Prince of Cats - Tasha Black Page 0,28

lowered himself down to crawl back to her.

“Hi, buddy,” Piper said.

“He’s wonderful,” Ashe said, seeming not to notice that he had called Piper mama.

“So, you’re from the Winter Court?” Piper asked quickly, hoping to change the subject.

“Yes,” Ashe said. “I’m here to see this little fellow presented to the public, then back I go.”

“You won’t stay to visit with your sister?” Piper asked.

Ashe shook her head, a wry smile on her pretty face. “We’re not very close.”

Well, that wasn’t surprising. It didn’t seem like anyone was very close with Wynter. And although the two sisters shared a cold sort of beauty, they couldn’t be more different in terms of what was underneath.

Piper was very sure that would be an impudent thing to say, so she kept her mouth shut.

“You’re a human, aren’t you?” Ashe asked with some interest.

“Yes,” Piper said. “I just got here.”

“So everything in Faerie is new to you?” Ashe asked. “That must be very exciting.”

“I suppose it is,” Piper said, nodding. “I’m still trying to get an idea of what it will be like. It’s very different here.”

“How so?” Ashe leaned forward with great interest.

Piper tried to imagine how to describe the difference.

“In the human realm, we have no kings and queens, at least not in the country, um, kingdom where I live,” she explained.

“It sounds dangerous,” Ashe said with wide eyes.

“Not really,” Piper said.

“But with no one to make laws and enforce order, how do you get along?” Ashe asked.

Oh.

“We have a form of government that allows each citizen to have a vote to decide on leaders who create our laws and enforce them,” Piper said. “It’s far from perfect, but it seems to work well enough.”

“So there is no tribute paid?” Ashe asked.

“You mean like… taxes?” Piper asked.

“A portion of earnings paid to the crown,” Ashe said.

“Well, we pay taxes to our government,” Piper said. “The leaders we chose use the money to pay for things to help the people. Usually.”

“Marvelous,” Ashe said. “And who assigns your careers?”

“No one,” Piper said. “We choose what we want to do with our lives.”

“Incredible,” Ashe said. “How did you decide?”

“I always knew I wanted to be an Olympic archer,” Piper said. “So I trained for most of my life. I knew I would need another job as well, but that was the main focus.”

“Being a professional archer doesn’t pay well in the mortal realm?” Ashe asked in wonder. “Our royal archers are greatly admired and handsomely paid.”

Piper suddenly remembered that she wasn’t an archer, she was a professional wet-nurse now.

“Well, I had a change of heart, and realized that what I really love is children,” Piper said quickly.

“And who could blame you?” Ashe asked, gazing rapturously at Kieran, who was slowly and carefully smearing an entire jar of orange marmalade on his white silk trousers.

“Oh Kieran,” Piper exclaimed.

He looked up from his task as if he were surprised, too. Seeing her expression, his little face fell, lower lip trembling.

“It’s okay, baby,” Piper told him. “I just got distracted talking to your auntie. Let me have that.”

He surrendered the nearly empty jar and began sucking on his fingers.

“Well that will keep him busy,” Piper said. “Too bad about the mess though, the pants were so cute.”

“Can you not remove the jam?” Ashe asked.

“I’ll rinse it out when we get back,” Piper said.

“Of course,” Ashe said. “You are mortal. No magic.”

“No magic,” Piper agreed.

Ashe leaned in, conspiratorially.

“I don’t have magic either,” she confided.

Though her voice was cheerful, her eyes were tragic.

“You don’t?” Piper asked. She didn’t think that was possible.

Ashe shook her head.

Piper wanted to ask about a million questions. Was it common for a member of the fae royalty to have no powers? Was she respected by the others in spite of the lack? Did she have powers, and then lose them, or was she born that way, just like Piper?

But none of the questions seemed appropriate coming from a servant.

“I’m sorry,” Piper said at last. “You’re such a lovely person. I’m sure that kindness is a much better trait to possess than magic.”

Ashe smiled at her, but it was through eyes hazy with unshed tears. “Thank you, Piper, that was very nice of you to say. I don’t even know why I told you about the magic thing. My family doesn’t like me to talk about it. It’s an embarrassment to them. I guess you and Kieran just put me at ease.”

It was a very nice compliment and suddenly Piper felt like against all odds, maybe she was