Young, dark, boyish curls and swift cunning smile, silky black suit and a white tablecloth at some glassy restaurant that smells of patchouli. Eyes like hot chocolate, intent, she’s mesmerized, her heart fluttering when he brushes his gold-ringed hand over hers. Lobster and champagne, lemon sorbet on an icy silver tray, she’s paying, thrusting her brassy credit card forward, no, I insist, my pleasure. Driving her home in the sporty car she gave him, breeze tugging her lank hair, the smell of leather and designer aftershave and freedom. Kissing in the dark on the veranda of her rambling suburban mansion, her fat body wet and aching with need and loneliness, he tastes of Moët and heaven, he’s pulling away too soon, we can wait, soon we’ll be married and I’ll make love to you in Paris. He leaves, too quickly, and she waddles into the dark house alone with her dreams.

I spluttered, shiny glass chaos raging against sensibility in my blood. So lonely, this poor woman, so in love with an untouchable prince who doesn’t care. My heart hurt for her. I wanted to break it gently, warn her to leave before he broke her heart.

But the truth isn’t my concern. Remember Peter's trolls. We need her money. Keep her sitting here so Char can snatch her purse, get her address, her credit card numbers. Now’s the time for a big fat lie. I’m good at those. Yeah, sure he loves you. Congratulations. Go home and plan your wedding.

I took a deep breath, and the words spilled out before I was ready. “Christ. Are you kidding? He didn’t even have a hard-on.”

“What?” Her damp forehead creased, confused, and behind her Charlotte inched forward, crafty fingers reaching for the bag.

I stared into the blank glass, shaking. Tell her he loves her, that he doesn’t care about her riches. Tell her he’s a nice Christian boy looking for a good woman. But my poisoned pulse thudded in my ears, whipping me to careless truth, and before I’d even opened my mouth, I knew it was no good. “Lady, look at yourself. You think a guy like him wants to marry you? He doesn’t even wanna fuck you. Tie the knot with him and you’ll be over a cliff in your Audi by year’s end.”

Muscles clenched in her wobbly jaw, and she dragged her bag onto her lap in sweaty hands, out of Charlotte’s reach. “How dare you?”

I felt like crowing, or hiding under the table. Charlotte waved her hands frantically, but pleasure chemicals thrust into my blood, hot and sexual. I couldn’t keep my mouth shut, and it felt awesome. “Trust me, he’s playing you. Dump his lying ass and find another boy toy. Here, our Ashley is free. He’s cute, and he’ll fuck anything for money.”

Tears washed her eyes, and she clambered to her feet, sobs shaking her jowls. “You horrible little girl. You could at least have said it nicely.” And she hove to, brushing Charlotte out of her path, and lumbered out, sniffing.

The bell tinkled, and the glass door slammed shut.

A grin splattered across my face like a custard bomb, and stuck there.

Charlotte rounded on me in a breezy storm, her face darkening to cobalt. “She didn’t even pay.
What the hell’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing.” I laughed, the expression on her face needling mirth between my ribs. God, it felt good not to give a shit.

“Plastic dogshit. You’ve got to be kidding me! You just broke that woman’s heart!”

I folded my arms across my sequined chest, defiance steeling my spine. “So? It was the truth.”
“I don’t care! How about not getting my wings ripped off, Appolonnia? How about not getting buttfucked to death by some warty troll?”

Ashley snickered, and she shoved him, fury bleeding her wings white. “Don’t you start.”

He fluttered back cheekily. “You gotta admit, the look on that fat chick’s face was kinda cool.”

“Have you both gone totally insane? We need the money, Ash. Think she’s gonna tell her friends good things about us? What are you gonna do, Apples? Sell yourself on the street? Get a real job? I don’t think so.” Charlotte glared from Ashley to me and back again, and her pretty mouth dropped open in a gasp. “You’re in this together, aren’t you?”

“What?” I gave her a sarcastic frown.

“Razors on a waterslide. The two of you. You’re doing things behind my back. Playing tricks on me.” She lifted her tight little chin, greenish hurt flooding her face.

Ashley laughed, cruel. “What if we are?”

“That’s ridiculous,” I cut in, glaring at him. “We’re doing no such thing.”

But Charlotte wasn’t listening. Tears trickled blue on her cheeks, and her throat caught in a clutch of sobs. “You’re so mean to me! It’s not fair!” And she yanked the door open and ran out in an indignant whirlwind, skirts trailing a whiff of lemon blossom.

I let my head fall back and sighed. “Real clever, Ash. What’d ya do that for?”

“Do what?” He pressed his nose flat on the window, craning his neck to follow her exit, a curious little grin on his lips.

“Let her think we’re throwing some big conspiracy party behind her back, of course.”

“Well, aren’t we?” He threw me a casual glance, but it fixed me in place like a corkboard pin.

I laughed, uneasy. “What are you talking about? I didn’t tell her, if that’s what you mean.”

I tried to brush past him, but he slid bony fingers around my elbow. His hand shook, tense. No levity in his voice. No teasing smile on his lips. “I don’t mean us nearly shagging. I mean this.

She’s jealous. You’re careless. I’m . . . Well, I’m kinda twitchy, you know.” He jerked his head, and vertebrae crackled. “Nothing’s any fun anymore. Having a hard time keeping still. Don’t ya think something’s a bit wrong?”

I swallowed, and the echo of a soft metal whisper chilled my blood. Ice crystals crackled on my wings, and I tried to shake them off but they froze fast. “No, it’s not possible. The mirror’s gone. We got rid of it.”

Ashley chewed his lip, and his bold black gaze flickered. “Did we? You sure?”

I remembered my delight at that woman’s misfortune, the way I wanted to laugh at her and needle her and taunt and sneer and bait until the truth burned out of me like acid through a plastic cup.

I shuddered. I’ve always wanted to be brave. But not cruel.

My pulse gibbered at me, hot and seductive and in vehement disagreement.

I’ve always been terrified of consequences, mistakes, making an idiot of myself. Why’s everything about me all of a sudden? What if Ash was right? What if that spiteful squidgy cast a spell on us?

Stupid, right? I was a fairy, not some witchy magic chick. Hell, I didn’t even believe in magic.
But what if it had?

Ashley brushed his finger under my chin, searing. “Think about it, Appolonnia. Before it’s too late.”

My treacherous skin sparked alive at his touch. Discomfort scratched in my bones. I shook him off and pushed past him, his arm smooth and sweet on my fingerpads. “I don’t wanna know, okay? I feel fine.”

And I walked out, my body tingling with alien sensation and the dark whisper of denial.

Notes

Hello again my pretties. Hope you enjoy this little filler :)

Stay weird Baby Bats
-Grimm

P.s - ignore the weird mood that cam with the last chapter in the comments. idk what was happening. ugh life.