Page 55 of Magical Melee

“Well, Twobble, as tempting as that sounds, I actually need to go run some errands,” I said, glancing over at my laundry basket. “But maybe we can… discuss your services another time?”

Twobble’s eyes gleamed with excitement as he handed me a moonstone. It almost looked like it was shaped like half of a heart. “Splendid! I shall await your call, fair lady.” He gave an exaggerated bow before scampering off, vanishing into the bushes as quickly as he’d appeared.

Shaking my head, I closed the door, trying to wrap my mind around the fact that a goblin had just offered his assistance to me. It felt too absurd to be real but too real to be absurd.

So, I did what any sane person would do, and I started talking to Frank.

Chapter Fourteen

The bell above the door jingled as I stepped into the laundromat, and thelow whir of machines swallowed my entrance. The faint scent of detergent and fabric softener drifted through the air as Frank trotted beside me. His stubby legs worked overtime to keep up once I spotted an empty washer. He was still wearing his scooter outfit because he refused to let me remove it.

He gave the room a quick once-over with his squashed little face set in a serious expression before plopping down near my feet with a huff. His presence, as always, was a comfort, though I still couldn’t shake the surreal encounter with Twobble back at the cottage.

A goblin.

On my porch.

Offering up secrets for a price.

“Can I help you, dear?” a soft voice called from behind the counter.

I turned to see a woman stepping out from a small office tucked in the corner. She was in her late fifties, with kind browneyes and a genuine smile. Her salt-and-pepper hair was pulled back into a loose bun, and she wore a warm-looking cardigan over a pink floral blouse. She had the air of someone who’d seen it all and wasn’t fazed by much.

“Oh, uh, I’m fine,” I said, trying to sound normal, like I hadn’t just had a conversation with a mythical creature. “Just here to do some laundry.”

She nodded, wiping her hands on a towel. “First time here?”

I nodded, glancing around at the rows of machines and thesmall seating area near the front window. “Yeah. I just moved into the cottage on the edge of town.”

“Charming little place.”

I nodded as I glanced at Frank and back to her.

“If you need anything, just holler. I’m Blair, by the way.”

“Maeve,” I replied with a small smile. “Thanks.”

Blair disappeared back into her office, leaving me alone with my thoughts—and Frank, who had settled into his favorite pastime of people-watching. I loaded the washer, my hands moving on autopilot as my mind spiraled.

Twobble.

A goblin named Twobble.

I kept replaying the encounter in my head, trying to make sense of it.

Could it have been some elaborate prank?

A local eccentric with a penchant for costumes? It would need to be a very small local.

But the way he’d spokenand vanished so quickly… it didn’t feel like a trick. And then there was that stone he’d given me that I still had tucked in my pocket. Its cool weight pressed against my hip, and I wondered if that was how I called him.

I glanced out the window, needing a distraction, and immediately spotted Keegan. He was leaning casually against a lamppost across the street, his dark coat blending into the shadows. His posture was relaxed, but his eyes were sharp, scanning the street with a watchfulness that made my stomach twist. Was he… keeping an eye on me?

Frank let out a low grunt as if to say,Of course he was.

I sighed, giving Frank a quick scratch behind the ears.

The machine whirred to life, and I leaned against the folding table. My thoughts unraveled like an old spool of thread. Between the goblin, the floating sweater, an ancient garden vanishing, the tea, the reading…