Page 8 of Shadow Witch

“That’s the way it happens! How exciting. May I see your ring?”

Paige held her hand out.

“Oh, wow. That’s huge. It’s beautiful. Is it a ruby?”

“Yes,” Paige said. “His grandmother’s.”

“Lucky girl. Well, I’ll let you take a look and get started. If you need any help, let me know.”

Paige nodded as she slipped into the room. With a heavy sigh, she collapsed into the chair and set Dewey’s carrier on the floor.

“Let me out of here.”

“I can’t. If she comes back in here and sees a dragon flying around, we’re sunk.”

“Stupid Drucinda and her stupid sense of fashion,” Dewey said as he pressed his face against the mesh.

“Yeah, totally. Would Hunger Games clothes be so bad? This is a party with vampires.”

“And probably a lot of other creatures, too. Just hurry up and pick some of those dresses so we can get out of here. I want to get to the castle.”

“Why?” Paige asked as she perused the selection.

“Why? Why?” Dewey clicked his tongue. “Paige, the food alone is worth it. Let alone the hobnobbing with the who’s who of the supernatural community.”

Paige tugged an ivory dress from the hangar and held it up in front of her. “I just want this soul compass thingy.”

“Just want the…Paige, let me try to talk some sense into you now that we’re alone and you’re not blubbering. You have got a vampire prince’s engagement ring on your finger. Now is the time to take full advantage of the situation.”

“I am…we’re going to get that soul compass and save my mom.”

“No, that’s not what I mean. I mean, yes, we should get it and save your mom. But also, if you can manage to marry Devon at the same time, well, that’s win-win.”

Paige draped a dress over his carrier before she tugged off her clothes and slipped into the dress. “It’s not win-win. Don’t start with the marry Devon bit again.”

“Why not?” his muffled voice called.

“Because it’s ridiculous.”

“Paige, it’s way more ridiculous than not marrying him. Trust me. Listen, you’d have the entirety of the Durand name and fortune behind you to find your mom, first of all.”

“And after I find her? What then? Do I get a divorce?” Paige twisted to eye the dress in the mirror before she opted for another.

A loud laugh came from under the dress.

“Shh, someone’s going to hear us.”

“Someone’s going to hear you talking to yourself already. Anyway, no, you wouldn’t get a divorce. Get a divorce. Ha! From a daywalker? Are you insane?”

“No, I’m not. But if I marry Devon, after I’ve found my mom, I’m stuck with him.”

“And that’s a bad thing? Think about this. You’re set for life. You’d be a princess, eventually, a queen. Do you know the kind of life you could lead? Flitting from one party to the next…eating anything you want because eventually he’ll turn you, you know that, right?”

“Into a vampire?” she cried, her voice shrill as she froze mid-zip on another dress.

“No, Paige, he’s going to turn you into a Harpy. Yes, a vampire. But that means you live practically forever and you can eat whatever you want without losing your figure. Calories don’t count for vampires or valkyries.”

“I don’t need that.”

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