Lizard's Sparkle

Chapter 12

Hayley.

Perv-dad gave me a crown. If this was bribery then sign me up with glitter kisses and a sparkling flourish because this guy knew how to bribe. He was the briber-king, the bribiest of bribers, the holy-bribe-grail of all bribes.

It was actually kind of sweet because even though we hadn't yet had a real conversation, and even though he missed out on twenty-three years of my witch life, and even though he seemed like a bit of a dick, he still just got me.

If there was another witch in all the realms that was as distracted by sparkly things and jewel be-dazzling as I was then bitch better come fight me because, gasp, I was literally the Queen of glitter crowns.

"Thank you," I sighed with appreciation. "This is awesome, like, it's all sparkles and black jewels and I've always wanted one just like this." I grinned up at him as I yanked it further into my grasp because he hadn't let go of it yet and I needed him to so that I could stroke it and hug it and fix it to my head so tightly that I'd never have to take it off again.

His smile stretched across his whole face. "You like it, daughter?"

I nodded and yanked again, because, would he just let go already? "I do, it's the best crown ever, I've never seen one so big or sparkly or just amazing. It totally suits me."

He grinned even wider, glitter painting his lips in a coal-black shimmer. "I'm glad," he finally released his hold on my crown with a quick snap of his wrist, "Elrin will accompany you back to the festivities and introduce you to your siblings." He clicked his fingers while I stared in wonder at my crown, unable to tear my gaze away for even a second to see who this Elrin was. "Ah, there you are. Please escort Hayley to meet the rest of her family, I will join you later."

He said Hayley like someone might say dogshit but I didn't even care right then because crown. Pretty sparkly crown.

"Later we can discuss your powers," perv-dad prodded, "alone, without your dragon interfering, hmm?"

Honestly, I would have agreed to just about anything, I was paying exactly zero attention to the two males smirking behind me. I knew they were there but I just didn't care about anything other than my new crown. "Uhuh, yep, whatever." I waved my hand somewhere around my head to indicate I'd heard and mainly just to get them to go away so I could spend some uninterrupted time with my new sparkles.

Perv-dad seemed pleased. "Excellent. Elrin, don't forget what we discussed." His footsteps quickly marched to the doors closing us off from the main banquet hall without even acknowledging me.

Again, still didn't care, because crown. 

Footsteps tapped the soft carpeting behind me, light and dainty, nothing like the dragon's thundering feet. "Shall I fix it to your hair?" A humming tinkle of smooth male whispered across my ears. "Would you like that?"

Yes. That sounded quite lovely actually, I'd look amazing with this pretty crown on my head, In fact, I didn't think I should ever take it off. "Yes, do that," I commanded, "do it now."

A light laugh disturbed the curls above my head, sending a shudder down my spine, enough that I finally dragged my eyes away from my pretty crown to glance up at the elf staring down at me. He was tall, taller than any other elf I'd seen so far. Lithe with an obviously defined form, muscle that cut a rather refined figure. Blond hair that swept across his head and dangled low enough to almost obscure the obsidian eyes that glinted at me through the silky strands.

"Who are you?" I questioned because he wasn't one I'd seen before.

"I am your intended, My Sweet." He smiled, a stretch of taut lips that whitened to nearly blend in with his pale skin.