Damsel Under Stress

by Shanna Swendson

  Now home sounded good for another reason. It was the most normal, safe place I could think of. I’d have my choice of front porch or hammock for plenty of relaxing and reading, and while we might have the odd cold, gray spell, it would only last a day or two before we saw the sun again.

  I poured myself a cup of coffee, then went back to the window. I doubted my immunity had returned, so I had no way of knowing if the people I saw on the sidewalk below were what they seemed to be. Were there creatures lurking in the trees or hovering outside my window?

  Were Idris’s henchthings waiting for me outside, ready to grab me now that they knew I was Owen’s Achilles’ heel? If they’d bothered me before, I could only imagine what it would be like now that they knew Owen would do anything to keep me safe. That was bound to be a distraction for Owen. How could he focus on what he had to do if he had to worry about what the bad guys were doing to me? It figured. I finally found a great guy who liked me, and our relationship threw a monkey wrench into his life’s work. And since his life’s work was saving the world from bad magic, our relationship had bigger potential consequences than just keeping him off the corporate fast track.

  That was when I knew what I had to do. Actually, I’d known the night before. It had just taken me awhile to convince myself. I got dressed, got my laptop bag, and headed out into the cold, gray day, taking the subway downtown to the office. Sam was in his usual spot at the front door. “Hey, doll,” he said in greeting. “I didn’t expect to see you here today.”

  “I just want to wrap up a few things,” I told him. I then went straight up to Merlin’s office, hoping desperately that I didn’t run into anyone else I knew along the way. I knew it would be far too easy to be blown off course. To do this, I’d have to focus on my resolve, and I couldn’t do that if I had to face anyone I really cared about.

  “You’re right on time,” Trix said to me as I entered Merlin’s tower suite. “Go right in.” Merlin’s office doors opened for me, and I took a deep breath before crossing the threshold.

  “Good morning, Miss Chandler,” Merlin said when he saw me. “How are you faring?”

  “I’m okay. Still tired. My roommates took the news about magic pretty well, and they don’t seem to have any grudges about what I did under Ari’s influence.”

  “I’m pleased to hear that.” He gestured me toward a chair, and then sat in the chair next to me. “I believe you handled the situation admirably, from determining the problem to helping find the solution. You even helped salvage the operation by capturing our prisoner.”

  “I was highly motivated. I’m just worried that Owen was willing to let them go.”

  His expression darkened. “Yes, that is a concern. He cares for you, and that can be dangerous under these circumstances if he puts his personal desires ahead of the greater good. I’m also worried about his loss of control. That isn’t like him, from what I’ve seen.”

  It was exactly what I’d been thinking, but I didn’t like hearing it confirmed. I had to take a couple of deep breaths before I could bring myself to say, “I think I might be in the way. Whatever I bring to the table in terms of magical immunity might be outweighed by the fact that the bad guys now know that Owen will choose to save me instead of choosing to stop them.” I took another deep breath, hoping to get rid of the tremor that had taken over my voice, and threw out the idea that had been stewing in my head all morning. “Maybe I should take myself out of the picture for a while.”

  “That might be the best option,” he replied somberly.

  My breath caught in my throat. I hadn’t really wanted him to take me up on the offer. I’d hoped he’d say it wasn’t necessary, that he had a plan for dealing with the situation, and then I could stay, guilt-free. He wasn’t supposed to agree with me. “If you think it’s best,” I hedged.

  “I’m primarily concerned for your safety. Mr. Palmer can take care of himself, and I have full confidence that he will eventually prevail. But now that our enemies can be sure where you stand in his priorities, that makes you even more of a target in the future.”

  “Okay, then. I guess I could go back to Texas for a while, at least until things settle down here. My parents will be glad to see me.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “I’m not sure things will ever truly settle down. Not around here. I do hate to see you go, for I’ve found your input quite valuable, but you’re right, it would be best for you to be away. Kim is handling your tasks well enough that I believe I can get by without you.” And there she’d done it. She had my job. It was almost enough to make me change my mind and stay, regardless of the consequences.

  But this was for the greater good, I reminded myself. It wasn’t about how valuable I was. It was about beating the bad guys, once and for all. Maybe when that happened, I could come back. I’d managed to get from Texas to New York once before, when I hadn’t known what I’d be facing in the city, and with nothing to draw me there other than my college roommates. I stood up. “It’s been a pleasure working here—well, other than the various times I’ve been enchanted or attacked. Good luck fighting the bad guys, and all that. Uh, do I need to hand in a formal resignation?”

  “That won’t be necessary.” He stood and gave me a formal nod. “Thank you for your contributions.” I was glad he left it at that, without any long good-bye speech. I wouldn’t have been able to hold off the tears much longer, and it’s never a good idea to cry in front of your boss—or ex-boss. Lucky for me, Trix was on the phone when I left, so I just waved at her as I passed. I could send her an e-mail later, I knew.

  But I didn’t think I could brush off Owen that easily. I needed to let him know what was going on. No, what I had to do was end things definitively. What were we going to do, maintain a long-distance relationship between New York and Texas? While the idea of him pining for me and us keeping in touch via phone and the occasional weekend visit was fun to contemplate in a pink-tinged, romantic way, it sort of defeated the purpose of me removing myself from the potentially problematic situation. If we were still together in any way, I might still be in danger, and I’d still be a distraction.

  I mustered up every ounce of resolve I possessed, even borrowing on future reserves of resolve, and marched straight to Owen’s lab, mentally rehearsing what I’d say as I walked. Then some of my resolve wavered when the only person there was Jake, who was poring over an old book with a magnifying glass. “Is he in?” I asked.

  “Meeting with Mr. Lansing,” he said without looking up. “He just left. It could be awhile.”

  “Oh. Okay. Thanks. I can’t stay that long, but I’ll leave him a note.” I hated to admit how relieved I was. I knew that telling Owen in person was the right thing to do, but I wasn’t sure I could have gone through with it when I was actually looking at him. Just imagining the hurt I was sure I’d see in his gorgeous blue eyes was enough to almost make me turn around and tell Merlin I’d changed my mind. Leaving a note was probably the best way to handle things so I could be clear about what I was doing and still maintain my resolve.

  I went into his office, found a blank piece of paper in the mess on the desk, and wrote him a terse note about how I didn’t see a way things could work out between us with everything else that was going on. “You have a job to do,” I wrote, borrowing from the ending of his favorite movie so that maybe he’d understand what I was trying to do. “What you’ve got to do, I can’t be any part of—not without getting in the way.” I hesitated over giving him my contact information back home, then decided not to. If he wanted to track me down, he knew enough people who’d know how to reach me, and leaving the info would make it look like I was hinting for him to track me down. I ended the note with an exhortation to beat the bad guys, wished him the best of luck, then signed it, threw it in an empty envelope I found on the floor under his desk, and sealed it before I could change my mind. I wrote his name on the outside of the envelope and left it in his chair, where I was sure he’d see it.

  Then I went over to the cu
bicle he’d built for me and gathered my few office belongings. I left my laptop on my desk and filled my computer bag with my desk calendar, coffee mug, and the other little things I’d kept on my desk. “I’ll tell him you stopped by,” Jake said as I passed him on my way out.

  “Thanks. And let him know there’s a note on his chair.”

  And then I walked out of the building one last time, my head held high. To be totally honest, I couldn’t help but feel a little proud of myself for going through with my noble sacrifice in the name of the greater good. The world was a crazier place than most people realized, and in the grand scheme of things, my problems didn’t add up to much. I could practically hear the stirring music swell on the soundtrack as I let myself disappear into the fog of the crowds on the sidewalk.

  After all, we’d always have Manhattan.

  SHANNA SWENDSON is the author of Enchanted, Inc. and Once Upon Stilettos. She’s also contributed essays to books on such pop-culture topics as Pride and Prejudice, Desperate Housewives, and Battlestar Galactica. When she’s not writing or watching television and movies so she can write about them, she enjoys cooking, traveling, singing, and looking for new hobbies to make her author bio longer and more interesting. She lives in Texas, but loves to play Southern belle in New York as often as possible. For more information on Shanna and her books, visit her website at www.shannaswendson.com.

  ALSO BY SHANNA SWENDSON

  Enchanted, Inc.

  Once Upon Stilettos

  Praise for Enchanted, Inc.

  “With its clever premise and utterly engaging heroine, Shanna Swendson has penned a real treat! Enchanted, Inc. is loads of fun!”

  —JULIE KENNER, author of Carpe Demon

  “A totally captivating, hilarious and clever look on the magical kingdom of Manhattan, where kissing frogs has never been this fun.”

  —MELISSA DE LA CRUZ,

  author of The Au Pairs and The Fashionista Files

  “Light and breezy, but not without substance…a bit of the sense of a screwball comedy, only updated for these times that we live in…with a hint of Sex and the City and maybe a dash of Bridget Jones.”

  —CHARLES DELINT, Fantasy & Science Fiction

  “Lively…a pure and innocent fantasy…a cotton candy read.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “This is a witty, unique approach to the familiar story of a young woman working in modern Manhattan, and the laughs are plentiful.”

  —Romantic Times

  “Swendson offers a quirky twist on supernatural powers, suggesting that not having any can actually be an asset. This appealing novel offers a charming cast of characters and a clever premise, and readers will hope that Katie’s skills will be needed in New York City again soon.”

  —Booklist

  “A totally fresh approach to chick lit that’s magical and fun.”

  —freshfiction.com

  “From the moment that you pick up Enchanted, Inc., you know that you will have fun…. A marvelous world populated with the most interesting people.”

  —aromancereview.com

  “Ms. Swendson does a marvelous job of bridging our world with the world of fantasy, in such a way, as to be completely plausible…. This book, if you’ll pardon the pun, enchanted me from the first page.”

  —romancejunkies.com

  “Light humor, a bit of magic, a dash of danger and adventure, and an engaging heroine add up to a recipe for a really enjoyable novel.”

  —BooksForABuck.com

  “Lots of likeable characters (and potential romantic interests) that leave you wanting more.”

  —Locus magazine

  “[Katie is] like the Harry Potter of adulthood. Author Shanna Swendson pens a delightful, whimsical tale about an unlikely heroine who saves the day against all odds—and oddities. Enchanted, Inc. offers a wonderful escape from the ordinary.”

  —Dark Realms

  Damsel Under Stress is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  A Ballantine Books Trade Paperback Original

  Copyright © 2007 by Shanna Swendson

  All rights reserved.

  Published in the United States by Ballantine Books, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.

  BALLANTINE and colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.

  eISBN: 978-0-345-50011-3

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Swendson, Shanna.

  Damsel under stress : a novel / Shanna Swendson.

  p. cm.

  I. Title.

  PS3619.W445D36 2007

  813'.6—dc22 2006052635

  www.ballantinebooks.com

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