Sparkle blinked and then smiled. “Your question surprised me. Not many people ask.” She pursed her lips as though trying to decide how much to tell Cinn. “Several times a week. Some shifters can change instantly. For cosmic troublemakers, it takes a little more time and effort.” She slid the tip of her tongue across her lower lip. “You wouldn’t believe Mede in his golden god form. He owns an island in the Caribbean, and when we spend a few weeks there he doesn’t take his cat form at all.” Her eyes were slitted in ecstasy at the memory. “He’s a totally sexual creature, you know.”

Cinn couldn’t help it; she smiled. Somehow she couldn’t picture the cat with his face in the popcorn bowl as a hot guy. The image just wouldn’t come.

Sparkle looked like she wasn’t sure if Cinn’s smile should offend her. “Mede doesn’t have sex when he’s in his cat form, so he compensates by eating. A lot.” She shrugged. “You take the good with the bad.”

Cinn had been so wrapped up in the discussion about Ganymede that she hadn’t noticed what Sparkle was doing. She noticed now. Sparkle had dragged a bunch of clothes out of her closet and piled them on her bed. Uh-oh.

“I think these will fit you, at least until I get you some of your own.” She glanced at Cinn’s feet. “A size six I’d guess. I’ll have a few pairs for you by nighttime.”

Horrified, Cinn stared at the clothes. They were…

“Now that I’m abandoning the shallow life, I’ll have to get a new wardrobe.” Sparkle ran her fingers over a red dress with a short flirty skirt. “You can keep any that fit you. They’re all designer labels.”

“Thanks. They’re…”

“I’ll have to start shopping at the”—deep, deep, shudder—“big-box stores.”

“I really appreciate your offer, but they’re a little more wow than I usually wear.”

“Sexier? You can say the word.”

“Yeah, I guess so. I usually just wear jeans and T-shirts when I’m working around my plants.”

“If you’re going to meet the public, Cinn, then you have to represent the castle appropriately.”

Cinn stared at a purple top that was just a few pieces of cloth stitched together. “Gee, I can use this while I’m repotting my plants. Wait, no, it’s perfect for fertilizing.”

Sparkle sighed. “When exactly did you miss the name of this place? It’s the Castle of Dark Dreams. Visitors expect all things sensual.” She paused. “I expect all things sensual.”

“Fine, I get that, but these clothes are—”

“Your new uniforms. Wear them with joy.” Sparkle’s gaze grew thoughtful. “Your hair is a pretty color. Those blonde highlights make the color pop, but I don’t know about the style. It just sort of lies there.”