Her brow furrowed. "What kind of fairy enchantments?”
“Begonia seems to be under a weird spell that makes her disagreeable," I said, carefully omitting any reference to Lucy. “You know how lovely she is. I've looked into coven spells, but Agnes suggested that I talk to you about fairy enchantments that might have the same effect."
Lucy tapped her glittery wand on the desk, thinking. "It wouldn't be a typical goal for fairies. We’re usually hyperfocused on the positive. I do know a fairy that dabbles in charms and enchantments that are outside of our typical fare, though. You might want to speak to her."
"Thanks, that’s perfect. Who is it?"
"She's my nail technician at Glow. Lolly.”
“Lolly?” I echoed.
“Yes, Lolly Pop.”
Of course she was. “How do you know she experiments?"
"She talks to me about it when I come in for a mani-pedi. I was there the other day, and she was yammering on about some charm to draw a guy’s interest.” She snapped her fingers. “A vampire, although she didn’t name him.”
Hmm. Could the vampire be Demetrius? Begonia and Lucy were both affected. Maybe this Lolly Pop was the common denominator.
“That's really helpful, Lucy," I said. "I'll definitely speak to her."
Lucy cocked her head, scrutinizing me. "Did Gareth not inspect you before you left the house this morning? He’s falling down on the job.”
I bristled. "I am more than capable of dressing and grooming myself without Gareth’s involvement."
Lucy pressed her lips together in a show of mock sympathy. “Are you sure about that, hon?”
I needed to leave before I said something I regretted. I reminded myself that it wasn't Lucy's fault. She was clearly the victim of foul play, and I was determined to make it right.
"Thanks for the advice," I said through gritted teeth. "I'm going to head home right now and look in the mirror."
Lucy nodded solemnly. "Good plan. Try to sneak in before Daniel sees you. You don't want him rethinking his decision. It took so much effort to get him to the altar in the first place.”
I sucked in a steadying breath and left the office. Nichole was waiting for me in the foyer, pacing nervously.
“How’d it go?" she asked anxiously.
"Find a way to keep her away from the public until I figure this out,” I said. “We’ll give her the magic flu if we have to.”
Nichole gave me an enthusiastic thumbs up. “I wouldn’t mind seeing her hunched over a toilet and vomiting right now. I wouldn’t even hold her hair back.”
I suppressed the urge to agree. “Good luck, Nichole. You’re a trooper.”
“Thanks,” she called after me. “I desperately need it.”
I trudged through the front door, feeling deflated after my conversation with Lucy. Her negative behavior was impacting her both personally and professionally. I wondered whether Begonia was insulting her new clients at Spilled Ink. She could torpedo her new business endeavor before it had time to get off the ground.
“Thank the devil you’re home,” Gareth said.
"I can tell that whatever you're going to say is going to stress me out," I said. "Can it wait until I'm through the front door?"
Gareth glanced from the closed front door and back to me. "I did. You’re in the foyer."
I moaned in exasperation. "What is it now?"
Before he had a chance to answer, Daniel emerged from the kitchen, greeting me with an enthusiastic kiss. "Great, you’re home. Come and see what I've done." Clearly, whatever he’d done had filled him with pride, yet managed to annoy Gareth to no end.
Gareth folded his arms. “Go on then. You’ll see.”
Uh oh. I dreaded the walk to the kitchen. I felt like I was on my way to the prison cafeteria for my last meal.
When I entered the kitchen, Daniel gestured to the counter with a flourish. "Ta da! I made pizza.”
I stared at the mess in the kitchen. There was so much flour sprinkled everywhere that I had a hard time actually seeing the pizza.
“That’s amazing,” I said. I walked over to inspect it further. "How did you manage this?" Pizza was not a food item that residents of Spellbound were familiar with.
“I picked up a recipe when we were away,” Daniel said. “I’ve been waiting to try it when you weren’t home so that I could surprise you.”
I softened. “That’s so sweet, Daniel. Thank you.”
“Sweet? Thank you?” Gareth repeated, incensed. “Look at our kitchen. It’s a disaster zone. And you haven’t even seen the pantry. Nothing is alphabetized or color-coded. He’s destroyed my system. Destroyed it!”
“Calm down, Gareth,” I said.
Daniel’s nostrils flared. “Is he complaining again? Doesn’t he know how to do anything else?”
Magpie shot into the room and launched himself at Daniel’s leg.
“Ouch!” Daniel hopped off the floor in pain. “Why does that hellbeast feel the need to get involved?”
“Because you insulted Gareth,” I said calmly. “You guys have to find a way to live together. Every day can’t be full of conflict like this. It’s too stressful.”
“Gareth has to accept that this is our house now,” Daniel said. “He got to enjoy it while he was alive…or undead, and now it’s our turn. It’s time to let go.”
“Let go?” Gareth sputtered. “If I could see that halo of his, I’d wrap it around his neck and…”
I closed my eyes and struggled to breathe. “Please, stop!”
Everyone stared at me, including Magpie, who simply blinked his one good eye.
“Emma, are you okay?” Daniel asked gently.
“Of course I’m not okay,” I yelled. “The two most important paranormals in the world are at each other’s throats in the one place that’s supposed to be my sanctuary. My place to come and leave my troubles outside.”
Daniel’s shoulders sagged. “I didn’t realize Gareth would have an issue with pizza.”
“It’s not about the pizza,” Gareth said. “It’s the mess that accompanies it.”
“Listen, there are going to be things we disagree on,” I said. “Gareth, you’re going to have to tolerate that Daniel isn’t going to keep the spices alphabetized.”
“Barbarian,” Gareth hissed.
“And Daniel has to tolerate that Gareth and Magpie still belong in this house as much as we do,” I continued. “Just like I have to tolerate losing most of the square footage of my bed.”
Daniel shot me a quizzical look. “You have to tolerate sharing a bed with me?”
“Tolerate probably isn’t the right word,” I said carefully. “More like ‘adjust.’”
Daniel straightened. “Well, I suppose I have to tolerate the loud noise you make when you’re sleeping.”
“A-ha!” Gareth said excitedly. “I told you so!”
My jaw tensed. “What loud noise?”
Daniel hesitated. “You snore, okay?” he finally blurted. “Like one of Quinty’s magical machines. It’s loud and unnerving, but I’ll put up with it for the rest of my life if it means I get to sleep next to you.”
I fell silent.
“I wasn’t trying to upset you,” Daniel said. “I’m sorry.”
“I know. I guess we all have adjustments to make,” I said quietly. “I’m sorry, too.”
Daniel pulled a plate from the shelf and slid a slice of pizza onto it. “Are you ready to try my masterpiece?”
“I think masterpiece might be overkill,” Gareth muttered. “It looks like a crime scene.”
I sniffed before accepting the offering. “I do need to eat lunch.”
Daniel grinned broadly. “The fairy cleaners will be here this afternoon, so don’t worry about the mess.”
I nodded as I chewed the pizza. It tasted like sawdust mixed with tomato sauce. I clearly loved this angel deeply, because there was no other reason to force this disastrous concoction down my throat.
“I’ll get you a glass o
f lemon fizz,” Daniel said.
“Please do,” I choked out. Another bite and I’d be willing to wash this down with bleach.
Gareth smothered a smirk. “The things we do for love.”
I shot him a death glare before gulping down the lemon fizz. “I need to check on Begonia. Maybe you two could work together to sort out more of the boxes in the foyer. Gareth is great at organizing things, Daniel. You should let him help.”
Daniel looked past me, to where he assumed Gareth was standing. He was off by about a foot, but it didn’t matter. “If you’d like to help me unpack and organize my belongings, I suppose it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.”
Okay, a touch half-hearted, but a reasonable start.
Gareth rubbed his hands together. “Point me to the toiletries. First order of business is to ditch that horrid cologne.”
I held up a menacing finger. “The critical word is organize.”
“Fine,” Gareth huffed.
Magpie made an agreeable noise. Well, I had to assume it was agreeable because it wasn’t a hiss. It wasn’t perfect, but it was progress.
“I’ll check in later,” I said. Make sure no murders were committed. With that pleasant thought, I spun on my heel and headed out.
Chapter 9
I stopped to admire the handprinted sign outside the building. Spilled Ink was written in elegant script and a rainbow unicorn galloped around the sign in an apparitional circle before reinstating itself as the image on the sign.
“I will never get tired of watching that,” I said, to no one in particular.
Begonia was working with a customer when I entered. “Do you have an appointment?” She glanced up in annoyance. “Oh, sorry, Emma. I wasn’t expecting you.”
I crossed the room to admire her handiwork. “That looks amazing.” She was creating a magical butterfly tattoo, where the butterfly periodically vacated the pixie’s shoulder and flew around, much like the unicorn on the sign.
“It’s not quite right yet,” Begonia said, scrutinizing her creation. “The wings aren’t symmetrical.”
I peered over her shoulder. “They look identical to me, but I’ll defer to the professional.”
“Yes, please do,” Begonia said. “The gods know you can’t be good at everything.”
The pixie in the chair snickered. “I never knew you had an edge to you, Begonia.”
I glared at the pixie’s shoulder since that was the only part of her I could see. “I know I’m not good at everything. It’s sort of my defining characteristic.”
“You seem to be the only one who thinks that,” Begonia said. She continued to focus on improving the butterfly.
A bell chimed, and the door swung open to reveal Demetrius.
“Hey, Dem,” I said.
Begonia grunted. “Perfect. Your number one fan is here.”
Although he clearly heard the comment, Demetrius said nothing. “Your talent is shining through,” he said, inspecting the butterfly. “Pretty soon you’ll be too busy for the academy.”
“Don’t say that,” I admonished him. “Begonia needs to finish school.”
Demetrius chuckled. “I know she’d never leave, especially now that you’ve all been promoted to the more advanced classes.”
“Laurel’s going to make Avery look like a complete novice,” Begonia said.
“I’m just glad Laurel finally has a chance to expand her skills,” I said. “Lady Weatherby held her back for far too long.”
“She held all of you back too long,” Demetrius said. “This tattoo idea alone shows that Begonia was ready to advance.”
I didn’t disagree. “Your girlfriend is a talented witch.”
“We can’t all be fancy sorceresses,” Begonia said snidely. “I’m surprised they don’t put you in the upper level coven classes.”
“I’m not remotely fancy,” I said, and noticed the quiet shake of Demetrius’s head. I knew what he was trying to tell me. It isn’t worth it.
“Why don’t Emma and I let you focus on your customer?” Demetrius said. “I’ll touch base with you later.”
“Don’t forget she’s married now, Demetrius,” Begonia said. “She’s officially unobtainable.”
A lump formed in my throat. Begonia seemed to grow more horrible by the day. I could only imagine what Demetrius was going through.
“I’ll see you later, Begonia,” I said. “Good work on the tattoo.”
I hurried out of the shop with Demetrius beside me. Once we were safely outside, I assaulted the vampire with questions. “When did you notice her personality change? How are you surviving it?”
He steered me away from the shop. “I don’t know. She’s definitely been out of sorts, but what if this is the new Begonia? We’ve entered a new phase in our relationship. Maybe she’s more comfortable being her true self.”
“Are you nuts?” I didn’t mean to tongue lash him, but I couldn’t help it. The real Begonia would never speak to us this way, no matter what phase she might be going through. “This has nothing to do with your relationship.”
“Do you want to grab a coffee?” Demetrius asked. “I wouldn’t mind talking about it with someone. To be honest, I’ve been fighting the urge to break up with her until she snaps out of whatever this is. It’s terribly unpleasant.”
I desperately wanted to talk to Demetrius, if only to beg him to hang in there. “I’m supposed to be at Glow for a pedicure now. Why don’t you come with me? I’ll multitask.” If the next lead panned out, maybe it would convince Demetrius to hold off on any drastic measures.
Demetrius balked. “You want me to join you for a pedicure?”
“Why not? Your feet will thank you.”
After a brief consideration, he shrugged. “Lead on. You only live once…and if you’re a vampire, for a very long time.”
Lolly Pop was not at all unhappy to add Demetrius to her schedule. Her lavender hair was covered in bright glitter, and she wore a shimmery halter-top that accentuated her tiny waist. I suddenly wondered whether I should’ve left Demetrius behind. On the other hand, if Lolly were the culprit, maybe the vampire’s presence would flush her out more quickly.
Lolly fluttered in front of us, flashing a set of perfect teeth. “Select your nail colors first, please.”
I waited for Demetrius to bypass the painting part, but, instead, he chose a deep blood red. Somehow, it seemed appropriate.
“You don’t mind waiting while I do her pedicure first?” Lolly asked.
“Not at all,” Demetrius replied. “We’ll sit next to each other and chat, if that’s not too distracting for you.”
Lolly giggled awkwardly. “It won’t be the chatting that’s distracting. Hold on. Let me get your robes.” She fluttered out of sight.
“You should come to the Horned Owl tonight for Killian’s goodbye party,” Demetrius said. “I’m sure he’d like to see you.” Killian was a vampire and one of the longtime Spellbound residents that decided to seek new horizons now that the borders were open.
“I’d love to,” I said. “Is Begonia going?”
He shrugged in a way that made my stomach sink. “I won’t tell her not to come, but I already know she’ll be miserable the whole night. I’d rather not spoil the fun.” He was plainly unhappy with the current circumstances, and I couldn’t blame him. I just had to keep reminding myself that this wasn’t the real Begonia, and we’d find a way to bring her back.
“Please don’t give up on her, Dem,” I said. “She’s not herself. I know I can fix this.”
Demetrius gave me a sad look. “You can’t fix everything in life, Emma, but I love you for trying.”
Lolly returned with two glittering fuchsia robes. “Put these on.”
To his credit, Demetrius didn’t bat an eye. In fact, he unbuttoned his shirt and took it off right there in the middle of the salon, much to the delight of staff and customers. From across the room, someone whistled.
He slid on the robe and rubbed his hands down the fa
bric. “Very nice. I could get used to this.”
“So could I,” Lolly replied breathlessly.
I put mine on over my clothes. I didn’t see the point of wearing a fancy robe for a pedicure. We looked like two Barbie disco balls.
“Ready when you are,” I said.
Lolly guided us to the nail section of the salon. We sat in comfy chairs where phantom hands massaged our backs. It wasn’t as creepy as it sounded.
Demetrius leaned back, a smile on his face. “Now this is pampering.”
“Isn’t it, though?” I set my feet in the pool of water and instantly relaxed. I was so relaxed, in fact, that I nearly forgot the reason I was here. “So Lolly, I understand you’re a practitioner of charms and enchantments.”
She gave me a look of surprise. “That’s right. How’d you know?”
“I asked around,” I said. “I’m looking for a little help.”
Lolly was practically salivating with eagerness at the chance to impress Demetrius. “Absolutely. Tell me what you need.”
“Do you have any suggestions for how to make someone unlikeable?” I asked.
Lolly scrunched her nose. “Why would you want to do a thing like that?”
“The reason doesn’t matter,” I said. “Can you do it?”
She scrubbed my feet, contemplating the question. “I’m not sure. My skills tend to focus on positive changes. You know, a brighter smile. Flawless skin.” She giggled again. “I even had someone who wanted to fart rainbows.”
Demetrius chuckled. “And were you able to accommodate the request?”
Lolly straightened. “Of course. I wouldn’t have mentioned it otherwise.” She gave him a pointed look. “I always deliver on my promises.”
Demetrius gave a crisp nod. “Good to know.”
“So you can’t think of any way to make a sweet paranormal seem bitter?” I pressed. Although she seemed genuinely at a loss, I wanted to be sure.
“Negativity is not my thing,” Lolly said, slightly indignant. “I’m a fairy, through and through. I am all about light and love.”
“Mayor Knightsbridge was a fairy through and through, but I don’t think anyone would say she was all about light and love.” Demetrius’s tone remained neutral, despite the clear condemnation.
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