Page 98 of The Only Purple House in Town

“Go ahead,” Iris said, trying not to wince at how peeved he seemed.

“Thank you. Now where was I…? The nature of the complaint is that there are too many unrelated persons living here. This is a single-family dwelling—”

“Who are you to arbitrate such a thing?” Rain asked in a deceptively gentle tone.

Melvin spared a baffled glance for the person questioning him. Iris could tell that the man registered…something being off, but she guessed he’d never imagine in a thousand years that he was being asked to justify himself to a pair of ageless fae. “I just told you, I work for the city.”

“But Violet Gables is an anchor point,” Fen said.

He turned to Iris with a scowl. “What are they yapping about?”

Yet Iris couldn’t help because she had no idea either. Sally gave up pretending she wasn’t involved and came to perch next to Iris on the sofa. “This is better than daytime TV,” she whispered.

“We are fae,” Rain said simply. “I am from the Summer House. Fen represents the House of Winter. Iris isourchild, and she has established an anchor here, the first fairy mound in these lands since we withdrew in ages past. That makes this placeoursovereign ground. Here, your petty mortal rules hold no sway.” Then Rain grew in size to dominate the space, voice booming like a clap of thunder. “Do you understand, child of earth?”

Melvin blinked so much that it looked like he had dust in both his eyes, stumbling back in instinctive self-protection. He practically had his back wedged against the front door. “I, what? No. Are you joking right now?”

Fen rose and dropped some of their human shape, allowing their true form to bleed through at the edges. Magic stirred around them like a dragon waking from a long slumber. “Not even slightly. Do youwantto start a war with the Otherworld?”

“No,” Melvin said uncertainly. “But—”

Frankly, Iris was impressed that the man hadn’t already fled.

Fen went on, “Think of it this way. This place is our embassy. We’re willing to remain on good terms with you mortals as long as Iris is content here. Should that change, should you trouble her in any fashion, you will face our wrath.”

“Uh. Yeah. I…see. I think I need to pass this up the chain of command. This is way above my pay grade. Sorry to bother you, Ms. Collins.” The man raced out of the house as if he might be turned into a newt.

And who knows, maybe they can do that. MaybeIcan too.

“Holy shit,” Sally said. “I think your problem is solved, dear.”

Eli opened his door to find a familiar dark-skinned woman reclining in the chair on his small porch.

She had her hair in cute Bantu knots, a different style than her social media photos showed. “Surprise,” said Liz.

Elizabeth Fielding had been his attorney for several years, and they’d always skirted the line between colleagues and friends. So Eli couldn’t believe she washere, checking on him in person just because he hadn’t answered her last few texts. They hadn’t spoken since he blew off the AroTech deal, and they didn’t have this kind of a relationship—or at leasthehadn’t thought so. Liz apparently believed otherwise.

“How did you even find me?” he asked.

She waved a hand like that was no big deal for someone of her impressive abilities. “I talked to an old man at your former address. He said you were staying here for the time being whileyou ‘iron out’ some complications between you and your lady friend. His words, not mine.”

“You met Henry Dale. He’s a character. Come on in then.” He stepped back and waved at the small living space. “This is me.”

Liz swept past him with a small suitcase, looking none too impressed by his choices. “You’re here in a sad single boy apartment when you have that gorgeous condo? It’s not even seven hours away. Why didn’t you get in your truck and go?”

Because I love Iris.

He didn’t tell Liz because it felt wrong to say it to someone else first. And maybe Iris would never get over the betrayal of trust, which would mean he had to figure out some way to move on too. Butnotbefore he gave this everything he had.

“Because it’s time for me to put down roots,” he said.

“You? Really?” She set a bag of groceries on the coffee table. “Don’t worry, there’s nothing perishable. I know how you are, so I brought instant noodles and the like.”

“Hey, I can cook.”

“But you generally don’t bother for yourself.”

That…was true enough. When had she gotten to know him so well? They’d been working together for years, and Liz was observant. Maybe that was the answer.

---