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I did stop and I grinned. “Nice of you to finally say something. Where in the seven hells were you?”

I do not trust that guest. I’m stronger when I am in the wand.

“Oh,” I said, frowning at the news. Gertruda was rude. Was she also a threat in ways I had yet to discover?

That fairy is not who she says she is. I was trying to see through her glamour.

“She calls herself Gertruda. Peace told me her mother chooses a random lesser fairy and spells them to do her bidding.”

Jezel materialized with her arms crossed. “That is no lesser fairy. That’s a royal. They’re masters at disguises.”

“Gertruda the Barracuda is here spying on Peace to ensure she’s working for me like her mother ordered her to do. Peace’s mother keeps putting flaming hoops in front of her to jump through.”

“Is the fairy princess working for you?”

I huffed. “No, of course not. Well, sort of... I guess. I make her walk with Robin while I clean out his stall. It’s been good for them to spend some alone time together, even if I suspect Lord Alfred hops along in the woods in his rabbit form to keep watch in case his precious celibate prince tries to make a pass. Good Goddess, Jezel. Anyone with eyes can see those kids have a lot of shit to work out. The last thing they need is a judgy audience.”

Jezel peered into the stall. “Looks like you have a lot of shit to deal with yourself.” Her gaze lifted to mine. “They’re both three centuries old, Selene. You’re only in your 30s.”

I waved away the numbers. “I’m sexually ancient compared to them. They want each other and want to be together, but their guardians won’t keep out of their business long enough for the love magic to work the way it’s supposed to.”

“What do you consider to be love magic?” Jezel asked.

“It’s that slight tingle that flutters in your belly when the person you desire is nearby. If you are together long enough, it splits. It moves from your belly up to your heart and also down your hips and into your...”

Jezel’s hand flew up, and my words faded away. “Stop explaining—I understand.”

When the pressure on my throat eased, I grunted in disgust. “I doubt that. You’re the most repressed woman I’ve ever met.”

Jezel looked like I slapped her. Her ethereal form puffed up more than Alfred in full fluffy bunny mode. “I am not repressed,” she said.

I rolled my eyes and turned away to fetch the shovel.

“Use the freaking wand, Selene. Send it all to the compost pile and spread some new hay, for Goddess’s sake.”

Tapping the wand on my hand, I grinned. “Swearing, Jezel? Is that any way for a repressed, dead witch to talk at her inn?”

“Selene...”

Chuckling, I twirled the wand and pointed it at the pile. The poop disappeared like magic. “Thanks, Jezel. You were right. That was much, much easier than shoveling it.”

I was humming and spreading new hay when I heard Prince Robin clip-clopping his way off the path from Assjacket, which now had a bunch of fine gravel covering it. Every other day it seemed either Paul or Farley did something new to improve the path.

The prince’s low voice rumbled, instantly producing delighted giggles in Peace. I smiled at their cuteness and ran to the end of the stable, waving the wand to move Robin and Alfred’s platters back to the kitchen.

I exited one end of the stable just as Peace and Robyn entered the other. Moving quickly, I nearly ran to the back door that entered the kitchen. Not surprisingly, I found Jezel waiting there for me. “That was quick,” I told her with a grin. “Wish I could pop around like you. Transporting takes more magic than I natively possess. Carol tried to teach me, but I couldn’t master it.”

Jezel lifted one translucent shoulder and let it fall. “If you stay, over time you’ll be able to do it because the inn will share its magic with you. Remember when the inn summoned The Baba Yaga and brought her here at your command? Well, it can do similar things for you. Perhaps you might consider that a perk for sticking around.”

My sigh was loud. “Jezel, I just can’t see how this gig could work out for the long term. I don’t want to belong to the inn... or to you. At the risk of sounding like a movie heroine, I’m not the ‘chosen one’ you’ve been searching for.”

“True,” Jezel said soberly, with a nod. “You weren’t the witch I was looking for, but you’re the most perfect witch I’ve come across. All the quirks that make you nearly too unique are the very things that also make you the perfect innkeeper. I didn’t have to even ask you to watch over the fairy princess. You did it naturally.”

I grunted. “I did it because I like her... and I like Robin. He’s a good guy despite all the people hovering over him. Alfred’s actually worse than you about sex, but no one is as bad for her as her mother. If I could solve Peace’s problems with a wave of my wand, I would do that. You and I know magic can’t fix everything. The only person who can fix Peace is herself.”

Jezel crossed her arms. “Let me put this plainly. No matter how annoyed I get with you, I still want you to stay on as the innkeeper. What will it take to make that happen?”

I wanted to tell her nothing, but I saw a way to make the rest of my stay here more bearable—pun definitely intended. “To even consider staying, minimally I would need a sexy new outfit befitting a modern innkeeper... and the inn needs to allow me to soundproof my bedroom.”