Page 44 of Faking with the Fae King

They start work, Autumn mixing up cereal-milk cocktails while Skye sprinkles matching cereal toppings over the cupcakes. It turns out the group likes a pretty even mix between the cinnamon, chocolate, and fruity options, so they’re streamlining things to get the meeting going more quickly.

“Can I help?” I ask.

“Nope.” Skye shoos me away. “You update everyone.”

I hide my wince. After the first trial, I used our group text to let the other witches know how it went, but that’s not the same as admitting in person how epically I failed. My cheeks burn in an obvious blush as I finish describing my fall and how utterly I ruined the Faerie silk dress.

“It’s not your fault,” Naomi says. “You were sabotaged.”

Shocked gasps come from the group, and everyone leans forward as my bestie tells them all about Meloria and what she did.

Skye sits on the couch beside me, pressing a cupcake into my hand. Autumn settles on my other side, handing me a drink.

I take a big gulp of my cocoa puffs white Russian right as Naomi finishes and everyone makes outraged noises.

“I can’t believe that asshole cheated!” Kayla yells loudest of all, the gamer in her hating cheating. Tonight’s T-shirt says,Stop staring at my tits, with the writing located directly over her boobs.

“Girl.” Jasmine leans forward and grips my knee. “You stop beating yourself up, right this instant.”

Violeta nods vigorously. “We’re going to make sure you kick that puta’s butt.”

“Thanks, guys.” Tears prickle my eyes. As positive as I always try to be, even I waver. But having friends like these makes all the difference. “You’re the best!”

Everyone gets up to grab their cocktails and cupcakes before retaking their seats.

“I have happier news,” I say, then raise my voice. “Finn.”

His orange nose sticks through the crack in the stockroom’s door to shove it aside. Then he prances into the bookstore, his bushy tail held high like a flag. “Hello! You’re honored to meet me, I’m sure.”

I’m the only one who laughs, but I double check. “Can anyone else understand him?”

A chorus of noes.

“He talks?” Skye squeals. “That’s so cool!”

“Of course it is.” Finn shoots her a fox smile. “It’s me. I’m very cool.”

“Does anyone else have a familiar?” I ask next.

More noes. Then Willow and Abril both make come-here kissy noises that get Finn to trot over for pets.

“I don’t get it,” I say. “We all became witches at the exact same time, when Naomi opened the door to Faerie. Why doesn’t anyone else have a familiar yet?”

Naomi huffs in amusement. “Yeah, sorry to break the news to you, but logic and magic aren’t exactly bosom companions.”

“Speaking of magic,” Autumn says, “did anyone find anything that can help Hannah?”

“My aunt let me have this. I’ve been wearing it every day, but so far nothing.” Jasmine pulls off a crystal necklace that looks exactly like Naomi’s and hands it to me.

I balance my cupcake on my lap and grip the crystal, squeezing it tightly for several moments before giving up. “Nothing, sorry.” I hand it back.

“I found this in an old family diary from the Puritan days,” Violeta pulls out her phone and reads from the screen: “Father locked me in my room, telling me dancing is wickedand I must repent my sins. So I sang and sang as a storm raged around the house. Father came into my room, shouting that the devil was in my voice. He whipped me, demanding I never sing again.” Violeta looks up. “I skimmed ahead, but couldn’t find anything else. Either she was too scared to do it again or too scared to write it down.”

“Try it.” Autumn says. “Sing something and see if you do magic.”

“What do I sing, though?” I ask. “Was she singing anything she wanted, or was it a spell?”

Violeta glances at her phone and shrugs. “No idea.”

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