Page 26 of Shadowing Bright
“I found my footing.”She smiled weakly.“I was just scared at first.”
“You should not have had to.”
Her nose twitched.She smelled popcorn.Kremoryn was sitting, hovering a few feet from the ground with a huge bucket of popcorn.“Oh, don’t mind me.This is fascinating.What happened?”
“Her mother sold her to my family to use her compatibility with me for material gain.She was eighteen, I was sixteen, and my family whisked me off immediately after the wedding and familiar binding.”
Her father said, “She sold you?”
“It was one of the kinder things that had been offered to me.It was a relief to no longer be considered part of their household.”
Kremoryn put his popcorn down and walked up to her, touching her cheek, and then she felt the cool caress of him in her thoughts.He chuckled.“Definitely my daughter.Oh, that’s how you feed.Clever.Oh, there they are.Interesting.That will require further investigation.”
He was touching on all of her interactions with her family, stepfather, and half-siblings.
He withdrew his mind from hers and smiled.“It seems you are due some back child support.”
“Uh, I am fine.I am just between disaster and my next house.I own several properties around town, but they are all occupied.I wouldn’t kick anyone out.”
“Ah, so, not like your mother.”
She paled.“No.Never like her.”
He sighed.“If she had just told me about you...”
“She didn’t have your information.”
He snorted.“I left my number etched under her skin.It’s probably still there.I will see if I can get a rise out of her once you are gone.”
“Uh, what are you going to do?”
He chuckled.“Nothing that you want to know about, Vaia.Now, I have a suite at the Arkwood.It is yours until you find something that you feel is suitable.”He held a phone in a shadow tentacle and another typed in a number.He had it to his ear and said, “Hello, Daphne?Oh, so glad you recognized my voice.Well, my daughter and her husband need my suite for a while.Please get it ready.Thank you, dear.They will be checking in tonight.I will forward their names and descriptions.Yes, that’s right.Normal couple.No party favours needed.They will be there within the hour.Housekeeping will be compensated accordingly.Thank you.Good night.”
His tentacle jabbed the phone.“There you go.All sorted.”
She could feel Azreen getting ready to ask the question and didn’t cover his mouth in time.“Party favours?”
Kremoryn grinned that wide, creepy grin.“Oh, I really want to complete his education.Young dragons have so much energy.”
“His experience level is his own business.”
“And yetyouknew what I meant.”
“I hang out with dark fae.It’s a side effect.”She took in his knowing look.“And my mother made sure I knew exactly where she met you.”
Azreen asked, “What happened?”
She looked at him and narrowed her eyes.“They made me after hours of concerted effort and some misdirected attempts on Kremoryn’s part.”
The deep, booming laugh from her father told her that she was right on with her description.He sighed after the laugh.“I need to throw another one of those parties.They were such...fun.”
“Uh.Great.Hire good cleaners.”
He chuckled.“You have been to a party?”
“No, but I am a dressmaker.Several of the ladies I have clothed have had easy access in mind for their selections.”
“Oh, you are successful?”
