“Thanks, Indigo,” I called after my retreating companion.
She waved and hurried after the wizards.
“Rupert—the vampire my family swept off with—has become something of my House’s pet project,” Hazel told me. “Everyone was concerned he didn’t get enough love in his life as a vampire. They’re determined to lavish it on him now. He secretly loves it.”
“Indeed,” Josh said. “You can tell because he hasn’t killed anyone in ages.”
“And he seems merely slightly grouchy on the days we spend at House Medeis,” Celestina said. “Grouchiness—or a lack of—is how he expresses his love.”
“Huh,” I said. “I’m glad the Drakes and Medeis’s are melding like that.”
“It hasn’t been without its…issues,” Killian said. “But overall, it’s been pleasant.”
“I told you that if you stop bad mouthing the House onits own land, it will stop hiding your suits.” Hazel arched her eyebrow at him, then brightened. “Oh—that reminds me, Leila! I want to meet the lucky guy!”
Confused, I looked behind me at Skye, Chase, and Lord Linus, then looked back at Hazel and Killian. “Lucky guy?”
“Your husband.”
“Oh! Rigel! Yes. I’m sure he’s around somewhere,” I said.
Killian blinked. “You speak of him as if he is a cat roaming the house.”
I scratched my cheek. “Yeah, sort of. He’s very quiet and comes and goes as he wants.” I threw my hand wide to gesture, and I smacked my knuckles on something hard. “Ouch.”
I twitched in surprise to find Rigel standing just behind my shoulder. His sense of style hadn’t changed since becoming my consort, so he was dressed in black—including black boots, pants, and a fancy black shirt that buttoned at the shoulder. He also still wore his leather bracers that held hidden daggers, but I’d be willing to risk my Court’s hard-earned money that he had some hidden in his boots and belt, too. “Ah. Rigel. Hello there.”
Rigel nodded to me, then glanced at Hazel and Killian.
“You’re right, I should make the introductions. Hazel, Killian, this is my…er…husband, Consort Rigel. Rigel, these are my dear friends, Adept Hazel Medeis and her fiancé Eminent Killian Drake.” I made the smallest grimace—a little upset that I still stumbled over calling Rigel my husband. It seemed weird and foreign, but if I wanted to learn to keep a straight face around the other monarchs, I needed to build a bridge and get over it.
“It’s lovely to meet you, Lord Rigel,” Hazel said.
Rigel wordlessly nodded. With his slightly tapered ears, copper skin, and intimidating wardrobe, there was something about him that seemedwild, and out of place among the modern conveniences of my mansion.
The doorbell rang.
Skye glided across the room to get it in Eventide’s absence, and I smiled apologetically.
“I really need to greet the other guests, but I’ll find you later tonight—I want to introduce you to my new pets!”
“Great! We’ll keep an eye out for you. Come on, Killian. Let’s go see that shooting range.”
“I would have thought you’d want to witness Rupert’s humiliation at karaoke.” Killian offered his arm, and Hazel took it.
“I want to see that, too,” Hazel assured him. “But I’ve never had the chance to fire a weapon loaded with fae magic! It’s going to be so cool.”
Killian smirked down at her. “I really do love you more and more each day,” he announced with zero sense of embarrassment—good for him!
Skye opened the door before the power couple left, so when Lady Chrysanthe and her grandmother Lady Demetria entered the room, they could see the pair.
“Itoldyou it was a waste to come this early,” Lady Demetria barked at her granddaughter, ignoring me. “No being of fashionable taste and reasonable power would deign to arrive at this—” Her lecture ground to a halt when Hazel laughed at something Killian said as they strolled off.
“That’s Eminent Killian Drake and Adept Hazel Medeis,” I helpfully supplied. She obviously already knew, but I’d made it a hobby to troll my dear subjects since becoming queen.
Lady Demetria’s face was set in stone as she stared—which was about equal to shrieking and gawking for a fae since they were usually guarded in expressing their feelings.
“Good evening, Queen Leila, and congratulations.” Lady Chrysanthe ignored her grandmother’s stunned silence and curtsied to me.
