Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 145728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
“That’s true! Groperson will probably kick my mom out on the street.” I almost started crying again. “And it’s all my fault! I started it all with the stupid magic coin I made out of cigarette butts.”
“You what?” Lachlan frowned at me.
“You did more magic you didn’t tell us about?” Bran asked.
So then I had to admit to the other magic I had done by accident—which I had only told Avery and Kaitlyn and Megan about.
“And that’s what started it all and the reason Groperson demanded double rent in the first place,” I finished. “So like I said, this is all my fault.”
“The only thing you’re at fault for is not telling us, little one,” Lachlan said, frowning. “How can we help you with your magic if you don’t tell us when you do it?”
“And why didn’t you tell us you needed rent money?” Avery demanded. “We could have scraped something together—I’m sure we could.”
“I didn’t want to tell you because I was embarrassed,” I told him, feeling my cheeks heat with a shameful blush. “I didn’t want to have to ask anyone for money! I wanted to earn it on my own.”
“No wonder you were working so hard this week,” Kaitlyn murmured.
“You should have told us, Emma.” Megan looked at me reproachfully.
“Well now you know everything,” I pointed out. “And I’m sorry I was keeping secrets. I just…it’s hard being poor, you know?”
“Believe me, we know,” Kaitlyn and Megan said together. Neither of them had much money either. Avery was a different story. His family was downright wealthy but he never talked about it much or flaunted it, except when he drove us around in the new Tesla his dad had bought for him.
“Keeping secrets invites trouble,” Lachlan said, frowning. “But I think Emma knows that now.”
“Tell us next time you need something,” Avery told me.
“And tell Lachlan and me before you go someplace dangerous,” Bran added, frowning.
“I will. I promise.” I sighed and looked around the room. “So…can we put Groperson back the way he was?”
“I don’t think he deserves to be fixed,” Megan stated, frowning angrily. “He’s a horrible person and he got exactly what was coming to him!”
“Yes, but again, we must think of Emma’s mother,” Griffin reminded her.
“Can you fix him, Lachlan?” I asked, turning to him. “Do you think you can undo my magic?”
He frowned.
“Honestly, it depends on how much power you put into it and how focused—or unfocused—it was. What I felt from you last night when you worked the binding was extremely focused, but you weren’t in fear for your life at that time.”
“Will you try though?” I begged. “For my mom?”
He sighed and nodded reluctantly.
“I’ll try, but I must have you there beside me to help because it was your magic that worked the switch in the first place.”
“If Emma is going, I’m coming to make sure that bastard doesn’t try anything else,” growled Bran.
“We’re coming to support Emma,” Megan said, and Kaitlyn and Avery nodded.
“Well, I am coming with you because I really can’t wait to see the effects of Emma’s nose-switching magic,” Griffin said dryly. “It should be a unique sight, to say the least.”
“I wouldn’t mind seeing that myself,” Ari said, grinning. He and Griffin shared a fist bump.
“I want to see, too!” Jalli exclaimed.
“No, I don’t think so.” Ari frowned at his little sister. “You’re staying here, Jalli. “There are some things you’re too young to see.”
“I’m fourteen!” she protested. “I don’t want to stay here all by myself!”
“You won’t be.” Saint frowned at her. “I will be staying as well. I do not trust my Drake around this human male. He sounds very likely to rouse my other half to anger. Unless…” He frowned and looked at Avery. “Will there be any danger to you, roommate?”
Avery frowned.
“I don’t see how there could be.” He grinned. “Unless I somehow get on Emmers’ bad side and she pastes my ‘boy parts’ to my forehead or something.”
“Ha-ha—very funny, Avery,” I said, but I couldn’t help smiling, just a little.
“Very well—I will stay with Jalli then.” Saint nodded. “Please let us know if you need us.”
“We will,” Avery nodded. “And uh, thanks for being concerned for me, roomie,” he added, a bit awkwardly.
“Oh, I am not concerned myself,” Saint said evenly. “It is my Drake—he is very concerned for your safety.”
At this, Ari and Kaitlyn exchanged a look and I couldn’t help thinking how Kaitlyn had told us that Ari’s Drake had singled her out as his future mate before Ari had even noticed her. Of course, later he came to love her as much as his Drake did, but in his culture, it was the Drake who chose the mate and the human who shared a body with him naturally followed.
But at the moment, I had other things to worry about. Like if Lachlan was going to be able to switch Mr. Groperson’s nose and “boy parts” back to their correct places and if he was going to throw my mom out on the street.