Eastwei lifted me off his clothes and set me on the cushioned seat. He stood and I made to follow, but neither of my front legs was in working order. I stumbled and fell chin-first onto the cushion. A soft whimpering yowl escaped me.

Eastwei paused and partially turned to face me. “You must remain here and rest.”

He waved his splayed hand in my direction and faint red flakes flowed out of his palm. They descended on me and I felt a strange heat cling to my bones. I tried to move and yowled when I found my legs were as heavy as if each of them was weighed down by an ocean liner.

I yanked my leg one at a time but ended up exhausted after the third heave. Between the exertion and my loss of blood, I readily collapsed onto the cushion.

A faintly devilish smile appeared on Eastwei’s lips before he turned to Puren. “Care for her while I am away.”

Puren bowed his head. “As you wish.”

Eastwei stepped off the low platform and Shian moved to block him. “May I go with you, Dadan?”

The lord lifted his chin slightly. “The matter is a private one.”

“Then I will remain here eagerly awaiting your return,” she offered as she stepped aside and smiled at him. “May your visit with the king be pleasant.”

He inclined his head and strode past her. Eastwei had hardly stepped out the open doors before Shian turned her sharp, icy-blue gaze on me. Her eyes darted to Puren. “Perhaps you might find some food for this. . .creature.” The last word dripped with disgust.

Puren pursed his lips and cast a reluctant glance at me. “But Lord Eastwei-”

“-told you to care for her while he was away, and finding her some food is caring for her,” Shian pointed out as she sauntered past him. She took a seat on the edge of the platform and smiled up at him. “I will keep the creature-that is, the cat company until you return.”

Puren didn’t look too pleased with this arrangement and neither was I. I was even less pleased when he bowed his head and hurried off, leaving me completely alone with the psycho bitch.

Shian slowly turned her head around and examined me with that glacier-hard look she was so good at. “So whole of the land realm he finds a cat with silver fur? How very convenient.”

I didn’t like where this line of questioning was leading. I tried to back up but the magic around my legs made me stumble like a newborn calf.

Shian stood and grasped her dress to pick it up before she stepped onto the platform. Her bone-chilling eyes were ever on me as I scuttled backward. Hatred dripped from her lips and her face was marred by deep wrinkles of fury. “I have rid myself of one vermin with silver hair. What do I have to lose by ridding myself of one with fur?”

I wasn’t going to go down without a fight, not this time.

Shian swooped down with one well-manicured hand outstretched to grab my scruff. My legs may have been locked but my head wasn’t. I twisted my head about and clamped both rows of fangs down on her hand. She let out a horrible shriek and jerked her hand back. My grip was so tight that I was dragged along for the ride, but Shian wasn’t anymore able to move my legs than I was. The magic dragged her momentum and she ended up losing her balance, falling to her side onto the platform.

I released her and slogged my way off the podium and down the long corridor. Shian floundered about like a fish caught on land before she shot up with her arms on either side of her. The fury I’d seen before was now a volcano of rage. My claws scrambled across the floor as I tried to gain traction from her malevolence. She was a ticking time bomb and I didn’t want to be anywhere near her when she exploded.

My salvation came from around the corner. It wasn’t Eastwei but Puren, but any port in a storm.

I let out a terrible yowl and lunged for him. My efforts fell a few feet flat, as did my face against the floor, but that was one step closer to help.

His appearance made Shian stop dead in her tracks. She grasped her hands in front of herself and slapped on a stiff smile. “You have already returned, Puren?” Her gaze fell on his empty hands and she frowned. “And you bring no food?”

Puren bowed his head and blushed. “I am afraid I do not know what cats eat, Lady Shian. I thought perhaps the cat might come with me to the kitchen and the chef would be able to help.”

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Shian’s face was so red that she looked about to pop. However, her upbringing was enough that she kept her volcanic explosion inside, at least to keep up the mask of a sane goddess. “I see. That would be a good idea, but I do not know if Lady Fann would appreciate the creature in her kitchen.”

“Then I will leave it outside and fetch the food,” Puren suggested as he waved a hand over me. I felt the magical shackles fall off and a great weight was lifted from me, both figuratively and literally. Puren scooped me into his arms and bowed low to Shian. “Thank you for assisting in the caring of the cat, Lady Shian. Good day.”

“Good day,” she replied as sweetly as a rattler.

Puren was too innocent to notice the hiss in the words, as he turned without another look and strolled out of the palace. I glanced over his shoulder and beheld Shian standing in the middle of the room with her hands balled into fists at her side. A chilly blue cloud surrounded her and ice formed on the floor.

I’d have to watch my step. She was not only jealous of my feline self but she undoubtedly suspected I was more than meets the eye. I only hoped nobody else would get suspicious until I was ready to inform the world of my transformation.

“Were you being a naughty cat for Lady Shian?” Puren spoke up as he cast a curious look down at me.

My ears drew back and the end of my tail twitched. She’s the one who was being naughty! And homicidal!

Puren lifted his eyes to the path ahead of us and sighed. “I wonder how the meeting with the king will turn out. His Lordship has been so worried of late with all the tales of attacks on the villages.”

I stiffened. An attack on villages? That sounded exactly like what Eastwei and I witnessed during our foray with the plant monster. Those clothes. Those bodies. I shuddered and sank deeper into his arms.

He smiled and stroked my back. “I am sure you have nothing to fear, Lady Cat. What do the worries of immortals have to do with a spiritual cat, after all?”

I cocked my head to one side. Spiritual cat? Is that what I am now?

“Here we are,” Puren announced as we reached the fine kitchens where I had many wonderful, and embarrassing, memories.

We stepped inside the bright, aromatic room and Lady Fann looked up from her workplace. Her hands were covered in white flour and a large wad of dough sat before her. A frown creased her brow. “Dinner will not be cooked for another hour.”

Puren approached her with all caution and offered her his brightest smile. “My apologies, Lady Fann, but I am not here about the dinner. I wish to-”

“Oh my goodness!”

The scream nearly scared me out of my fur and Puren jumped a little. He started back even more when Fann swept over to him and yanked me out of his arms.

She spun away and lifted me above her head. Her eyes shone with a sickly admiration. “Are you not the most beautiful cat I have ever seen?” She stopped the spinning, much to the relief of my stomach, and pressed me against her ample chest. “I just want to hug you into pieces!”

That was exactly what was about to happen as I felt my bones pop in places that weren’t meant to pop.

Puren, too, appeared worried for my safety as he stretched out his arms toward me. “You must be careful with her, Lady Fann. She was recently injured.”

A gasp escaped her and Fann mercifully drew me to arm’s length. I was held up by my armpits and stared into the face of a very obvious cat lover. I was also now covered in flour. “How could anything happen to such a beautiful creature? Did someone hurt you, my darling? Do you wish for me to hurt them, my little pudding?” Oh God. Not the cooing talk.

Puren swiftly intervened before my brain melted and snatched me from her. He stepped back as Fann scowled at him. “Lord Eastwei has requested that she be given a proper diet. Do you happen to have any food here she may be able to eat?”

“Why, of course!” Fann confirmed as she clapped her hands together. She leaned down and pecked a few air kisses at me. “Anything for such a beautiful little girl.”

She scampered off to get the food and Puren and I breathed a sigh of relief.