Mosley was a two-hundred-plus-year-old ghost who stood guard over the lighthouse, making sure no boats hit the rocks. It had been his job when he’d died, and he still insisted on keeping watch even in death.
“Is that everything?” Crystal asked.
I glanced around the clean kitchen. “Looks good to me.”
“Thanks for everything, Kara.” Crystal wrapped her arms around me and gave me a hug before picking up her single gift bag. She’d crammed all her gifts into one bag so she wouldn’t have much to carry on her flight back to the resort. “Your friendship means the world to me. I’m so grateful to have met you and Zane.”
“I feel the same way.”
I opened the sliding-glass door, and she stepped out into the blowing snow. She shifted into her winged-horse form and then clamped the gift bag in her mouth. With a final snort, she spread her wings and lifted into the air.
“Did you get any gifts you want to part with, Valkyrie?”Savage asked the minute I stepped back inside my cottage.
“Dream on.” I headed down the hallway into my bedroom. “All gifts are mine.”
Savage huffed and jumped up onto my dresser.“Fine. But if Nyxie leaves me because I haven’t given her enough gifts, I expect emotional support.”
I finished changing into my pajamas and slid under the covers. “And you’ll have it.”
“Good,”Savage said.“Because tuna cakes alone will not heal my broken heart, Valkyrie.”
4
Most days I ate breakfast at Zane’s mansion. Mainly because Alfred didn’t trust me to start the day off with a somewhat nutritional breakfast. I wasn’t a breakfast eater…never had been. But to appease the ancient fairy, I usually ate peanut butter toast or peanut butter muffins—whichever one Alfred was making.
I pushed open the French doors that led into Zane’s kitchen, and Link flew in ahead of me, his wings glowing blue and yellow. Today, he had on a vintage 1970s sheepskin jacket that Barbie’s friend Ken had once worn. It had a wide lapel that was made of faux fur, and the fur continued down the front of the jacket. It had taken a lot of control not to comment on the jacket.
“Good morning, Kara,” Alfred said from the stove.
I hung my jacket over the back of my chair and headed for the coffeepot. “Good morning, Alfred.”
“Cold out there.”
“Itiscold, but at least there was no new snow overnight.”
I poured a coffee for myself, and then poured hot milk and honey into a thimble for Link.
“Thank ye, lass,” Link said as he wrapped his small hands around the thimble. “This will hit the spot.”
Rota strode into the kitchen, dressed in red pants and a white tunic. “Good morning, everyone. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
“Morning, my dear,” Alfred said. “I have something special for you today.”
Rota’s eyes lit up. “What’s that? A pancake shaped like a dagger or sword?”
I laughed. “Always the Valkyrie.”
Alfred set a plate down in front of Rota, and I couldn’t help but smile. In addition to her normal scrambled eggs, roasted potatoes, and buttered toast were two pancakes shaped like hearts.
“Alfred, you shouldn’t have.” My grandmother happily slathered butter on the pancakes. “But I’m glad you did.”
I laughed and reached for the basket of muffins in front of me. I knew they’d be peanut-butter flavored...and I wasn’t disappointed as I broke one in half, blew the steam away, and took a bite. “Mmmm. Perfect, Alfred.”
“Careful, Kara,” Zane said as he strode into the room. “You’ll give Alfred a big head.”
“Yes,” I said dryly as I rolled my eyes, “Alfred is the one I worry about getting a big head.”
Zane winked at me as he strolled over to the espresso machine. Once his tiny glass was full, he sat down to my right, and I finally took in what he was wearing.He was dressed in a charcoal Armani suit, but that’s not what caught my eye.
