Page 81 of MidKnight
“With you … your gown,” she gave an embarrassed shrug. “Isn’t it every little hedge-witch’s dream to be a fairy godmother?”
Relief and warmth coursed through me. I gave a single nod toward Cerena. “Of course.”
She balled her hands into fists and waved them excitedly, before giving a miniature clap. “Yes. One princess-to-the-ball spell coming up!”
She scuttled around the room, yanking ingredients out of the vines that drooped leaves over her shelves. She pulled out salt, rosemary, her mortar and pestle, and the wing of a butterfly. She tried to climb to reach a high shelf but couldn’t.
Donaloo snapped his fingers and whatever ingredient Cerena wanted floated down in its box.
“Thank you,” she gave a sharp nod as she set everything out on her work table. Immediately, she set to mixing and muttering.
Every so often Donaloo would mutter some advice.
Cerena mixed every ingredient in the pestle and spit in it, making a paste. Then she opened the box and said excitedly, “Last thing we need!”
To my horror, she pulled out a human eyeball, complete with an optic nerve trailing off it.
I swallowed my disgust. “Is that really necessary?”
Both Cerena and Donaloo looked up at me.
“It’s an essential ingredient. It ensures all eyes are on you.”
With that, she took the pestle and smashed the eye into the mix. Then, a look of triumph on her face, she handed the mortar to me and said, “Eat.”
For a fleeting moment I wished Wyle was back in the castle. He’d never have made this for me.
But Cerena looked so proud. And Jorad looked so impatient. And I had a foreign queen waiting.
So, I tried very hard not to think about what I was doing as I stared at Connor, swiped my finger in the bowl, then put it between my lips.
The change was instantaneous. It was as if a small whirlwind surrounded me and then disappeared.
My hair was suddenly up. I couldn’t see it, but I could feel the massive jewels set into the crown I wore. Curls fell neatly down onto my neck. My dress was a deep wine color with tiny rubies lining a plunging neckline.
I sniffed. I didn’t smell skunk.
I smiled. If it weren’t for eating the eyeball, this would be a wonderful way to get ready each morning. “Thank you.”
Cerena glowed.
I swept past my men to take Jorad’s extended arm.
“Wait, can we eat that too?” Ryan asked. “I don’t want her going down there alone.”
He scooped a bit onto his finger, and I yanked Jorad to a stop to wait for him.
Cerena shook her head frantically but Ryan had already brought the mixture to his lips. He didn’t eat a full scoop like I did, or else the magic wasn’t as effective on his enormous size. But a wind whipped around him and a jeweled crown appeared on his head, inset with yellow topaz. Rouge appeared on his cheeks. And a bright yellow gown ripped right up the back seam as it tried to encase him. My general was left half-dressed in woman’s clothes.
I exploded in laughter. “I wish I had a court painter here to capture you in all your glory!”
Ryan bit his thumb at me.
I simply wiggled my fingers in a parting wave and left him to deal with the fallout of his choice. How he’d sneak all the way back across the castle without anyone seeing him in his current state was his problem.
My own problems were far far worse.
I had to look the woman who’d arranged to have my sister kidnapped, who’d sent a djinni that had tried to kill me. I had to face the woman who’d stolen my prisoner and might even now, have him. I had to face her, lie to her, and let her walk away.
