Maddie’s eyes lit up with humor as she looked at the lizard. “As much as the image of you biting a screeching Roan makes me laugh, I do not wish him dead … yet. If I change my mind, I’ll let you know.”
“Maddie.” Lola tsked. “You can’t talk like that with Otto. He seems to take things pretty literally.”
“Oh, I know. Me and the Ott-ster hung out last night and made friendship bracelets.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a handful of string. The bracelets reminded Lola of their childhood when they used to spend summer days sitting at her dining room table making wrist and ankle friendship bracelets. “Here.” She held out a green and blue one to her. “I made you this one.”
Lola smiled. “Thanks, Mads.”
“Don’t thank me. I only managed to get one made. The super lizard over there can weave the strands of thread faster than a freaking machine. He made tons of them.”
Lola looked at Otto. “Did you have fun?”
“I want my mistress to have many choices. I not sure favorite colors.”
“I tried to tell him she’d like anything simply because he made it for her,” Maddie explained. “But the little dude is hardheaded.”
“My headsupposedto be hard,” Otto told her with a little frown. “Scales protect in battle.”
Maddie rolled her eyes. “You’re right. He is very literal.”
Lola met Callon’s amused golden eyes. “This is going to be a circus, isn’t it?”
He laughed. “At least the chaos will keep that silver-tongued demon on his toes.” His smile faded, replaced by solemn resolve. “But jesting aside, wherever you go this day, I go, too. I’ll not have you facing such evil unprotected.”
“Mistress Lola and the Maddie wear bracelets.” Otto pointed at the stack of bracelets he’d pulled from his own pocket. “Wear ten.”
“Ten?” Maddie and Lola said at the same time.
Lola narrowed her eyes at him. “Why so many?”
“We friends. I be hurt if you not like them.” Otto’s voice grew small.
He was up to something, or at least Lola thought he was. She didn’t know him well enough to truly be certain. Maybe he just honestly would be hurt if they didn’t wear something that he’d worked hard on specifically for them.
She walked over and counted out ten, then split them between both wrists, five on each. “There.” She held out both arms. “Happy?”
“Yup.” Otto nodded and then pointedly looked at Maddie.
She just chuckled and then picked out her own, also splitting them between her wrists.
“Well done on the bracelets,” Callon told Otto. “You did good.”
The lizard preened under Callon’s approval. Lola felt sorry for the little guy. If he’d been Azure’s servant, he’d probably been ridiculed and treated like crap.
Lola exhaled slowly, then lifted onto her tiptoes to press a light kiss to her mate’s lips. His formidable powers of protectionwere useless against her heart. “Thank you,” she told him simply. “Glad to have you with me.”
Callon’s eyes glowed with satisfaction. Hand in hand, the pair ventured out of the kitchen, following after Maddie and Otto, who’d apparently left while they’d had their moment.
They found Maddie and Roan squared off in the foyer, tension crackling. Bane leaned against the ornate wall, observing in silence while Otto stood next to Maddie, glaring daggers at Roan. Lola bit back a groan. “Let the circus begin,” she muttered under her breath.
“I don’t need you fighting my battles and getting your feathers ruffled like a damn mother hen,” Maddie said crossly, hands on her hips. “Despite the lack of claws and fur on my part, I’m not made of glass.”
Roan glowered, impatience in every hard line of his imposing frame. “Your safety is my duty,Nushawani.”
“I keep the Maddie safe,” Otto hissed. “And noNushawani. Not for you.”
Roan simply ignored the lizard, his eyes focused on Maddie. “The swamp is no place for?—”
“A weak, helpless female?” Maddie cut him off incredulously. “Wow, and here I was thinking maybe you actually respected me as an equal. I must have lost my damn mind for a second there.”
