Crown of Moonlight (Court of Midnight and Deception #2) - K.M. Shea Page 0,5

I could have picked but was the only thing that synchronized up with me during the selection process—around in my palm. “He must have had a lot of teachers. Which reminds me, Skye, do you think it’s possible for me to get a magic teacher?”

“A magic teacher?” Skye repeated. “But you are already versed in magic.”

“I know, but after all the assassination attempts on me I’m thinking it wouldn’t be bad to learn more. And I’m a little worried about my abilities to strengthen the realm ward,” I admitted.

Since magic started dying, the fae realms—a world separate from earth but accessible to the fae—started shrinking. Each Court had its own bit of the realm, and I was responsible for the Night Realm.

Already I’d seen the realm lose land as the wards—struggling to hold back the toxic miasma that otherwise covered the fae lands—failed. I was determined that wasn’t going to happen again.

Which meant I needed help.

“In that case, I shall make a note of it.” Skye tapped away on her screen.

“No need! I’ll help my darling daughter.” The doors creaked as Lord Linus stepped inside, a sunny smile on his face as his hair—the same dark black color as mine—streamed behind him in the high ponytail he’d gathered it in.

I scowled. “What are you doing here?”

Lord Linus planted a hand over his heart. “Your words hurt me, Leila. Why else would I come except to see your smiling face?”

“Because you’re avoiding whoever you owe money to,” I flatly said.

Lord Linus avoided my gaze and crouched down to pet Kevin before Whiskers wandered over and rubbed his head on his shoulder. “You are devastatingly clever, my daughter!”

I held in a disgruntled groan—it would only encourage him.

Lord Linus was my biological father and the source of my fae blood. He’d been married to Mom, but when I was a toddler, he abruptly divorced her and split.

Even though they had a confusingly positive relationship these days, it didn’t change the fact that Lord Linus had abandoned my mother and broken her heart. She didn’t marry Paul—my step-dad—until I was about ten.

I have no idea what she ever saw in Lord Linus in the first place.

While he could charm just about anyone, he was useless in every other way. He had a terrible gambling habit, too, and he was so deeply in debt his home had been stripped of his possessions—hence why he was living with me at the night mansion as my “fae advisor.”

I didn’t like the guy, but as the Queen of the Night Court, the last thing I needed was Lord Linus running loose, throwing my name around as he got himself in worse and worse debt. At least now I could have Chase—my director of security—keep an eye on him.

“You can’t be my magic teacher,” I said. “To teach me you’d actually have to know advanced magic.”

“I know a great deal of advanced and difficult magic!” Lord Linus boasted, flashing his eyes—the same purply-blue shade as mine—at me. “You have fae blood of greatness! Why else did you think the night mares chose you?”

“Because I fed them apples and carrots,” I deadpanned.

Lord Linus rolled his eyes. “No, it’s because you have great potential. Don’t worry about finding her a teacher, Skye. I’ll handle it.”

“Yes, Lord Linus.” Skye slightly bowed her head, taking the fae lord’s word for it.

I grumbled under my breath, but it was better to let things ride out. Working with Lord Linus would help me figure out what I specifically needed help in, and that would make Skye’s search for a real teacher that much easier.

Lord Linus slung an arm over my shoulder. “We’re going to have such fun—just you wait.”

“I’d rather not,” I said.

Indigo—passing in front of me so she could also get a good look at the original king’s artifacts, patted my hand.

“Thanks,” I said.

“Now you know how Skye and I feel when we deal with you,” she said.

“Thanks,” I repeated, sarcasm lacing my voice.

Indigo cackled, but Skye ignored our conversation and moved ahead like a museum tour guide.

“If you come this way, Queen Leila, you’ll get to see the artifacts that belonged to the original king’s consort,” she called.

I shrugged Lord Linus’s arm off and rolled my shoulders back. “Coming!”

Chapter Two

Rigel

I waited in the shadows of a tree for the imbecile fae that thought he could kill me.

I’d received an offer for a contract—which immediately raised a warning flag.

Although I was a famous assassin—and I was still known as the Wraith to all—the contracts