Page 59 of Purrfectly Peculiar Pixie

“Peaches, I believe it is time to revive Aurelia,” Ray interrupted.

Peaches’s wings fluttered. “Do you really think that’s necessary? I promised her she could rest and that I wouldn’t contact her unless absolutely necessary.”

“Wait.” I held up my hands, palms out. “Hold up. Aurelia, the djinn? You want to wake her up?” I gazed around the group and gawked, “She’s here? You have Aurelia on the land?”

“You have a djinn?” Erasmus gawked, his voice a couple octaves above its typical cadence. “Are you serious right now?”

“Erasmus.” Ray used the necromancer’s name this time. “You have our thanks. We may wish to revive the troll at a later time, but not immediately. You may go if you wish.” I was halfway surprised Ray didn’t order Erasmus to leave. I think Erasmus was just as surprised.

“Are you kidding me? I’m not going anywhere. Until about five minutes ago, I didn’t know djinn truly existed and now you’re telling me you’ve got one and are about to bring them out. Yeah, not about to miss that.”

Vander grunted. “Listen, kid, djinn aren’t something you want to get involved with. Aurelia’s…”

“Not that bad,” Parsnip finished. “We think,” he added with less certainty.

“Regardless, Peaches will have control of her object of attachment,” Ray attempted to reassure.

“That is little comfort when all of Aurelia’s previous masters are deceased,” Lucroy coldly replied.

“It’s okay,” Peaches attempted to soothe. “It’s not like I’m going to ask her to do anything beyond maybe give us some information. I probably won’t even need to make a wish.”

Wendall left Ray’s side, Trinket on his shoulder as he made his way toward Peaches. “You know, I’d like to see her. I never got the chance to thank her for saving my life.”

“A djinn saved your life?” Awe was clear in Erasmus’s voice. “You’ve got to be shitting me.”

“Not in the least,” Wendall happily answered.

“Gaia, this is insane.” Erasmus plopped down on the ground, legs crossed. “Pops is never going to believe this.”

“No, he will not. He will also never hear of it,” Ray said, tone stern.

Erasmus’s head snapped up, his gaze harsh. “Are you telling me I have to keep quiet?”

“If you value your life, then yes,” Ray answered easily.

Erasmus’s jaw snapped closed, and his eyes narrowed.

“Ray, you really need to work on your delivery,” Wendall tsked before crouching in front of Erasmus. “He really doesn’t mean to be so direct and scary.” Wendall’s fingers wiggled when he said the word,scary. “He’s actually a big softie,” Wendall whispered even though all of us could hear him, including Ray.

Erasmus eyed Wendall as if he were crazy. “Hellfire Rayburn is not asoftie.”

“Indeed, I am not,” Ray agreed.

Wendall waved him off. “Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration. I was just trying to point out that we need you to keep quiet about this for everyone’s safety. We’ve already got one crazy out there possibly searching for a djinn. We don’t need it getting out that they truly exist and have others going off the deep end trying to find them. And for Peaches’s and Lucroy’s safety, it’s best no one know they’ve got a djinn stashed somewhere nearby.”

Erasmus raised an eyebrow. “You’re telling me I shouldn’t worry about a vamp having ready access to an all-powerful djinn?”

Lucroy looked as annoyed as a vamp can. “I assure you, necromancer, I have no use for such. I have found my beloved. Peaches is all I require. My second life is well and truly fulfilled. There is nothing a djinn can offer that I do not already have.”

“And I’ve got Lucroy and my bonded orchard.” Peaches flew up and kissed Lucroy’s temple. “I’ve got all I need too,” Peaches defended even though Erasmus hadn’t seemed bothered by the knowledge that a pixie had access to a djinn.

Blowing out a breath, Erasmus hung his head. “Gaia, this is surreal.”

“Tell me about it,” Vander agreed. “But it is what it is.”

“You didn’t tell the Magical Usage Counsel that Aurelia’s object of attachment remains on Peaches’s bonded land.” I wasn’t sure if I should be irritated by that or not. In the end, I thought I understood and said just as much. “Unless something changes, you’ve got my word I won’t mention it.” It was as much of a promise as I could make.

“Very well,” Ray answered. “Peaches, if you will please retrieve Aurelia.”

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