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I grinned as I led her into the drab parlor. The chairs I’d used for Peace were still there. My new guest frowned at them before looking around to frown harder at the room.

“This room is too shabby for visitors. When will this room be done?” she asked.

“You’d have to ask the actual owner. I’m just the temporary help.”

I smiled a little when Gertruda’s eyes narrowed. “Are you not the innkeeper now?” she asked.

“Yes, but not the permanent one,” I said, lifting my chin. I smiled wickedly at her. “Excuse me. I need to see to your room. The princess is moving into staff quarters downstairs.”

“It is good to hear she is taking her mother’s advice.”

I barked out a short laugh. “I think it rather shows a weakness in her character. Peace and I settled our personal account long ago. If I had my way, she’d be staying in her original room upstairs, but then what kind of report would you make to your queen?”

Gertruda the Barracuda’s face reddened. “The queen has her reasons for what she’s done.”

“If you consider a profound disrespect for her daughter’s well-being, then perhaps you speak the truth. However, I am not pleased with the situation. That said, I like Peace enough to allow her to decide what she wants to do.”

Gertruda the Barracuda lifted her double chin. “You speak of things you do not know, innkeeper. One does not disrespect the fairy queen.”

“I would rather disrespect her than the princess. If the queen came here herself, I would tell her the same thing. She’s not being a good mother. She is being unnecessarily cruel.”

“You are being impertinent about matters that are none of your business.”

“Perhaps I am, but you’re here to steal my friend's happiness. Do not think that you will be allowed to criticize, coerce, or cause trouble for the fairy princess while under this roof. I may only be the temporary innkeeper, but I take the role very seriously. If you want to know how seriously, speak to The Baba Yaga.”

I touched the wand to my clothes, which disappeared in an instant. Luckily, my pants returned before I revealed too much. I glanced at my fuming guest, who now watched me cautiously.

“I’ll return to collect you shortly. In the meantime, I will put on the kettle to make you some tea. Please take this opportunity to reflect on our discussion. Or you may simply consider yourself warned. I will not mention it again unless you give me reason to do so.”

7

Peace settled for the room with the most light, despite it being the last one in the hallway. I tapped her doorway and visualized moving the furniture from the nice bedroom upstairs into Peace’s new room in the basement.

Peace entered the room and looked around. “This is a little better,” she admitted. Her gaze lingered on the furniture and some new area rugs that had appeared beneath it. Her clothing trunks were stacked against the wall under the transom windows. Unfortunately, her new bedroom was nowhere as light and bright as either of the rooms upstairs.

Maybe there was a spell that could improve the space. Artificial light was better than none. Right?

Peace turned to me. “Thank you for going to all this trouble for me, Selene.”

I nodded. “You’re welcome. Do you want to take the tea tray up to the spy’s room?”

Sighing, she nodded. “It would be a good thing for me to deliver it.”

“Who is Gertruda?”

Peace thought for a moment. “I don’t know. Mother snatches up a lesser fairy and compels them to serve her when she needs someone. The Gertruda woman probably doesn’t remember who she really is or what she used to do. I will have to look into her life after this is done because my mother sometimes forgets to release her spelled servants. It is not unusual for me to do the restoration for her.”

“Are you going to be that kind of queen?” I asked.

Peace sat down hard on her bed. “No, I would rather spell my normal servants against harming me rather than take advantage of complete strangers. No-harm bindings are commonplace. I would at least have the illusion of trust.”

“I get the feeling that trust is in short supply for fairies.”

Peace shrugged. “That’s why violating your kindness was such a big deal. I owe you more than I can ever repay.”

I used the wand and pulled an extra chair from storage. I positioned it in front of her and sat. When I spoke, I chose my words carefully. “You do owe someone, but it isn’t me.”

She made a face. “Yes. I know. I owe Prince Robin too.”