Spell Me Once

by Cherie Marks

  “And what if the Queen finds a way to return?”

  “She won’t. Not as long as I’m alive.” It was the High Priestess! Gemma knew the voice now. And Hadden had been right. Their mother was alive, and she’d been trapped by the High Priestess. She had fooled them all.

  “Now, kill him quickly. I want the writ of accusation of the princess in front of the Protectorate by tomorrow. Her execution will ensure that I can take power through Hadden, and right all the wrongs that have been done to me.”

  Gemma burst out of the closet, dagger in hand, and Maverick followed right behind her. The High Priestess and the Captain turned to face them.

  “You? You are the one who put all of this in motion? How could you?”

  “How could I? Do you know what has been done to me? From a young age, I was taken from my family and put into service as a nun. As if that wasn’t damaging enough, I worked my way into leadership positions, only to be passed over time after time as other, less qualified priestesses took the position of High Priestess. That’s when I decided I would pave my own way into the position the only way I knew how. I murdered the High Priestess with my own hands and bribed the investigator with sex. When I was finally given the position I’d wanted, I asked myself, why stop there?”

  She was becoming more animated with each word she spoke. Maverick stepped closer to Gemma’s back, reassuring her that he was there with her. He whispered so that only she could hear, “I knew I scented the tainted, sour smell of murderers.”

  “Why stop there when I could rule the entire kingdom? I just had to make it happen the same way I had before. So, I convinced the King that you’d be better able to defend yourself and the kingdom if you were turned into the best assassin in the land. Then, I made up that ridiculous prophecy, which everyone believed. Your parents tried so hard not to have another child. I almost thought that part of the plan would never come through, but I knew true love would win out.” She spat on the ground with that thought. “As if that were worth anything. As soon as your mother found out she was pregnant, of course, she came to me. I told her that I could help her. I would help her take the baby to another realm. If the siblings were never in the same realm, all would be well. Again, she bought every bit of my lie.”

  She had become so animated that King Zolunder awoke, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

  “What is the meaning of this?” He looked around the room, at the multiple people standing at the foot of the bed. “Gemma? Maverick? What is going on here?”

  “Oh, your majesty, Gemma has returned to kill you, but the Captain and I were here to thwart them.”

  “Father! She’s lying. They came here to kill you tonight. I came to stop them. It’s why I came to you five years ago. I was there to warn you, but something went wrong.”

  “You can’t possibly believe her, King Zolunder. You told Captain Narcus what she said to you that night. She said she’d come to kill you. She is an assassin, through and through, and now she’s pulled poor Maverick into her deception.”

  “No! It’s all a trick! She has Mother trapped and is trying to take the throne, so she can rule through Hadden. She has orchestrated this whole mess, and it has to end.”

  “Really? Are you really going to believe the word of the daughter who came to your room to kill you? She will tell you anything she thinks you want to hear.”

  Maverick stepped in front of Gemma. “Enough! Sire, Gemma is the one who speaks the truth. The priestess and the Captain are working together, and even if they don’t accomplish your murder tonight, you’ll have to watch your back for the rest of your life while these two are around.”

  “Can’t you see, he’s lying for her.” The High Priestess was beginning to shriek her words.

  Captain Narcus seemed to be inching closer to the door.

  Mav gestured to himself with his hand as he said, “My king, you know me. I don’t lie, especially not to those about whom I care. You have made all I am possible, and I would never betray your trust. Gemma is here for one reason and one reason only—to stop these two from murdering you.”

  At that moment, Captain Narcus ran out the door, and Mav pulled his sword and chased after him.

  Gemma crouched low and held her dagger ready as she watched the High Priestess. “I think that shows clear guilt if anything ever did. What do you think, Priestess?”

  “I think neither one of you is leaving here alive, so what does it matter if the truth comes out?” She pulled her own forearm-sized dagger from a hidden scabbard in the folds of her robe. “Yes, you pompous ass, I had planned to kill you and blame your daughter for it. I don’t know how she managed to find her way in here, but I’ll make sure to stage your deaths as a murder suicide.”

  With an animalistic growl, the priestess raised her dagger and swung it at Gemma. Watching for an opening, Gemma backed up and eyed the priestess’s style of fighting. Assess first, act based on knowledge. It was what she’d been trained to do as an assassin, but she also knew that every fighter had a weakness if it could be found and exploited. As she moved backward, she shifted and began to turn around the room, attempting to control the only exit from the bedroom.

  Her father rose from the bed and stood next to it, pulling the thin sword from the scabbard still attached to the pants he must have removed before going to sleep. Gemma was a little concerned that she might get an eyeful of her dad’s tighty-whiteys, or worse, see him buck-ass naked, but she remained focused on the priestess, trying to ready herself for the attack that was imminent.

  Gemma heard the swordfight going on in the hallway behind her. She hoped Mav was winning, but she couldn’t take her eyes from the priestess to check.

  With a screeching war cry, the priestess ran toward Gemma suddenly, and Gemma ducked at the last minute, smoothly spinning under the priestess’s arm. As she passed, she sliced her dagger precisely where it could do some damage. As she got to her feet once more, she looked up to see the priestess staring at the blood welling through the sleeve of her robe. A half-moon cut created with a well-timed flick of her wrist, perfected with years of practice.

  Now, her father raised his sword, and the priestess had two fronts to watch. As the two closed in, the priestess swung wildly, and the Captain and Mav fought right outside the door. For just a moment, Gemma saw her father take his eyes off the priestess and turn his attention to the swordfight in the hallway.

  “Father! Watch out!”

  The High Priestess took advantage and knocked the sword from her father’s hands, pointing her dagger at him until she could wrap her other arm around his neck, using him as a hostage. “You see, Gemma, I wasn’t born with all the advantages you were, but I used what I had been given—my wits—and now, I’m going to get everything I ever wanted.”

  Gemma watched in slow motion as the priestess raised her dagger, seeming to pause to maximize the pain Gemma was feeling yet ready to slam the weapon home in her father’s heart. All that Gemma had done to get here would be for nothing once more.

  “No! Father! I don’t want to lose you again!”

  Yet, as she ran for him, knowing she’d never get there in time, watching the dagger start to fall, she felt the pull of time, jerking her away at the most vital moment. When she and Maverick were back in the closet once more, Gemma dissolved into uncontrollable sobs as Mav held her tightly in his arms.

  Chapter 22

  “No matter...what I do...I still...lose him.” Her heart felt destroyed in that moment. How had she failed again? What use was a time spell if nothing ever changed?

  “I’m so sorry, love. At least you tried, and he knew the truth in the end.”

  Her tears continued to fall unchecked until the closet door flew open, and Gemma stared, dumbfounded, into her father’s deep brown eyes. “Gemma, what in the world are you doing in the closet?”

  “Father? You’re alive?”

  “Of course, I’m alive. What did you expect? You helped save me.”

  Gemma stepped out of Mav’s
arms and into her father’s. He wrapped his arms tightly around her and squeezed in a true hug that filled her with warm emotions. But how was this possible?

  As Mav stepped out behind her, her father pulled her into the room and the bedroom door slammed open as Hadden burst into the room followed by their mother.

  Gemma dropped to her knees and gladly accepted the sticky hands and arms of her little brother. She gently tightened his body to hers, loving the feel of his touch. Her gaze traveled up and marveled at the sight of the woman she’d missed so much.

  “Mother, you’re alive, and you’re here.”

  “Thanks to you and Maverick. If you hadn’t come back to Linwyn, if you hadn’t found that book, if you had given up, we wouldn’t be here.”

  “You helped me so much. Everything you told Hadden, he passed it along to me. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

  “He has a little lockbox of a memory.” They smiled down at the grinning imp looking back up at them.

  “And, father, you...how did you defeat the priestess?”

  “I might have learned a thing or two from my assassin daughter. Not only can I fight with a sword, but I keep a dagger hidden in a scabbard up my sleeve. Even in my sleeping gown, I was able to pull it and stab the high priestess while she celebrated her so-called accomplishment. The minute she crumpled to the ground, former Captain Narcus spilled the whole plot.” His deep breath seemed significant before he continued, “I never intended for you to assassinate a child. The High Priestess and Narcus knew you would think the worst of me for such a mission, so they set it up to drive a deeper wedge between us. I realize now just how the High Priestess manipulated all of us to get what she wanted. My dear daughter, you never have to assassinate anyone for this kingdom again.”

  The relief Gemma felt was instantaneous. Everything made sense. No wonder she could never understand why she’d been tasked with such a horrific job. It felt good to know that her father hadn’t been the monster she’d once believed. He was exactly who she’d thought he was.

  Mav asked, “Where is old Narcus?”

  “Currently, in a high-security facility far away from here.”

  Gemma looked around at her family, together for the first time, and everything felt right.

  Her father stepped up beside her and said, “I owe you an apology. You never wanted to be an assassin. I believed the priestess when she said you would need to be tough to rule Linwyn. She insisted we send you to the Academy, said she’d been taken from her family at just such an age and that she’d turned out fine. Clearly, she was lying. I never wanted to hurt you. You mean the world to me.”

  “And I never should have listened to the priestess either. I can’t believe I followed her right into a dimensional prison. I hung on, fighting, until she took Hadden away six months ago. I nearly gave up at that point, but then I remembered something my friend Carol, the Baba Yaga who lives in Assjacket, once said. Oh, by the way, she was the one who sent Jeff to you, Gemma, but I digress. Anyway, she said, ‘Tell a man there are 300 billion stars in the universe and he’ll believe you. Tell him a bench has wet paint on it and he’ll have to touch it to be sure.’”

  “What’s that have to do with anything, Mother?” Gemma was thoroughly confused.

  “Nothing. She was a little crazy, but what it told me was that I had to hang on so that I could share my crazy with all of you. I wouldn’t want to deprive you.”

  Laughter filled the room, and Gemma was no longer surprised to see people of Linwyn finding joy in humor. She realized Linwyn wasn’t necessarily a place without emotion. The people just needed to know it was okay to let emotions show. Let the freak flag fly, as they say in the earth realm.

  And, Gemma couldn’t wait to share her newfound wisdom, and as she met Mav’s gaze, she decided to start with one particular person.

  Chapter 23

  Mav and Gemma sat on the stone table in the circle, and Mav knew this was where he would lose the woman he loved. She had to have brought him here to tell him he wasn’t worthy of a princess. What else could this be?

  “Maverick, there’s so much I need to say to you, and after what we shared here, I thought this would be the perfect place.”

  Mav drew in a deep breath, bracing for the blow that was sure to come.

  “Thank you for forcing me back to Linwyn. The chase was worth it.”

  “We worked well together, didn’t we?”

  “We really did, and I couldn’t have done all that I did without you, which is why this is hard.”

  He clenched his jaw, readying for the words that would cleave his heart in two. He just hoped she didn’t drag it out. She should just get to the point and let him down quickly.

  “I don’t want things to be weird between us when I say this.”

  Goddess, she was dragging it out. He threw up his hands and said, “I get it. Our time together was a mistake, and I won’t get in the way of your royal life. I’ll go somewhere far away from here, and you’ll never see me again.”

  “Why would you say that?”

  “Isn’t it obvious. I’m a poor orphan, living on the king’s charity. You’re a princess. It would never work out. You don’t have to spell it out to me.”

  He got up to go, but her hand on his forearm stopped him. “I...I won’t keep you here if you want to leave. But...you should know before you go...”

  “I don’t want your pity.” He pulled free and walked to the edge of the forest, pausing to say over his shoulder, “Apparently, loving one does not make someone worthy of a princess.”

  His strides were long and strong, and though he could’ve spanned away, he wanted her to see him leaving Linwyn forever.

  What he didn’t expect, though, was the body that hit his back as she leaped onto him, knocking him to the ground. He rolled her to her back and stared down at her, wondering if she’d lost her fucking mind. “What are you doing?”

  “You love me?”

  He looked sharply to his left and gave a strong nod. Just let her use it to mock him once. He’d span to the portal and be gone in seconds.

  “I love you, too, Mav. That’s what I wanted to tell you. I didn’t want you to feel like you had to tell me the same thing. That’s what I meant when I said I didn’t want it to get awkward between us. I love you! And I was afraid you didn’t feel the same.”

  “Goddess, how could I not? You are a fantasy come true.”

  He lowered his lips to meet hers, feeling time slow as all the love poured out of him, and he finally felt worthy of the love she offered. Together, they would build a kingdom where everyone exercised their life choices and felt as if they mattered, but above all, they never felt like they had to run away because the people of Linwyn, and maybe Assjacket, had their back.

  When they parted, Gemma laughed and said, “Do you have any blankets in that pack of yours? I thought maybe we could try out the stone slab in the light of day. What do you say?”

  He reached for his backpack and began pulling blankets out. “I say, too far to go. This spot will do just fine.”

  And it was just fine right then...and forever after.

  To check out all the side-splitting books in the Magic and Mayhem Universe, go to https://magicandmayhemuniverse.com/

  And if you would like to read the book that started all the madness, Switching Hour is FREE!

  https://robynpeterman.com/switching-hour/

  Thank you so much for taking the time to read the Bespelled by Love series!

  All reviews are appreciated.

  Keep up with new releases and get a FREE copy of The Vampire Next Door by signing up for my Reader’s Club Newsletter here: Happily Ever After the Write Way Newsletter

  About Cherie Marks

  Twitter: http://twitter.com/cheriemarks

  Facebook:Author Page

  Website: http://www.authorcheriemarks.com/

  It all started with an old-fashioned typewriter. When my family brought it home, for the first time, I knew what I wante
d to do. All those stories rolling around in my head could finally get out. The press and click of the keys were satisfying in their own right, but when I pulled out a finished page, I knew this was for me. Since then, I've graduated to a laptop, but the stories still find a way out.

  I'm a breast cancer survivor, a teacher, a wife, a mother, and a writer. I continue to strive for less procrastination and more tact. The battle wages on.

  I know exactly how to be a bad girl:

  1. Be born that way

  2. Have notorious parent

  3. Be real witch to everyone.

  But, I’ve got to be good now because in between teaching Chemistry at the local high school in Assjacket, West Virginia, I have to save all humanity from the forces of evil and...blah...blah...blah...keep the Halloweeneedtokissourassesgoodbye apocalypse from happening. With the help of an off-the-charts, smoking hawt instructor/boss, I might just have a fighting chance—if I can stop drooling over his naked chest. Dane Calvin agreed to teach me how to use my abilities responsibly, but he’s never met a witch as hard-headed as me. And, of course, it doesn’t help that the last time I used my powers it ended in tragedy, so forgive me if I’m a little magic gun-shy. I might be made for wicked things, but when he’s watching, I’ve got to be good because Wicked Is As Wicked Does.

  Carrasandra Reed knows life has dealt her a raw deal. Now, she's in Assjacket, West Virginia to make things right. She's got to find a way to get her hands on an impossible-to-find stone, and the best plan she's got is to fake amnesia until it surfaces. Just one little kink in the con. The gorgeous panther-shifter, Finn Bryant, isn't buying her act one bit. He's on to her, but she'd rather he get on top of her and make all her troubles fade away.

  With a little bit of lu...no...strike that...no need to go there. With all her skill and con-artistry, she might just be able to pull off the greatest con of her life, free herself from her misery, and give herself a chance at happiness.