you because he was hoping I’d be softer toward a fellow half human?” I guessed. She didn’t react, so I was probably right on. “Were you primarily raised by fae?”
“Yes,” Skye said. “My father was human, but he died when I was young. My mother and I moved in with my grandfather, then.” She paused, then added. “I received a fae education, as well as a general human education at my mother’s insistence. I have the training necessary to fulfill my duties.”
She’s lived among nobles, and she obviously understands how fae society works. I don’t trust her—not this soon, anyway. But as long as I stay on my toes, it should be okay. She doesn’t feel off to me.
For a moment I paused, and the impossibility of what I was trying to do threatened to collapse on me.
I’d been here for one day and I already felt tired. But, hey, hopefully that was the sleepless night talking!
Hmm, which probably means my director of security is the most important position I hire if I ever feel like sleeping again.
“Okay.” I slapped my hands on the table and stood up. “Welcome to the team, Skye.”
She stared up at me. “You’re hiring me?”
“Yep.”
“To be your steward?”
“That’s the position you were applying for, right?”
“Yes…”
“Great. Then your first task as steward is to make an online job application ad for my new director of security.” I strolled outside the meeting room and was pleased to find the faun waiting outside. “You’re still here, perfect. I’ve hired my steward, who is next?”
“Ah, this way, Queen Leila.” The faun swayed in a dance-like bow and hurried down the hallway.
Skye left the meeting room and followed us, typing away on her smartphone with a speed I knew I couldn’t match. “You wish to place an online ad for the position of director of security?”
“Yep. I’ll need to hire a supernatural, obviously, but the Curia Cloisters does have a specialty jobs for hire section on their website. You can start by posting it there.” I studied the mansion decorations with fascination as we walked.
Apparently I was slow on the pickup. I was just starting to realize everything in the place was decorated with dark shades of blue and purple, with streaks of black and accents of silver.
“You mean to open the position up to the other fae Courts?” Skye asked.
“No,” I said. “I mean to hire anyone but a fae.”
Skye didn’t say anything as she tapped away on her smartphone, stopping without looking up when the faun hesitated in front of a large door.
“In here, Queen Leila, are the applicants for the esteemed position of companion,” the faun said.
I tilted my head. “What?”
“Companion,” the faun repeated.
“What does a companion do?”
The faun grabbed at his bowtie and started to look a little sweaty from his nerves. “They are your companion?”
“A companion will attend socials with you, aid you with your wardrobe, see to your needs, and provide any entertainment you may need,” Skye helpfully supplied.
“Kind of like a personal assistant?” I asked.
“Of a sort,” Skye said. “Your companion will devote herself to your needs.”
“Yeah, sounds like a personal assistant. It’s fine—I’m sorry, what did you say your name was?” I asked the faun.
“Eventide, Queen Leila.” The faun nervously bowed again.
“Nice to meet you, Eventide. Okay, unleash the candidates!”
Eventide and Skye stared at me.
I sighed, dying just a little inside due to the general lack of humor among the fae. “I’d like to meet the applicants for the position of companion.”
“Yes, right away!” The faun scrambled to open the door. “Queen Leila,” the faun announced to the room.
They’d gathered the companion applicants in a fancy sitting room—the type I’d only seen before in Drake Hall. The wood floors and fancy rugs—which were dark blue decorated with silver star patterns—probably were each worth as much as a car, but I was pretty sure it was the hand painted wallpaper—a deep, subdued blue with swirls of purple and black and dustings of silver and gold creating star-studded galaxies—that was the most pricy thing about the room.
Like the previous room, this one also had teaware on display. Four shelves fixed to the wall housed a silver teapot, sugar container, and a tiny pitcher I assumed was for cream, as well as three different sets of porcelain tea cups that all depicted blue or purple flowers surrounded by gold swirls. Each piece was lit by glowing orbs of magic.
I’m starting to sense a pattern with all of these tea accoutrements. That does not bode well