Page 19

PREPARING FOR BATTLE

A ngel clearly wanted to join us in our mission. She gave Aspen such an enthusiastic body-bump that the poor princess nearly fell over.

After Angel and Shadow kissed noses in farewell, the sleek black panther opened up a portal. He and the seven kittens hopped through the swirling ring of magic, and then they were gone.

Sierra and Angel sighed in unison.

“The kittens will be ok,” I assured them. “Shadow knows how to keep them out of trouble.”

Angel shot me a dubious look.

“Ok, so there was that one time when he took them to visit a dragon,” I admitted.

Poor little Duke had come back with half the fur singed off his tail. But it had grown back—eventually and with a little help from Bella’s potions.

“Shadow won’t make that mistake again,” I said.

Angel stared at me, unblinking. Sometimes I really wished I could hear what my cat was thinking.

“He’s still growing into his role as a father.”

Angel started grooming herself. I wasn’t sure how to interpret that.

“Ok, Aspen, show us the way to your world,” I said.

And so she did. Our first stop was the formal attire shop. To gain entry into the Ball of Champions, we had to dress the part.

“The Committee will formally announce the candidates at the end of the Ball,” Aspen said. “That’s how long we have to get my name on the list.”

I waved away the sleek midnight blue gown she offered me. “Beautiful, but impractical. The skirt is too tight. I won’t be able to kick anyone in the head.”

She frowned. “Do you expect a fight?”

“I always expect a fight.” I snatched a scarlet dress off the rack. The skirt was nice and flowy. I’d definitely be able to move around in this. “What do you think of this one?” I held the dress in front of my body.

“That’s Iliana’s color,” she told me.

“Iliana?”

“Lady Iliana, a contestant in the last Princess Games,” Aspen explained. “She did not succeed in becoming Queen, but she certainly acts like a royal pain. She’s decided that scarlet is her signature color—and her color alone. She even made a public declaration to that effect.”

“Ok, then…”

I hung the dress back on the rack. I was going to be way too busy helping Aspen at the Ball. I certainly wouldn’t have time to banter with a delusional noblewoman who thought she held total dominion over the color scarlet.

“I have to ask, though, Aspen,” I said, “why does this shop even sell dresses in that color if it’s going to cause so much drama?”

“Because people here love their drama,” she replied. “I mean, we hold a public spectacle to decide who will become the next Queen and the next King. Princesses fight each other to become Queen. Princes fight each other to become King. Doesn’t that just say everything right there?”

“And yet you want to participate,” I pointed out.

“I have to participate. I can’t allow the evil and the cruel to rule our world. They will ruin it.”

“That’s very noble of you.”

She sighed like being noble made her tired. “I know.”

I eventually settled on a black dress, then Aspen and I headed into the men’s section of the shop, where Sierra was helping Nero select his outfit for this evening.

“How’s it going?” I asked him.

“Suboptimally.”

I slowly trailed my gaze up his body. “You look pretty optimal to me.” I brushed my hands down his chest. The smooth black fabric of his tuxedo was soft and supple to the touch. “ Very optimal.”

“No,” Sierra said. Her cute little nose scrunched up. “Not that one.”

I peeled back the lapels of Nero’s tuxedo. “Yes,” I whispered into his ear. “This one.”

“No, Mommy,” Sierra snapped. “Work now. Kiss later.” She waved her hand at Nero, dismissing him to the changing room.

“How many tuxedos has she had you try on so far?” I asked him.

“This will be number fifty-two,” he said, taking the new tuxedo Sierra handed him. “And she says we won’t stop until we’ve found the perfect one.”

I chuckled. “Our daughter can be quite bossy.”

“I wonder where she gets it,” he said, magic flashing in his eyes. Then he stepped into the changing room.

I closed the curtains behind him before I gave in to temptation and followed him in there. The shop door opened and a crowd of random strangers poured inside. They made a beeline for Angel, who was keeping herself busy napping on one of the massive carpets.

“I’ve never seen such a large cat!” cooed a woman. “Who’s a good girl?” The woman crept closer. “Who’s a gooood girl?”

Angel opened her eyes just wide enough to shoot the woman an annoyed look, as if to say, How dare you interfere with my very busy life of being a lazy cat? Then she went right back to sleep again. The woman inched closer. She reached out her hand to pet Angel…

My cat let out a thunderous roar that sent the crowd scrambling for the door. But they didn’t leave. They just stood there, staring at Angel in awe.

“She is so fierce!” said a man.

“I could watch that cat sleep all day,” sighed the woman who’d tried to pet her.

She wasn’t alone in that. A line soon formed outside the shop. It stretched all the way down the street.

“Your gigantic cat is great for business!” said the lady shopkeeper. “She’s welcome here anytime!”

I chuckled to myself. Sure, she was happy now, but just wait until afterwards, when she tried to remove the twenty pounds of cat hair that Angel had left behind on her carpet.

I could already see them now, delicate white hairs floating in the air, getting on all the dresses and tuxedos, like falling ash after a fire.

Angel’s hair was everywhere. The shopkeeper would never get it all out.

“I am surprised to see you here,” said a sharp, simpering voice.

I turned to find Aspen locked in a staring contest with another woman. The woman who’d spoken those words. Her face matched her voice perfectly, all fake smiles and smug glances. A heavy dress bag hung over her arm.

“What do you want, Lavinia?” Aspen said tightly.

“From you? Nothing.” Lavinia laughed. “Here I was, just picking up my gown for tonight, and who do I find here? The most unexpected person imaginable.” The smirk sizzled on her lips.

“I don’t know why you’re even bothering getting a gown, Aspen.

There’s no reason for you to go to the Ball at all.

You won’t be participating in the Princess Games.

You don’t even have your paperwork ready. ”

Aspen stood there, so cool and collected. So regal. I felt the urge to express outrage on her behalf. Yes, and that outrage would be best delivered via a punch to Lavinia’s pretty little plastic face.

But I didn’t do that. I couldn’t. The only real way to strike back at Lavinia—the only way to make her pay for being such an insufferable menace—was to get Aspen’s name on that princess list.

As Lavinia left the shop, she turned to fire a parting shot. “You were meant to remain forever trapped, Aspen,” said the snotty princess. “It would have been better for everyone if you’d just stayed in that tree like you were supposed to.”

And with that said, Lavinia left the shop.

Gods, she was as sweet as acid, wasn’t she?

“Don’t worry,” I told Aspen, more determined than ever before to help her. “That woman is about to be booted out of the Princess Games.”

“Oh?” she replied. “I haven’t heard anything about that.”

“It hasn’t happened yet, but it will,” I said, a plan taking seed in my mind. “We’re going to kill two birds with one stone. We’re going to get Lavinia kicked out of the running for Queen. And while we’re at it, we’re going to make sure that you take her place.”

“How are you going to do that?”

I flashed her a grin. “With the help of an old friend.”