“Seriously, you lot need a glow up before you hit that stage,” Orchid adds, winking at me as she sets down a box of shimmering eye shadows. “You look like someone dragged you through an orc pit.”
“It simply won’t do for a night with rock stars,” Tanya chimes in, her hands already dancing through the air as if she can already envision the transformation.
“I hope your glam shit is less sparkly than Sassy’s light show earlier,” Khol teases, shooting me a playful glance. “It’s like magic herpes when we have to get it off everything.”
“That wasnotmy fault,” I protest, but I can’t suppress a smile. “We were escaping an offended banshee.”
“Alright, alright, enough cute sniping,” Basil says, clapping his hands together. “We’ve got a concert to prep for, and I haven’t had nearly enough Faetinis.”
Cards and concerns are temporarily cast aside as brushes sweep over faces, and fingers work through hair. Despite the looming sense of unease about the night ahead, for these moments, we allow ourselves to be swept up in getting ready for the show.
Hopefully, this one isn’t crashed by a murderous Faebeast with a taste for blood.
Istride across the humming backstage, my eyes scanning every shadow, every corner. The weight of responsibility presses down on me as I pull out my earpiece, tuning into the security team’s frequency. “Report,” I demand curtly, the static crackle in my ear a familiar comfort.
“Secondary team here,” a voice responds, steady and sure. “Alpha team reported the packages were delivered successfully to your intended recipients.”
Not what I was asking, but I’m glad Sheena followed up on my questions from earlier.
A wave of relief washes over me, muscles I hadn’t realized were tensed relaxing slightly. At least something is going right on this trip. My gaze flicks to the side where my company’s contracted magic user stands, her hands weaving through the air like she’s conducting an invisible orchestra. Wisps of incandescent energy spiral out from her fingertips, forming intricate patterns that shimmer with potential. She was expensive as fuck to bring here last minute, but Revelin can afford it without batting a lash.
“Make sure that perimeter is tight,” I tell her, my voice low. She doesn’t look at me, too engrossed in her work, but a barely perceptible nod acknowledges my command.
“Will do.” Her voice is just above a whisper, but it carries the weight of power. “Remember, Tiernan, this won’t hold back anything particularly nasty. It’s more of an early warning system.”
“I know.” I grit my teeth. We’re not equipped to repel a powerful demon magic creature—not yet. But we canbuy time, get everyone out if it comes to that. “It’s worth knowing what’s coming so we can pivot, though.”
“Indeed.”
I walk over to the burly tiger shifter watching the door to the green room where the band is relaxing. “Keep your senses sharp. We have no idea what will happen tonight.”
Tag grunts, shrugging in his usual wordless way, and I move back to the stage. I’ve seen enough chaos, enough destruction to last lifetimes. Not tonight. Tonight we play it safe, keep our heads down and hope the spotlight doesn’t attract unwanted guests. For now, the venue is secure, the hum of anticipation from beyond the curtains a testament to the calm before the storm.
I may not be able to control it, but I can make sure we’re able to ride it out if it comes.
The humof the venue fades to a distant echo as I pace backstage later on, fingers drumming an anxious rhythm against my thigh. The boys, already dressed in their stage gear, are a mixture of nerves and excitement, a contrast to the heavy knot of dread settling in my gut.
“Tiernan, quit wearing out the floor,” Revelin calls out with a half-hearted chuckle, his attempt at lightening the mood falling flat against my mounting concerns.
“Sorry,” I mutter, pausing mid-stride as the costumers sweep past me, their arms laden with fabrics that gleam under the stage lights. They head for Revelin, draping him in layers of leather and lace, transformative magic in every stitch. I stand still now, watching them work, aware of the creeping shadows that play at the edge of my vision.
The memories of Arrowwood claw at the forefront of my mind. I can still picture the chaos, the soundless horror as the skull beast failed to materialize, leaving us to question where the threat might emerge next. The fear for our mate and the rest of my new family is real, though I’d never say it out loud. I’m the rock, the one who is always stable, so I can’t let them know how much this disturbs me.
“Are you ready, Tiernan?” one of the costumers asks, drawing me back to the present.
“As I’ll ever be,” I say, stepping forward as they begin to layer my outfit for the evening, a blend of weapon hidey-holes hidden all over the outfit.
As I stow the extra firepower, I grimace. I know all too well that while more weapons will help somewhat, they can’t protect us from everything. Out there, somewhere in Faerie, more than just adoring fans could be biding their time, waiting for a chance to strike.
Many of them won’t be deterred by the small things I can hide on my body, either.
“Stay alert,” I remind Revelin, who nods solemnly, the previous mirth gone from his eyes. He understands the stakes just as much as I do. “I know you get in the zone on stage, but you need to be keyed into us as well. Use the bond.”
“I will,” he replies, his voice steady. “And if I have to, I’ll unleash the things I keep hidden.”
With every thread in place, he looks the part of a fearless performer. Beneath the surface, I can hear his heart beating a staccato rhythm, echoing the silent warning that danger is never far. Rarely is the Daybreak Prince as serious as he is right now, and I know it’s hard for him to split his focus.
But we all have to do what’s necessary until we figure out what the hell is going on.
