Page 133

He gestured at me carelessly. “This is my butler. He’s coming to the palace with me.”

“Alright.” The guard cast me a wary look. “Protocol states that he still needs—”

“I have my passport,” I said smoothly, holding it out. “And my work permit papers.” Thanks to Freddie.

The guard took the bundle and opened my passport to give it a quick look, then scanned the papers.

“A ghoul,” he said, making Crossbody stiffen beside me. But then the guard’s brows rose as he glanced up at me. “And an organ donor. Nice. Are any of those available now?”

I stared at him. “What?”

“Any of those organs up for grabs now?” he asked again, which did not make me feel any better. “A tonsil? Maybe a lung? Ooh, or a kidney. I haven’t had a good kidney in ages—”

“My butler’s organs are not available for consumption,” Crossbody interrupted coldly, making all the blood drain from my face.

Consumption? The fuck?

The guard pouted a little but nodded and handed my papers back. “Thought I’d ask. I’ll escort you to the Spring Crossing.”

Despite being mostly distracted by the fact that a fae guard had just asked if I’d be willing to give him any of my organs for him to eat, I was a little shocked that it had been so easy for me to cross over. I’d been expecting some kind of pushback, but I supposed these guards didn’t have to care about the reasons why folk were travelling through as long as they had the right paperwork. Seemed like some things were the same wherever you went.

Well, except I’d never knowingly met a cannibalistic guard in the human world before.

“What… um, the fuck was that about?” I muttered to Crossbody as we followed the guard toward the archway with the cherry blossom tree. As we got closer, I could see that there was a rose-gold gate within it, the metal twisted into flowering vines.

“Some fae still follow the old traditions,” he murmured back.

“And the old traditions include eating ghoul organs?” I hissed in mild panic.

“Human, normally, but it’s not considered cannibalism if it’s not a fae, so those who practise it don’t really care what the being is. And there is powerful magic in consuming an organ given willingly by another living creature.” Crossbody gave me a tentative smile. “It’s a compliment, really.”

“Uh…” I shot the guard a wary look. “’Kay. I’m… flattered?”

“Prince Elvis of the Spring Court and his butler,” the guard told the two standing by the archway. They both bowed before stepping inward to unlock the gate and open it.

I almost reached over to grab Crossbody’s hand again, nerves suddenly flooding my belly as I stared at the blurry wall of pink and blue and lilac within the archway. I was about to meet Crossbody’s mother. A fae queen. The person who’d treated him like shit his whole life. Who’d called him nothing but her property to control however she wanted.

I wasn’t nervous because the thought of meeting her intimidated me. I was nervous because I knew I’d want to punch her in the face the moment I saw her, and that probably wouldn’t be the smartest thing to do.

“Ready?” Crossbody murmured to me, but he was the one who’d gone pale with dread. Who looked like he wanted to turn around and sprint away. Who suddenly looked so vulnerable that my throat closed up, and all I wanted to do was take this stress away from him.

“Yes.” I gave him a tiny smile of encouragement, then, remembering the guards, I tacked on, “Sir.”

That made Crossbody blink in surprise and smile back at me. Gripping the handle of our suitcase, I waited for him to step through the archway, then followed.

Time to meet the queen.

Chapter Forty-Three

Vince Isn’t a Very Good Butler

Crossbody

For the first time in six years, I breathed in Otherworld air and looked up at the Spring Palace.

Until this moment, a part of me had been scared that seeing my former home would fill me with some sense of yearning. That it would make me reconsider my previous desire to carve out a life for myself away from this place. That I would crumble and cave to every one of my mother’s demands the moment I came back. But as I looked up at the palace’s pale stone walls and ornate spires in the near distance, even found the exact windows of my former chambers, I was more aware of Vince walking beside me, his arm brushing mine, his cool, calming scent keeping me grounded.

I was more concerned about keeping him out of my mother’s crosshairs than feeling any worry for myself. I knew he could handle himself—far better than I could—but she was vicious. She knew where to cut with her words. And I wasn’t sure how well I’d be able to maintain my composure if I heard her insult him.