“You ungrateful little wretch!” Breena’s pink eyes flashed. “Just wait until your next birthday wish! I’ll make you sorry you were ever born in the first place!”
“You’ll do nothing of the kind,” Jake said dryly. “You no longer have any power to affect Cassandra magically. She broke your hold over her when she broke the curse her wish had become.”
“Oh, you…” For a minute Breena appeared to be too angry to get out another word. “You might think you’ve gotten away with disrespecting me,” she burst out at last. “But your little sister is still my client and I happen to know her birthday is coming up very soon!”
Jake’s face grew stern.
“As a matter of fact, Aurora is also my client. Are you actually threatening to cause her harm? That is a direct violation of the Fairy Godmother Code of Conduct!”
“I don’t care!” Breena snapped. She glared at Cass. “Your old fairy godmother was right—you girls are just spoiled little half-breed brats and you need to be taught a lesson!”
And with that, she disappeared in a puff of choking pink smoke.
Cass turned to Jake, concerned.
“Do you think she’d really try to hurt Rory just to get back at me?”
“No, of course not,” Jake said grimly. “Because I’m going before the judge to have her license revoked and get a new fairy godmother appointed to your little sister at once. Aurora—”
“Cass? Counselor O’Shea?”
Cass looked up and saw her little sister standing at he top of the stairs.
“Rory?” she said, frowning. She turned to Jake and murmured, “How is she awake when everyone else is still, er…frozen?” She waved a hand at the frozen tableau still crowding the living room.
All of the living art had shrunk to its original size and number—meaning there was one of everything now instead of triplicates. Also, it was no longer living—all the statues had gone back to their stands and the paintings had climbed back into their frames. The Brandon clones were gone as well which left only Cass’s family, Lady Blankenship and her crowd, and the naked seniors. Brandon himself was gone—he must have left after Cass had broken up with him, she speculated.
All in all, the living room was still a fairly strange sight, but not nearly as chaotic and dangerous as it had been before Jake had frozen everyone.
But how had Rory escaped being frozen in the stasis spell along with everyone else, even their fairy godmother?
Jake frowned, clearly as perplexed as Cass was.
“I don’t know why she wasn’t caught by my spell,” he said under his breath. Addressing Rory, he said, “Aurora, are you all right?”
“He’s gone…” Rory’s normally cheerful face looked drawn and worried. “One minute we were sitting on my bed talking and the next minute…he vanished. Do you think he’s all right?”
“Who?” Cass asked, and then she remembered. “Oh no—she means the Phooka guy.”
“Daegan.” There was a grim look on Jake’s face. “He must have been thrown back to the Realm of the Fae when your housekeeping spell put everything to rights and the warding around the house was restored,” he told Cass. “And a good thing too—he’s dangerous.”
“He’s not dangerous!” Rory came downstairs quickly, her cheeks bright pink with protective anger. “He’s kind and good! And we were just getting to know each other.”
“I’m afraid Daegan’s company is a pleasure you will have to forego,” Jake growled, frowning. “Phookas are an untrustworthy lot to begin with and he is one of the worst.”
“What? So you’re forbidding me to see him?” Rory demanded, her cheeks getting even pinker. “You can’t do that! I’m almost nineteen—I’m an adult.”
“In the human world, maybe,” Jake said. “But in the Realm of the fae, you are scarcely more than an infant. I have been charged with your wellbeing and protection and I swear to you that I will keep you safe, even from your own misguided desires.”
“Misguided desires? I just want to get to know him!” Rory exclaimed. “Is that so much to ask? I…” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I feel drawn to him. You don’t understand.”
“Oh, I do understand,” Jake said grimly. “You very foolishly formed a bond with him when you used your tears to heal him the first time I took you and your sisters to the Realm of the Fae. But you have to understand, Aurora—”
“Oh, I understand…” Rory’s voice was trembling. “I understand that you hate him because of what he is—just the way the full-blooded fairies hate us for what we are. Daegan can’t help it he was born a Phooka! And you can’t keep us apart forever.”
Dashing tears from her emerald-green eyes, she ran back up the stairs. Then the door to her room slammed and Cass heard sobbing coming from inside.
Troubled, she looked at Jake.
“Oh dear, that’s not like Rory at all. She’s usually so happy and bubbly!”
“I’m afraid allowing the Phooka to enter your house was a grave mistake.” Jake sighed. “And his magic must be exceptionally strong if he was able to keep himself and your sister protected from my stasis spell. It’s not a good sign.”
“Crap.” Cass felt horrible. “This is all my fault! If I hadn’t let Glorianna and her monochrome boy toy fool me—”
“You weren’t to know Daegan was a Phooka,” Jake interrupted her. “After all, you had only seen him in his animal form before. How could you possibly recognize his human form?”
Cass thought of the flashes she had caught through the shifting, dancing ball. The glimpses of glossy black mane and apple-bright eye. But how could she have known those were all Daegan?
Of course, it didn’t matter—even if it was completely impossible for her to have known she was bringing home a man who was dangerous to her little sister, she still felt guilty about the outcome.
“Will Rory be okay?” she asked Jake anxiously. “I feel like I’ve put her in an awful lot of danger tonight—first pissing off the current FG and now the whole Phooka thing.”
“She will be well in time,” Jake said. He ran a hand through his hair. “She’s simply…going through a kind of withdrawal right now.”
“Withdrawal?” Cass exclaimed. “What are you talking about? You think he gave her some kind of drug?”
“No, but Aurora formed a soul bond with Daegan when her tears saved his life and he probably spent every moment trying to strengthen it while he was here,” Jake explained. “A bond like that draws the two who are bonded together—it creates a vacuum—an emptiness in the heart when the they are separated.”
Cass remembered the awful, empty feeling she’d had when she thought Jake didn’t love her and felt even worse.
“But that’s terrible!” she exclaimed. “Are we absolutely sure Rory can’t be with him? I mean, is he really such a bad guy just because he’s a Phooka?”
“Cassandra…” Jake took her by the shoulders and looked earnestly into her eyes. “I am not trying to separate your sister from Daegan out of some misguided sense of prejudice. Please believe me when I tell you this—he is dangerous—a killer. His own people exiled him for murder.”
“Oh…” Cass felt her mouth go dry. “Crap,” she muttered. “I should have known you’d have a good reason not to let her see him. I just didn’t realize…”
“Never mind.” Jake sighed. “I know it seems harsh but we need to have Aurora’s best interests in mind. And though it will take some time, her heart will heal from the bond.”
“I hope you’re right,” Cass muttered. Seeing her normally bubbly little sister so upset and knowing she was to blame for Rory’s pain made her feel awful.
“In the meantime…” Jake clapped his hands. “We need to sort things out at your art showing. Do you want me to lay a memory charm on the humans here so that they forget the magical things they witnessed?”
Cass frowned. “You know, I don’t think so. Right up until the art tripled itself and started growing so huge, Lady Blankenship was really kind of
into it.”
He shrugged. “As you wish. Are you ready?”
Cass looked down at herself. For the sake of continuity, she had put back on the sparkling ball gown Jake had given her. She went back into the much less crowded living room and stood beside Lady Blankenship, assuming the same position she’d had before Jake had cast the stasis spell in the first place.
“I think I look okay,” she said doubtfully.
“You look beautiful.” Jake told her and spoke a word of power…and everything started up again.
“Oh!” Lady Blankenship had a look on her face which was worry verging on fear. But when she looked around, it turned to an expression of puzzlement. “What…what happened?” she asked Cass, sounding bewildered. There were similar exclamations of uncertainty all around them but at least no one was screaming or running away.
“The living art part of our evening is over now,” Cass explained quickly—and loudly, hoping her voice would carry. “I hope you enjoyed it. You know,” she added in a lower tone to Lady Blankenship alone, “Some people with less…sophisticated tastes have found it a little frightening. But I was pretty sure you and your friends could handle it.”
“Oh? Oh, yes—yes of course.” Lydia Blankenship nodded her head rapidly. “It was most…entertaining.”
She still looked shaken but it was clear she was trying not to show it.
“Oh look,” Cass said brightly. “I see that my model for the two central paintings is here.” She motioned to the two paintings of Jake—one in repose and one from the back—that occupied the central space in the middle of the room. Two of the senior nudists were standing in front of them, examining them critically.
“He’s a beautiful man,” the woman said. “But why are his ears pointed? Is he supposed to be some kind of alien?”
“Forget his ears,” the man said sourly. “There’s no way his Johnson’s that big! He’d never get his gol-durn britches zipped.”
“It actually is that big,” Cass whispered to Lady Blankenship as the two of them suppressed a fit of giggles. “Would you like to meet him?”
“Yes, please!” Lady Blankenship nodded and motioned for her group of friends, all of which still seemed a bit dazed.
“Jake? Sweetheart?” Cass raised her voice and waved at him. “Would you mind coming over here?”
“Of course.” Jake came over and looped his arm around Cass’s waist possessively. “Hello,” he said, taking Lady Blankenship’s hand. “And whom do I have the pleasure of addressing?”
“Oh, hello!” Lady Blankenship fluttered, obviously completely overcome. “It’s so lovely to meet you—truly your portrait really does you justice…”
Epilogue
“So after Jake stepped in, all the art was as good as sold,” Cass said, explaining the happy ending of her art show to Nana and Phil and Josh.
Rory was up in her room somewhere and still refused to come out. As elated as she was about her success, Cass couldn’t help feeling bad for her little sister. But what could she do? They couldn’t let Rory run off with a guy who was a wanted criminal, no matter how charming he had seemed.
“I imagine so.” Nana smiled encouragingly.
Phil grinned. “I’m sure Counselor Jacobin can be very charming.”
“Extremely.” Cass grinned. “Anyway, that’s why every single bit of art got sold and Lady Blankenship has promised me a big write up in Bay Beautiful Magazine—she’s going to feature me on her blog and her podcast, Lydia’s Art Finds, too.”
“Wow, sounds like you hit the jackpot.” Josh smiled at her easily. “I’m glad everything worked out. Especially after everything went kind of crazy for a while there…”
“Sorry, hon.” Phil took her fiancée’s hand and squeezed apologetically. “Remember I told you that you weren’t going to be marrying into a normal family…”
“What I saw tonight goes way beyond abnormal,” Josh said cheerfully. “But I don’t care as long as we’re together.” He put an arm around Phil and drew her in for a kiss.
Cass couldn’t help grinning but then she sighed.
“I’d be so happy if only…”
“If only what? What more can you want?” Phil asked, breaking her kiss and frowning at Cass.
“Well, if only Rory wasn’t so upset.”
Rapidly, Cass explained the situation while Nana and Josh and Phil frowned.
“Oh, poor dear Aurora,” Nana said mournfully when Cass finished. “It’s awful to have that dreadful ache of an unfulfilled soul bond. But I’m afraid I agree with Counselor O’Shea—Phookas are dreadful scoundrels!”
“Jake says she’ll get over him eventually,” Cass said, sighing again. “Supposedly it’s kind of like an addiction and she’s in withdrawal.”
“Poor Rory!” Phil exclaimed. “We have to take her out for a sister day soon and try to take her mind off it.”
Cass was about to agree when she heard someone clear his throat behind her. Turning, she saw Jake standing there. He had left for a while after charming Lady Blankenship but apparently he was back now.
“Oh, Jake—come here.” She waved at him. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too, darling.” He came around the couch to stand in front of her. “I heard you speaking about the success of your show. But do you know who else would appreciate your art?” He raised an eyebrow at her.
“Who?” Cass looked at him, mystified.
“My parents,” he said quietly. “Cassandra, I’ve made a decision—after I’ve gotten your sister a new and competent fairy godmother, I’m going to leave my job as a Counselor and go back home to the Elven Realm. I’m going to follow in my father’s footsteps and become the next Spell-Singer of my home region.”
“You are?” Cass felt as though her stomach had suddenly dropped to the floor. “But, well…what does that mean for us?” she asked. “Where will we be?”
“Together, if you’ll come with me.” Jake suddenly sank to one knee in front of her and took both her hands in his. “Cassandra Swann,” he said, looking earnestly into Cass’s eyes. “Will you marry me?”
“Oh!” Cass felt completely blindsided. She’d agreed to be exclusive to the big elf but she’d never imagined he would want to take such a serious step so soon. And yet, instead of feeling worried or anxious, all she felt was joy. She opened her mouth, uncertain what would come out, and heard herself say,
“Yes! Oh, yes, Jake!”
And then she was in his arms and he was kissing her until she couldn’t breathe and she thought she’d never been so happy in her life.
“Oh, this is wonderful! Simply wonderful!” Nana exclaimed, clapping her hands. “Why, Cassandra…Philomena…we can have a double wedding if you girls like! A wedding in the Realm—just imagine how gorgeous and magical it will be!”
Before anyone could answer her, a new voice spoke.
“Cass? Counselor O’Shea?”
Rory came down the stairs, looking pale but calm. Her eyes were red and her cheeks were blotchy as though she’d been crying but her face was completely serene.
“Uh…Rory?” Phil got off the couch and went to their little sister as Cass watched with concern. “Are you feeling okay? Cass told us about…about what happened.”
“I’m perfectly fine,” Rory said calmly. She looked at Cass and Jake. “I was a little upset but I realize now that you’re only separating me and Daegan for my own good.”
“You…do?” Cass wasn’t sure what to make of this.
“Yes, I do.” Rory nodded. “And, well…it hurts a lot right now but I’m sure I’ll be okay. After all, I only talked to him about an hour. I have the rest of my life to get over him.”
“Well, that’s very mature of you, Rory,” Phil said approvingly and Nana murmured assent.
Cass was cautiously pleased too.
“I’m glad you understand that Jake and I aren’t just trying to be mean to you,” she said.
“No, of course not.” Rory gave her a tremulous smile. “Di
d I just hear that you and Counselor O’Shea are getting married?”
“We are.” Cass couldn’t help it—she was positively beaming—she could feel the expression all over her face.
“And we’re thinking of holding the wedding in the Realm of the Fae,” Nana put in brightly. “Wouldn’t that be just perfect?”
“It’ll certainly be interesting, I’m sure about that,” Josh remarked dryly. “Uh, will my parents and family be able to come too?”
“We can put a magical bubble of protection over the area designated for the ceremony,” Jake assured him. “So it will be perfectly safe—I myself will escort them if you truly wish to have the wedding ceremony in the Realm.”
“Well…” Cass and Phil exchanged a look of uncertainty. Was it really a good idea to get married in the Realm of the Fae where anything could happen? Then again, if Jake personally guaranteed everyone’s safety, Cass trusted him to keep all the guests safe. And it really would be a magical ceremony—literally.
“I think it sounds like a wonderful idea,” Rory said, speaking up and smiling more naturally this time. “Just think how gorgeous it would be! And I get to be a bridesmaid for both of you, right?”
“Of course,” Phil exclaimed. “We wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Then it’s settled!” Nana clapped her hands. “Oh, my dears—we must start the preparations! And I have to find myself a date!”
All three of the girls groaned in unison.
“Please, Nana—not that website again!” Rory exclaimed. “I thought Trekkies and Bikers were bad but those nudists—”
“Well what am I supposed to do?” Nana exclaimed. “The website promises to help seniors find other seniors—it’s not my fault it keeps finding me the wrong ones.”
“Josh, sweetheart,” Phil said sweetly, turning to her fiancée, “Do you think you could help Nana find a more, ah, appropriate website to meet people on?”
Josh shrugged. “Sure. There are lots that cater to seniors. Come on, Nana—let’s see if we can get you a man.”
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