Page 52 of Beneath the Cursed Veil

Think about that damn leprechaun and how he did you dirty,I reminded myself. The thought of Lou, Lucian—the liar—sent ice through my veins and cooled any heat that had been building.

“Quit moving,” Corvo mumbled, half asleep. His heavy weight pressed into my abdomen.

I groaned, trying to adjust my body and stretch. I had no idea how long I’d been asleep for, but now my bladder was full, and a fat cat was pressing on it. I had no reason to be tired. None. Physically I hadn’t done much at all, minus some furniture tossing worthy of an Olympic medal. Emotionally, I was drained. The loss of my magic filled me with an exhaustion of hollowed sadness.

“Get up, Corvo, I have to pee.”

He meowed in annoyance, a long and loud drawn-out sound, but he complied, and I ran to the bathroom. When I came out, he was curled up on the bed where I’d just been, hogging the warm spot.

“I have a question,” I began, running my finger through my hair to comb it. “Why are you sleeping on me? That’s the sixth time I’ve woken up and found you on top or curled up beside me.”

“You were cold.” He looked away, staring at the window when a small red bird landed on the sill.

“How did you know I was cold?”

He returned his golden eyes to me, giving me the most deadpanned look I’d ever seen on a cat. “You were shivering. Usually that indicates someone is cold. So I warmed you up.”

“You’re kind of an asshole ninety-nine percent of the time. Why are you being nice to me?”

“I like you. Don’t tell Vareck.” Corvo turned his paw upside down, nibbling on his nail and licking it afterward. “I’ll deny it if he asks.”

I huffed loudly. “I won’t speak to him anyway, so you have nothing to worry about.”

“You should know, I threw up in his shoes for you. You’re welcome.”

I chuckled, hoping Vareck stepped in it. Jackass. “Something tells me you like doing that for yourself, and not for my sake.”

“Can’t both be true at once?”

Laughing, I reached over and scratched Corvo behind the ear, and his eyes closed, pressing his head against my hand as he started to purr loudly. “You have the touch, Meera. Keep scratching my ear like this, and I’ll trip him out the window for you too.”

“I appreciate the gesture but maybe avoid the windows. Faerie needs a king. I wouldn’t be sad if you shit in his shoes, though.”

“I’ll have a hairball for him later. Right on his favorite chair.”

“Sounds perfect.” I winked before asking, “What time is it?” I wished I hadn’t broken the clock. I might have beenable to get it working again had I not thrown it in the fireplace. Hope it wasn’t important.

“Ooo, it’s almost afternoon tea,” he cooed, excitement in his voice.

I walked over to a crate that had been delivered the day before, and squatted down, balancing on my toes as I started sifting through the contents. It looked like an entire thrift store was in here, except everything was my size. He clearly had no idea how to go thrifting, or whoever it was he sent, so they just bought the lot, cleaned them all, and sent them to me. “You don’t drink tea,” I commented, pulling out a white turtleneck and an oversized, long black cardigan with deep pockets, holding them up to each other. What a killer find. Another pair of jeans, a black belt, and some black boots and this will look great. Leggings will have to go under the pants. It was simply too cold without them here.

“No, but I eat chicken, and they’ll definitely send you some,” he said, smacking his mouth and licking over his whiskers. He moved himself across the bed, closer to the edge as he observed me. “What in the nine realms did he send now? It looks like he robbed a rubbish bin.”

I threw a shoe at him, and he ducked, though I purposefully didn’t aim to hit. “Watch it, lord high-and-mighty. Thrifting is wonderful, and too many people don’t appreciate it, looking down on it like it’s some bad thing because it’s not brand new. But let me tell you, cat, I have a seven-dollar cast iron pan that is better than any expensive name brand nonsense on the store shelves. It’s a wonderful and cost-effective concept, and it lessens waste.”

He tilted his head, considering me for a while. “You know, you could do a lot of good for Faerie.”

I stopped sifting through the clothes, glancing at him for clarification. “Meaning?”

“When you’re queen, of course.”

I choked, causing me to bounce on my toes and then tip over with a thud. “You have some stash of catnip around here, don’t you?”

“Of course I do, but that’s beside the point.”

Before I could argue with him any further, a knock at the door interrupted us. Normally, whoever was leaving something would knock and then leave. I usually waited for a while before opening it, just in case. This time was different. A familiar voice called my name from the other side.

“It’s Kaia,” Corvo said to me as if I couldn’t tell. Then he turned in a circle and curled into a ball.

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