With a flip of her hair, she strutted to the center of the room.
“You can’t control me,” she screamed. “I own this land. I own the magic within it. All of you—silence!”
Her voice reverberated through the groundswell. Everyone stopped speaking. Even Queen Epriana found herself unable to speak. Next to her, Melrose’s expression was tight with worry, his fears and desires centered around protecting Cendric and me, as well as the Houses of the Dead.
Well, Mom always did say I had a mouth that wouldn’t shut up.
“Sorry to ruin your grand declaration, but I’m not buying it.” I gave another yawn. I really should be more fearful right now, but I was tired, dang it. The legal stuff had been going on forever. “You’re not the only Jinn here.”
She sneered. “You dare to challenge me, grayling? You have some clever tricks, but you’re no match for me alone.”
“Yeah, which is why I never do things alone. Life is way more fun with friends, I’ve found.” I looked up at Cendric, who was equally untouched by the Jinn. “Don’t you think so, Cid?”
A cold smile splayed across his face. “Always.”
“What about you, Kiran? Or are you busy being moody?”
“As I recall, I was the one who summoned you. Friend.” He came up to my other side.
“No, you—” I shook my head. “Never mind. Flashlight, you got some of that fancy silvery magic to show off as well?”
Casimir nodded. “Although you could stop calling me Flashlight.”
“Nah, then you wouldn’t know I loved you.”
His expression softened ever so slightly at that. Might’ve been my imagination.
Theiya also stepped up. As usual, without needing to be asked. That was just her way. And there was Jack as well. All of them having my back, as I’d have theirs. “So, are you going to go quietly and hand over your magic of place, or take the hard way?”
Lady Malda glowered. “You’ll never take me alive.”
“Hard way, then.”
Sapphire flames engulfed my body and pulsed through my shoes into the floor and into the ground beneath, ready to take over the empty space. Next to me, Kiran’s magic joined mine, the orange and sapphire flames weaving around each other and blasting a wave of energy toward Malda and latching on to her torso. Malda waved her hand, vibrant with red flames, trying to teleport. She disappeared, then reappeared a second later, caught in the net of our flames.
“Not so fast.” We walked closer until I could place my hand on her chest, right below her collarbone. “You have something that doesn’t belong to you. Time to give it back.”
Kiran’s magic sizzled along her skin, battling her magic. Mine pressed deeper within her, filling her body and overloading it with my magic.
At last, she slumped to the ground, vanishing in a flash of red.
Crap, I needed to tie her to an object.
“Kir, got anything?”
He looked at me blankly. “I’m not trapping her in my art supplies.”
“Here,” Jack quickly downed the last of an Iron City beer she’d been nursing and handed it over.
I grinned. “Perfect.”
As before, I reached deep into the magisphere, negotiating with the other existing magical beings, giving them back their space and asking only that I’d be allowed to have mine. With a side of threat if they did awful things to hurt others. Only this time, I pulled from my bond with Cendric as well, funneling the excess Jinn magic he housed into the ground. Freeing him from the burden, lessening the sense of ownership.
I didn’t need that anyway to stay true to my husband.
Just one more thing.
My knees wobbled, and strong arms caught me. Kiran. “Good, you caught on.”
“Caught on to what?”
“Well, maybe not.” Pressing into the magisphere, I cleared out his original spots. Small areas. “I don’t want you going insane.”
“Allis, you can’t be serious.”
“Come on, sharing is caring. Anchor yourself before I change my mind.”
He gave me that familiar scowl, then I felt his magic enter the place. Easing back into his corners. Then he set me on my feet. “You were right.”
“About what?”
“I was never there to catch you enough.”
Cendric grabbed my hand, his shadows flowing soothingly through me. I gave Kiran a faint smile. “Now, you don’t have to. You’re released, Kiran Singh.” A string of syllables, oddly familiar, flowed from my mouth. With them, the last thread tying Kiran to me snapped. “You’re finally free to go where you wish, as long as you don’t do anything colossally stupid. And no getting trapped by others, or I will have to come and free you again.”
He winked. “Ah, now I know what to do if I want to see you.”
The sound of a chuckle echoed from the throne. I turned toward Queen Epriana. “So now, you are pardoning others, Lady Allisandra?”
“Only as much as I can, my queen. Also, the groundswell is yours again, as long as you don’t mind some renters.”
She nodded. “Thank you for this gift.” Fresh whispers filtered through the room. Gratitude from elves in particular meant debt. “In return, the court will fully acknowledge you as a blood binder, equal with your husband, with all privileges and every responsibility.”
Despite my exhaustion, my heart thrilled. “I accept this honor gladly, my queen.”
“Good. There remains the matter of your title. As the mate of the Blood Lord, you could be called Blood Lady. But you are also the only remaining Jinn in this court—or will be, yes?” She gave Kiran a pointed stare, and he nodded. “So you may also carry the title of Jinn Lady.”
I scratched my head. “Well, that’s a lot to think about.”
“Choose. Now.”
No. I’m tired. Bite me.
Augh, my brain was not being helpful. I glanced up at Cendric. “I really want to choose Blood Lady. We can be a matching set and maybe people will finally get the idea that I’m not dating around anymore and—”
“And you can avoid your identity?”
I frowned. “I’m part human too.”
A knowing look passed over his features. “You are also Jinn. Denying the title won’t make that any less true. Nor will it erase the disdain you have for the Jinn. Only you can set that aside.” He stroked my jawline. “As much as I would love a Blood Lady, I love the Jinn I married far more than the desire of ‘a matching set,’ as you put it. Only a fool would question our bond based on titles.”
“You’re annoying when you’re right, you know that?”
He gave a low chuckle. “So I’ve been told.”
“Lady Allisandra? I do have a gala to conduct, and leaving a debt unpaid makes me quite upset.”
I turned back to the queen. “Jinn Lady.”
“Let it be so.” Queen Epriana stood and extended her hands to either side, encompassing the court. “Courtiers and guests, I present to you the new Jinn Lady of the court: Lady Allisandra Evanenko-Antalek Mahdi Al-Maram.”
That mouthful will never look good on a business card.
Applause, cheers, and various other affirmations filled the room. Despite my weariness, I stood a bit straighter. It had all happened so fast, and yet, it was about time. It felt unreal, like I was living someone else’s life, someone who screwed up far less.
“And now, an Intermingling Anthem, presenting the new Jinn Lady.”
My smile fell for a second. Good grief. Couldn’t I just get a bed? I really, really just wanted a bed to sleep in. A soft, comfortable bed where I could curl up next to Cid…
Before I could stop it, a plush king-sized mattress appeared in the middle of the dance floor. Heat spread through me. Really? I had to do this now?
The queen’s laughter was undeniable. “Patience, Jinn Lady. You will have time with your mate soon.”
I groaned. Yes. This was more like it.
This was my life.
Chapter 25
Three Rivers Holistic Investigations and Natural Therapies.
I ran my finger over the embossed lettering, enjoying the faint ridges of the words. Tomorrow at noon would be the grand opening. But right now, at 9 pm, I could rest knowing everything was set up. The sign was the last part. Cendric had had that put up by professionals earlier today.
“The sign is crooked.” That unmistakable refined tone with a side of gravel. Casimir.
I snorted as I turned around. “You’re crooked.”
“Well, that’s also true.”
“That’s the only true statement. Yours was full of it.” I huffed in mock-anger, then saw the small, fluffy cement sheep by his side. “Aw, you brought Shawn!”
“Did you expect a rabid kangaroo?” The light elf grimaced. “To be more accurate, Shawn brought himself. It seems that when he’s apart from me for too long, he grows rather obstinate about further separation.”
Shawn gave a tinny bleat of agreement as he happily munched asphalt. Add it to the list of things to be repaired. Also, make sure to have a bucket of road scraps. This was Pittsburgh. The plentiful crop of winter potholes would yield plenty of food for a hungry cement sheep without the darn thing needing to make more holes himself.
I glanced up at Casimir again. He rocked another gray turtleneck and black jacket ensemble.
He shifted. “So, you have chosen a broader name, then?”
“Yeah, with Jack wanting to be a subsidiary and Cid tying his office at the firm to this place through the magisphere, might as well include everyone. Still lets me specialize in romantic consultations and matchmaking, but also lets me do the blood binder thing. After all, blood binders don’t get paid. It’s meant to keep us honest about the job.”
“Indeed. A wise move.”
“Yeah, and it gives me a good reason to keep interfering with people’s love lives and relationships.” Although I was sure glad Josie and Rafe had calmed down after that love potion fiasco. I still wasn’t clear on how he’d gotten dosed. Josie swore it hadn’t been her, and I believed her. She was going to try to figure out herself before going back on the hunt for a mate. Wise woman.
Casimir shifted again. “Diza will be leaving tomorrow after the grand opening celebrations.”
“The multiverse needs its empress.”
He smiled. “Precisely.”
“What about you? Aren’t you her aide?”
“I was. No longer.”
I crossed my arms. “So you know all about this Lyrium stuff, huh?”
“Enough to know where I’m meant to be—right here, continuing to train you in your Jinn magic.”
My mouth dropped open half out of shock at being told he was staying just to work with me and half astonished that he actually would. Okay, so Cid was right. I had a complex about not expecting people to hang around. But this was nuts.
Casimir laughed. “From your expression, you appear to have a healthy sense of the horror that awaits you.”
“Oh, I can take that, Flashlight. I’m just … you’re really here, huh?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” His smile grew. “After all, flashlights are useful when you’re lost in the dark.”
“I dunno. I guess after all this time, struggling with my magic … all this.” I stared past him at the cars driving by. “I’m used to being too much for people.”
“As am I.” He kept looking at me, unafraid. “I once betrayed every single person I loved to try and remake history and return destiny to its rightful place.”
“Yeah, you’ve mentioned that. You plan on doing that again?”
“Certainly not.”
I punched his shoulder. “Then we’re good. Not saying you don’t need to work through that crap with all those people you hurt, but everyone needs a fresh start, yeah? Sometimes it makes eating all that crow worth it. I’m happy to help you figure out how to eat crow—but no raven.”
“Naturally,” he said. “Good. I didn’t expect to find anyone so—”
“Able to milk a metaphor?”
“And yet, oddly, often annoyingly easy to get along with.”
“Aw, you’re so sweet.” Flashlight was growing on me. He was a total jerk on the surface, but he mostly didn’t want to be. I could work with that. And it was funny that he didn’t always get the joke and didn’t understand selfies and got along with Gideon and seemed so determined, underneath the crustiness, to keep me from wasting my potential. Whatever he was, it was … right. Good.
His expression turned serious. “Just remember, Allisandra. You were just as worthy of life before you received accolades and titles.”
“Now you sound like my mom.” I sniffed, sudden wetness pricking my eyes. “Sorry. Late fall allergies.”
“A true nuisance.”
“Yup. Also, your sheep has eaten a third of that parking space.”
Casimir looked down and groaned. “Stars! I had better return him to his pen.”
“Good idea.” I gave Shawn a pat on the head. “See you around, Flashlight!”
I walked down the street, hands tucked into my jacket pockets, as the light elf portalled away. Cendric and I were meeting at a club around eleven or so, and before that I had some chill time, which was nice after all the crazy that had happened over the last couple of weeks. Malda Nazari had been exiled to the northernmost Fae court. Jinn liked deserted areas, and there was plenty of space, so hopefully she’d make the best of her new home, and free time, unemployed in Greenland. As for Kiran, he was wandering. It was risky being a free-range Jinn in this country, or a lot of others for that matter, but he didn’t seem worried. In fact, I’d never seen him so relieved to finally be on his own. He was long overdue for some chill time himself.
A cold breeze pushed at my hood. Speaking of chill—coffee sounded good. I’d only had two cups that day, and one of them was the usual café au lait. Definitely time for a third.
I pushed into Uncommon Grounds. Zack and Riley were curled up on the counter in fox form, watching Matthias intently. Jack, for some reason, was all the way across the room, bent over a pile of papers. The top desire on her brain was to never look up.
Except just then, she did. Her gaze zeroed in on Matthias like a homing beacon, then checked her kits. A quick nod to me, and back to her papers.
Weirdass Fae shit.
Matthias looked up, blinking for a second before giving me his usual barista smile. “What’ll it be?”
“Oh, surprise me. But the surprise should include sprinkles and … cumin.”
“Whipped cream?”
“Always.”
He nodded, stroking the kits’ heads for a moment before washing his hands and getting to work. He seemed oddly determined not to look at Jack. “Everything good with you?”
“Yeah, great.” I focused on the twins. Kids of any race could be helpful when adults were acting funny. “Hey there! Not used to you sitting here.”
Riley blinked her blue eyes and scratched an ear with a paw. “Uncle Matt’s extra nice now.”
I rubbed at the spot. “I think Uncle Matt is always nice. It’s kind of who he is.”
A nice siren who just happened to have spent the first four decades of his adult life killing for hire.
Zack rolled over onto his side. “Yeah, but now he’s really nice. Feels even better. Cozy.” He stretched out his paws. “Ever since a day or two ago.”
Huh. What had happened a day or two ago? I looked at Jack just in time to see her half-amused, half-worried expression. Why worried? Had something happened to her mate, Iverdryne? Last I heard, he was still trapped half-alive in a tree because his family disapproved of their marriage.
I let my face turn openly curious, but Jack only shook her head and returned to her papers without her usual admiring look toward Matthias. Were they on the outs? Then why were the kits all close? Maybe they wanted to restore the only family unit they’d ever known.
Maybe.
“Here’s your drink.” Matthias set a to-go cup in front of me, along wi
th a few more. “Can you take these over to The Deliberate Squirrel? They ordered them about twenty minutes ago and I forgot.”
“Yeah, sure! Not like you to forget, Matt.”
He wiped at the already clean counter. “I think everyone has those days. Where you—yeah, everyone has those days. And nights.” The siren looked back up at me. “Have a good night, Allis.”
“Yeah, you too.” I nodded toward Jack. “See you tomorrow at the grand opening!”
She waved, and that was it. Nothing snarky. No flash of her usual grin.
Must have been a fight of some kind.
I sipped the coffee and sighed happily. Cumin and chocolate with a dash of black pepper and vanilla, topped with whipped cream and orange sprinkles. At least Matthias still made a good cup.
A short walk down the sidewalk, and another push through a doorway, ringing the acorn-shaped bell. This door had a sign of a squirrel turning pages in a book on the front glass pane.
Voices pattered around the room.
“Oh no, is it a human? We’re closed.”
“No, flit-brain! It’s only Allis. For some reason our door is never locked for Allis.”
“Allis and coffee!”
“Matthias is late. Late-late. Not like Matthias.”
A grin spread across my face as I strolled across the hardwood floors to the small counter in the front left corner. A large squirrel wearing spectacles blinked up at me, then reached out with both paws for the coffee.
“How’s it going, Charley?”
He nimbly took off the cap and shoved his head into the cup. After a moment of communing with the brown liquid, the squirrel shifter came away with a pleased sigh. “Oh, very good, very good.” Charley’s voice fell from his small mouth like a tiny shower of pebbles. “Rafe is still slow about returning to work, so late night! Extra late night means more coffee, much more coffee.”
“I get that.” And I did, even though for me bedtime was a long way off. “How’s Rafe doing?”
“Better. Yes, better, better.”
“Although still not good!” The new voice, higher pitched and female, came from behind me. I walked to the right front corner where another counter rose. A black squirrel with a streak of blue through her fur tapped her foot on the ground. “Always too cold, he says. Rafe, too cold? He’s an ice dragon!”
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