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“So, how’s life at the Vanguard?” I asked Nero, handing him a sandwich.

That’s what was keeping him busy at the moment: training the Legion’s most elite soldiers. We’d defeated all our foes—that we knew about—but new ones always seemed to pop up to take their place. An optimist would call that ‘progress’. It was very easy to be an optimist when the sun was shining, the cats and kids were playing, and I got to cuddle up with my sweetheart.

“Training is going well.” Nero nudged the cookie box toward me, an acknowledgement of my philosophy that desserts made the best appetizers. “Your friend Captain Morrows is happily taking a beating.”

“Yeah, that sounds like Alec.”

Alec was new to the Vanguard, but he wasn’t new to Nero’s demanding training sessions. He’d once served under him in the Legion’s New York office, just as I had.

“How are things going with the councils?” Nero asked me.

“The usual,” I sighed. “You know gods and demons. They love to fight over everything. The latest squabble is over the refreshments menu during council meetings.”

“If that’s all they have to fight about, things must be going well,” said Nero.

“They spent eight hours debating between chocolate cake and strawberry cake. Eight hours, Nero.” I opened the cookie box. “Do you know how much cake I could have eaten in eight hours? A lot. And I would have enjoyed eating that cake a hell of a lot more than just talking about it.” I took a deep breath. “But we’re not here to complain about work. We’re here to totally forget about work.”

Nero and I didn’t get to enjoy that many picnics nowadays. This was a rare quiet moment together in a sea of chaos, and I was determined to enjoy it. So I shoved all those problems aside and focused on this perfect moment.

We sat there for hours, eating and laughing and basking in the warm sun. We breathed in the sweet air. We watched our daughter and the destruction of cats chase butterflies and flower petals. Sierra had enchanted the flock of petals to amuse her feline friends.

“Her magic is growing stronger. More subtle,” Nero commented with an air of approval.

“Yeah,” I agreed. “It’s nice that she’s finally moved beyond only being interested in setting the curtains on fire.”

“She does have a taste for danger,” said Nero.

“Speaking of danger…” I looked out across the field, past the butterflies and petals and kittens.

A familiar face stared back at me. And that face looked very, very worried.

“Leda Pandora,” she said, rushing up to us. “And Nero Windstriker.”

“Aspen?” I rose to my feet, and so did Nero. “What are you doing here? What’s wrong?”

“Everything,” said the troubled princess, her chest heaving, sucking in breaths. She looked like she’d run all the way here from her world, wherever that world might be. “I’m in trouble, and I need your help.”

CHAPTER 2

LEDA PANDORA AND THE SEVEN KITTENS

Aspen blinked at me, her eyes hopeful. “So, what do you say, Leda Pandora? Will you help me?”

Angel let out an enthusiastic meow.

“Your opinion is duly noted,” I told my cat. Then I shifted my attention back to Aspen. “What exactly do you need me to help you with?”

“I need you to help me become Queen,” she declared, then folded her hands in front of her.

She was so prim and proper in her princess dress, complete with a tightly-laced corset, airy sleeves, and a full skirt adorned with gemstones and embroideries over layers of petticoats. One of Angel’s kittens—Tiger Lily, whose elegant black stripes over a sleek white coat made her look like a cute, lovable white tiger plushie—batted playfully at Aspen’s skirt.

“Help you become Queen?” I laughed. “Oh, is that all?”

A crinkle formed between Aspen’s eyes. “I’m serious.”

“Oh, I’m sure you are,” I said. “It’s just, well, I’m not really much of a Queenmaker.”

“Leda Pandora can do anything she sets her mind to,” Aspen declared with a congenial smile.