Page 32

The pastor ignored me and continued, “—in the sight of all magical beings, for the betterment of our kind.”

The words stung, not because I cared about the ceremony, but because for the first time, I realized just how much I missed my own weird, dysfunctional, loving family. I pictured Etienne’s face—angry, desperate, beautiful—and my resolve solidified into something diamond-hard.

Linden squeezed my hand, hard, as if he could force the future into being through sheer willpower. I returned the favor, digging my nails into his palm until I felt the skin break.

He yelped, but Oonagh gestured for the pastor to plow on. “Do you, Linden Lowell, take Mally to be your?—”

A crash sounded from the flowerpot. A long, blue flame exploded out, rocketing straight up to the chandelier and ricocheting around the room like a drunken firework. In the confusion, Silver let go of my arm, casting his hands toward the flowerpot.

I seized my chance.

Fueled by the last dregs of adrenaline and whatever hope my fey father had left me, I lunged for the cake knife. The world tilted, time slowed, and for a split second, I thought I might just make it.

But Silver tackled me, sending both of us tumbling into the wedding cake. The tiers collapsed in a slow-motion avalanche of fondant and sugar, burying me up to my neck in edible rubble.

For a moment, the only sound was the jazz band, valiantly playing on.

Then the ballroom windows shattered. A torrent of glass and fur and the earthy smell of bayou water flooded the room, carrying with it the unmistakable howl of my husband.

Etienne.

They’d come.

I laughed, spluttering out frosting. “Told you,” I said to nobody and everybody at once. “My family always finds me.”

The cake tasted like victory.

The chaosthat ensued was a total blur. The room was filled with huge and angry Rougarous—Etienne, his brothers and some of the guards, huge and in full wolf form. Joined by the darting and irritating swirl of Fue Follet in their balls of lights, creating more commotion, all set to the sound of the fairies’ favorite soundtrack, 90s club tunes. It might be a strange rescue squad, but it was more than enough to unnerve the ill-prepared Oonagh, Silver and Linden.

I noticed that Etienne focused his giant Rougarou rage on the now blubbering Linden. Etienne lifted the screaming, crying warlock up into the air, Etienne’s deadly claws clutching the lapels of his Linden’s tuxedo lapels. My actual husband growled menacing right my pathetic wannabe husband’s face, bearing all his pointed teeth.

I almost felt bad as I saw the warlock soil himself in fear. Almost, but not really.

But the whole attack slowed to a halt as soon as the room exploded with glitter and confetti. The Fue Follet’s 90’s hits shifted to 80’s music as soon as Baba Yaga and her minions crashed through the ceiling of Ooonagh’s house and into the room.

The Rougarous stepped back to let Baba Yaga approach the villainous witch and warlocks. Etienne even dropped Linden, who fell heavily in his damp butt.

“Well, isn’t this a sad little group,” Baba Yaga said, casting a disapproving stare to each of them. “Did you really believe this ridiculous plan would work?”

Oonagh had the good grace to look ashamed, but for once she said nothing.

“You do know this will not go unpunished,” Baba Yaga said, brushing glitter off her tutu skirt and casually straightening her dozens of jelly bracelets.

That prompted the very guilty threesome to start defending themselves, all talking over each other with feeble attempts to give excuses and blame each other.

Baba Yaga snapped her fingers, and they all fell silent.

“I don’t want to hear it,” she stated, pinning them with a furious scowl. They were silent again. In fact, the only sound in the room was Boy George’s plaintive crooning of “do you really want to hurt me?”

I’d like to say I was better than that, but yes, I did kind of want to hurt them.

“I don’t want to hear it, but the witch council absolutely will. Off to the witch pokey, with you all,” Baba Yaga said, and before the threesome could react, she snapped her fingers again, and they disappeared. The Fue Follet bounced merrily around the room, changing the music to Celebration by Kool and the Gang. Baba Yaga’s minions instantly bobbled their heads to the beat.

Etienne moved to me, pulling against him, dwarfing me with his Rougarou form, but being so gentle with his monster strength and careful with his vicious claws.

“I knew you’d come,” I said against his furry chest.

He growled deep in his chest.