The Faerie Prince

Chapter Seven

CHAPTER SEVEN

"The guests have begun arriving," Ryn says. He shuts the pool house door behind him and walks across the room to his potions kit. "Time to find a way in."

I poke my head around the bathroom door. "Great. Need any help?"

"Not while you're wearing nothing but a towel." He stuffs a vial in his pocket and closes his potions kit. "But thanks."

I place my hands on my hips. "I do actually plan to put clothes on before I leave this room."

"Good to know." He pauses by the door. "You have something appropriate to wear, right?"

I roll my eyes and pull the bathroom door shut. "You don't need to steal me a dress, if that's what you're asking," I say loudly. I hear him chuckle as he leaves.

I drop the towel and begin rummaging through my bag of clothes. I spent part of my weekend with Raven, trying to learn a few clothes casting spells. By the end of our two hour session, the black cocktail dress I'd cast—using a pair of my pants as starting material—didn't look that bad. Raven just had to get rid of the weird long bit that trailed along the floor behind my left foot.

I step into the slim-fitting dress and pull it up. The two pieces of the halter-neck snake around my neck and meet at a silver clasp. The shoes Raven cast for me have heels that are way too high, but I'm afraid if I try to shorten them I'll mess them up in some way. I slip my feet into them and totter over to the mirror. I use a few makeup spells on my face and comb my fingers through my hair. I don't bother doing anything fancy with it—this isn't like the masquerade ball we attended at Zell's house. Lastly, I attach a necklace of silver baubles around my neck. The baubles are hollow and large enough for the miniature versions of my bags to fit inside.

I hear Ryn come back into the room and decide to give him a few minutes to change. I practice walking back and forth across the small bathroom. After doing this about thirty times, I can turn without wobbling.

"You sure are taking a long time in there, Pixie Sticks," Ryn calls.

I quickly shrink my clothes bag before pushing the door open. "I'm ready. Did you figure out a way for us to get in?"

Ryn looks up from tying his shoelace and, instead of answering me, lets out a long whistle. "I think you just graduated from Pixie Sticks to Sexy Pixie."

"Oh, bite me," I snap as I head to the bedside table to fetch my miniature emergency and potions kits.

"I guess I could," he says, "but that would probably make things a little awkward between us."

Ignoring his comment, I conceal my three bags inside the baubles of my necklace. The chain tightens around the back of my neck with the added weight. It isn't exactly comfortable, but I'm not going anywhere without my stuff.

"Where'd you hide your stylus?" Ryn asks.

"Strapped to my leg." Along with my amber and a non-magical knife.

He looks down. "Obviously not the leg with the slit going up it."

Self-conscious, I grab his arm and steer him toward the door. "The slit was not my idea. Now tell me what's happening."

He shuts the door behind us and leads me around the side of the house. "I managed to catch an older woman and a young guy in the entrance hall, and I was kind enough to offer them a welcoming drink."

"Which I'm guessing had a little something extra added to it."

"Compulsion potion. The woman now thinks I'm her nephew who's visiting her for a few days, and you're the young guy's girlfriend."