Magical Midlife Love (Leveling Up #4) - K.F. Breene Page 0,104

He wiped his eyes when he straightened up. “Yes, exactly. You don’t think I am eccentric—you think I am practical.”

“I just thought you were normal”—or normal for this house—“but yeah, I’ll go with practical.”

“I am normal, actually. Far too normal for the life I lead.” He took a deep breath, and a few more chuckles escaped. “To answer your question, Miss Jacinta, I do like this magical house. I like it very much. I like that it has a personality, that it values people on their merits, and that it will kill me if I step out of line. Its rules make sense. Now, let’s get to work. We’ll be making a kind of invisibility potion that will trump all the others I’ve ever heard of. I highly doubt anyone will be able to create a counter-spell to this, which means you can truly be invisible in a way few can.”

“Or…you can, right? Since we’ve agreed to go with Niamh’s strategy?”

Niamh had suggested we keep Sebastian as the silent partner for as long as possible. Keep him in the shadows. That way, I’d still seem inexperienced and naïve, which would make Kinsella think he had the upper hand, while still having Sebastian close at hand for backup. It was a good plan.

He offered me a slight bow. “If you wish.”

“So why won’t other revealing spells—antidotes—work on this one?”

“This spell has a few steps I’ve never considered adding. Given no one else knows about it, the mage’s people won’t be able to create an antidote or spying serum capable of seeing through it.”

“Only two people know about it?”

“Yes. And I am very good at keeping secrets. Let’s begin.”

Twenty-Nine

“Miss, it’s time.”

I turned in the mirror in the bathroom, looking at my dress’s deep, plunging back, ending in a V above my waist.

“Okay,” I called to Mr. Tom.

Turning back, I smoothed the front down my stomach, the neckline cutting across the base of my throat, ending in a design of white lace flower petals at my shoulders that flowed down the side of my body to the floor, revealing a thin slice of skin. The skirt, fitted at the waist, pooled when it reached the floor, the back creating a train.

Mr. Tom had picked it out, and it was as elegant as it was beautiful. He’d insisted I go without jewelry. Not even earrings. I had no idea why, but given he was two for two on dresses, I’d decided to just go with it. He did seem to know his fashion, something he didn’t apply to himself, because when I found him waiting by my bedroom door, he had on the same tux he always wore, freshly pressed with tails down the back, a little too formal for the dinner we were going to and a lot too formal for being my butler.

“Miss, you look lovely, I must say. That dress is absolutely divine.”

I lightly ran my hands over my hips, feeling the soft, intricate lace. “Thank you. It’s gorgeous.”

“You are gorgeous. The dress is just fabric.”

I felt Austin walking up to the porch, his steps unhurried. He’d be escorting me tonight, and Sebastian seemed to think that made a very loud statement. When I pressed him about it, he’d said, “You have shifters on your side. I think it’s wise that you are using them.”

Mr. Tom followed me downstairs, where the rest of my crew awaited us, each dressed to the nines. Cyra, the phoenix, who’d finally regained the ability to assume a human form, stood at the front in a deep red satin dress flowing over a slightly pudgy body that caught the fabric in some of her belly folds. She was clearly not interested in Spanx. I was glad for it. She was a badass who’d nearly taken Austin down. I was glad she wasn’t forcing herself to be uncomfortable in order to fit a certain body mold. I’d always hated Spanx.

I was also glad she held no ill feelings toward Austin or me for being killed. She was like a shifter after a challenge—the more dominant creature was decided. That was that.

Hollace stood behind her, his white suit offsetting his dark skin. He’d paired the suit with a white shirt and cream tie, and looked swank and fantastic. I smiled at him and received a nod. Niamh leaned against the wall behind him, holding a can of beer. She wore a long-sleeved, glittery black dress, her white hair lightly tufted and gelled into place. I was impressed she’d