I was still examining the plastic panel when the scuffle for seats began.
Rime claimed the wrought-iron garden chair while Verdant chose a plastic chair that was shaped like a gigantic leaf. Birch selected a rustic chair made of rough branches and sticks that still had the bark on them, while I gratefully plopped down in a chair constructed of bamboo and covered with silk cushions. Solis took the chair next to me—a modern wooden design with a thin cushion—leaving Fell with the last spot, a low stool painted to resemble a toadstool.
Fell scowled at his stool. “Verdant, switch with me,” he ordered.
Verdant tossed her hair over her shoulder. “Bite me.”
“It certainly hasn’t taken long for the Night Queen’s foul ways to contaminate you,” Fell sneered.
“There’s no use pretending we ever got along,” Verdant said. “We might have been temporarily united against Leila, but I haveneverliked you, and I’llneverforget what you’ve made me do.”
Fell rolled his eyes. “All these dramatics for such alittledeal! Just a hunt once a year, and now I’m the bad guy!”
“Oh,doshut up, Fell,” Rime snapped.
Fell gaped at the usually impartial Winter Queen, but did as he was told and sat down.
We were quiet until the Paragon came bustling back, clutching his giant glass teapot.
“Do you need help?” I half stood up, the manners my mother instilled in me prodding me to move.
“No, no. You sit down. This will take just a moment!” The Paragon worked his way around the table, pouring tea in each individual’s porcelain teacup.
I could have sworn the teapot didn’t have enough in it for everyone, but by the time he reached his chair, he still had plenty left.
“There. Now we may begin!” The Paragon nodded his head in satisfaction and sat down on his chair.
Aphrodite sat on the arm of the chair until the Paragon was seated, then she jumped in his lap, and instantly all the silver serving trays filled with food.
Carrot cake, finger sandwiches, scones, éclairs, and slices of spice cake generously topped with frosting filled up half the trays, while Japanese snacks—I recognized mochi, castella cake, and manju buns—filled up the other half.
“Queen Rime, I insist you try a sakura mochi cake—I got it because I know you like it,” the Paragon said.
“You are too kind, Paragon.” Queen Rime served herself a piece of pink mochi cake as the other monarchs loaded up their plates with goodies and added sugar and/or cream to their teacups.
I smiled benevolently and sipped my latte as I watched.
Solis glanced at me as he elegantly dropped a sugar cube into his tea. “Don’t you intend to have any, Leila?”
“Maybe after I finish my latte,” I evasively said.
Truth was, since the food justappearedlike that—and Hazel’s complaints already made me doubt the tea—I wouldn’t touch any of this stuff with a ten-foot pole.
Yeah, sure, eat food that just magically appeared on a table. The monarchs obviously haven’t read enough fairy tales, because that’s how you get bespelled and then fall asleep for fifty years.
“I invited you all here today because I am well aware of enmity between a few of you.” The Paragon tucked into a thick slice of carrot cake, though his eyes flicked from Verdant—who was sipping her tea—to Fell—who had just set his teacup down after drinking some.
“I want to make sure that we’re clear on one thing,” the Paragon continued. “Fight between yourselves all you like, but themomentan innocent gets tangled up in these spats of yours, I will intervene. And you won’t like how I’ll do it.”
“Please, Paragon,” Fell simpered. “You’re our leader—we should be embarrassed to shame you.”
“I amnotyour leader,” the Paragon said. “That role belongs to the fae emperor—if we can ever find a poor wretch capable of filling that position again.”
“There hasn’t been an emperor in over fifty years.” Birch held his teacup nestled in his hands and blinked at the Paragon. “And you’re the top fae.”
“I’m a representative,” the Paragon said. “But I hold no power over you, except—perhaps—that I am the strongest fae!” He stuck his chin up with pride a little bit with that statement. “Queen Rime—as fae representative on the Regional Committee of Magic—has more power over you.”
Does she?
