I glanced around the table, but no one said anything against the statement.
Huh. I always knew the representatives on the Regional Committee of Magic had a lot of power, which is why it’s those of us on the Fae Ring that get to decide who the rep is. But I didn’t think it was that big of a deal as the representative would act for the betterment of their people.
Although I suppose now, having a front seat to all the politics, I could see a fae representative purposely striking disadvantageous deals that would affect a Court they dislike.
Aphrodite stretched her skinny paw high—claws out—and tangled it up in the Paragon’s beard, then yanked.
“Ouch, Aphrodite—please take more care with your claws,” the Paragon complained.
“This tea is divine.” Queen Rime stared at the flower pattern on her cup with great concentration.
“Isn’t it, though? Drink up!” the Paragon cheerfully said. Once he got Aphrodite’s paw out of his beard he saw me, leaning back in my chair and still nursing my latte. “Come now, Queen Leila—join the fun!”
“I want to finish my pumpkin latte first,” I said. “But everything looks delicious.”
The Paragon swatted my compliment away. “Does your pumpkin latte happen to be from Starbucks?”
“Nope—I got this one from my favorite local coffee shop, King’s Court Café.”
The Paragon perked with interest. “I have not been there before. I shall have to amend that.” He stood and refilled Fell’s teacup, and then Solis’s, the teapot still magically containing enough for both of them, and some leftover. “Here, Queen Rime, allow me to top you off.”
“Thank you, Paragon,” Rime said in a relaxed tone I had never heard her use before.
“Back to the point of this afternoon tea. I must inquire to the source of this constant strife between you all. I don’t understand it—you all face a similar set of problems.”
Similar? He’s got to be joking.
I hid my scoff in a sip of my latte.
“Paragon, you wound me!” Fell held a hand to his chest. “In what way amIlikethem?” He glared openly at me and then Verdant before sipping his tea like a prim-and-proper grandmother.
The Paragon—ever a gracious host—eyed everyone’s teacups. He got up to add a splash of tea to Verdant’s and Birch’s cups. “Have some self-respect, King Fell.” He eased himself back into his chair and affectionately rubbed Aphrodite’s head. “Everyone knows the fae realms are shrinking—not just in the Midwest, but nation-wide.”
“The Autumn Realm has stood strong!” Fell set his teacup down with a clack. “I’ll challenge anyone who says otherwise.”
“Oh, sure it was strong—decades ago, before the rate our realms were attacked dramatically increased.” Birch sighed morosely and moodily stared at his reflection in his tea.
“The shrinking realms are certainly a problem,” Queen Rime said.
“A problem? That’s easy for you to say,” Verdant scoffed.
Queen Rime narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean?”
“Everyone knows the only reason the Winter Court hasn’t shrunk in years is because your siblings come and help you whenever your ward falters!” Verdant tossed back the rest of her tea. Before she even set her cup down the Paragon was at her elbow, refilling it.
“I’m not ashamed of the support my siblings and I offer to one another,” Rime said.
Birch traced the edge of his cup. “Except you’re too high and mighty to help any of us do the same.”
“Oh please.” Rime snorted like an angry horse.
That got my attention—because Rime was usually as emotional as a snowman.
“It’s hardly my fault the lot of you are a bunch of warmongers,” she continued. “If I offered to help, you’d use it as a chance to exploit me.”
“How couldwe exploit you when you have all the Winter Courts in North America backing you?” Solis asked.
Chapter Nineteen
