When the fuck did she learn to dothat?!!
“Damn,” Khol breathes out, his expression mirroring my shock.
Fi’s cheeks redden, her triumph tinged with embarrassment. “Wasn’t sure that would work,” she admits quietly.
I blink, amazed that she admitted it, much less revealed that she risked looking like a fool in front of someone who would have never let her live it down. “It sure as shit did, babe.”
“Thank you,” Revelin says, stepping down from his makeshift throne to press his forehead gently against hers. Their combined magic swirls around them, creating a spectacle of light that draws a collective gasp from the rest of us.
Fi’s cheeks heat and she pulls away, wrinkling her nose as she distances herself from the soft emotions she just shared.
“Show’s over,” Khol declares after a moment, snagging a bottle from the cupboard and taking a long swig. We sink into the worn cushions of the living area, the previous chaos settling into an uneasy peace.
“Looks like the smear campaign’s taken a hit,” Revelin muses, scrolling through his phone. “Faestagram’s buzz has quieted, and the rest of the apps are dying down as we speak.”
“Good riddance,” I mutter, hoping Dezi returns soon with better news. “I know you watch that shit because of your… job….”
“But you hate it with a fiery passion?” Knuckles grins at me knowingly. “Same, buddy.”
I’m about to respond when the door to the bus swings open with a soft creak, and Dezi strides in, a stormy mix of satisfaction and concern etched across his pale features.
His eyes, usually a calm shade of night, flicker like twin flames, hinting at the layers of information he’s unearthed. As the vampire settles into the dim light of the bus interior, a collective tension wraps around us, eager for his report.
“Spit it out, mosquito,” Khol calls from where he’s lounging.
“Amethyst’s been stirring the pot longer than we thought,” he begins, voice a cool draft in the warm air. “She’s been badmouthing the witchling since before the tour kicked off.” He pauses, letting the weight of his words sink in. “It seems some of the crew took her side—dancers, costumers, roadies... They’ve been spreading rumors like an airborne virus.”
I feel my jaw clench, my relief mingled with fresh anger. It’s not the band; it’s the entourage that’s tainted. I give Dezi a nod of thanks, glad for at least that much clarity. The Prince would have been much more upset if the people he’s been playing with since secondary school were diming us out for a buck. At least this is manageable in a way that doesn’t shut down this whole circus.
“Any idea where it started?” Khol’s question slices through the silence, his gaze sharp and probing.
“Traced it back to a gaggle of Fae among the groupies,” Dezi says, wiping imaginary filth from his hands as if he could brush off the distaste of his investigation. “Two women, one man. Their whispers were the spark that set the wildfire. Unfortunately, I haven’t yet identifiedwhichwomen and man because many of the fans and follower travelers were not at the campsite.”
“Great, just what we needed—a crazy ass fan who could be stalking me, but is definitely fucking up my private life.,” Revelin mutters,his frustration palpable as his wings shuffle behind him. “Do you think this shit is why Amethyst has lost her marbles?”
“Partly,” Dezi concedes, his lips pressed into a thin line. “But there’s more to her defection, I believe. I saw her storm off before I arrived, and I don’t think she’d risk her career for idle gossip. Whatever has her in a twist is targeted and malicious.”
“Here,” I say, extending a bottle towards him. The crystal-clear liquid sloshes as he takes it, a grateful flicker passing over his face before he takes a swig. “So, what’s our play?”
“Careful steps,” Dezi replies after a moment, locking eyes with Fiadh. “I sent word to Louie. Hopefully, he’ll scrub this morning’s shit from the internet with a techno mage’s help.”
“If not, let them talk,” Fi interjects, her voice fiery despite the weariness in her eyes. “There’s nothing wrong with self-defense.” Her magic still hums around her, echoes of the red and black sparks that had erupted earlier.
“Self-defense is one thing,” Dezi counters, “but we can’t afford another scene. Once might be dismissed, but twice? That will get noticed and there will be questions about why the Prince allows you to continue riding along with him.”
“Then we won’t give them a second chance,” I say firmly. “We stay sharp, and we guard our own. Right now, that’s all we can do.”
“I refuse to let some bucktoothed motherfucker call me rune-slinging Fae humping slut, Tier.” Fi shrugs and dusts her hands off as if showing that she’s done. “I’ll flatten anyone who talks to me that way, regardless of the who the hell they are. It’ll be easier if you all remember that.”
The tension in the air after I say that is like a coil wound too tight, ready to snap. Around me, every all the guys’ faces are set in snarls, the protective instinct flaring up as they process that truth. None of them heard the vile words slung at Fi before her fist connected withthe troll’s jaw. Now I know why her eyes were filled with fire and her fist nearly caved the jerk’s face in.
Our girl shrugs as we growl, amusement clear in her features. “Stop being dudes about it,” she says, her voice carrying an edge of finality.
For her, it’s over, done with, and she wants us to move past it.
Rev laughs, shaking his head, and even Khol lets out a chuckle. We’re all getting used to Fi’s brutal efficiency, but I can’t shake the anger burning in my chest. The idea of someone treating Fi—or any female—like that ignites something primal in me. I want to track down that troll and make sure he understands respect through a lesson he won’t forget.
Dezi catches the fury simmering in my gaze and winks—a silent promise of camaraderie. “If we get a chance later,” his wink suggests, and I nod, knowing full well if the opportunity arises, we’ll take it.
