Crown of Moonlight (Court of Midnight and Deception #2) - K.M. Shea Page 0,89

to take them home?” I crossly demanded.

“You were the one who was rude and didn’t eat the refreshments I provided. You can take them back to their domiciles,” the Paragon said.

“No way—they won’t all fit!” I pointed to my pickup truck.

Dusk was settling on the horizon, but the library was still open, and a few of the patrons were giving the Paragon and me weird looks.

Well, either us, or the still-addled monarchs in various stages of recovery around us.

Birch and Fell were sitting together, swaying slightly as they glared at me.

“You know, I was betting on the Wraith to kill her after they got married,” Birch announced. “Rumor has it he killed his own family to get his title. Obviously you’d think he’d be willing to kill a half fae for a throne!”

“Unbelievable,” Fell agreed.

I rolled my eyes—I’d heard that rumor before, and I believed it even less now that I knew Rigel better. With his dislike of politics, he’d probably done everything he could to keep his family alive so he wouldn’t inherit the title.

Verdant bumped my shoulder. “I happen to love human country music,” she whispered at the volume of a shout. “But don’t tell anyone, okay? Shhh!” She leaned into me and giggled.

“I’ll take Verdant home, you can take everyone else,” I said.

“No deal. They’re out of my pocket realm, they’re not my problem,” the Paragon said.

“I’ll leave Fell out in the country on the side of the road,” I threatened.

“As if you could do that,” he scoffed. “You haven’t the heart to do that to an animal—even a snake like Fell.”

I clenched my jaw and scowled at the bespelled monarchs.

“Look, you can leave Rime here. I’ve already called her oldest brother—he’ll come pick her up,” the Paragon said. “And if you take the others home, they’ll owe you one.”

“Fine, fine. But Birch and Fell are not riding in my truck.” I dug my cellphone out of my leather jacket and dialed Rigel with zero hope that he would pick up.

“Whatever you like. Toodles!” The Paragon snapped open his coin purse and was gone before I could object.

I was still glowering at the place he’d stood when my phone crackled and my call picked up.

“What.” Rigel said on the other end of the line.

“Hey, bae! I could use your help,” I said. “The Paragon got everyone drunk, and he wants me to take them home. Could you come help me? Please?” I asked.

I wasn’t stupid. There was no way it was going to be safe for me to take everyone out to their properties around Magiford, even if they were drunk. If Fell really was responsible for the shadowy monsters, there was a possibility he’d spring a trap on me.

Rigel is my first choice of backup, but I can give Chase a call after he refuses me.

“Where are you?” Rigel asked.

“The public library’s parking lot.”

“I’ll be there soon.”

I blinked in surprise. “Wait, you’re going to help me?”

“You think I’d come just to watch the drunken antics of a bunch of useless monarchs?”

“When you phrase it like that, no.”

“Obviously I’m coming to help. Don’t touch Fell.”

“Yeah, no argument there.”

My phone beeped, alerting me that the call had ended.

I stared at my phone for a few moments, and something in my chest warmed.

He’s coming to help me. It’s not even something that could be politically required of him. He’s just doing it.

I smiled a little, and that rush of affection for Rigel that I was swiftly becoming familiar with swamped me again.

He’s different from Indigo and Skye. He doesn’t need me to fix the Courts, he’d survive without me. But he’s still willing to help.

I’d written it off as trust and friendship, but while I adored Indigo, Skye, and Chase, I wouldn’t have felt nearly as melty if they’d been the ones to pick up the phone and agree to come.

Stop it. I have never been the lovesick school-girl type. This is silly.

I shook my head and slipped my phone back in my pocket, then turned around to face my bespelled colleagues. “Okay, Verdant, let’s get you into the truck.”

“I’ve never ridden in a truck before!”

“Can’t say I’m surprised. Come on, step up!” I got Verdant to sit in the bench seat in the back of my cab, then went around to the other side. “Solis, wake up.”

Solis snored on the bench the Paragon had set him on.

“Solis, come on, please?” I nudged his shoulder.

More snoring.

I grumbled under my breath as I pulled him up by his arms to