“Fine.”
The sea witch huffs. “If I give you these spells, we are even,” she tells the crocodile.
He nods. “Agreed.”
There’s a commotion behind me, and Frank appears with Linda in tow. Oh, wonderful. My scowling guide and bossy seahorse have arrived to return me to my judgy sword.
Frank points at the sea witch. “I warned you to stay away from the Lady.”
Her lip curls at one side. “She walked into my world willingly.”
Frank’s eyes find mine, and he sighs when I don’t disagree. I shrug. “I got bored.”
He pinches the bridge of his nose. “So long as you made no deals with the sea witch.”
“I did not.”
I fail to mention the deal with the crocodile, and Frank doesn’t bring it up, so I can only assume that means it’s not a problem.
“Excellent. Then let me escort you back to where you belong.”
I belong with my knights and my sister, and the only being willing to listen to me is the crocodile. How sad. I shoot Genie a warning look. He rolls his eyes like I’m the realm’s biggest idiot. Perhaps I am.
What would you do for love? The answer is stunningly simple. What wouldn’t I do?
Chapter
Nine
Every maiden needs at least one adventure in her lifetime. Perhaps a nice jaunt through a forest while bringing a grandma with exceptionally large teeth some baked goods, or a mishap with a poisoned apple, leading to seven creepy little men watching over your unconscious body.
I think I’ve had more than my fair share of adventure. I am ready to retire from the chaos and embrace my life of being kissed by the knights until I can’t breathe. The Idols are cruel to keep us apart. Maybe on my way out of the ocean, I could leave Poseidon a note with suggestions for improvements?
I heave a deep sigh and close the kitchen cupboards. No sausage-like foods anywhere. I had hoped they might have sausages but didn’t realize because they called it something different. To my disappointment, the cupboards are packed with weird substances, but I can’t find any meat.
“Darla, are you decent?” the mirror man calls from the bedroom.
My heart skips a beat, and I hurry to the bedroom. “I’m here and clothed.”
“Too bad,” Theo grumbles from behind the mirror man.
“I have your knights wanting to check in with you,” the mirror man informs me. “Are you ready for the three of them to penetrate your world?”
“Dude, phrasing,” I mutter. Also, three? Where’s the fourth?
The mirror man floats to the left, revealing Theo, Hart, and Nash. Where is my happy twin? One tempo I need no man, and the next, I’m saddened I have three, not four.
“Where’s Malachi?” I ask, just as the genie floats through the wall to settle at my side. He’s taken to staring at the dead dude, which creeps me out.
“He’s with Gwyneth and Charming. The prince insisted she join him for afternoon tea, and we promised you we wouldn’t leave her alone,” Nash reminds me.
“To be fair, I think Gwyneth is more than capable of handling Charming,” Theo adds.
“I don’t trust him to play by the rules,” I tell them as worry knots my stomach.
Hart’s face becomes bigger, and I am even grateful to see his scowls. In fact, I miss them.
“Your sister uncovered a little information about the original Merlin.”
