10

The auction made gobs of money… Like gobs of money. It was a bit ridiculous, but people were talking about how if it wasn't profitable that we wouldn't continue to do it or open a butcher, and they wanted it.

Really, really wanted it from the money they put up.

They also wanted live animals, but we were firm in that wasn't going to happen. I didn't remotely trust people enough for that, and I wasn't nearly as stupid as people thought. Many who suggested it so they could have a family hunt on their estates were thinking about getting two of an animal and breeding them so they could have their own black market business.

"Do you want me to tell everyone here your thoughts?" I asked each time with a smirk.

No, no, they did not and quickly moved on.

"We know," Stefanie promised me, a handful of Guardians always wearing telepathy runes at events.

But it was a huge success and made a lot of money. And now that more and more fairies were awake, the progress we were making in Faerie was ridiculous too.

Well, now that we'd handled 90% of the corruption and problems. Even the companies who were used to raking the nobles over the coals or pulling shit for more money figured out fast that things were different and to behave.

Like I threatened to expel a few of them from Faerie permanently and seize all of their assets when they tried to inflate construction costs and make up bullshit for delays raising the bill. People really needed to stop insulting my intelligence. I reminded them that they didn't have the ancients to help them oppress me as the previous heirs and queens so to not be stupid.

For now, it was working. I didn't think it would forever—I never had that much faith in anything or anyone—but we were flying through plans and construction.

And the first auction was a huge help. Even if the remaining five came in at half of that one, it would be a massive influx of income we needed for the budgets.

We just didn't have enough of Faerie back online and running well to get the taxes we needed. Slowly and surely as we reopened areas, but… Life was expensive.

Which was why after the auction we had a massive meeting in the ballroom of my castle. It was all the commanders, nobles we were working with, hobgoblins managing areas, aides, and any trusted advisors.

Basically, anyone and everyone we might trust their advice and input, including my mates, Juan who was running my companies— everyone .

And the goal was simple.

"Hopefully, we're going to run through these budgets too fast again like we did last year," I started with a bang. "But the amount we're planning on spending on Faerie is already ridiculously expensive. We don't have the taxes coming in yet to make it work, and we can't rely on that for a few years. Neldor and I are willing to loan the government money to—"

"But that should be a last resort and emergency situation only," Lageos said firmly. "A problem with accounting or short- term fix. Enough people still have the mentality that you're alive to give every piece of you to Faerie and they would include your family fortune. They would try to keep you from ever being repaid. So no, that is not an acceptable option."

Wow. I wasn't the only one who looked at him with surprise he not only said it so firmly, but forcefully.

"Right, so let's go over what worked and ideas to get more going," I told everyone. I glanced over at Juan. "You're starting with the numbers and where we're sort of at so people get what they're coming into before suggesting ideas that we've already done, right?"

That was about the politest way to warn people not to treat us like stupid kids and to think before they spoke. I thought so at least.

He nodded and stood, giving us the presentation of sales numbers for the bakery, clothing company, and sorbet companies. Then he went into other projects—like my comfort blankets—and more. To say the nobles were stunned at how much we'd brought in and pumped into Faerie instead of selfishly kept for myself was an understatement.

"Okay, so let's start with the calendars," I muttered, reviewing what was on my sheet. "Clearly those were a winner and profitable."

"Exceedingly," Mallory agreed, moving up with Juan. She was working with him and one of the commanders on the project. "The four calendars we did are the four best sellers on Amazon for those type. Unfortunately, there's not much of a profit margin between the cost to print and the expected pricing. However, we wish to expand it."

"How?" Neldor asked.

"Greeting cards for one," Juan said. "You could take pictures all around Faerie and people would think they are digital art. You could sell prints like you gave to Dr. Craftsman. People want that. You promote the right way on your social media and it could take off. We think that we have Mallory introduced as the artist to the human world."

"That's smart," I muttered, glancing at Lucca since I knew he'd been involved in a lot of this stuff and had worked with Mallory. Others had reservations about her because she was related to Ancient Simimar and Rennyn who were corrupt and both had to be killed, but she was as much of their victim as I was.

"She's who I would trust with this. If she had the right support and manager, she could be the talent to appear at shows and everything," he muttered. "A few even and hire them from the havens. I agree that the way to launch it is as someone you found and we give her a background of art school—the whole thing. It could be big. Merch—all of it."

"If you're willing to be in the spotlight like that," I hedged, studying Mallory. "You see the crazy and more I deal with."

She dipped her head to me. "You would always make sure I was protected. None of us would doubt that, Your Highness. I can do this to help Faerie and it's smart."

"Well done," I praised, agreeing for them to get started when Neldor agreed as well.

"Several of the colleges want to enter contracts for the sorbet, and that is the way we can ramp up sales now that there is another larger factory," Juan said. He showed us the proposed numbers if we agreed to the contracts and I wasn't the only one who whistled. It was a massive jump in production.

"Can we handle it?"

"Yes, since there are a lot of fairies needing jobs," he promised. "You are both focusing on better plans of day care and childcare in the future instead of… How things were."

Which was people lived in poverty so bad that they couldn't think of having anyone look after their kids or do anything but side work while staying at home. We were going to fix that system, burn down the old ways, and rebuild to something better.

I refused to be the queen of a world with magic that wasn't ever magical.

"What we need is more space and freezers," Juan told me. "The schools don't have the freezer space to hold everything as much as would be best for our side. And they'll need flexibility on what they order. It will be completely reliant on the whims of the students, so it will be so many cases to start and then replacement cases according to their contract quantities."

"That's understandable," Neldor muttered. "Knowing you, you've already found someplace with massive freezers we can purchase and simply add the machines and lines to package."

Juan's eyes flashed shock. "I did. It's massive and beyond what we need for this deal so we can ramp up otherwise for supe restaurants. The sorbet isn't a fad, and desire for it won't ever really falter. It's the benefits of fae fruit and a treat that is of more benefit than the sugar and really isn't bad for you. People are saying they feel better than ever adding it to their diet."

Well, that was one of my better ideas for sure.

"Your Highness, I think more of this needs to be shared with the people of Faerie," one of the nobles suggested. "I think your people need to know how much you are pouring into our world."

I sighed as I shared a look with the commanders and Neldor. "They agree with you and have pushed for it repeatedly. I just…"

"Tamsin validly worries that it will be the next attack against her," Neldor explained. "That she's too focused on making money outside of Faerie or growing businesses instead of running the government. That this shows she isn't loyal to Faerie or—"

"All of the money is going into Faerie though," Lageos argued. "I agreed originally that people would twist it around, but now they have to see the progress. They have seen the buildings go up and the solar panels, Daughter. I think it's time to give them the truth and trust them to help you more."

"I agree, Your Highness," that noble pushed. "I know they are giving time to harvest groves and it has become an after-dinner exercise and meditation time for some—a nice new tradition to appreciate our lives and giving back after what we've been through. Many have embraced it as the cost of peace even. I think this will be the push to show them it's paying off."

"I agree and think Juan should put together the presentation to show that he is handling it for you as part of your governmental funds," Sasha said as everyone seemed to consider it. "We have quarterly meetings like this as a family for the investments and people who handle our business interests. We're about to have one for Cherrywood.

"Treat Faerie as your family on this and show them that their faith in you was well placed. You sailed through the vote of confidence you promised them to have. No leader gets a ninety percent approval, but you did. Show them that you take that loyalty and faith seriously and what else you have for them to support you to make their futures better."

I met her assured gaze and sighed. "It just sounds like I'm bragging and making it all about me."

"You should , Tamsin," she chuckled. "You did do all of this. From the first offer to help the co-op start and giving them the money from our contest. You did do all of this. Others have helped. Juan has done a fantastic job picking up the reins and growing this, but you should take the victory lap on this. Your people should cheer for you on this."

That was the general consensus, so I relented.

"I have a suggestion that I would like to propose, Your Highness, Your Grace," a soft-spoken female noble who had never said much in my presence blurted when there was a lull.

"Go ahead," I said when the commanders seemed ready to remind her that the presentation wasn't done. She had yet to speak ever at any meeting and seemed ready to cry.

I was going to give the woman a chance if she was brave enough to speak up.

Her eyes were full of relief and she gave me a firm nod. "After the success of the auction, I think—expanding could work." She got flustered but then let out a slow breath. "At the sanctuary lands you bought—you have discussed putting portals to Faerie there. I heard Professor Sontar speaking with your royal healer that they want you to do so while your father is still alive."

That was news to me and I couldn't hide my shock, glad when she gave me an apologetic look. I nodded for her to go ahead.

"I think a weekly farmer's market at one of those locations, Your Highness," she said a bit too loudly. "People could donate time to harvest the extra you overgrow and more from the groves, and all of the sales go towards each city for their needs specifically. Rotate weeks or two for a week—some sort of schedule."

"That is an excellent idea, but the problem is…" I glanced at Katrina.

"I'm fine with it, Your Highness," she accepted, nodding when I couldn't hide my shock. We sold gobs of produce through her store. "You sell cases of marbles or fruit through me to wealthy people who pay for that convenience and for it to be delivered to their kitchens. This is for every family to come out to and buy a few marbles and spend time with fairies. I love it."

I thanked her and turned back to the noble who had proposed it. "Good, then I expect you to lead this project and flesh it out." I nodded when she went pale. "I appreciate the suggestion, and everyone needs to start getting more involved. I cannot keep doing everything."

"I agree, Your Highness, but I have no idea how to handle such a matter, and with the importance of it—"

"I didn't know either," I told her gently. "I didn't say you had to do it all . You will have ample help, and you can ask anyone for information or suggestions. Start simple with which would be the best location and go from there."

"Yes, Your Highness," she whispered, looking a bit shell-shocked.

Such was life. She was probably at least triple my age.

It was time for more fairies to start living their lives.

We listened to the rest of Juan's presentation and people were impressed which always made me feel better about the state of things.

"If I may, Your Highness?" Fergus Courtenay interjected when it was done. He smiled at me when I nodded. "My mate and I foresaw the need for your expansion and asked the noble families under us for ideas that we might partner up with fairies on. I know there are plans to expand your other businesses with dragons, but I hope you will also consider these proposals.

"I reviewed them personally before we are submitting them. I see no issues with security or anything that could be problematic in a way that could expose our world. There was one proposal of starting a jewelry line with something from Faerie that was common as it would be a miracle here."

I felt a thrill of worry race through me, and people immediately voiced their objections.

King Fergus nodded and held up his hands. "I agree, I agree. Calm yourselves. The intentions were truly of a good heart but didn't consider how the humans have advanced to tell when rocks come from anywhere other than Earth. They thought it was enough to be explained as something in a lab, but the risk isn't worth it."

"No, especially when they could test for minerals and elements that we couldn't reproduce separately," Neldor confirmed. "But we thank them for their input and taking the time to offer suggestions. Truly. Two hundred years ago that would have been a wonderful suggestion."

King Fergus nodded. "And the dragon is older than that and not a geologist. Thank you for understanding." He waited until everyone settled. "However, reviewing the proposal, there might be a way to save the idea. My mate suggested there might be a way to take something from this planet that can be found in mass quantity and change it with magic.

"The suggestion was pearls. There are a variety and range. Or there are now bioluminescent jewelry products. If there is some type of magic that could be applied to change the color not normally found or texture even to the oddly shaped ones, they could become all the new rage. I thought that something to consider and put it at the top of the proposals."

"Thank you. Truly. I will review them with Neldor the first chance we can and discuss them with the correct parties whether we think them something we can put into practice or not," I told him. I went to say more but pain shot through my body. I blinked out at the meeting, my mind going completely blank.

It happened again, and it almost felt like when Faerie had fried my nerves to keep me from moving and releasing my reservoir so long ago. I felt that level of pain, but it was quick and a flash.

"Your Highness?" someone worried, but then I realized it was several people.

"Calarel," I gasped as it happened again.

And then everything went black.