“I do not speak of the imbecilic sharks you seem to love so much from the human world, fairy boy. I speak only of the sharks that hide behind the facade of civilized beings.”
“Are you warning me against yourself then?”I snapped.
“Finally you are getting it, daft fairy boy.”
Before I could answer, a sudden jolt pulled me down in front of the beautiful fae my entire focus had been on. My webbed fins landed harshly onto a bejeweled pathway, sending my arms careening while I cursed profusely, striving to find my balance.
Remnant's lips twitched with humor. “The pathways are enchanted.” She explained when I attempted to lift my mutated feet. “It’s to anchor you, so you don't have to swim all the time.”
Snarling, I looked towards her and whatever I was about to say stopped in a gurgle at the back of my throat. Her emerald eyes were so vividly bright here…the same brightness I saw in the Wildwoods, when she flew on shadow wings, that I was at a loss for words.
She was alive here.
Kira shouldered past me and with no ability to move my feet, my arms flailed again to regain my balance.
“You still swim so beautifully, Solaire.” Kira cooed, hugging my soulmate tightly to her.
“More than beautiful.” I added, exhaling with relief when my balance became stable. “You swim like a goddess. Bewitching everyone.”
They parted to stare at me and Remnant crossed her arms in front of her. “So you followed then.”
I bowed and smirked. “I am your loyal pet after all, mistress.” Then I rose, my voice dropping low. “I will follow you into Sheol itself if I must. Although, for a shifter…Sheol would be better than this place.”
Kira's musical laughter broke the crackling tension between us. “Is your cat squirming inside,little pet shifter?” I glared back at her and she swirled the water around her hand. “Males are so dramatic.” Kira smiled at Remnant. “Please allow my people to take you to freshen up, Solaire darling. I’ll have some fun with your shifter while you get ready.”
Remnant’s scaled brow furrowed. “Ready? Ready for what?”
Kira’s eyes widened. “Have you forgotten what today is? You are a creature of the dark after all.”
Recollection flashed in her emerald eyes. “Of course! The Three Moon Solstice is this day.”
I frowned. “Three Moon Solstice?”
“Savages.”My beast piped in.
Remnant sighed and her scaled black hands fell to her sides. “It is a festival where the water fae celebrate the three moons of Faerie that control the tides. It is also the brightest night of the year, when the moons’ glow reaches The Under’s spiral towers and regenerates the light you see coming off them now.” She turned to her friend. “Must I attend?”
Kira swatted her with a black webbed hand. “Of course you must!” She smiled seductively at Remnant. “Besides, I know how much you enjoyed the last one you attended.”
Remnant laughed dryly. “I had just come of age. I was…curious.”
Kira giggled and wrapped her arms around her. “I cannot wait to see how curious you get tonight.”
A possessive growl emitted from me, one I could not control. Kira's constant touching of my soulmate sent me over the edge. “Festival or not, I’m not going anywhere without you.” I ignored the simmering water fae still clinging to her. “Where you go, I go.”
Remnant glared at me but untangled herself from Kira’s arms slowly as I huffed.
“Males are not allowed in the House of Fem unless they have their own pod and Solaire has no pod.” Kira tilted her head towards the ostentatious swirling tower of gold before us. “You’re practically smothering her, little pet. Allow me to show you the city, while she freshens up. Then you may join her for the festivities later.”
My eyes darted back and forth between them before landing on my soulmate, a low rumble escaping from me. “This is what you truly wish?”
Her chin tilted upwards, with the sharp sourness of her hatred back again. “It is.”
I ran my webbed hand through my free floating hair. “Then let’s get this shit over with.” I gave her a withering look. “I hope you know what you are doing.”
Snarling, she turned her back on me. A true insult to a predatory shifter like me.
My barking laughter soon followed. “Challenge accepted, little umbra.”
