Page 14 of Quick on the Claw

“It’s absolutely my pleasure to meet you, Tiffany,” he replied smoothly. “Especially when a guest is as intriguing as yourself.”

Was he... flirting with her? Tiffany’s heart did a little flip in her chest. Before she could formulate a response, he glanced at the sky, where one of the suns was starting to dip below the horizon.

“I should let you get back to your room. I believe Queen Bella has arranged for some traditional Nova Auroran attire for dinner tonight.”

“Oh, right. Dinner. With royalty. No pressure or anything,” Tiffany muttered.

His expression softened. “You’ll do fine. Just be yourself – the flowers certainly seemed to approve.”

She nodded and quickly walked away, trying to stay steady on her wobbly knees. She got back to her room in a daze.

Back in her suite, Tiffany found Sia already there, practically bouncing with excitement.

“Tiff! You have got to see these dresses they left for us. It’s just a sheet. They’re incredible.” Sia held up a fabric that seemed to shimmer and change color as it moved. “The fabric is intelligent or something. It adapts to your body shape and can change styles. How cool is that?”

Tiffany ran her hand over the sheet, marveling at the way it seemed to respond to her touch. “That is pretty amazing. Although I’m not sure I’m ready for my clothes to be smarter than I am.”

A palace assistant helped them into their dresses, which molded themselves perfectly to their bodies. Tiffany’s dress settled into a deep burgundy that complemented her eyes, while Sia’s shimmered between shades of purple and blue.

“So,” Sia said as they put the finishing touches on their makeup, “spill. Did you see any hunky alien men while you were out exploring?”

Tiffany felt her cheeks heat as she remembered her encounter in the garden. “I, uh, might have met one. In the garden. He was... impressive.”

Sia’s eyes lit up. “Ooh, details! Was he tall? Muscular? Did he have any cool alien features? Extra arms? Tentacles?”

“Sia!” Tiffany laughed, throwing a pillow at her cousin. “No tentacles, thank you very much. But yes, he was tall. And muscular. And his eyes were this amazing golden color.”

“Sounds dreamy,” Sia sighed. “I hope I run into some eye candy soon. Maybe at dinner? Speaking of which, we should probably head down.”

As they made their way to the dining room, Tiffany’s stomach fluttered with a mix of excitement and nerves. She wondered if she’d see the mystery shifter from the garden again.

The dining room was a marvel of crystal and light with a long table that seemed to be carved from a single piece of iridescent stone. Gerri was already there, chatting animatedly with Bella.

“Ah, there you are.” Gerri beamed at them. “You both look lovely. Now, there’s someone I’d like you to meet.”

Tiffany turned, and her heart skipped a beat. Standing in the doorway, looking even more impressive in formal attire, was the shifter from the garden. His golden eyes met hers, and a small smile played at the corners of his mouth.

“Tiffany, Sia, allow me to introduce Zakhar Larkana, the panther king of the Larkana Forest Kingdom,” Gerri said. “Zak, this is Tiffany Whitlock and her cousin, Sia.”

SIX

Tiffany had to stop herself from staring.

Zakhar – the mystery shifter had a name now – inclined his head in greeting. “It’s a pleasure to meet you both officially. I hope you’re enjoying your stay on Nova Aurora so far.”

His gaze lingered on Tiffany as he added, “Though I do hope you don’t plan on talking to the cutlery the way you did the flowers. They might be less forgiving of any accidental insults.”

Tiffany felt her face flame as Sia turned to her with wide eyes. “Wait, what? When did you meet him? And what’s this about insulting flowers?”

“I, uh...” Tiffany stammered, not sure how to explain.

Zakhar’s deep chuckle saved her from having to answer. “Miss Whitlock and I had a brief encounter in the gardens earlier. She was having a delightful conversation with some very flattered Sweet Bells.”

“Oh my god,” Tiffany groaned, hiding her face in her hands. “I’m never going to live this down, am I?”

“Not if I have anything to say about it,” Sia grinned, looping her arm through Tiffany’s. “Now come on, Tiff. You can tell me all about your budding romance with the local plant life over dinner.”

As they took their seats at the table, Tiffany found herself directly across from Zakhar. His presence was magnetic, drawing her attention even as she tried to focus on the conversation around her. Every time their eyes met, she felt a jolt of electricity run through her.

---