Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE

PIPER

W e've been slammed all day.

I keep trying to sneak looks at Ga'Rek, but we're so busy with customers, he and I barely have time to do more than smile at each other across the store.

My feet hurt, I'm sore in places I didn't know I even had, but all of that pales in comparison to the bubbling happiness deep in my soul.

Ga'Rek held me all night. Every time I stirred, he would whisper in my ear and rub my back until I fell back asleep.

We got to sleep much, much later than I normally would, but I'm more well-rested today than I have been in a long time.

We both ate a lemon-curd tartlet for breakfast enchanted with an energy spell, but I'm not sure I would've needed it.

I only wish we could have cuddled in bed longer this morning, that we could have had a lazy breakfast snuggled up by the fire instead of getting right to work in the dark hours of morning.

The Pixie's Perch is close to closing, and there hasn't been much of a chance for either of us to do more than sneak a sandwich. But tonight…

The bell tinkles over the entry, and my hopes for tonight go up in smoke immediately. My entire coven has walked into the store, replacing the rush of customers with a familiarity I at once love and am annoyed with.

Only because I want to spend time with Ga'Rek.

The realization makes me warm again, and I grin up at them.

Wren bustles over and makes herself at home behind the counter, grabbing a sandwich and a pastry while she's at it.

"Forgot lunch again?" I ask her drily.

"I was busy. I've been so inspired lately." She's so enthusiastic that I can't even be annoyed with her presumptuousness. Besides, she's my friend. She knows I'd stuff food in her mouth if she asked me to. We both know it.

Nerissa leans against the countertop, dressed in her typical array of black and thick silver necklaces. Ears sits on his haunches outside the store, stoic until he glances back at his witch, his tongue lolling out.

Then there's Willow, our local apothecary and plant witch. She's more disheveled than usual, her red hair standing up with frizz, likely due to her standing over her cauldron all day or working in the heat of her greenhouse. Her owl familiar perches on the street light outside the shop, her feathered head swiveling around.

Ruby holds an enormous leatherbound book, her long-haired cat familiar already making himself at home in Velvet's bed behind the counter. She struggles to set the book on a recently cleaned table, and I raise an eyebrow at her very serious expression.

My nerves jangle.

"What's wrong?" I ask slowly. It's clear something is very wrong. I can't remember the last time all of us were able to show up in one place unannounced. Book club is different, and we're not always all there. Our coven meetings have been few and far between as we attempt to get the proper legal paperwork filed with the magic administrative branch to declare us the official Wild Oak Woods coven.

"Tell her," Ruby says, the directive aimed at Wren, who's still eating like she's starving.

I rub my forehead and make a mental note to send her a basket of food more often. Wren often gets so involved with her work she completely forgets to take care of herself. Caelan's helped, I'm sure of it, but if he's busy with his inn then maybe she needs me to help her?—

"The Seelie queen stopped by," Wren says airily, interrupting my train of thoughts.

"What the fuck ?" The question rockets out of me. "When? Just now?"

The last customer of the day looks up from his book, startled, and then collects himself before standing to walk out the door. His little hooves clip clop on the tile.

"Have a great day," I call after the silver-haired faun as he leaves.

"Er," Wren says, wringing her hands. "It might have been about a week ago now."

I wait until the door closes, then scramble over to it in an attempt to lock it.

Only for Kieran and Caelan to waltz right through it. I glare at them. I scowl at Wren, but she's not paying attention. I pinch the bridge of my nose.

Caelan scoops Wren up into a huge hug, kissing her thoroughly. She squeals as he twirls her around, then dips her and kisses her again.

Kieran stands awkwardly in the doorway, which I'm now holding open.

Willow very studiously ignores him, even though the lilac-hued Unseelie fae works with her now, same as Ga'Rek and me. Clearly, they don't have the same connection we do.

A permanently sour expression turns down his mouth, on what would otherwise be a very handsome face. I peer behind him, curious as to what the buzzing noise emanating from behind him is, only to gasp in surprise.

Wings. Full-on, iridescent wings.

Wow. They're gorgeous. And I had no idea they were there.

I didn't even know some of the fae had wings.

"Did the Seelie queen have wings?" I ask Wren. "Or did you forget to mention that, just like you forgot to tell me she," I cough delicately, "stopped by to see you?"

Caelan and Kieran both freeze, and Wren pales slightly.

"I wanted to tell you, but I got busy, thanks to the queen, actually, and you have been so busy too, and I just… I wasn't sure when the right time would be."

"The right time was as soon as it happened," Ruby interjects.

Ga'Rek finally walks into the main restaurant space, a cleaning rag in his hands.

"Did you know?" I ask him.

It's stupid, but the thought of him keeping something from me like the Seelie queen visiting another witch in Wild Oak Woods, especially Wren… hurts.

"I didn't know," he says quietly. "I would have told you, kal'aki ne."

The tension dissolves from my chest, and before I fully realize I'm moving, I'm at his side, nestling into his chest.

"Ahh, that is what this day has been missing," he says into the top of my head, his arms circling around me.

"Oh, let me guess," Caelan says in a sing-song voice. "You two fucked last night, and now you're in your orc mating frenzy? How predictable. I told you sleeping in her guest room would be boring."

"Caelan," Wren admonishes, sounding scandalized.

Embarrassment at his crude language makes me bury my face deeper into Ga'Rek's chest.

"Don't talk to her like that," he growls. There's more snap in his voice than I've ever heard.

The Pixie's Perch falls fully silent, thick with tension.

The rest of the coven shifts slightly away from where Ga'Rek and I stand, and I don't have to look at them to know they've moved into a defensive formation, something we haven't practiced but every witch learns as soon as they're able to wield magic.

"Apologies, Piper Paratee, kitchen witch," Caelan finally says, smoothly. "I am still getting used to these… mortal niceties."

"He means he's getting used to there being consequences for saying and doing whatever he wants." Wren sounds pissed.

I glance up, still clinging to Ga'Rek's side.

Caelan does appear contrite, but from the way Wren's glaring at him, I get the distinct impression she's not going to let it go that easily.

"I did not mean to… ah, embarrass you," Caelan tells me delicately, glancing quickly up at Ga'Rek and then away again.

I look up at him, too, curious what in my kind orc's face has Caelan looking like that —when I see it.

Ga'Rek's face is practically contorted with anger. His tusks are bared, his lip completely curled back from them. His forehead is furrowed, and his shoulders are tense.

"That's the mating urge," Kieran says, staring at Ga'Rek with clear fascination. Unlike Caelan and Ga'Rek, Kieran's rarely spoken in front of me. He has an urbane, precise diction that's nothing like the other two, but fits his polished appearance and sharp, pretty features. "I thought it was a myth."

"That's because you are a child and a fool," Caelan tells him.

Wren elbows him in the ribs. "Rude," she hisses.

Ruby covers her face, and Willow just stares at her feet, even quieter than usual.

"You are all acting like idiots," Nerissa finally pronounces drily. "There is clearly something afoot. First, Hash turning into a Seelie and binding Caelan, an Unseelie trickster, to the inn."

"He did not bind me," Caelan interrupts, annoyed.

"Yes, he did." Nerissa, despite being shorter than Caelan, manages to look down her nose at him. A neat trick, really. "Or would you prefer if I said he tricked you into running it? Hmm?"

Caelan glares at her.

"That's what I thought. Then the Seelie queen shows up and gives Wren a quest."

"It was not a quest, it was a commission?—"

"Different word, same outcome." Nerissa waves a hand, dismissing Wren's summation. "You get a magic tiara for her, she has a magic tiara. Then, you have the prince of the Unseelie seeking refuge in Wild Oak Woods after being kicked out from the Underhill by the Dark Queen."

My mouth drops. "I'm sorry, what?—"

"Prince?" Willow says, coming alive at last. Her red curls bounce along her voluptuous breasts as she swivels towards Kieran. "Prince? Unseelie prince?" She lets out a wobbly laugh. "Of course you are. That explains it all."

Willow takes a few steps back, shaking her head, and drops into chair, her head in her hands.

Ruby sighs, then throws her hands in the air. "We have a problem. Something is brewing between the two fae courts, and Wild Oak Woods seems to be the epicenter of whatever is happening."

"Epicenter sounds so dramatic," Caelan opines.

Ruby attempts to level him with a cutting look and he shrugs one shoulder, disinterested in any and all of her judgment. "The queen of the Seelie fae visited, but she's not the only one of royal blood expected here soon, right?"

"I should have said something sooner, I was just so excited to have her commission me, and then she spread the word about my shop, so I have been busy." Wren's face scrunches up as she talks, and she leans back on Caelan for support.

"It's all right, Wren," Willow interjects. "We know now, and I think we can all agree that we don't know what to make of it, or of… any of this, really. Let's focus on what we can control, and look for patterns in the mean time."

"Unless the patterns find us first," Nerissa mutters in an ominous tone.

A beat of silence passes by.

Ruby draws a deep breath. "The duchess is visiting next week, correct?"

I press a hand against my stomach, nauseous with anxiety all over again. "She is," I finally manage to confirm.

Ga'Rek's wide hand rubs gently between my shoulder blades, and I lean on him, comforted.

Oh. That's what everyone wants me to do.

Lean on them.

Lean on them, receive the support, and feel better.

It's so simple I nearly feel stupid.

"The duchess is coming next week," I repeat, my voice stronger.

Ga'Rek's hand stills on my back.

"She is coming next week." I take a step away from him, finding my own balance. "And we are going to put on the best autumn festival Wild Oak Woods has ever seen." I take a deep, shaky breath, meeting each person's eyes, one after another.

"I need help." My voice cracks on the last word. "And the fae, if they are planning something, we need to figure that out too, but—" I pause, pushing my hair out of my face. "But I need help with the festival, and we have one week to do it. Will you help me?"

Wren squeals, startling me, then wraps me in her arms. "About time you asked!"

"I knew you could do it," Nerissa says, smug.

"You're in charge of food, obviously," Ruby tells me. "Nerissa, you're in charge of assigning vendors places. I suggest we tap our Night Market vendors to come in for the weekend. I know a few bards, I've already sent word to them for entertainment. Willow, you can work on florals and decorations, right?" Ruby takes a breath, momentarily ceasing her rapid-fire allocations of jobs. "We will plan a tour of the shops in addition to the festival for the duchess and her retinue, and introduce her to all the best things our town has to offer, and we will cap her visit off with a feast and a dance with the bards. We can also plan a magical display as part of the entertainment." She nods to herself.

Nerissa cuts her gaze to me, her dark eyebrows arched and ruby lips pursed in surprise.

"A magical display will fulfill part of the coven formation guidelines too. We can introduce ourselves as a coven to the town and duchess all in one go. I'll ask her to sponsor our application, too." She rubs her hands together.

I blink, just as surprised by Ruby taking charge as Nerissa seems to be.

Willow is the first to talk. "And what of the other royalty we have in Wild Oak Woods? What's the protocol for dealing with… that?" She waves her hand at where Kieran stands, his arms crossed over his leanly muscled torso.

A strange look crosses his face, a fleeting look of desire and despair that catches me so off-guard and is gone so fast I think I must have imagined it, or misinterpreted it, at the very least.

"The protocol is we aren't going to do anything about it," Ga'Rek growls. "Kieran's status isn't relevant. There are enough other species here that Caelan and Kieran can blend in. We don't need to broadcast our location to any of the Underhill's spies that may want to report back to Her."

"Blend in…" An idea occurs to me, an idea that I can't put aside or dismiss now that it's popped into my head. "Blend in," I repeat, "or stand out. The party you want to throw as part of the festival," I nod at Ruby, "which I think is a great idea, by the way—what if we make it costumed? Then anyone who wants to come… who might be afraid of being seen, can blend in?"

Nerissa claps her hands together. "That is a great idea, and I have a costume I've been dying to wear."

"A costume party." Kieran grimaces as if that's the worst possible thing in the world.

"If you want to go," I tell him. "If not, then that's fine too. But that way you can attend without being as worried, right?"

Kieran looks to Caelan for guidance.

Caelan shrugs. "A magicked illusion is more likely to draw attention than a costume. If She's even looking for you at all."

Kieran's expression shutters, and I wonder how awful it must be for him—forced from his home, and not only that, but his own mother, the Dark Queen, the one to exile him from it.

I would be very, very, sad and upset if I were him.

"We would like for you all to come," I tell the fae, then glance back at Ga'Rek, who's quietly closed the space between us.

Something like satisfaction shimmers in Caelan's eyes, and he inclines his head at me.

"Wild Oak Woods is your home now too," I tell them, and I mean it.

"Let's get to work," Ruby says. "We plan the festival, and then we research the fae queens."

"We will leave you to it," Caelan drawls.

Wren sighs.

"Unless you want us to stay, of course, little witch." The trickster fae takes her hand in his, pressing his lips to her knuckles as the corners of her lips twitch in response. "I am, as ever, at your disposal."

Wren glances at me, asking if I need them to stay.

Ugh.

I need help, yes, but Ga'Rek probably misses his friends.

"I want you three to put your heads together and decide on a theme for the costume party," I tell them. "And," I draw the word out as inspiration strikes, "I want you all to work on finding a place and constructing a few platform stages, with lighting, for performers to use."

"We could use their input on the queens of the fae," Ruby says plaintively.

"If we can offer insight on the queens, we will. But," Caelan mimes locking his mouth shut, "we may not be able to give you information you want without attracting… Her spies."

Kieran rolls his eyes. "My mother is a cutthroat monster ruled by her desires and her lust for power. I am happy to shed any light necessary on her behavior, but I am sorry to say that I was the spare, and thus not included in any political machinations regarding this realm or the Seelie."

He inclines his head, his pale, silvery hair falling over his face. The only sign of his discomfort is the slight buzzing of his wings.

"Well, Kieran's always known exactly how to suck the fun from every situation," Caelan says with a frown. "But yes, that is the extent of it. The three of us might have been in court, but we were hardly a part of it in any meaningful way."

"She's vicious," Ga'Rek's voice rings out. "We are well rid of her and the court. And should she show up here, she will learn what it means to reap what you sow."

Caelan's devil-may-care expression hardens into something else entirely, something savage and ancient. "We will defend you, and this place, with our very lives. Threatening any of you is the last thing she would attempt."

Kieran's gaze lands on Willow, who resolutely stares at the floor.

"She is not one to underestimate," he adds, and there's a dark, foreboding quality to the pronouncement. "Farewell, witches of Wild Oak Woods."

His wings rustle as he turns and swaggers out the door.

My eyes narrow as I study the exiled fae prince, now lurking next to Nerissa's wolf familiar.

Willow sighs, folding her hands in her lap, gaze flitting to where he stands outside, framed in the red light from the setting sun, and back at her hands.

Ga'Rek strokes one hand down my cheek, distracting me completely from whatever it is that's bothering Willow. "I will be back later, yes, kal'aki ne?"

"I would like that," I tell him, and reach for his face.

His lips meet mine, and all I can think is that I can't wait for later.

Caelan and my orc follow Kieran out of The Pixie's Perch, and I exhale.

At least I have help now, from my coven, and from the unlikely three from the Underhill.

And so, with a heavy load of things to do weighing on me, I turn to my fellow witches and rub my palms together.

"Let's get started."