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“I was able to disrupt the curse, but only for a short while. The fairy queen’s spy gave me a partial fix that I could brew into a spelled tea for him. Peace and Robin enjoyed a meal together as humans before he reverted to a centaur.”

“You’re hosting a spy at the inn?”

Carol’s tone was haughty, and I didn’t appreciate it. “With Jezel’s help, I constrained her. She’s only been out of her room once or twice. It’s hard to cause problems when you can’t get time alone with your targets.”

Carol grinned widely at me. “You and the ghost make a good team.”

“Doesn’t matter if we do,” I said, trying to sound as matter-of-fact as I could. “I’m leaving when my fifty days here are up. If you extend my sentence again, I’m going to report you to the Council of Witches. It’s not fair for me to be stuck here and for my tormentors to be running loose.”

Sighing, Carol nodded. “You’re right. Consider the rest of your sentence remitted.” She waved a hand while sipping. Magical freedom felt like a cool breeze blowing away the heat of all my anxiety.

I flexed my hands as my natural magic returned with full force. My gaze narrowed as I stared at her. “You reduced my magic.”

The most badass magical in the world looked unrepentant. “You would have left if I hadn’t nullified it a bit. You’re a force of your own, Selene, which is why I’ve asked you to help me so often. Not all magicals use their magic as deftly as you do. You think fast and react well.”

“Should I be flattered or pissed at you?”

Carol laughed and shrugged. “Take your pick. Both are reasonable responses.”

I set the wand on the counter, put my face in my hands, and moaned. “Did you imprison me because you thought I did something wrong? Or because you wanted my help and feared asking?”

“Mostly, I did it for Farley so he could get to know you. I figured out years ago that you were the woman he kept dreaming about. However, you were with Ethan then and in no place to deal kindly with my nephew. Now I realize that I should have introduced you two anyway because it wasn’t my place to intervene. Farley might have ended things between you and Ethan before Lady Meagan attempted her coup. But I’m glad you were here to deal with both of them.”

I grunted. Knowing Farley’s innate goodness now, I couldn’t fault her for wanting to protect him from my crazy relationship with Ethan. I felt the need to shield him from everything that came before I knew him. Maybe I should be flattered that Carol thought I was deserving of him, even after I let Ethan use me.

I grunted as I refilled her tea. “I get why you did it, so I’m not mad. Farley is a great person who deserves to be protected. If I could get the fairy queen to have the same epiphany about her daughter, my favorite royal couple might have an actual chance of working out. They’re under too much pressure from their family. Goddess, I’m so blessed in my parents.”

“My parents would never have won any parent-of-the-year prize, but I was blessed with others who raised me well,” Carol said.

Carol’s parents had disowned her because of her magic. It was a common, and unfortunately, true rumor that no one talked about out of respect. I really needed to call my parents and tell them how much I appreciated them.

Letting the rest of my anger slip away, I put two cookies next to Carol’s teacup. She smiled and dipped one into her cup. I allowed a moment of silence to celebrate our reconciliation—and my newfound freedom.

After she devoured the first cookie, Carol sighed. “Will you stay until the current guests leave? I suppose I’ll have to look for an innkeeper.”

“I’ll stay, but... Jezel said the inn finds its own keeper when it wants one. It may revert to simply being a vacation house for you after I leave.”

Carol shrugged again. “Fine. That will save me the trouble of finding your replacement. I guess I’ll keep fixing it up and see what happens. When I discovered this place, I was compelled to fix it.”

“Feeling compelled is the perfect word to describe the main magic of this inn.”

“The last time I was this compelled, it was to date a fairy prince I knew in school. Iren was destined to become someone else’s life mate, but I never forgot our time together. He was a great person, and I was made better by knowing him.”

I nodded and smiled. “That’s how I feel about meeting Farley. He makes me laugh and makes me a better person.” It was true, so I didn’t mind saying it to anyone who would listen. “This inn is great too, Carol. You’re right to want to save it. Now and again, I’ve felt that way about it too. I definitely feel like that about its guests. Helping them has been the upside to my incarceration.”

Carol’s smile was warm. “Is being an innkeeper hard work? I could see it being my retirement job in another century or two.”

“Well, it’s challenging, but the magical rush is nice. Jezel, the resident ghost here, infused this place with all her magic when she died. She’s been a piece of work to deal with, but lately, I’ve concluded that she’s not completely set in her ways.”

“Yes, I saw the pilgrim outfit she dressed Farley in last time I was here. It was hideous, especially those buckle shoes.”

I laughed at the memory. “Yes, well, she and I had a heart-to-heart about those vintage clothes she favors. My new innkeeper outfit looks much better as well. It’s actually a type of magical armor.” I paused in my story. “Can I ask you a personal question?”

“You can ask me anything,” Carol said, dipping her last bite of cookie into her tea. “I reserve the right not to answer.”

“It’s not that personal. Plus, it’s not about you and Fabio.”

“Okay, then let’s hear it,” Carol said.