Henry Dale made a disapproving noise. “Don’t be silly. We don’t know enough about these beings yet.”
“We know they love Iris,” Sally said. “And they took care of her problems with the city on day one.”
That was true. Yesterday, Iris had received official correspondence on the mayor’s letterhead. Hopefully, it was the last time he’d be using that letterhead since Leanne Vanderpol-Montgomery was running against Mayor Anderson. The coven had gotten behind her in a big way, and Iris had shared a few posts as well. Hopefully, Ms. Vanderpol-Montgomery could push back against the assholes in HAPI who were stirring up trouble in town.
Today, a formal statement from the freaking governor arrived by special messenger, acknowledging her status as a new supernatural ambassador. State officials would be in touch, apparently, to define her role and see what could be gained through an alliance with the previously reclusive Otherworld.
Fen smiled at Sally, still a faintly alarming expression because their eyes didn’t match the mouth movement. Not in a sinister way, just…alien. “Caution is understandable. We have nothing but time. Any of you are welcome, should you choose to visit with Iris.”
“I’ll bear that in mind,” Mira said.
She didn’t seem charmed in the same way Rowan was, but she was definitely curious. As a witch, she must be wondering how her magic would function in the Otherworld and what insights she could bring back to the coven. Rowan could hardly contain their excitement.
“Really? You might come with us?” they asked.
“I’m definitely thinking about it,” Mira answered.
“If they’re going, I am too!” Sally declared, never one to be left out of anything.
Out of curiosity, Iris glanced at Henry Dale, who scowled at the whole room as if they’d done him a great personal wrong. “Fine, we’ll all go. And when we drink cursed fae wine and end up indentured for forty years, don’t come crying to me.”
“We wouldn’t let that happen,” Rain protested.
The old man snapped his fingers. “See? That’s basically an admission that it could happen. I knew it! All of those cautionary tales had a basis in fact.”
Fen didn’t avoid the accusation. “We have…made mistakes in the past, but since our scion has been raised as a human, we’ll do our best to forge a respectful path forward.”
“Scion,” Mira repeated.
Rowan nodded, eyes sparkling. “Oh, I love that word.”
“I don’t understand why the government is bending over backward to please a couple of random fae,” Henry Dale muttered.
Everyone shot him quelling looks, but Sally was the one who answered. “The way I see it is this. Historically, our government has tried to step on ‘different’ elements within their own populace. So witches and shifters might have trouble with the authorities.
“The fae don’t live in our territory, but they have access to it. Our government doesn’t know how powerful they are or what they can do to us. So the way they’re handling the fae, it’s more like careful first contact with an alien race. The government can’t afford to piss off the Otherworld when they have no clue what could happen.”
Iris considered that explanation and nodded. “Honestly, that makes total sense.”
Her parents did, sometimes, strike her as alien beings.
“What an interesting thought. But we should go,” Rain said then. “We’ll return soon.”
“Probably. We’ll do our best to keep track of time on your side of the veil.” Fen stood and offered their hand to Rain.
It felt weird as hell to walk her parents to the basement, but when was anything about her life normal? The others stayed upstairs, allowing her a final moment with Rain and Fen. As the light gathered in the seams of the portal, she blurted, “You said it’s possible for me to change forms. How…how would I do that? If I wanted to.”
Fen paused, energy wreathing them in garlands of light. “It’s difficult to explain. In the Otherworld, it would be as simple as a thought. It requires more focus and more energy here where everything is…”
“Heavier,” Rain said. “I would say that the first step is believing that you can, however. Believe that you’re not limited. Believe that you’re not chained. Believe in your own potential. You truly are infinite, precious blossom.”
Rain kissed one cheek while Fen kissed the other, and then they went, melting into the light. Iris would be lying if she claimed she wasn’t curious, but it was also a relief to some degree. She had so much to process, and that wasn’t even factoring for Eli.
Now that she’d had a chance to calm down, she could see that maybe she’d overreacted. A tad. Not that she had no reason to be upset at all, but maybe it wasn’t an offense worthy of cutting all contact and going scorched earth.
I miss him.
I miss us.
I miss dance lessons, and I miss hugging him when I feel low.
“Okay, so I wasn’t trying to spy on you, but I couldn’t resist seeing that portal magic in action,” Rowan said from the middle of the stairs.
Iris jumped so hard, she nearly fell over. “Oh my God!”
Rowan rushed to her side, steadying her with a hand on her arm. “Sorry! I thought you knew I was there. Sidenote, I can’t wait to capture the magic of this moment. Thanks again for the digital tablet! I can’t believe how great everyone has been to me. I’ve literally never been happier in my whole life.”
That was supposed to be for Rowan’s birthday, around Thanksgiving, but nobody had been able to resist delivering it early. “Mira organized everything. She should get extra ice cream for a week.”
“You always do that,” Rowan said.
“Do what?”
“Deflect praise and appreciation instead of just saying, ‘You’re welcome.’”
“Oh. Okay. You’re welcome?”
Rowan grinned. “That’s much better! But…did I hear you right? Were you asking about changing shapes?”
Crap.
“I was just curious,” she said.
“Are you interested in becoming a hawk, by any chance?”
Oh my God, how do they know?
She mumbled something noncommittal and rushed upstairs, but Rowan didn’t let her off the hook. “You’re trying to get closer to him, huh? Does that mean you’re ready to make up?”
Iris sighed, sinking into a kitchen chair with confusion dancing the mambo in circles around her. “Maybe. I do feel like we should talk. I don’t feel great about the way I just…evicted him. Yeah, he messed up, but I’m not perfect either.” She paused. “Do you…happen to know where he is?”
“I do,” said Henry Dale and quickly recited the address.
Once she had the info, she didn’t know what she intended to do until she got upstairs. The normal reaction would be to call him or get in her car. Since when was I normal? My parents are Rain and Fen. I’m extraordinary. I’m fae. Calmly Iris undressed in the main bedroom and folded her clothes; then she opened the window.
She imagined her body getting lighter and smaller, feathers instead of skin, hollow bones, and wings that would ride the wind. Her body was only a suggestion, not the lines that confined her. A chosen shape, not the only one, and then—