Page 96 of How To Tame A Trickster Fae

“Where else would she stay?” Caelan wipes his hands against each other. “The inn is the nicest place in town.”

I nudge him with my shoulder, excited to work on the dragon sapphires despite my raging libido. You’d think getting knotted near nightly would dampen it a bit, but you’d be wrong.

Very wrong.

Three nights later, I have the first of the dragon sapphire gems cut, the last wax molded ring I made for it currently cooling, filled with rose gold and ready to be set.

The dragon sapphire’s a deep teal, a bicolor beauty, and it took all my skill to cut a starburst design into the back of it.

It catches the light as it moves, sparkling, and I take a deep breath, ready to start chanting the incantation that will cause the wearer’s speech to be twice as charming, or, if I’m lucky, four times as charming.

The starburst design on the back isn’t just pretty. The additional cuts increase the surface area of the stone, giving the enchantment more room to permeate.

That is, in theory. It’s the first time I’ve done such a thing, and a frisson of anxiety passes through me.

Four hours later, the stone is enchanted and my voice is completely hoarse, the sun rising through the front windows of the store.

A sound like a bell tinkling pulls me out of my magic-fueled stupor and I swivel around, expecting to see Caelan at the door.

Preferably holding a highly caffeinated beverage.

“Oh,” I say, surprised. “It’s you.”

The brownie that’s been keeping things under control at my house and store the last few weeks sits on top of a shelf, watching me with interested eyes.

“Not just my friend.” The most beautiful voice I’ve ever heard sings through the air and I bolt upright, the sapphire forgotten in my hand.

A stunning fae woman stands in the middle of my store, graceful iridescent dragonfly wings at her back. Dark skin fades to a lovely pink at her wrists and ankles, and bells around both tinkle as she moves. Her hair falls in waves around her hips, her face so otherworldly perfect, splashed with silvery freckles, that I can hardly breathe, so overwhelmed that it brings tears to my eyes.

“Introducing Her Majesty, Queen of the Seelie fae,” the brownie trills.

“You can call me Luna,” the Queen says, waving a hand, a pink eyebrow quirked. “I’m not as formal as my sister under the hill.”

I bow, then curtsy, getting caught somewhere in between as she laughs at me.

My nose scrunches up. “I’ve never met a queen before.”

“Child, I don’t stand on ceremony, no matter what our friend here thinks I should do.” She tilts her head at the brownie, who’s washing their head like a cat might.

“I’ve heard so much about you.” She smiles, and it’s like standing in the sunlight after a storm. “And I see I have not been misled.” She glances down at the stone in my hand.

“Oh.” Great. I’ve lost my ability to speak clearly. Maybe three all-nighters in a row wasn’t the best idea.

“I would like to purchase that ring from you. In fact, I would like to offer you a job as a member of my court… at Wild Oak Woods, of course. We need you here, now more than ever.”

I blink, unsure what she means by that.

“I would also like to commission a tiara. The thing about being queen is that I do get to have some fun, after all.”

“A tiara,” I repeat.

“Yes. Woven gold, dragon sapphires, protection spells.”

“I can do that,” I force out. “Protection against what?”

She gives me a cool look. “Against what’s coming.”

Right. Communication skills and the fae, apparently, are not acquainted.

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