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It’s a useless question. Callie is already nose deep in the beast’s neck fur.

I slip the man a few bills anyway, and he seems happy enough to let the beautiful teenage girl accost his animal.

“Des, I think llamas might be my new favorite animal,” she says.

“I thought tarsiers were.” She declared it after the two of us saw the creature on a nature documentary.

Because it has such big eyes,she explained, like that made any sort of sense.

“Nope, definitely llamas.” She continues petting the creature, completely oblivious that I only have eyes for her.

Her hair slides haphazardly over her shoulder, and godsdamn, this girl is gorgeous. She has no idea.

Here I am, the Kingdom of Night’s most notorious bachelor, trying for the first time in my life to put a little effort into a woman—all without her being aware of my true feelings.

Oh, and that woman happens to be a teenager.

I’m officially a one-man shitshow.

I back away from Callie while she’s distracted, grabbing a carved gourd and buying it for her.

For the thousandth time I vow to myself that this is it. No more contact with Callie until she’s an adult.

I already know it’s a vow I won’t keep. The moment this little siren calls out to me or the moment I start to miss her a little too much, I’ll be back to get my next fix.

It’s times like these that I’m not sure I know what a promise is either.

Chapter 19

The Final Wish

May, 7 years ago

Tonight,magic isthick in the air around Peel Academy. It coats my mouth, and if it had a flavor, I would call it young excitement.

Ah, nothing like being on the cusp of youth. Mine was shit, but I have a healthy respect for the age.

Down Callie’s hall, girls are squealing, and you could kill a man with the amount of perfume that saturates the air.

“Holy fuck,” I say, materializing in Callie’s room. “It’s a warzone out in your hallway.”

I stride over to her window, peering outside. Across the campus students I see moves about tuxes and evening gowns, all of them heading towards Peel Castle.

“What’s going on tonight?” I ask.

Everyone glitters just a bit brighter under the stars tonight. It’s my favorite kind of magic, the kind that is purely organic. No spells needed. If I were back in my own kingdom, it would saturate the night, increasing my own power. As it is, I feel it stir inside me. Human magic and fae magic are not terribly compatible, but there’s enough of it in the air that it affects my own power.

“May Day Ball,” Callie says.

There’s something in her voice that has me turning to her. She sits at her computer chair in boxers and a frayed T-shirt, half her hair in a topknot.

“Why aren’t you getting ready?” I ask.

“I’m not going.” She pulls her legs up to her chest.

“You’re not going?”

She’s trying hard to keep her face neutral. “No one’s asked me.”