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Finally, Margotta turned to me. “Would you truly leave Peace as a centaur?”

“Yes, but she would probably want me to extend her legs. She's always losing to Robin in races. Farley’s helpful explanation of the physics of why only upset her more.”

“Princess Peace and Harmony hates to lose.”

I laughed. “So do I. That’s why I don’t make a habit of it.”

Margotta looked at her mother and lifted a hand in the air. “Fine. You have my word. Peace can pick her own life mate.”

“And marry whenever she’s ready—not when you say she is.”

“Fine—that too.”

Magic spread to the cage and wrapped around all of us. After it dissipated, I made a sound in my throat. “Now what happens?” I asked Jezel.

She lifted a hand. “If the fairy queen breaks her word, the inn’s magic will collect her and return her to this cage.”

“Seriously?” I asked.

“No, I would say... allegedly. No other innkeeper, including myself, has ever needed to take this level of disciplinary action with a guest. Most deceivers never got beyond the front door. You somehow managed to let two inside.”

I opened my mouth to protest on principle, but Jezel was right. I let Peace in without knowing about her and Ethan. I also let in the fairy queen disguised as her own spy. “They were both in the same family, so you really can’t consider that a trend. It was more of a coincidence.”

Jezel chuckled at my defense. “I will still point it out if it happens again.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yes, I’m sure you will.”

15

After I released Queen Margotta from the cage, I moved Queen Elsbeth into the room Peace once used. I made her more tea and settled her in to rest.

Queen Margotta, in her true fairy form, followed me outside as we went to find the royal centaur couple. We found them in the backyard. Princess Peace had the saddle strapped on. A squealing Lord Alfred skittered nervously in the seat.

Robin walked beside them with his hand on Peace’s flank. For support, maybe? I was going to go with that instead of wondering if it was an excuse to touch her shapely flank.

Queen Margotta chuckled. “When the girls were very young, I used to turn them into hybrid creatures to entertain them. Peace wanted to be a pony so badly, but then she couldn’t get all four legs to work at the same time. Those happy days are centuries old now.”

“Well, I think she has four legs figured out. Today, she and Robin were racing.”

“You probably think I’m a terrible person.”

“No, but I thought Gertruda was, and I was determined to keep her away from them. Some would say I was interfering. I would say that I was looking out for a friend. Your daughter owned up to her mistake with Ethan. She bravely pretended to give up the crystal to help me and The Baba Yaga trap Ethan’s mother. I admire your daughter and find her entertaining. I also want her to be happy.”

“My daughter is lucky.”

“Maybe, but mostly she’s kind. She’ll get the job done, but she maintains her relationships while doing it. I have concluded it is Peace’s superpower.

”Mother?” Peace asked when she saw her.

I waved Peace over. “Gertruda had to leave, so your mother decided to visit in person. She brought your grandmother. I put her in your old room. You can visit her when you’re back on two legs. The spell should be wearing off soon.”

Margotta grunted beside me, but she didn’t correct a thing.

As I went to find Farley, I was feeling pretty proud of how I’d worked things out.

Wrapping things up had taken longer than I’d hoped it would. The spelled fairies were finally back to being human. Mother and daughter were still bickering, but the real fairy queen took care of that with a single utterance of, “Hush now. You’re embarrassing us in front of the innkeeper.”

Everyone settled their debts with the inn, which was a significant amount from Prince Robin. That would be some nice cash to start up a witch’s garden behind the kitchen.