Page 21 of Wedding the Werepanther

I haven’t been inside his room since he moved in, and the opening between our rooms pretty much only shows me his bed, so I’m surprised at how much has changed.

The built-in bookcases look like someone emptied the props department of a fantasy movie. The feel of several overlapping magicks makes my skin hum.

My eyes go wide, my voice an awed whisper. “What is all of this?”

“My wages. This is Faerie gold I haven’t deposited in the bank yet.” He gestures to a couple of shelves covered in stacks of gleaming golden coins. “For the rest, not everyone uses gold in Faerie, so I also get paid in other ways, such as gems.” He points to a pile of raw, uncut stones in a range of colors, including a ruby I swear is the size of my big toe. “Or some people barter weapons.” Bows, arrows, and daggers fill the lower shelves, and there’s even a sword. I’ve wielded weapons like these in tons of video games but never touched one in real life.

“Are these magical? I can feel magic in the room.”

“No, I keep all of that over here.” He pulls me over to the other bookcase and runs his fingers across the front of a shelf holding crystals in various colors. “Each of these is bespelled.” Then he moves on to another shelf full of small vials and bottles in a range of shapes, sizes, and colors, each clearly handmade. “These are magical potions.” He crouches in front of more shelves holding weapons. “These are all bespelled. Most are minor enchantments, but I have two prizes. This sword can block any blow, no matter how skilled the wielder, and this elven arrow will always fly true.”

“Elven? I thought there weren’t any more elves. Didn’t the Dark God turn them all into shadow fae a long time ago?”

“He did. This arrow is over three hundred years old.”

I gape at him, utterly flabbergasted. And there’s another old-timey word I never thought I’d use unironically, but here we are.

“I obtained a healing potion from the dragon realm and took it to a blighted village in Avalon. Severin was grateful. He might live here on Earth, but he still works to restore his home realm.”

“So you saved the lives of an entire village.”

He nods and rests his hand on the hilt of the sword. “And for this, I reunited a family of gnomes who’d been caught indifferent realms when the doors of Faerie closed. They didn’t know how to find each other.”

“How did you do it?”

“When I walk the shadow roads, my intention creates the path that forms in front of me. For this job, I carried the gnome who hired me and asked the road to take me to their family.” Shadow’s lips curl in a soft smile. “It was one of the hardest jobs I’ve ever had to do, but their reunion was so joyous I have no regrets.”

“This is all so amazing.” My fingers tingle as I run them along the shaft of the arrow. “This look into Faerie is so flipping fascinating! Thank you.”

“Then I’ll have to show you more.” He grins.

CHAPTER NINE

Shadow

Refusing to tell Kayla anything further about my plans, I finish sanding the door and its wooden frames.

And if I need to do it shirtless? Well, it’s a sunny summer day, and a body shouldn’t get any hotter than mine already is.

I catch my witchy beauty watching me from her office window and make sure to strike a few of the best thirst-trap poses I’ve learned from TikTok. Every one of her muffled gasps becomes another point in my favor, putting me that much closer to winning.

Back in the foyer, I hold up several samples of stain color, comparing them to the house’s existing woodwork. “Which do you like?”

“The middle one.”The photos slide.“It’s the best match.”

“The middle one it is.”

I’m about to turn away when the door to Kayla’s office bangs closed, and the pictures swirl in agitation.“Someone’s coming!”

Kayla yanks her door open. “What’s up? And can we come up with a better way to get my attention? I swear you’re taking years off my life with all these slamming doors.”

“Someone’s coming!”the pictures repeat.

I feel it now, the prickle of magic getting closer. Strong magic.

“We have a visitor.” I wave Kayla toward the front door, which swings open as she approaches.

We reach outside right as a large shape sweeps overhead, blocking out the sun.