“Remember, Fer, the hidden wolf clans are hidden for a reason,” Tiernan is saying when I check back into the conversation. “They won’t take kindly to strangers entering their territory. You may have to shift and fight. Torben and I have talked; he’s going to start your fight training on the road. That should put Knuckles’ mind at ease because you’ll know how to defend yourself in the fur.”
Feray gets a strange look on her face, turning her head to look at the corner nook where the ancients are murmuring amongst themselves. None of them know I can hear it, too, so I keep my expression normal as I catch the plans to barter for information along the journeys. I want to ask them what the hell they think they’ll need to use or obtain with that method, but I’m not ready to out myself yet, so I stay quiet.
“This is it, huh?” Fer says, watching the twins come out of the hidden room with the items we need. They finish packing the stuff in the main room without fanfare and I’m glad. My sister’s expression is flickering again, and I know her emotions are getting the best of her.
“Yeah, well, I get to wrangle this bunch of clowns,” I reply with a grin. Hitching my thumb over my shoulder at the men, all whispering as if we have no idea what they’re plotting. Tier is less secretive than the Prince and Kohl, but they’re so damned stubborn and over-protective. Dezi is a mystery and I’m honestly not sure why he’s even coming sometimes. He acts like being close to any of us will give him non-ancient dude cooties.
Fer smiles softly as she looks at Torben and Khal, then glances at the phoenix. He’s been watching her, but not in the same way my jackasses stare obsessively. She touches the amulet at her neck when she sees him, and I know the glow it’s emitting is because he’s claimed her in his own way. She’ll have to deal with his stodgy hang-ups, but that’s her bridge to cross, not mine.
“Give him time, little wolf,” Torben says as he kisses her cheek. I wink at him and he smiles, knowing I’m always monitoring her, too.
When he grabs the bags to go outside, I turn back to my sister. “He’s good to you; they both are.” I wave my hand at the nerdier basilisk when I notice he’s packing her favorite snacks for the ride.
“Yeah. For once, things actually went well for us. Your mates are great, too,” she says with a knowing look. “Tier’s my favorite, though.”
“Who knew the cat and the dog would always be scheming together? What happened to them hating each other?” I grumble.
Feray mocks a shocked look. “You want me to hate your mates? That doesn’t make any sense, Princess Craft Herpes.”
My eyes narrow when she brings up my new tendency to randomly spread glitter everywhere. Jumping from my seat, I chase her around the island, but she’s cheating with her shifter shit. By the time we’re winded, Revelin motions for my attention, and I know it’s time to head outside.
We’re leaving and I won’t see Feray for fuck knows how long.
The thought hits me like a ton of bricks as I see the portal Rev opened in the corner of the yard where she sometimes hunts with Tier. It’s the portal we’ll step through to meet his crew of people that will join us on the blasted tour—which makes this ever soreal. Fer is staring at it reverently, and I realize she’s never had the chance to examine the method my Prince and I take to his homeland. It’s becomenormalto have a sparkling, glowy rip in reality to travel though while my sister is looking at it in awe.
“Wow,” she murmurs, then gives me a small grin. “Your personal rave is more intense than this, you know.”
I roll my eyes, slapping her arm lightly. “Fer, it’s time.”
She squeezes my hand harder, then pulls me to her for a tight hug. I feel her sniffing me like she’s trying to get my scent into her memory, then she sniffles a little. “I’m gonna miss you.”
“I’ll do my best to come together for the holidays or the Prince will sleep alone,” I whisper. She glares at Revelin, and he blinks before going back to typing furiously.
“Holidays on the list…”
Chuckling as he adds reminders to the family calendar, I watch Tiernan and Khol wave to everyone, then step through the gateway. Rev is waiting for me next to it as Fer’s men finally tug her away from me. They’re pulling her to a blacked out, armored car I assume belongs to the twins. Walking backwards until I get to my mate, I take his hand.
“Be safe, Fluffy!” he calls out. “Remember, we’re only a pixie away.”
“I love you, Fer,” I add as they try to push her into the car again. She’s got tears running down her face and I’m biting the inside of my cheek hard enough to keep mine at bay. But my sister knows me and she knows I’d rather slit my wrists and swim through iodine than let all these people see me vulnerable like that.
“Love you more,” she calls as my mate pulls me through the portal before this drags on any longer.
We stumble into the meadow where the rest of my men are waiting next to the most ridiculous looking tour bus I’ve ever seen and a crowd of people who start cheering as soon as they see Revelin. I turn to look at him and clear as day, he shifts into the persona he wears when he’s required to be ‘on.’
Looks like we don’t even get to gather our wits before having to play the game here.
“Gooooooood eveninnnnnnng, Dayyyyybreeeeaakkkkk!” Rev yells in the husky growl he uses on stage.
Merciful Hecate, I’m going to need a lot of alcohol to get through this shit.
Idon’t know what the hell I expected when we got to Faerie, but it wasn’t this.
Rev is strutting around, playing to the loud ass group I think is his tour staff and crew. They’re all rushing up to fawn over him as he greets them one by one, while Tiernan keeps a watchful eye. He cuts his gaze to me, cocking his brow, and I shrug. I’ll have to get used to this at some point, so it might as well be now. Loud motherfuckers are part and parcel when you work at a bar, so that’s more annoying than problematic.
What’s making my back teeth grind is the glut of touchy chicks who keep cooing at him.
“You seem tense,” Dezi says with a smirk.
