sweet cream filling.
Ugh. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to eat another cannoli ever again.
“My first event, and my Court nearly succeeded in offing me?” I shook my head. “I don’t know if it’s feasible to ever get a good relationship with my Court, but that kind of opener is going to make them think I’m easy prey. No—we have to act like it didn’t happen and see who is angry as a result.”
Indigo and Skye exchanged looks.
“As you wish, Queen Leila,” Skye said slowly.
I nodded and tipped my head back—thankful to be able to breathe again.
I thought I was taking this pretty seriously, but I guess not seriously enough. I can’t cower from them and let them walk all over me—or I’ll never survive long-term. But what can I do?
I glanced down at my charm bracelet. Practicing magic would probably be my best option. I’m so-so at it, but if I want to survive I’ll need to get a lot better. Preferably good enough to make charms that don’t need words to activate, as it seems I’ll be needing those.
Indigo stood up and brushed off her skirt.
“One more thing,” I said.
She bowed to me. “Yes, Queen Leila?”
“I don’t want to hear another word about how upset my chef is,” I said. “I almost died because I took a risk. I’m not going to be shamed for being proactive when my life is on the line.”
Indigo’s forehead wrinkled. “I’m sorry.”
I waved my hand and stood up. “It’s fine.” I smiled, trying to appear at least a little friendly. “I just don’t want to hear about it again.”
Indigo bowed, then hurried around the corner of the hedge, disappearing from sight.
I sighed and brushed my gown off, looking for spots of dirt.
I survived my second assassination attempt. Now I just have to get through this party without letting anyone find out.
Chase proved that hiring him was possibly one of the best ideas ever.
He handled everything like a pro and had the food quietly removed before instructing the waitstaff to restock the buffet. He also pulled all the security camera footage and packaged up my half-chewed cannoli and sent one of his people—a fae—off with it to see if the magic used could be traced. He also personally accompanied Skye, Indigo, and me, and did all of this without raising any suspicions from the partying fae.
“You’re a gem, Chase.” I raised the water bottle—which he’d delivered to me unopened—to him in thanks.
It had been about two hours since the party started. The near brush with death put a real dampener on my appetite, so the smells were actually making my stomach turn, but I was thankful for the water.
Chase gave me a brief, professional smile. “I do my best, Queen Leila,” he said before he got back to surveying the area.
We were seated off to the side, under the branches of a weeping willow that screened me off from the fae who’d been stopping by to get a view of their half human queen.
Thankfully, they’d become disinterested with me and were now busy talking amongst themselves. Lord Linus was laughing with a set of slightly older male fae, while Skye was mingling with a few of the less hostile lords and ladies I might actually stand a chance befriending. I’d told Indigo she could go eat, so it was just Chase and me at the moment…until the Paragon swooped in.
“Leila—there you are! How can you hide here when this party is all for you?” He pushed branches aside and peered at me. “Come, come. I have someone I want to introduce you to!”
The Paragon held out his hand, and when I took it he tugged me out of my chair.
“Who could be left to introduce me to?” I obediently followed him through the crowd. “I’ve met so many people, Skye felt safe leaving me alone.”
“Ahh, yes, your steward is very diligent—I wanted to mention to you she was a good pick. Oh my, sorry, Aphrodite!” The Paragon, standing on his tip toes to see above all the guests, almost stumbled into a bush, barely avoiding it in time to save his cat from getting poked.
He staggered around the bush, trying to regain his balance. “Ah-ha! There you are, Lord Dion—ew.” He stopped abruptly, having interrupted a conversation.
I stepped around the Paragon, wondering what could have made him pause, and I was pretty sure my heart fell all the way down to my left foot.
The Paragon had pushed his way to two