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“I wonder.”
Ollie turns his cheek against the armrest. “Cael doesn’t talk a lot about what he can or can’t do. He’s in a position where it’s best for him to maintain an air of mystery. All you need to know is that when it comes to good faeries…the adelidae are the sorts from legends and myths. Before meeting Cael, I hardly believed they existed at all.” Ollie’s eyes narrow, and he looks so goofy kneeling on the floor, having an existential crisis, that it is genuinely scathing when he says, “He’s secretly a dweeb, though.”
“What a rude thing to mention.”
“Tell me it isn’t true.”
“You and Zy continually abuse my affections.”
Ollie’s nose scrunches up. Boopable. “Don’t say affections. That’s weird.”
“Well, that’s what they are. I affection you both.” Cael pinches his forefinger and thumb together in a tiny heart. Like an absolute dweeb.
Best prince ever.
Ollie snuffs and drags himself upright. “Okay. We’re leaving, so I can have my breakdown elsewhere.”
Cael steeples his fingers, the epitome of calm. “Remember to hydrate in between crying fits so you don’t get a headache.”
Ollie tosses the prince a middle finger as he tugs me toward the secret door with my bottle of juice and the card I can’t read.
As I’m tripping after him, I remember I just kind of experienced an audience with royalty, so I forage for something akin to manners. “Oh. Um. Th—”
Ollie clamps his free hand to my mouth. “You do not thank the fae.”
Cael’s smile darkens as he laces his fingers beneath his chin. “Killjoy.” Moths settle on him, colorful wings brilliantly displayed.
With a despondent sigh, Ollie—almost shyly—says, “But…yeah…I appreciate you.” Then he leads me out of the room.
The last thing I see before the bookcase door obscures my vision is Cael’s smile slowly falling until, all at once, it goes cold completely.
Chapter 21
~~~~~~~~~~~~
A chihuahua worth fighting for.
“The biggest issue if that Pollux guy has something that can help will be telling my parents what’s going on,” I say as Willow’s cottage comes into view. She’s outside, placed delicately among perfect raised garden beds edged in flowers. A handful of glittering creatures zip through the plants, and, beside Willow, a stunning woman in a pale green pair of overalls holds a giant tomato in both her hands.
I have never seen a tomato so large.
“That’s the biggest issue?” Ollie says, two steps behind me.
I don’t know what he’s been thinking about, but it seems to have physically weighed him down. In other news, I’ve forgotten entirely whatever it is I just said. “What’s…the biggest issue?” I ask, fluttering my lashes angelically.
He doesn’t get mad or look confused. “Telling you—”
“Right,” I interrupt. “My parents.”
Again. Not mad. Not confused. Entirely unbothered.
Like it’s normal to forget what you just finished saying because a giant tomato distracted you.
I need this world. A world with friends and nap time during work hours and princes who you can call pricks without them being fazed in the slightest is everything I’ve never known to dream for.
I’ll be a palace assistant. Or…maybe I’ll go to faerie school and become something else. A fashion designer? A photographer? An artist? An…author? I cannot begin to imagine the sorts of jobs faeries have.
Maybe I’ll join the royal guard. Be a Trojan Pomeranian. Oh, don’t mind me. I’m just a sweet fluffy little friend. Then BA-BAM. Dire wolf.
