Motor City Witch by Cindy Spencer Pape Page A

curious eyes at Elise, but they were too well trained to show any real surprise at the sight of a human on Aidan’s arm.
    “If anyone needs me, I’ll be in my apartment,” Aidan said. “Some of my staff and more guests will be following in an hour or so. Please see that they’re not held up.”
    “Of course.” They stepped back and each opened a door, holding it for Aidan and Elise.
    The corridors of the palace were even more elaborately decorated than the portal chamber, but Elise didn’t take time to look around in any great detail as they passed through. She was too busy trying to keep up with Aidan’s long strides. A few passing Fae stopped to greet him as they walked, but Aidan simply nodded in response and kept moving, until at last they reached a polished oak door inset with a jade oak tree—the Green Oak apartment. Aidan manifested a key and let them both inside.
    They’d gotten no farther than the foyer when Aidan’s cell phone chirped.
    “It’s Ric.” He flipped it open. “Yes?” After a moment’s pause he said, “We’ll be right there.” He clicked his phone shut and turned to Elise. “Ready to meet the queen?”
    Elise looked down at her jeans, black ballet flats and ivory cotton sweater. “Like this?” Everything she’d heard about Llyris Astrella, Queen of the Seelie Court, suggested that formal was the way to go.
    Aidan shrugged. “I don’t keep women’s court clothes lying around. If you want to take the time, we can stop by a dressmaker and get you something, but Her Majesty requested us now.” Before she could ask the question on her lips, he replied. “Yes, there are shops here in the palace, for exactly that sort of reason. Besides, people do live here full time. The palace is really a self-sufficient town.”
    “You know, I always hated it when you read me without permission. It’s rude.” She did pull a brush out of her purse and give her hair a quick swipe before turning away from the door. “Let’s go.”
    “No mind-reading involved, leannan. ” He chuckled. “I remember all too well the way your convoluted brain works. Trying to keep up with you was a full-time job.”
    She took his arm as they sped through a maze of hallways, wondering if that had been a compliment.
    The corridors became more and more ostentatious, until they reached one that ended in a set of what appeared to be solid silver double doors, easily ten feet tall and six feet wide each. Liveried guards—their uniforms more embellished with lace and silver than the ones atthe portal, stood to either side of the seam between the doors, with two more posted by the hinges. When Aidan approached, the two in the middle tipped their heads in a semblance of a bow, but their eyes never looked down at the floor—they continued to watch the hallway.
    “My lord,” said one of the two in the middle. “Her Majesty is expecting you. Please proceed to her morning receiving room.”
    Aidan dipped his chin in return. “Thank you.”
    The two guards opened the doors, allowing Aidan and Elise to step through into a wide entrance hall, scattered with plush seating and priceless artwork. A few clusters of Fae chatted or played cards, and a set of French doors on the left-hand wall led to a courtyard terrace where a handful of others gathered. Several sets of eyes swiveled to study Aidan and Elise as they passed through the room to another set of doors on the right, which were again flanked by a pair of armed guards. Directly across from the entrance was another set of the enormous doors, with two more guards.
    “This isn’t the ballroom you brought me to before.” She followed Aidan across the room, ignoring the watchful gazes. The one time she’d been Underhill, the queen hadn’t been involved.
    “No, these rooms are only used by the queen. The gathering you attended was much less official—merely the birthday party of a friend—in what was essentially a rented ballroom. Those doors there lead to the