Fairy territory, formally known as Magic Meadows, did not register on the navigation system. Rowena smoothed out the purple polyester dress that met her knees. She wiggled her toes in the white Go-Go boots Abby had given her before adjusting her red wig.

"So, you're telling me I've passed fairy territory every day and didn't realize it?" Rowena asked Cross, whose hands were on the steering wheel of the van Matt borrowed from the enforcer's unit. He tugged at the scarf around his neck. The disguise Abby procured for him consisted of a long-sleeved white shirt and blue bell bottoms.

Matt, dressed in brown bell bottoms and a green short-sleeved shirt, leaned forward. "The fairies glamoured the place. Humans only see a long stretch of highway. You can never enter unless a species from PUN accompanies you."

"That's the Paranormal United Nations," Abby reminded her, adjusting the black glasses perched on her nose. She wore a long orange sweater and a red skirt.

"I remember Angelina and Winona mentioning them," Rowena said. "What other species are we talking about here? Vampires? Gnomes? The Chupacabra?"

"Yes, yes, and no—the Chupacabra doesn't believe in working with others." Abby grinned. She was watching Liam pat his wig of curly hair. It extended across his face in a full beard. He wore blue bell bottom jeans and a blue button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up.

"What about witches?" Rowena asked. "Witches cannot enter?"

"They aren't part of PUN," Liam grouched from the backseat. He turned to Abby. "Why does my disguise make me look like Bob Ross?"

"Who is Bob Ross?" Matt asked.

Rowena sucked in air, her mouth falling open, and her eyes widening. "You don't know who Bob Ross is? He's the best art teacher to ever live, may he rest in peace in Heaven where he's painting clouds and happy accidents. I sometimes watch old reruns of his show because it's like listening to ASMR."

Abby chortled as Liam growled. "All you asked was to not look like a Stephen King character. Besides, you do not look like Bob Ross."

"The name 'Bob' is embroidered on my shirt!" He pointed to the small pocket on his chest embroidered with gold thread.

"Could you all please be quiet?" Cross grumbled. He turned the wheel, and the van lurched forward into a bright light.

Rowena gasped as they drove through a path of gnarled trees covered in twinkling lights. A pink pigeon landed on the moving car, its feathers sparkling.

"They have glittery pink pigeons in fairy territory?" Rowena asked. "This place is amazing! We get to dress like hippies, and they have magical birds."

"That is no ordinary bird," Cross said. "It's our escort. It's probably already warned the Fairy King, Giles, we are here. No matter what you do, do not underestimate King Giles. He may look like Santa Claus, but the man is devious."

"How devious?"

"I heard he once decapitated the man who objected at his wedding to the queen."

Rowena scrunched up her nose. "That's not devious. That's just mean."

"It was the queen's brother," Cross shared. "Apparently, he thought the king was too cruel a man to be married to his sister. She was overly sensitive in the past."

"He wasn't worried his wife would get upset after he killed her brother?"

Cross shrugged. "He didn't decapitate him directly. I heard he made it look like an accident. Besides, the queen is probably the kindest person in Magic Meadows. She's the only one who can control his temper."

"Obviously, she isn't doing a great job if he killed her brother," Rowena muttered.

"To this day, she believes someone else caused it. She puts flowers on his grave every week if the rumors are to be believed. They have a daughter, and she takes after her father."

"A devious Santa who dresses like a hippie?" Rowena muttered. "Yep, we are totally not in Kansas or Clarkton anymore. Do you think the king is behind Karen's murder? My friend Marcus said Karen tried to blackmail someone. Maybe it was him?"

Cross' mouth stretched into a thin line as he pondered her words. "No. The royals never sully their hands by murdering a human. It's beneath them. Besides, you saw glitter in the toilet. When royals use magic, they don't leave behind glitter. Every other fairy does except the royals."

"Catching Karen's killer to exonerate Gina is going to be tough," Rowena sighed. She rolled down her window and perked up. "Is that Highway to Hell I'm hearing? It sounds just like AC/DC."

"Magic Meadows is having their monthly jamboree, Rowena. We dressed like hippies because they usually hold an outdoor concert and play rock music from the seventies," Abby answered.

Rowena's smile faltered. "Oh."

"You don't like seventies rock music?" Cross asked.

"It's not that," she denied. "This is just sort of reminding me of the party I went to where a cult almost kidnapped me. I told you about it, remember?"

"I know fairies to try to capture humans to be their minions," Liam reminded everyone. "A single human male couldn't have overtaken them without falling prey to them himself."

Rowena's shoulders relaxed. "Then, I guess we're okay. I'd rather not run into them again. After Hector rescued me, I had to help him fight some of them off. One of the cult members had a neon blue mohawk. She punched me in the gut, so I set her hair on fire. She lost her eyebrows."

"Are you making this up?" Matt asked.

"Are you calling me a liar?" Rowena retorted.

"No one is calling you a liar, and no one is going to harm you," Cross reminded her. "We're just going to see if Bubbles and her friend, who laughs like a hyena, are there. They may be responsible for what happened to Karen and why Gina is being framed."

"Is it true the fairies want humans to know about them?" Rowena asked.

Cross nodded. "It's a debate in all paranormal groups. The wolf-shifters are mostly unanimous. We enjoy our anonymity. There are individuals who want the world to know about us. It's why there are so many paranormal books with some information that is correct."

"Are you saying some of my favorite paranormal romance authors could be real wolf-shifters?"

"No, we aren't allowed to share because of the compulsion. Each species has its own set of rules. To betray another species means war. To betray your own species is death."

The bird squawked and drew out its wings before lifting itself up into the air. A floating cloud lit up in blinking rainbow lights flew toward them. Atop the cloud was the Santa hippie, a woman who looked like Cher in her twenties.

Cross parked the van, and everyone exited. King Giles raised his arms and floated off the cloud. "Alpha Cross! I heard you came to visit our little shindig."

Rowena could hear music playing in the distance. Fireworks sparkled in the air. This was anything but a little shindig. Cross lowered his head. "King Giles. My future mate, Rowena, wanted to visit Magic Meadows. We are fortunate tonight is your jamboree."

The fairy king's eyes drifted to Rowena and widened. "A human? Now, that is interesting." His smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "Alpha, you know I forbid humans in my territory."

Cross nodded. "She is my future mate and a hexing witch. You and yours are safe from her spreading any tales."

The Cher impersonator cleared her throat. She wore a black sequined jumpsuit with a plunging neckline that reached her belly button.

King Giles cleared his throat. "Yes, well, I'm sure you understand how important it is for us to maintain our anonymity. There are rebel fairies who want our kind exposed. They feel it will overthrow the monarchy and allow them to do as they please." He turned to Rowena. "May I present my queen, Daisy?"

Rowena gave a curtsey and said, "Your honor."

Abby giggled.

"Well, that's a new one," Daisy said, smiling. She licked her lips and pushed her long black hair behind her shoulder. "Most people call me 'your highness' instead of your honor. I love your outfits. Very Scooby-Doo."

Cross coughed and looked away.

"The Howlers are here!" A blonde woman with bright blue eyes running towards them followed the exclamation. Her eyes darted around before she frowned. "Where's Selig?"

"If you're looking for someone to harass, he isn't here," Abby snapped.

The blonde's eyes narrowed. "Why are you dressed like a nerd?"

"Why are you a horrible person?"

"You know Selig?" Rowena asked.

"He hasn't mentioned me? I'm the love of his life," the blonde answered.

"More like the loser in his life," Abby muttered.

"Ladies, that is enough," Giles said. "Rose, you know the Howlers are very protective of one another. You and Selig have a very complicated history. It's not a surprise she isn't happy to see you."

Rose rolled her eyes. "I never harassed Selig."

"You had him banned from Magic Meadows," Abby reminded her. "Plus, you used magic on him so now he can't—"

"I did not!" Rose shouted.

Giles clapped his hands. "That is enough!"

Rowena leaned toward Cross. "You are so going to tell me the chisme later."

"The chisme?"

"The gossip. You really need to learn some Spanish if you plan to date a Hispanic woman."

Cross frowned. "It may be best if Selig tells his side of the story." He leaned closer, so his lips brushed against her ear. "And I don't plan to date a Hispanic woman. I am dating one. You."

Rowena gave an involuntary shiver.

"The Howlers and my family go way back. Selig owes his name to me," Giles said, his lips turned up.

"You're the one his parents lost a bet to?" Rowena asked. Her eyes widened, and she chuckled. "Selig is Giles spelled backward."

Giles held his stomach and laughed. "Fairies are very sneaky."

"Rose," Daisy said her daughter's name softly. Rose's shoulders fell, and she pouted. She stomped toward her mother and stood beside the queen; her arms crossed. Daisy whispered to her daughter, "Royals do not argue in public."

Rose sneered at Abby. "Why are you all here? I can sense the human."

Before they could answer, two women dressed in retro dresses stepped forward from the trees, a cloud of glitter around them. One had honey-colored hair and big brown eyes. The other had purple hair and green eyes. King Giles smiled. "Bubbles and Raven, what brings you two here?"

"We were looking for Rose," the one named Bubbles answered, bowing in front of King Giles. She looked at the Howlers. "We have guests."

"They're dressed like the Scooby Doo cartoon," Raven said before falling into a fit of shrill laughter. "Except you." She pointed at Liam who was standing in front of an easel holding a paint palette.

Rowena leaned to Cross. "She must be the one Little Mikey said laughed like a hyena."

"Hi," Rowena said, waving. "I'm Rowena. This is Matt, Liam, Abby, and Cross. He's the alpha of the Howler pack."

"You're a human," Bubbles said, her smile faltering. She stole a glance at the queen and king.

"The men from the Howler pack are handsome," Raven squealed before laughing.

Matt grimaced. "We came to see the show and visit Magic Meadows."

"Wait!" Rowena raised a hand up and Cross shook his head. She smirked before turning back to Bubbles and Rave. "You two have very unusual names."

"We do?" Bubbles asked.

"Yes. I have a friend. She said she met a Bubbles and Raven at a book signing. It must've been you two," Rowena exclaimed. "Do you two know Gina?"

Both fairies looked at one another before Raven began laughing.

"Gina?" Bubbles asked. "We don't know a Gina."

Rowena stepped forward. "Is that so?" Her fists clenched. "You never met her? How odd."

"Rowena," Cross said his voice as a warning.

"Have you ever been to Sweeter Homes?" Rowena asked.

"Rowena," Cross repeated, placing his hand on her shoulder.

Rose stepped forward. "Cross, we've known each other since we were kids. Are you truly going to let your human talk to my friends this way?"

A growling sound escaped his throat.

"Rose," the queen chided.

Liam put down his paintbrush and stepped forward, next to Cross.

"Rowena is my future mate," Cross said, his voice tight. "To insult her is to insult me."

"She's asking questions of my friends in an accusatory way," Rose spat. "I don't like it. Bubbles and Raven have no business befriending a human. You know we don't want our existence known. As for them going to Sweeter Homes, of course, they have."

"I got a job," Bubbles explained. "I'm going to be the emcee at the Sweeter Homes beauty pageant."

Rowena's head jerked back.

"The princess wanted us to learn more about the humans, since some rebels have been trying to befriend them," Bubbles explained. "The store manager hired me to emcee. Maybe we have met this Gina person, but we don't remember her."

Rowena opened her mouth to respond when a woman with a neon blue mohawk and missing eyeshadows ran forward. "Your highness, the bands are fighting about their stage time."

"You!" Rowena cried, pointing at the newcomer.

The woman turned her head to Rowena, her eyes widening. She lifted a hand to her missing brows before a war cry escaped her lips. Cross jumped in front of Rowena as the woman flew forward.

Giles lifted his hands and shouted, "Freeze!"

Rowena and the woman with the neon mohawk froze while pulling one another's hair.

"King Giles," Cross said loudly. "I ask that you allow me to question Bubbles and Raven in relation to the murder of Karen Stinger, a human manager at Sweeter Homes."

"You want to question my subjects over a human?" King Giles asked, his eyes narrowed.

"I do," Cross confirmed.

A corner of King Giles' mouth twitched. "Fine. You may question them and do as you wish."

Cross stepped forward.

"But," King Giles continued. "Your future mate must beat my subject in a fight." He snapped his fingers, unfreezing Rowena and the fairy. "I should warn you; my fairy is a retired royal guard trained in seven different fighting styles. She's never lost a fighting match before."

Cross cursed under his breath. He wasn't wrong—King Giles was devious.