a dick,” I said. “I’m hungrier than usual, especially after a shift, but other than that, I feel the same.”
It was the truth and yet, not the entire truth. The Chimera magic had boosted my Floromancy gifts and now I had to use a delicate hand when I worked on anything in the shop or greenhouse. After an incident where a pothos vine punched rightthrough one of the shop windows, I had to spend a lot of time practicing before I could work on any plant life without altering it on a fundamental level.
I’d gotten the hang of it, but things were dicey for a week or two.
Everything was unusually quiet. Around town, the shop, and in my life. No chaos. No Finn. No threats of rogue shifters, and no gods. Naturally, that made me nervous as a cat landing on tin foil. When would the other shoe drop? And once it did, would all the fallout be on my shoulders?
“What about the bonding ceremony arrangement?” Moira asked.
I held up a finger and reached under the work table. This one was my pride and joy. To avoid giving Gianna the middle finger on her wedding day, I stayed somewhat within the boundaries of the red and white theme, but I’d used peonies and Matsubara Red apricot blossoms, along with crimson dahlias, and a few artfully placed vanilla orchid blooms. For the final touch, I added delicate crystal beads and handmade glass berries throughout the arrangements to give it a sparkling and elegant appearance, along with a few thin bonsai branches selected by Ash.
The end result was a centerpiece that looked modern but also like a piece of art.
“Oooh,” Tess breathed.
