by Erin Johnson
She bit her lip, her blue eyes bright and wide. She gave me a broad grin, then smiled up at Hank. “Nope. I like Hank’s plan. I’ll be at the booth.”
I clicked my tongue at her.
Hank looked down at me with his intelligent blue eyes. “With Maple out, you’ll be even more needed, Imogen, and I’m sure knowing some magic would be a big help.”
Here it came. I cringed inwardly.
“Why don’t we pick a time and we can work on it together?”
He looked at me with such earnestness I could hardly meet his eyes. I looked all around for any escape. My eyes landed on Maple. I slid up to her and threw an arm over her shoulders.
“Oh darn.” I tried to grimace and look disappointed. “But Maple was just saying how much help she’ll need, getting the booth ready, selling the pastries, running the pie-eating contest—”
“The what?” Maple frowned at me.
“Maybe that’s a human thing, I’ll explain it. But all the more reason she needs me working the booth with her, right?” I flashed my eyes at her.
“Oh, yeah. Right.”
“So, I’m sorry. Bummer. But I won’t be able to study with you.” I pulled Maple to me like she was my conjoined twin, and kept my smile plastered on as I stared up at Hank.
His head brushed the ceiling of the dark, small space. His flat eyes held none of their usual sparkle. “Maple, will you excuse us a moment? I need a private word with Imogen.”
My arm tightened around her shoulders. She turned to me, her expression apologetic. I shook my head tightly, willing my thoughts telepathically into her head. Maple. Don’t leave me alone with him. Maple! She inched away, and I knew I’d have to save myself.
“I have to check on my cinnamon rolls!”
Maple peeled my arm from her shoulders. “I’ll check for you.” She gave my hand a little squeeze before slipping out of the dim alcove into the bright bakery. She cast an apologetic glance over her shoulder, then moved off to the ovens.
I folded my arms across my chest and stared at my feet, trying hard to ignore my closeness to Hank, the darkness of the space, and how he smelled like cloves. He took a step closer, and I backed into a shelf that dug into my lower back. Ow.
He reached an arm out, but stopped short of touching my elbow. “Imogen. You’re avoiding me.”
“What? No, I’m not. I’m….” I looked around for an escape.
He sighed. “I get it. I do. It’s a… complicated situation.”
Not that complicated. We almost kissed in a pantry, much like the alcove we’re currently in, then you did kiss me to save my life, then it was so nice we almost kissed again, but your fiancée showed up and reminded me that, oh yeah, you’re engaged. To a princess.
“But you’ve got to learn to use your magic.”
I finally looked up at him, standing so close, and I froze. His dark, thick brows pulled together, and he pressed his lips tight, and pulled them to the side. Stop. I willed myself to look away from his lips.
“Look, I made it through the baking contest without magic, didn’t I? I’m doing fine.”
He scoffed. “Hardly.”
I frowned at him. “Hey.”
He sighed. “What I mean is, you hardly made it through without magic. You use magic all the time, you just don’t know how to control it. Besides, I’m not concerned about your baking, which is better than fine.”
My stomach fluttered at the compliment.
“It’s your safety. Nate almost….” He looked away and swallowed, his throat bobbing. He turned back to me, his eyes intense. “You need to be able to defend yourself.”
“I am learning, all right?” I lifted my brows and tried for confidence. “I’ve been reading books and studying on my own and—”
“And how’s that going?” He shook his head. “You’re talking to another swallow, you don’t think I tried that as a kid? It wasn’t until my mother realized what I was and found another swallow to teach me, that I was able to control my magic.”
He stepped closer and his warm hand slid gently around my elbow. “If something happened to you—”
“Princess!”
We both turned. Outside the alcove, the bakers all bowed and curtsied to the beautiful Princess Shaday and her handsome brother, Prince Roo. Decked out in the red and gold silks of the Fire Kingdom, they stood at the top of the stairs, glowing. Well, the beam of sunshine streaming in through the open second-story window onto their heads helped, but they shone on their own, too.
Hank dropped his arms to his sides and gave me a downcast look, before composing himself and striding out of the alcove to join his fiancée. I sighed as I watched him go.
“I was told I might find you here.” Princess Shaday had a deep, melodic voice, though her tone with Hank was the same as her tone with any of us. She was a tough cookie to read. “We are wanted for the meeting with the trade council.” Hank and Shaday bowed stiffly to each other.
I leaned my head against the white stucco wall and watched them leave. It didn’t matter that Hank’s dad, the king, had arranged his marriage to Shaday and that he barely knew her. It didn’t matter that he and I had a deep and magical connection that went beyond the sparks of two swallows gravitating toward each other.
Shaday and Hank had about as much chemistry as a cake with too much baking soda. Ba-dum tshh! Thanks folks, I’ll be here all week. Bad baking joke—it makes a cake flat, just like the interactions between Hank and Shaday—but they’d be married.
And even if he didn’t marry her, Hank was a prince, and I was definitely not a princess. Which made him off-limits, and made the two of us working magic together a bad idea.
At least the carnival would get me out of the palace for a week.
Check out the other books in The Spells & Caramels Series
Book 1
Seashells, Spells & Caramels
Available now
Book 2
Black Arts, Tarts & Gypsy Carts
Available now
Book 3
Mermaid Fins, Winds & Rolling Pins
Coming November 2017
Book 4
Coming December 2017
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A note from the author
I’ve always dreamed of being a published author, and to realize that dream, and have people like you actually read my book—I can’t tell you how much it means to me. So, truly, thank you.
If you enjoyed the story, and you’d like to help me as an author, please leave me a review on Amazon. It doesn’t matter how long or short, a review is the very best way you can help me stay in business and keep writing. Plus, you’ll help other readers discover Imogen and her adventures.
Thanks so much,
Erin
About the Author
A native of Tempe, Arizona, Erin spends her time crafting mysterious, magical, romance-filled stories that’ll hopefully make you laugh.
In between, she’s traveling, napping with her dogs, eating with her friends and family, and teaching Pilates (to allow her to eat more).
Erin loves to hear from readers! You can find her here:
www.erinjohnsonwrites.com
[email protected]
Copyright © 2017 by Erin Johnson
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
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