Crown of Shadows (Court of Midnight and Deception #1) - K. M. Shea Page 0,88
spirit. Very well, I shall bow to your wishes and keep my fingers clean tonight. Ta!”
He was off before I could stop him, waltzing off like a social butterfly to laugh and gossip with anyone that looked at him.
He makes me exhausted. I adjusted my sunglasses with a deep sigh. Why do I get the feeling this is how a parent feels when trying to raise children?
I took a swig of my coffee for fortification. Even though I was now much better fed—because it turned out not only was Indigo an excellent cook, she made awesome dishes inspired by human pop culture, like lasagna inspired by the Garfield comics and shawarma from a superhero movie—I still lacked coffee because she refused to make it. Even worse, she told me it was sacrilegious to drink it since I was a fae and fae drink tea.
I turned in a circle, looking for Chase. He had been adamant in the pre-event briefing session that I stay near him given events of the past two Court socials.
I wasn’t going to argue—I didn’t feel like getting poisoned or shot at—but he was difficult to find in such a crowd.
I hope we haven’t filled the place past the fire safety code.
Something behind me creaked, and I turned around to see the giraffe statue tipping over…in my direction.
I swear everything moved in slow motion.
The statue sliced mercilessly through the air, and although my brain screamed at me to run, it took my legs a few precious seconds to respond.
I ran, but I could tell I was too late. The thing was going to land on top of me.
I was wearing my charm bracelet, and almost automatically I activated it and spun wild magic through it, throwing up a shield in record time.
I automatically raised a hand—as if I could catch the statue—but there was a massive thump, and it never even touched my shield.
Chase had caught it at the shoulders. The muscles in his arms were bulging with effort, and his lips were peeled back in a wolf-like snarl as he struggled to hold it.
“The queen!” Lord Dion shouted. He cleared the top step and rushed to help Chase.
Realizing I was gaping at them like an idiot, I ran down the paved walkway, getting out of range—though I kept my shield up.
Once I was clear Chase—with the help of Lord Dion, and guards who had quickly convened on us—let the statue fall to the ground with a thump I felt in my feet.
“Leila!” Indigo came hustling up the walkway, pushing past whispering fae lords and ladies.
I held up my hand—thankfully everyone was far enough away that they wouldn’t be able to see it shaking—and forced a smile. “I’m fine,” I announced to my Court. “But it seems the tally for broken things grows. I’m not going to get my security deposit back because of you all,” I teased.
A few fae laughed nervously, but mostly they stared at me. I’m not sure if it was with disappointment that I hadn’t been squashed or just general apathy.
“Leila.”
Grateful for the distraction, I turned to Lord Linus, who was coming up a different pathway with Skye.
“It’s fine,” I said in a lowered voice.
“It’s not fine,” Skye firmly said. “Someone just made an attempt on your life!”
Lord Linus didn’t even say anything. He just rubbed at his mouth and walked in a tight loop.
“You’re right, but no one was up here with me,” I said. “I turned in a circle while I was looking for Chase. I was alone. I have no idea how they pulled it off.”
“It was set up to look accidental, that’s for sure,” Indigo said.
“Queen Leila,” Chase called.
I picked my way to the werewolf, jumping over small shrubs and walking through the landscaping since he was crouched by the fallen giraffe’s feet.
He pointed to the metal plates that were fitted around the giraffe’s three surviving feet. “Someone removed—and in some places cut—the bolts that secured it to the ground. It looks like a golf ball hit—there I think—loosening the plates enough so it tipped a little, then naturally fell in the direction of its missing leg.”
I was going to ask how he knew a ball had hit it, but when he pointed to the spot on its neck it was pretty obvious—the golf ball had burned through the statue’s paint.
I edged around the statue and touched the bald spot. “Feels like magic. Fae magic.” I flicked my fingers, trying to get rid of the sticky feeling.