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“What’s the difference?” she asked.

My laughter sneaked out past my smile. “My ex’s mother was like that, and now her adult son feels entitled to everything he decides he wants. Ethan is the reason Prince William showed up on my doorstep. He told them I was evil and holding Prince Robin hostage. Ethan wanted Prince William to kill me.”

“How exciting,” Queen Elsbeth said.

I shrugged. “We sorted things out.”

“Of course, you did,” Queen Elsbeth said with a grin. “May I have some more tea?”

She set her cup down on the table. I rose from my chair and refilled her cup. “I’m sorry I summoned you by mistake, but it’s been a pleasure to meet you.”

“The feeling is mutual. So what were you planning to do to Margotta?”

“Confine her to this cage and force her to remove the curse from Prince Robin. He and Peace need a chance to be normal together. Parents hovering in the background while plotting and planning aren’t conducive to romance.”

“No, they’re not. Hovering parents are real bone killers. I read that online,” Queen Elsbeth said flatly.

Jezel’s gasp made me snicker. This impromptu tea party was turning out to be fun. “Will I cause you or fairy kind any problems if I confine the acting queen for a while?”

Elsbeth lifted an eyebrow. “You underestimate yourself. Discovering Queen Margotta’s disguise won’t bother her half as much as you changing her daughter into a centaur. Are the kids having fun playing at being horses together?”

I nodded. “They’re racing. I hear Princess Peace is upset because her centaur legs are shorter than Prince Robin’s. He’s winning too much.”

“Peace hates losing. It’s going to take a few more centuries to knock that need to be on top all the time out of her.”

“Is that a sly dig about the positions she prefers in bed? Or are you speaking of Peace’s competitive nature?” Jezel threw up her hands. “This lack of clarity is precisely why I hate modern speech.”

I chuckled at her outbursts, which always delighted me. “Good for you for seeing both possibilities. In this instance, it’s about Peace’s competitive nature. You need to have dinner with Farley and me on metaphor nights. Only with you, we’d have to discuss nuances.”

“If this situation weren’t partly my fault, I’d leave you to your own devices until you swore never to mock me again.”

“I’m laughing with you, Jezel, not at you. I think you’re great.”

She stopped fussing and studied me. “Am I great enough to make you want to stay?”

I didn’t answer her question, but I did smile.

Queen Elsbeth insisted on staying. Despite being abducted by mistake, she acted like she’d always planned to be a part of my hot mess. I hoped I could rock that kind of attitude at her age.

“Ready?” I asked her and got a thumbs-up in reply.

I sent the second chair inside the cage, and then raised my wand.

“Bippidity, dippity, flippity, flue.

You must come to the inn when I summon you.

Today, I summon Fairy Queen Margotta.”

I snorted at being right when Gertruda the Barracuda materialized in the empty chair. Lord Alfred had known all along. He was now officially uninvited to return, and my weakness for bunny cuteness now sickened me. Next time, I would do more digging into personalities and spend less time cutting guests so much slack.

“Why, Gertruda? What are you doing here? I summoned Queen Margotta—not you.”

“Don’t play coy with me, witch. I can tell this is your work. I was resting when I felt your tug.”

Her head turned at a nearby cough. “Mother? Why in seven hells are you here?”

“I’m here because I’m still the real fairy queen,” Queen Elsbeth said in her most queenly tone. “I can be anywhere I want to be.”