Frogs and Kisses (Enchanted, Inc. 8)

The woman studied the signature, then gave him a brilliant smile. “Eamon, darling, you’ve done it,” she purred. “You’ve brought me my prize, at last.” She turned back to Emily and said conspiratorially, “You have no idea how gratifying it is to learn that there is someone competent around here, after so many failures.”

Eamon gave a stiff bow. “I am honored to have pleased you.”

The woman laughed and swatted at his arm. “I’d ask you to give my court lessons in competence, but you’re such a dreadful bore that I couldn’t stand more like you.” She gestured toward a flunky, who handed Eamon an old, leather-bound book. “Here is your reward, as I promised. Now, run along, back to your library.”

Eamon seemed more relieved than insulted to be dismissed like that, and his attention was already more on the book than on his surroundings. He gave the woman another stiff bow, nodded to Emily with a faint smile, then left the party. Emily felt a pang of loss at his departure. She’d t

hought he liked her, but she was nothing more to him than the object of a quest. That’s the last time I let a fan walk home with me, she thought.

The woman took her hand and gave it a squeeze, sending a chill all the way to her elbow. “Now, my pet, we never got a chance for proper introductions before. I’m Maeve, but you may call me Your Majesty.” Still holding Emily’s hand, she led her to the sofa, which immediately cleared as the other fairies scattered, returning to their party. Once she and Emily were seated, Maeve continued, talking as though this was a normal conversation happening in a normal place. “How have you been doing? And how is your sister?”

Now Emily remembered more from that time before, something about a confrontation between Maeve and Sophie, and although Emily had hated to leave the fairy world, she’d been glad to be away from Maeve. Fear welled up inside her. This wasn’t about a party at all. There was something else going on, and she wished for the first time this evening that her big sister would show up and get her out of the Realm again. She gave Maeve what she hoped was a steely smile. “Sophie’s probably on her way here already. She always knows when I need her.”

Maeve returned Emily’s smile and said, “Good. I’ve been looking forward to seeing her again for a very long time.”

A chill that had nothing to do with Maeve’s touch surged through Emily’s veins. This was the first time she’d ever encountered anyone who’d had a run-in with her sister who had any desire to repeat the experience. She knew then that she was in big trouble.

Sophie, come get me! she screamed inside her head even as she tried not to let her panic show.

Maybelle, Louisiana—The Drake Residence

Wednesday, 1:30 a.m., Central Daylight Saving Time

Sophie Drake woke with a start, gasping for breath. Then she buried her face in her pillow and groaned, “Oh, Emily, not again.”

With a deep sigh, she rolled out of bed and crossed her bedroom, yanked her closet door open, pulled her suitcase down from the top shelf, and began packing to go to New York. Maybe this time she could settle things once and for all.

**