She looks down, not prying like most people would. I appreciate the hell out of that.
A voice has the both of us twisting tosee that prick Leo walking onto the deck. Laini practically growls, and her face flushes. He has to be following her on purpose. He turns up everywhere we go.
“Ah, look at that sweet couple,” Leo says. “It’s kind of Laini to, well, you know, take pity…”
The arsehole trails off.
Laini’s jaw is working as she turns away and attempts to finish her ale.
I touch her hand, give her a smile, and then stand and face Leo. “Can you please fuck off, Leo? Or, at the very least, shut your ignorant mouth?”
With a delighted gasp, Laini joins me in standing. “Yes! That!”
And all but the group directly surrounding Leo erupt in applause. Leo’s lip curls, showing his shifter canines. I lift my own lip and show off my sharper, longer gargoyle fangs, and I let a low growl slip. The crowd quiets, watching me, fear like a new flavor in the air.
“Much better,” I say, dipping my head approvingly at Leo’s silence.
Leo swears, whirls, and bursts back through the tavern door to leave. His posse of idiots trails him, whispering and hissing like angry geese. Everyone left on the deck applauds and raises their drinks to me.
Laughing, Laini leans into me. “That was amazing. If there’s a next time, I want a turn.”
“Your wish is my command, my lovely lady.” I lift her hand and kiss her knuckles.
Hope shines through me in a way I have never felt in my entire life.
Chapter 11
Laini
The Harvest Party is tonight! After slipping on my most lacy undergarments—small silken shorts and a bralette—as well as my new dress and cloak, I slick some raspberry-infused gloss over my lips and look at myself in the mirror. I’m still me. Not amazingly pretty like Kaya, but I don’t look half bad. The embroidered wheat bundles and stars on my dress sparkle in the candlelight and the dark blue color of the dress’s and cloak’s fabric contrasts nicely with my light hair. I blow out the candles and head downstairs on shaky legs. It’s wild how excited I am, and my attitude has everything to do with a certain incredibly gorgeous and wonderful gargoyle.
I’m glad I hired one of Grumlin’s servers todeliver my tapestry to the party for the contest. It would have been difficult to haul the piece through the streets on a busy evening like this. The same fellow is bringing Rom and my food to the get-together, so we have checked all of the tradition boxes, so to speak. Everything is set and ready to go.
The sound of happy conversation sneaks through the crack under my front door as I pet Spark and feed him a bowl of cherries I had magically stored from springtime. He gobbles them down and licks my cheek before hopping to the floor. He stands at the door and eyes me expectantly, his fox tail wagging and his wings shuffling as if ready to fly.
“Do you want to come to the party too?”
The dragonfox scratches at the door with one taloned paw.
“I guess that meansyes.”
There’s a knock. Spark jumps up and flies into my arms.
“It’s okay. It’s just Rom.”
I open the door to see him standing in the golden glow of the harvest moon. His cloak is on, and his hood is up, but I catch the flash of eyes and teeth, and after all the time we’ve spent together, I know he is smiling. I hope he likes the gargoyle Iadded to my tapestry. I want him to feel like he belongs in Leafshire Cove because he does.
“Hello! You look great,” I say.
Rom doesn’t say a word. He just stands there, tall and looming, in complete silence, with the town bustling around on the streets behind him.
“Rom, are you all right?”
Spark leaps into his arms, and he catches him neatly and lets out a huff.
“I, yes. I… You are a vision, Laini,” Rom finally says, his gruff voice making warmth pool between my thighs. “You’ll have to lead me to Rustion’s because I’ll be staring at you too much to maneuver through the night.”
I giggle and lock my door, joining him and Spark outside. The dragonfox suddenly lifts off and shoots toward the Lord Mayor’s manor.
