Wolves at the Door - Lidiya Foxglove Page 0,81
wild curly black hair, probably mixed race like me and many other American witches. She had chosen a shapeless gown with one sleeve, made out of what looked like hemp cloth, but she had one of those gazelle bodies that looked good in a sack.
Rowena was a Bathorite. You might have heard of the Countess of Bathory, the Hungarian noblewoman who tortured and murdered young women and supposedly bathed in their blood? Anyway. That really happened, and Elizabeth Bathory was a normal human, but sometimes normal humans could become witches, and there was some evidence in the witching community that the Countess of Bathory became a murderess in order to learn blood magic. No good witch wanted to be associated with such a person, but a certain group of witches admired her moxie, and the Bathorites were born, fueled by rumors that maybe the Countess became a vampire or an immortal witch and was still alive today, and that she was in fact a heroine for defying the bonds of her human life and the patriarchy and councils that say witches shouldn’t do blood magic.
That’s kinda cool. I get it.
But yo, they’re just a straight up cult. Rowena had chosen a long, dark gown with tight black sleeves that ended in points, and a skirt of fluttering dark green leaves, and a headdress made from tree branches and crow feathers that her vivid red hair was wrapped around. She also looked beautiful, in a goth way.
So some faery man was probably in for a surprise when those two started talking, but there wasn’t much I could do about it.
“The dressing room is there,” Dressmaker Yami said, pointing to a curtain, fidgeting with impatience. “Queen Morgana will be waiting.”
“I gotcha, I gotcha.” I had selected a few that were okay off the racks and then I saw it. The gown for me.
It was bright pink with frilled hems at the bottom that looked like they were dipped in gold, but the collar was the real showpiece. It was like huge flower petals that stood up behind the strapless gown. My boobs and face were going to be like Thumbelina being born out of a damn flower.
“Oh my god, that is hideous,” said my nemesis, Erin the wolf girl.
“Sorry I’m not basic.” I went into the dressing room and hurried the dress on, because I was a tiny bit worried about wanting Queen Morgana to like me, even though I wouldn’t admit it. This was all pretty overwhelming if I started to think about it. It would have been easier to just shrink away and see what happened, but Pendleton women do not ever shrink away.
The dress was boned in the bodice, it made my boobs look amazing, it was extremely uncomfortable, and there was no way I could reach the hook and eye clasps.
“Cash!” I whispered over the loud conversation about my choice of dress going on beyond the curtain.
My cat familiar appeared right away. He looked at the gown. He saw me trying to reach the clasps. He changed into a human. He sighed.
He walked behind me and flicked his finger at the huge, stiff fabric petals. “Insanity,” he whispered. “Complete insanity.” He did up all the hooks and then he grabbed the fabric around my boobs and yanked on something and twisted something else, and suddenly it wasn’t nearly as uncomfortable.
“Good luck,” he said.
Then he vanished.
I let out my breath. I couldn’t let any of the witches see him. I would never live that down. But—okay—there was one person I completely trusted, if I counted him as a person.
I stepped out of the dressing room. Erin snickered while some of the other girls looked in awe. I looked either stunning or ridiculous. It was a fine line, but walking it was one of the best ways to assert your dominance over other witches. Nothing says Don’t cross me like wearing something no one but you would dare to wear.
“I’m ready,” I said casually.
“Interesting choice,” Yami said.
I shrugged, selecting a few gold bracelets from a wall of accessories.
“The gowns you choose will send a message about your alliances here.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Gowns are like flowers, meant to attract certain bees,” she said. “Wearing a gown like that, you will certainly attract men from...a strong house. Well, it will be interesting to see how all of you fare here. Let us head to dinner. I’m sure we are late!”
Available now!
More Romantic Fantasy from Lidiya!
A Witch Among Warlocks
Prequel: The Wild-Eyed Boys
Book One: The Fairer Hex
Book Two: Boys Over Powers
Book Three: A Fine Necromance
Book Four: Battle of the Hexes
Available in audio!
Finishing School for Faery Brides
Book One: Fae Sworn
Book One: Fae Tempted
Book Three: Fae Bound
Forever in Their Thrall
Book One: Take Me Slowly
Book Two: Love Me Madly
Book Three: Kill Me Softly
Paranormal House Flippers
Book One: Demons in the Bedroom
Book Two: Wolves at the Door
Book Three: Phantom of the Library
The Sky and Shadow saga, a reverse harem fantasy with epic world building, dragon shifters, and steam:
Guardians of Sky and Shadow
Complete Series Box Set
Available in audio!
Kingdoms of Sky and Shadow
Complete Series Box Set
Brides of the Sinistral Realms
(Reverse harem paranormal romance)
Book One: Tempted by Demons
Book Two: Captured by Dragons
Book Three: Guarded by Wolves (Coming soon!)
Fairy Tale Heat
Every book is standalone and can be read in any order, although some characters might pop up in later books!
Book One: Beauty and the Goblin King
Book Two: These Wicked Revels
Book Three: Rapunzel and the Dark Prince
Book Four: The Beggar Princess
Book Five: The Goblin Cinderella
Book Six: The Mermaid Bride
Book Seven: Tasting Gretel
Book Eight: Taming Red Riding Hood
Surrender of Sleeping Beauty (Darker romance set in the Fairy Tale Heat universe)
Complete Series Box Set
About the Author
Lidiya Foxglove spends most of her time writing, drinking hot cocoa, messing around on the internet, and drinking tea, before reading about 15 pages of any manga with lots of pretty boys in it, and then falling asleep. Sometimes she also does yoga and gardens, but not as often as she claims.