Page 88 of Crossing Quinn

Chapter Nineteen

Detja was a miracle worker. By the morning, I had been transformed from a dung-covered tunnel rat into a lady. I smelled like flowers, my skin glowed, and my hair had been fashioned into an elaborate updo. The best part? Breakfast was pepperoni pizza, beer, and chocolate. And even better, Mami hadn’t fainted once. She drank her English tea and happily told me about her meeting with Elof.

Detja ate her weight in pizza and seemed to enjoy Mami’s stories.

Zarek stormed in with a wailing Clio in his arms. “She ate all but one of the Tar flowers, and she set the tapestries on fire. Those tapestries have been in my family for ten generations.”

Drekk! I had heard about the infamous hanging tapestries. Some depicted bloody battle scenes, while other had graphic pictures of women being fucked by warriors.

Mami quickly took Clio from the Overlord. “My apologies, my lord. Adan was supposed to watch her while we prepared for the ceremony.”

“Was he?” Poof. The Overlord vanished.

I shoved another chocolate in my mouth. “You don’t think he’ll kill Adan, do you?”

“Zarek will try, but Adan is very good at eluding him, and the bonding ceremony begins in an hour.”

“Me sorry. Me sorry.” Clio sobbed.

Mami patted her back soothingly. “How would you like to be the flower princess at Xenia’s bonding ceremony?”

“Me like.” Clio transformed into her princess form complete with sparkly dress and a tiara.

Mami waltzed Clio around the room singing, “You are so pretty. Such a pretty sparkly dress. Such a pretty toothy smile. Such pretty little tentacles.”

Detja and I exchanged horrified looks.

I grabbed my mother. “Mami, stop!”

“Why?” My mother was genuinely puzzled.

“The ceremony.” Detja snatched Clio. “While you help Xenia get dressed, Clio and I will retrieve the remaining flower.”

“Great idea, but, Clio, you have to stay in your princess form until the ceremony is completed,” I said.

“Then me be dragon?”

“No dragons,” Detja said firmly. “You can only be a princess.”

Clio’s lower lip quivered. “’Kay.”

“You have twenty minutes to get dressed,” Detja warned and teleported away.

Mom took my hand in hers. “You’re sure you want to spend the rest of your life with that Coletti?”

“I love him, Mami.”

“You would give up relic hunting for him?”

“Quinn was going to be a relic hunter before the Tai-Kok invaded his planet. He’s eager to pursue his dream again.”

Mami threw up her hands in disgust. “Fine. Make the mistake of your life. Your father will kill him if he mistreats you.”

“Quinn loves me, and you know that.” I walked into the bedroom and quickly dressed. My bonding ceremonial tunic and leggings were black with a bronze design intertwined throughout the silky material. Completing my awesome outfit were ankle boots with tiny jeweled daggers. I looked in the full-length mirror and smiled. I was almost beautiful.

“You are beautiful,” Quinn said.

I spun around. Quinn was wearing a black dress tunic that showcased his massive shoulders and thighs. He had bronze chains woven into his warrior braids. “You clean up nice.”

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