Page 23 of Cinder's Trial
“Me, either,” Killian interjected. “I’d marry before I went to that extreme.”
“Agreed.” I nodded in solidarity.
“Perhaps you can figure it out. In the meantime, I’m being tugged in so many directions. Until we meet again…” With that, Godmother faded from sight.
Levi glowered. “Fucking magic.”
Whereas Killian looked pensive. “With the fairy godmother on our side, surely we stand a chance?”
I wouldn’t be so sure. The last time she got involved, I’d almost gotten forced into marrying an old pervert.
Killian and I spent the rest of that afternoon and early evening discussing the Little Ash curse in detail. I pulled up reports of previous incidences involving it.
It was Killian who pointed out, “I don’t think it wants us to die.” Indeed, we had a few cases where the prince killed his intended and one where the Cinderella slit the throat of her prince on their wedding night. None of those halted the recurring storyline.
“I guess that’s a relief,” I stated, “but, at the same time, brings us back to the dilemma of how to make it stop.”
“Any Cinderellas get divorced?” Levi sat in the chair opposite me with a mug of coffee in hand, prepared by his bodyguards to ensure no foul play.
“Yes. Happens all the time once the fairytale magic and excitement wear off.” People caught in the grip of the curse didn’t realize how the Grimm Effect manufactured emotions.
“A dilemma for sure,” he stated.
I packed up my laptop. “I should get home. My menagerie is probably getting hungry. Can someone call me a taxi?”
Hannah pushed away from the small kitchen bar in the main living area. “I’ll drive you.”
For a second, Levi opened his mouth, and I expected him to object. Instead, he nodded. “Take her straight home and make sure you see her inside.”
I rolled my eyes as we left. “Is he always that paranoid?”
“No. But given this mission is different than usual, I’m thinking he wants to cover all his bases.” Hannah offered an excuse.
“No one cares about me,” I huffed.
“The prince might. You two seem to be getting along rather well. Guess it helps he’s easy on the eyes,” Hannah teased. The woman, who’d been caught in the Hansel and Gretel curse, had a naughty and sometimes dark sense of humor.
“We get along, but there’s no spark.”
“Spark is important,” she agreed. “But sometimes not enough if the other person is stubborn.”
I glanced at her. “You sound as if you speak from experience.”
“Nope. I’m not cut out for a romantic relationship.”
“I’d like one, but the moment guys realize I’m an actual Cinderella, they get all weird.”
“Weird how?”
“I had one date who wanted me to wear these ridiculous stilettos so he could suck on the heel.”
Hannah blinked at me as we reached the SUV. “Um, yeah, that would be a hard no from me.”
“Ditto. Then there’s the ones who think I will be their built-in maid. Also, a hard pass.”
“Men are jerks.”
“Agreed.” I happened to glance up at the hotel, all the way up, where the lit penthouse windows were tiny specks of light, and yet I could have sworn I saw a shape in one.