by Sarah Noffke
Willow nodded and pressed the envelope with Paris’ birth records to her chest. “It’s pretty amazing that for the first time, Happily Ever After College has a fairy and a magician training to be a fairy godmother. I think that bodes well for the college’s evolution. Maybe this is what we needed all along to get a more holistic perspective and approach matchmaking from unique angles.”
“What?” Paris gasped, surprised by the headmistress’ words.
“No!” Shannon boomed. “She can’t be a fairy godmother. She’s not a fairy.”
“Technically,” Willow rounded on the woman. “She is a fairy. Thanks for the records. She’s both a fairy and a magician. I think that might be why she’s such a good contribution to this college.”
“You can’t allow her to stay!” Shannon protested. “She doesn’t belong here.”
Willow pointed at the exit. “The only one who doesn’t belong here anymore is you, Shannon Butcher. We’ll take you to the proper authorities and allow them to deal with you. I’m sure you’ll find that your new confines will give you a chance to reflect on all this. I hope you find peace in your heart since you’ve brought so much negativity to the college. But it will be gone when you are.”
Chapter Seventy-Seven
“Christine said that you taught her the binding spell she used on Shannon Butcher,” Headmistress Willow Starr said, sitting behind her cozy desk.
Paris twisted her mouth to the side. “Technically, I told her about the time I used it to restrain a troll doing damage on Roya Lane. He was having a bad day and taking it out on a street lamp. She asked how I did it, and I explained how the spell worked.”
“Because of that, she had the tools to do something that a fairy godmother never would’ve been able to accomplish before.” Willow didn’t sound at all upset about the knowledge Paris had passed on, as the younger fairy would have expected. “We don’t teach combat spells here at Happily Every After College. We never have.”
“Maybe we should,” Mae Ling suggested, sitting in the chair next to Paris on the other side of the desk.
“Maybe,” Willow mused. “I think we’re going to need to evaluate the curriculum and think about what will best serve us. I don’t foresee fairy godmothers getting into fistfights in the future. At least, I sincerely hope not. Still, I think the way we approach things will be different, and maybe that means we’ll need a new set of skills, although this doesn’t mean I plan to erase the current curriculum. I’ve learned that too much change isn’t good. We need to find a balance.”
Paris hadn’t had a chance to process everything she’d learned that night. She suspected that would take some time and many answers. The questions were already pouring through her mind. She was back at Happily Ever After College though, and that’s what mattered to her most. Twice recently she’d thought her time here was finished, first when she failed the exam, then when she learned she was half-magician.
Paris still couldn’t fathom it. She wasn’t a pure fairy. She was a halfling. Did King Rudolf know? Is that why he told her about her parents and shared the information about his halfling children? There were so many questions. So many people she needed to talk to. But first, she wanted to sleep. That would help her to process.
“So I get to stay here at Happily Ever After College?” Paris had to ask. She needed to hear it one more time. To know the headmistress hadn’t changed her mind.
“Of course,” Willow answered at once. “I know that it’s untraditional, and fairy godmothers have always been fairies. That’s the way Mother Nature designed it. You are a fairy. You’re also something more. Plus, we can’t ignore the impact you’ve had on this college in a short time. We knew we needed a change and your uncle called me at the right time. I’m a firm believer in divine fate, and when I was at a crossroads, looking for answers to the college’s problem, the universe sent us you.”
Paris couldn’t help but beam. A tenderness erupted in her throat, making her think she might cry. Paris wasn’t one to cry. The last time she did, it was because she broke a finger on a gremlin’s head. They had surprisingly hard skulls.
“I also brought problems,” Paris had to admit. “I’ve thrown more pies in the time I’ve been here than in the college’s entire history.”
Willow giggled pleasantly. “It’s true. You’re a feisty one. You’ll have to learn to control your impulses, but I think there’s a good reason why you are the way you are. I’m sure that you’re eager to learn who you are and why. I would caution you not to run out and seek answers to the questions right away though. Give yourself time to adjust, and we will help you to uncover the truth if we can.”
“I’m sure Paris’ history will be revealed when she’s ready to understand it,” Mae Ling stated with a knowing edge in her voice.
Willow nodded. “I suspect you’re right.”
“I don’t feel like rushing out and learning anything new just yet,” Paris admitted. “I need time to wrap my brain around what I’ve learned so far. And the only person I know who can answer the questions is away and unreachable. For now, I’m going to be grateful that things worked out and Professor Butcher didn’t ruin the Valentine’s Day event.”
Willow’s eyes lit up. “Oh, she didn’t at all. Take a look at this.” Swiping her hand to the side using magic, the headmistress pulled back the curtain that covered the love meter. The dial hadn’t moved a lot, but it had moved! It was now pointing at around thirty percent. “True love is up worldwide five percent. Although that isn’t a lot, it’s progress that we haven’t seen in quite some time.”
“You think that’s from our event?” Paris asked.
“Well, it is Valentine’s Day, but on that holiday, we usually see the dial go down,” Willow explained. “You see, people feel obligated to do things that are loving on Valentine’s Day, which negates true love. Usually, we see a ten percent drop that steadily recovers as we progress through February.”
“But we saw a rise?” Paris questioned. “Why?”
“I think the event was successful and that many guests made true love matches,” Willow answered. “When those happen, there’s usually a ripple effect. When someone falls in love, they’re happier and nicer to all they come in contact with. That’s exactly the reason that our college exists, to create true love and spread more of the emotion all over the world.”
“Then it seems we should focus on creating more than true love between couples,” Paris reasoned. “We could do even more and really get the meter off the charts.”
Willow gave her a patient smile. “Maybe in time. I’m open to changes, but again, not too much too fast. We want to focus on our curriculum and helping people to fall in love. Then we can look at expanding.”
“Wow,” Paris declared. “So although killer doves attacked our event and we flooded the banquet hall, things still worked out. Maybe that means people need to have a bad date first. Miss the train, have bad service, have a bad hair day. You know, be real and see if love is sparked in the worst-case scenario because then it will happen in the best ones too.”
Willow nodded. “The idea holds merit. There were no pretenses, and when things got stressful, our charges were their authentic selves. Hopefully the matches we made stick, but we have to wait and see. For now, I’m very happy with the results.”
Paris pulled in a breath, feeling grateful that although her world had turned upside down that night, it was still intact.
“Now, I think after all this, you should go and get some rest,” Willow advised. “Since I’m sure you’ll need extra sleep, you can skip classes tomorrow morning.”
Paris shook her head and rose from the chair. “Oh no. I’m more motivated than ever to learn. We’re making a difference.” She pointed at the love meter. “I can’t quit now.”
Willow smiled proudly at her. “Paris, I’m very grateful that you’re with us and hope you stay for a long time after you’ve served your sentence for your crimes.”
Paris nodded, having forgotten al
l about the reasons that brought her to Happily Ever After College. She’d come here out of obligation and now she wanted to stay due to an intrinsic, unwavering motivation.
Chapter Seventy-Eight
Paris and Mae Ling walked in silence until they arrived right outside Paris’ room on the second floor. She turned to face the fairy godmother, having spent the entire trek wondering what to ask her first.
“Do you know what happened to my parents?” she finally asked.
Mae Ling gave her a regretful expression. “I honestly can say that I don’t.”
Paris sighed. “I have so many questions.”
“I realize that. But I have a warning I must disclose to you now that you know who you truly are.”
“So you knew all along that I was a magician too?” Paris had to ask. “That I was Guinevere Paris Beaufont?” It sounded so weird saying her name like that.
“Of course,” Mae Ling answered boldly. “There was zero way that I could tell you. I will never lie to you, Paris. I promise you that. But in many instances, I literally can’t tell you what you want to know. In some instances, it would do you little good to know what I know. Please understand that nothing that’s happened to you was done out of deception. It was to protect you.”
“Protect me?” Paris asked. “From what?”
Mae Ling shook her head, and it was clear that this was something she couldn’t reveal. “This situation is extremely complicated. I know you want answers. You want to know why you weren’t raised with your parents and why your name was changed. In time, you will discover the truth. I promise. But it will take just that—time. There is only one person who can tell you your history.”
“Uncle John?” Paris guessed.
Mae Ling’s face lined with wrinkles, making the answer clear.
“I guess you can’t tell me who can share the truth with me?” Paris asked.
Regret filled the fairy godmother’s eyes. “Powerful magic has been used to protect you. That’s all that I can say.”
“You can’t tell me,” Paris guessed. “You’ve been spelled, haven’t you?”
Mae Ling sighed.
She couldn’t answer that question. This was getting more complicated by the moment.
“What I can tell you is that as you seek the truth, which I know you will undoubtedly do, you must be very careful,” Mae Ling explained. “It’s only a matter of time before your secret of being a halfling spreads. There is a danger out there that is so great, and once it learns who you are, it will come for you. Be careful outside of Happily Ever After. Here you are safe. Outside our borders, you are not.”
A violent chill ran down Paris’ back. Of course, this got more complicated. She was safe there, but when she sought to investigate her history, she’d be a target. That only created more questions—ones that Mae Ling wasn’t able to answer.
“Okay,” Paris finally said, exhaustion making her feel like she might pass out at any moment. “I’ll be careful. I have one last question, and maybe you can answer it. Did you know my parents?”
Mae Ling smiled, a rare gesture on her face. “Oh, yes, and it’s because of them that this planet still exists.”
Chapter Seventy-Nine
“Did it happen the way you thought it would?” a woman with grayish-blue hair and a southern accent asked. She stood at the edge of the Bewilder Forest, regarding the Fairy Godmother Estate.
The man known as Father Time, currently in elf form, shook his head. “It rarely ever does. But the dice have been rolled, so we have to take the turn regardless of whether we were ready, regardless of whether I thought Guinevere was ready.”
“Shannon Butcher wasn’t spelled,” Mother Nature guessed, although she preferred to go by Mama Jamba, as her counterpart beside her preferred the name Papa Creola.
The elf with long stringy hair, wearing loose pants and a tie-dye shirt shook his head. “The magic it would cost to silence everyone was too costly. I only spelled those who were most likely to share the information with her.”
Mama Jamba smiled sweetly. “I’m glad she found out now. I was getting tired of waiting.”
“You were never good with waiting,” he countered.
“Time is your thing, Papa. Not mine.” The old woman in her pink velour tracksuit surveyed the Enchanted Grounds. “It’s overdue that my fairy godmothers get their act together. We’ve always known they needed Paris to evolve.”
“Her name is Guinevere,” he corrected.
“Her name is also Paris, and it’s what she’s used to being called,” Mama Jamba argued.
“The college might need her, but she can’t create change if he gets to her,” Papa Creola stated, his voice suddenly heavy.
“Yet, you need her to stop him,” Mama Jamba sang good-naturedly. Nothing ever got her down. Her planet could be hurtling toward the sun, and she’d be smiling. Such was the perk of being the creator of everything. She simply didn’t sweat the small stuff…or the big stuff…or sweat at all.
Papa Creola sighed. “Yes, and it’s only a matter of time before the Deathly Shadow discovers who the halfling is. Then my job will really begin.”
Mother Nature giggled. “Great, because you’ve been slacking for a good part of this century.”
“I’ve been planning,” he argued, sounding offended. “Getting to this point hasn’t been easy.”
“But we’re finally here, and if you’re successful, I’ll be successful.” Mama Jamba hummed for a moment while swaying back and forth. “Oh, won’t it be wonderful when love takes over the planet once more?”
He grunted. “I guess. Love has never been my thing.”
“Oh, I don’t know, Papa. I think you have more of a heart than you think.”
“If you start holding me to that standard, I’m going to expect you to be on time for our meetings in the future,” he grumbled.
Mama Jamba slapped him playfully on his shoulder. “Please don’t hold your breath on that one.”
“I don’t breathe,” he said, always having to be utterly literal.
The old woman threaded her arm through Papa Creola’s. “Come on. Take me for pancakes. There’s nothing to be done here tonight. Let the girl sleep. She has a big job to do.”
Papa Creola reluctantly allowed himself to be led away into the Bewilder Forest, knowing that Mama Jamba was right. The halfling was the key to everything.
Chapter Eighty
Faraday didn’t say a word until Paris had finished talking. He stared at her for a long moment and finally said, “You are one of a kind.”
Paris shook her head, sliding into bed. “I’m not sure. All I know is that halflings are rare.”
“I’ve never heard of a magician and fairy halfling,” Faraday stated. “They can’t breed together. It’s impossible.”
“Well, my parents were both magicians. So I’m totally baffled.”
“This will take some investigation.”
“Will you help me?”
“Of course!” he exclaimed. “If there’s a question, I must learn the answer. And you’re an anomaly, which I must study.”
“You’re an anomaly,” Paris teased and pulled her sheets up to her chest.
“Why, thank you, Paris…” He hesitated on her name. “Is that what you still want to be called?”
“Yes,” she answered without having to think about it. “That’s my name. That’s who I’ve always been, as far as I can remember, at least for the most part. Although I don’t know about being a Westbridge now. That doesn’t sound like who I always was.”
“I’m sure this will all make sense in time.” Faraday scurried around in the sock drawer, trying to get comfortable.
“Yes, this will all take a lot of time to understand.” Paris turned out the light using magic. “What will you do tomorrow?”
The squirrel finally stopped moving around, having found his spot nestled between the fuzzy socks. “I’ll continue my investigations. Did you know the Serenity Garden is off-limits on Tuesday
s?”
“I did.” Paris remembered that from her tour of the college.
“I must discover why.” He sounded tired.
“Tomorrow is Monday,” she pointed out.
“Yes, and that gives me time to prepare.”
“Oh, well, let me know what you discover,” she said through a yawn.
“Let me know what you find out.”
“About being a magician?” Paris questioned.
“No, about how to make a soufflé,” he joked. “Of course about being a magician. Although, I am curious about the chemistry of making a soufflé. It’s apparently a very delicate process.”
“You’re so weird.” Paris closed her eyes, feeling sleep ready to crash down on her.
“Why, thank you,” he droned, sounding ready to start snoring. When the squirrel slept, he made a gentle purring sound that Paris quite liked.
“Hey, Faraday…”
“Yes, Paris.”
Although she was exhausted and confused, Paris was also happy. Like, really happy, maybe for the first time or the first time in a very long time.
She’d made a difference for love that night. The headmistress wanted her to stay at Happily Ever After College. More importantly, she’d made friends…finally. Yes, there were so many things to discover about her history, but she would, and she was most grateful that she didn’t have to do it alone.
“I’m glad you’re here with me,” she finally said, nearly having fallen asleep while thinking of all the good ways her life had changed—and it had changed a lot recently.