Better Than Hex (Spellbound Paranormal Cozy Mystery Book 5)

by Annabel Chase

  “It won’t be Agnes and Silas, if that’s what you think,” I said. “I don’t think it’s that kind of relationship.”

  “No?” He seemed genuinely perplexed. “They seem like a perfect match.”

  “I think they enjoy each other’s company, but I don’t see Agnes willing to commit.” Or Silas, for that matter. The genie liked to pursue the ladies.

  “That’s too bad. I’d enjoy attending a wedding. It would be nice to celebrate that type of happiness.”

  A lump formed in my throat. “You’ll be attending your own soon enough,” I said. “Never mind someone else’s.”

  “That’s true,” he mused. “I suppose my own wedding will be the height of happiness.”

  I strangled a scream, but not before a high-pitched sound escaped my lips.

  He glanced at me quizzically. “You sound funny. Is something wrong?”

  I cleared my throat and busied myself with a container of markers. “No, of course not. What could be wrong?” My palms began to sweat. I didn’t think I could go through with my confession. It was too hard. I wasn’t ready to take the risk.

  “I get the impression that you’re unhappy about the wedding.”

  I took a particular interest in the black marker in my hand. I debated whether I could stab myself in the eye with it and end this conversation.

  “Emma.” Daniel’s fingers encircled my wrists and the marker clattered to the floor. “You’re supposed to be my best friend. You can tell me anything.”

  “That’s just it, isn’t it?” I said.

  He gave me a blank look. “What?”

  “I can’t be your best friend,” I said. “That role rightfully belongs to your fiancée.” I wanted to squirm out of his grip, but part of me refused to budge. I liked the feel of his hands on mine far too much to jerk away.

  “It isn’t like that with Elsa,” he said. “Our relationship is…different.”

  I gazed into those mesmerizing turquoise eyes, my confidence building. “But should it be different? I mean, don’t you want to marry your best friend?”

  He appeared genuinely confused. “So are you telling me you aren’t looking forward to the wedding?”

  “No, Daniel. I’m not.” I gulped, recognizing the moment of truth was here. I had to speak now or forever hold my peace. “The truth is Daniel—I don’t want you to marry Elsa.”

  “Why not?” he asked. “Don’t you like her? I know she can be a bit much, but if you give her a chance…”

  “I could never like her, Daniel,” I said. “Not with all the chances in the world.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because she has the one thing in the world I’ve ever wanted.”

  “What’s that—beautiful blond hair? A perfect nose? Because I’m sure you can do a spell for that.”

  “No spell,” I choked out. “It’s nothing so superficial.”

  “Then what is it?”

  “You, Daniel. She has you.”

  Daniel blinked. He was so quiet for a moment, I thought maybe he hadn’t heard me.

  “Me,” he repeated softly.

  “You.” My heart pounded so hard, it felt like a wrecking ball inside my chest. If I didn’t end this soon, I was going to be sick.

  “Are you sure?” he asked.

  “Am I sure? What kind of question is that?” Did he think I didn’t know my own heart?

  “Maybe you only think you want me,” he said.

  “I don’t just want you, Daniel. I love you. I love you like I’ve never loved anyone in my life. When I’m with you, I feel like the sun is shining on me.” And when he wasn’t with me, the world seemed cold and dark. “I wrap my feelings for you around me like a warm blanket on a cold night.”

  Daniel stared at me like he’d never seen me before. “Are you sure?”

  I wanted to smack his beautiful angelic face. “Stop asking me that. Of course I’m sure.”

  His vacant expression only served to remind me of the spell he was under. So much for true love breaking the spell. Then it occurred to me. It wasn’t simply true love. It was true love’s kiss. On a whim, I grabbed his cheeks and pulled him toward me, planting a firm kiss on his lips. I stood back and watched him.

  “Anything different?” I asked.

  His brow creased. “Why? Should there be? Why did you kiss me? You know I’m engaged to Elsa.”

  My heart sank. “You don’t feel anything for me?”

  “I…I care about you,” he said, looking perplexed. “Whenever I think of you, though, an image of Elsa pops into my head. It’s…confusing.”

  There was no getting through to him unless I could stop Elsa from giving him the potion. Short of hiding in her house, I wasn’t sure how to achieve that.

  “You’ll still come to the wedding, won’t you?” he asked. “It won’t be the same without you there.”

  I closed my eyes, trying to keep the tears at bay. “Of course, Daniel. Anything for you.”

  “I know it’s not my place, but I’d rather see you there with Markos than Demetrius.”

  “It’s a month away,” I said. “A lot can happen in a month.” Like Daniel getting engaged to a cold and calculating fairy.

  “Do you want me to fly you home?” he asked.

  “No thanks. I’ve got Sigmund.”

  He smiled. “Do you remember when I had him fixed up for you? You were so pleased. Your grandmother’s old car.”

  My chest felt like it was going to explode. “I remember, Daniel. I remember every nice thing you’ve ever done for me.”

  “Because you love me?”

  I nodded sadly. “Because I love you.”

  Chapter 17

  We sat in the secret lair, watching Love, Actually. I’d probably seen it a hundred times, but I never tired of watching it.

  “Did you ever notice that the older women in the movie are the only two characters who don’t get happy endings?” Laurel asked. “What does that say about how older women are viewed in the human world?”

  “It isn’t only older women who don’t get happy endings,” I said glumly.

  Sophie gave my arm an affectionate squeeze. “It’ll all work out in the end.”

  “Will it?” I wasn’t so sure.

  Millie sat in the corner with the voodoo dolls, plucking Lady Weatherby's antlers with her fingers.

  “What's the problem, Millie?” Sophie asked.

  Millie glowered. “Lady Weatherby told me she was disappointed in my wandwork yesterday. As far as I'm concerned, there was nothing wrong with it. She's picking on me for no good reason.”

  “She is known for her high standards,” I said sympathetically. “Think of it this way. You’re still her star pupil.”

  “That's not saying much in this group,” Millie grumbled.

  Begonia clutched her heart. “Ouch.”

  “I feel like I’ll be a remedial witch forever,” Millie complained. “It isn't fair. I do so many spells better than witches who’ve already graduated from the academy. You should see Jemima try to do a simple glamour. I run circles around her, yet she's the one working in Mix-n-Match.”

  I agreed that it did seem unfair that someone like Jemima could scrape by with low marks in every subject, while Millie simply failed to show an aptitude for a minor few. A plan began to take shape in my mind.

  “If you want to prove yourself, I have an idea that might help,” I said.

  Millie gave me a suspicious look. “Like what?”

  “Remember that invisibility spell that Felix performed on me?” When he realized that I was close to uncovering his identity as the person who cast a youth spell on the town council, he cast a spell on me to make me invisible. If I had stayed that way for too long, I simply would have faded from the physical world forever.

  “What about it?” Millie asked. “That's a really advanced spell.”

  I smiled. “Exactly. Maybe if you could show Lady Weatherby that you’re capable of performing a complex spell like that, she might b
e more willing to overlook your inadequacies.”

  “It doesn't work that way,” Laurel said. “We have to pass every class or we have to repeat them all. It doesn't matter how well Millie flies a broom or performs an advanced spell, if she can't pass them all, then she can't graduate from the remedial class.”

  As much as I loved Laurel, I fervently wished she weren’t here right now. I needed Millie’s help in order for this plan to work. I wasn't sure that I could perform the spell on myself. It was best to have help.

  Millie scratched at the eyes of the Lady Weatherby doll. “Why do you want me to perform an invisibility spell anyway?”

  “Because I need to be invisible again,” I said.

  The other girls immediately objected. I heard a chorus of ‘are you mad?’ and ‘spell’s bells.’

  “It's the only way I can sneak into Elsa's house again and figure out what she's done to Daniel. There must be evidence of an Obsession potion somewhere in the house.”

  The other girls exchanged wary glances.

  “What is it?” I asked. “Is there something you're not telling me?”

  Laurel drew a breath. “We’re worried about you. We know it's been hard for you to see Daniel with someone else. Just because life doesn't go your way, though, that doesn't mean there’s a spell responsible for it.”

  “We're sure it must seem that way to you,” Sophie said. “Under the circumstances, that's been your experience in Spellbound. A spell happened long ago and you’re paying the price for it now. But that doesn't mean that every bad thing that happens to you is down to a spell.”

  I stared at my friends in disbelief. Did they really think it was possible that Daniel truly loved Elsa? That I was being paranoid and delusional?

  “There's one flaw in your logic,” I said. “I don't consider being trapped in Spellbound to be a bad thing or a problem.” At least not anymore. “In fact, getting stuck here is probably the best thing that's ever happened to me. It brought me to you.” And to Gareth, Althea, and countless others. And Daniel, of course. Always Daniel.

  Begonia chewed her lip thoughtfully. “Maybe we should help her. If nothing else, it will at least prove one way or another whether Daniel's feelings for Elsa are genuine.”

  I reached for her hand and squeezed it. “Begonia, you probably know better than anyone that Daniel and I have a special connection. You've seen it firsthand. Do you honestly believe that he woke up one day and forgot about me? That those feelings simply vanished?”

  “But it's been your feelings we were sure about,” Begonia said. “Daniel's feelings were unclear. I mean, that's the whole reason you didn't confess your love for him, right? Because you were afraid that he felt only friendship for you. When you think about it that way, it isn't so crazy to think that he’s engaged to Elsa.”

  She had a point. And it made me want to disappear into a dark hole and never see sunlight again.

  I slumped against the back of the sofa. I didn't love the idea of handling this by myself, but if that was what I had to do…

  Millie returned the voodoo doll to the wicker basket. “I'll help you,” she said.

  My head jerked toward her. “You will?”

  “You will?” the other girls chorused.

  “Like Begonia said, it’s the only way to know for sure. And, selfishly, I'd like to see if I can manage the spell.”

  I rushed forward and threw my arms around her. “Thank you, Millie. This means the world to me.”

  “Then I’ll help,” Begonia said. “Someone needs to make sure we can make her visible again. That will be my job.”

  Sophie glanced around the room hesitantly. “I'm in. If one of us is going to get in trouble, we may as well all get in trouble.”

  I looked at Laurel. “You don't have to join in. I understand if you don't want any black marks against you.”

  “Are you kidding?” Laurel asked. “Part of me hopes you're right, Emma. I don’t want to see him marry Elsa any more than you do. If he hitches his wagon to an awful fairy like her, he’ll never get his halo restored.”

  “And I desperately want Emma to have her HEA,” Begonia said, sighing dramatically.

  “HEA?” I queried.

  “Happily Ever After,” Begonia said incredulously.

  “I didn’t realize it had its own acronym.” As much as I liked the idea of it, I wasn’t sure I was lucky enough to have an HEA of my own. Such endings were usually reserved for singing princesses and girls with gorgeous hair. Sadly, I was neither.

  “No matter what happens, we’re on your side, Emma,” Sophie said. “Whatever you want, we want it for you. That’s what friends are for.”

  Feeling overwhelmed, I hugged my knees to my chest. “Thanks. You have no idea how much it means to me to hear you say that.” And it was my life’s goal to be the kind of person who deserved their friendship. No matter what happened.

  Chapter 18

  I awoke early the next morning feeling slightly better than I did the day before. It helped to know that my friends were willing to assist me, although deep down I feared there was a hole in my heart that would never be filled.

  Quietly I opened the bedroom door so as not to disturb Sedgwick and Magpie. Halfway down the steps, a noise stopped me. I crept into the kitchen to investigate.

  “I don’t know how she manages to find anything without a pantry tour guide,” a familiar voice muttered. “She has these spices in completely the wrong order. As soon as I can master it, I’m going to rearrange this entire shelf.”

  “Good morning, Gareth.” I leaned against the doorjamb, my arms folded.

  He jumped out of the pantry and slammed the door, startled. “Emma! I didn’t hear you come down.”

  “I’m glad, because then I wouldn’t have learned of your evil plans for my spices.”

  “Sorry. You weren’t meant to hear any of that,” he said.

  I laughed. “Why not? It’s nothing you haven’t said to my face.”

  “True.” His ghostly brow furrowed. “What is it? Why do you suddenly look deranged?”

  “Stars and stones,” I gasped. “I think I know what happened to Ed Doyle.”

  Gareth drifted over to me. “He ate a spice he was allergic to and fell off the ladder in a choking fit?”

  “Um, no.” My head was spinning as I put the pieces of the puzzle together. “Nothing like that. I need to send a message to Markos.”

  “But it’s so early.”

  “And this is urgent. Sedgwick, wake up,” I yelled. “I need you.” I headed into Gareth’s former home office to find a quill and parchment. “I’ll send a quick note and then follow up with Astrid.”

  I finished the note and located Sedgwick on the banister in the foyer. “Take this to Markos. It’s very important.”

  Sedgwick groaned. Markos again? I’ll be honest. I’m starting to miss Demetrius.

  “This isn’t personal,” I said. “It’s business.”

  Business? Well, in that case…

  I stuffed the note into his beak before he could finish and opened the front door. “Off you go.”

  He glared at me as he flew out the door.

  “Where are you going?” Gareth inquired, as I hurried up the stairs.

  “To shower and change. I have a feeling it’s going to be a busy day.”

  By the time I’d made myself presentable, I received a reply from Markos. Gareth placed it carefully on the dresser.

  “You carried it all the way upstairs?” I asked.

  He nodded proudly. “And lifted it from the front porch.”

  “Good job,” I said. “You’ll be rearranging my spices in no time.”

  “I might be delivering your messages, too, if your familiar decides he’s too lazy to deliver the note upstairs.”

  “He probably went hunting,” I said, scanning the note. “Markos is taking care of something at the labyrinth before he heads to the office. He wants me to meet him over there so we can decide what to do next.”

&nb
sp; “I’ll hold down the fort here, as always,” Gareth said, sounding mildly disappointed.

  “Don’t worry, Gareth,” I said brightly. “You’ll be tackling that pantry in no time.”

  The news seemed to cheer him. “Aye, I suppose I will.”

  “Markos, are you here?” I listened for a response or any sound of movement. I wasn’t sure what he needed to take care of at the labyrinth, so I didn’t know where to look. Oddly, there was no sign of his car.

  I stood at the threshold of the labyrinth. Was he waiting in the place where we had our picnic? I was pretty sure I could find it. Not so sure about finding my way out, though. I decided to call him one last time.

  “Markos,” I yelled. “Are you okay?”

  I was seized by panic. What if something happened to him? Just because he designed the labyrinth didn't mean he couldn't hurt himself in it. That possibility was enough to drive me forward. I crept along the side of the hedge and heard the vines quiver around me. Something brushed against the back of my leg and I jumped. I turned around to see the hedges shifting. If I'd known there was a chance I was going to get lost in the labyrinth, I would have brought a spool of thread or a trail of breadcrumbs. Hansel and Gretel I was not.

  “I think the clearing is up ahead,” I said to myself. As though the hedges heard me, they began to move again, forming a barrier around me. I whirled around, searching for the new path. There wasn’t one.

  “Markos?” I called again. I held my wand in front of me and desperately tried to find a way through. I couldn’t turn around now—hedges blocked every possible exit.

  I wondered whether I could do a spell to move one of the hedges. It was worth a try. “Time to get into the groove/magic make these hedges move.” I pointed my wand at the row in front of me, but nothing happened.

  “It won’t work,” a voice said. “Markos created the labyrinth so that spell casters couldn’t manipulate it. Otherwise, it would be too easy for most residents.”

  Nellie.

  My heart began to race.

  I moved in a circle, trying to see the nymph. “Nellie, where are you? Where’s Markos?”