Poetry in Potion Read online

  Poetry in Potion

  Spellbound Ever After Paranormal Cozy Mystery, Book 5

  Annabel Chase

  Red Palm Press LLC

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Author’s Note

  Chapter One

  “Can’t…you…just…get it in?” I wiggled and shimmied but to no avail.

  Gareth’s head popped out of the bedroom wall. “Perhaps I can be of some assistance?”

  I turned to gape at my vampire ghost roommate. “Gareth, you know better than to come in here, especially when Daniel and I are alone.” I lifted my leg and wiggled my foot at Daniel. “Please try again.”

  The angel wiped his brow with the back of his hand and then held the shoe in position. “I love you, but you’re worse than one of Cinderella’s stepsisters.”

  “These shoes are brand new,” I said. “They have to fit.”

  The rest of Gareth’s body drifted into the room. “Emma, you’re heavily pregnant. When that happens, a woman’s body changes rapidly…”

  I shot him a look of death. “Are you seriously trying to vampsplain pregnancy to a pregnant woman?”

  The fierce look on my face must have prompted him to rethink his choices because he slowly backed away. “Of course not. I only mean to say that your feet have swelled due to the retention of water. Again.”

  My head swiveled back to my husband, who still clutched the shoe in question. “Do you think my feet look bigger?”

  Daniel’s eyes snapped wide open like a deer in headlights. “I don't know,” he said, appearing to choose his words carefully. “I just know that the shoe doesn’t fit.”

  I sank against the body pillow on the bed and began to cry. At the sight of my waterworks, Gareth made himself scarce. “But the shoes are so pretty and comfortable,” I moaned. “I just wanted to wear the shoes.”

  Daniel stroked my leg. “There, there. It will all be over soon.”

  I bolted upright. “But what if it isn’t? What if my feet never go back to their normal size? That happens. I read it in a book.”

  Daniel offered a comforting smile. “Then I will buy you a whole new shoe wardrobe, but for now, I’m afraid these are your only option.” He lifted a pair of black flip-flops high enough for me to see them.

  I wiped a tear from my cheek and nodded. “They’re the ones with the built-in arch support, right?”

  Daniel slipped each foot into its respective flip-flop. “Yes, Emma. Don’t worry. Your exceptionally high arches will be well cared for in these.”

  I hobbled to my feet, careful not to topple over. I was now a good sixty pounds over my normal weight and equilibrium had become a major issue for me. I had no experience with an unequal distribution of weight. Gareth had tried all sorts of tricks to protect me from bumps and bruises, but, in the end, we agreed to just refer to the purple splotches on my skin as beauty marks and be done with it.

  “You know you don’t have to come today,” Daniel said. “I would completely understand.”

  My hands cemented to my hips—or what used to be my hips. “Daniel Starr, don’t you think for one second that I am too pregnant to support my husband’s career. It’s the first day of the World Market and you’ve been working very hard to pull this together. I wouldn’t dream of missing it.”

  Daniel cupped my chin in his hand. “There are four more days of it after this one. You could always come on the day you feel your best.”

  My lip pouted. “I’m worried that I will never feel my best again.” Ugh. I hated whining. I felt so fortunate to be pregnant, to be having a baby with Daniel, the love of my life. The last thing I wanted to do was complain like an ungrateful brat.

  Daniel planted a kiss on my lips. “You are the most magnificent pregnant woman to ever walk the earth.”

  I peered up at him. “Even better than Beyoncé?”

  “I don’t know who that is, but yes. Absolutely. And soon enough, we’ll have the most magnificent baby, too.”

  “Not soon enough as far as I’m concerned,” I said. “This baby better not be anything like Rudy Gaskell.”

  “Who’s Rudy Gaskell?”

  “He lived down the street from my grandparents’ house where I grew up. He was twenty-nine and refused to move out of his parents’ house. They threatened him. Begged him. Paid someone to be his girlfriend. Nothing worked.”

  “How did they eventually get him out?”

  “They sold their house and bought a one-bedroom condo in Boca Raton.”

  “Seems extreme,” Daniel said.

  I patted my stomach. “Desperate times call for desperate measures.”

  “You’re not going to pay someone to date our baby to entice him or her out, are you? Because that would be weird.”

  “No, but I’m going to drink the disgusting glastonberry smoothie that Gareth swears will urge the baby to make an appearance.”

  Daniel clapped me in the shoulder. “You’re the bravest woman I’ve ever known.”

  Gareth reappeared in the bedroom. “I’ve taken the liberty of preparing breakfast.”

  “The smoothie?” I asked. Tears involuntarily sprang to my eyes.

  A look of alarm crossed Gareth’s washed out features. “No, no. No need to cry. Eggs! I made eggs. We can wait on the smoothie until you’re ready.”

  I sniffed. “What kind of eggs?”

  Daniel rubbed his rumbling stomach. “Gareth made eggs?”

  “Not for him,” the vampire ghost snapped. “He can make his own eggs.”

  “Gareth,” I said in a warning tone. “I’m sure there are enough eggs for both of us.”

  “Not the way you eat,” he murmured.

  “Why don’t I help you downstairs?” Daniel asked. “Not because I view you as a helpless female, of course, but because I don’t want you to trip and break your neck.”

  I caressed his firm chest. “Well said.” I offered my arm. “The way I feel right now, I would even let you fly me down.” I wasn’t a huge fan of heights, but the distance between the top of the stairs and the foyer wasn’t so bad.

  “When I get back from the World Market, you and I will work on the nursery,” I told Gareth. We already had most of the basics stashed in the basement, but we needed to finish decorating the baby’s bedroom before we could move in the furniture.

  Daniel and I safely made our way to the kitchen without any mishaps. He pulled out my chair, leaving enough room for my burgeoning belly. I really did have the most considerate husband in the world. Gareth set two plates in front of us. I broke into a wide smile when I saw the poached eggs on toast.

  “Thank you so much, Gareth,” I said. “You know how much I love these.”

  “I can make poached eggs,” Daniel said, with a hint of defensiveness.

  I patted his hand. “I know you can, dear. Isn’t it nice that more than one of us can cook in the house? This baby will be very lucky.”

  “Two out of three isn’t bad,” Gareth said.

  I glared at him. “My cooking has improved dramatically.”

  “If not burning the house down counts as a dramatic improvement, then I am in full agreement,” the vampire ghost replied.

  I made short work of my breakfast and gulped down the herbal tea that Gareth had also brought to me. “Ar
e you sure there isn’t much caffeine in this kind?”

  Gareth was by my side in an instant. “Why? Do you feel your pulse racing? How’s your heart?”

  I laughed. “I’m fine. I was just curious, that’s all.” Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Daniel smirking. He could tell by my response that Gareth had overreacted, as usual.

  “I guess we should drive separately to the market,” I said. “I’m not going to be able to stay as long as you.”

  Daniel gave me a concerned look. “Are you sure you should be driving?”

  “Quinty adjusted the seat and the steering wheel so to make room for the rest of me,” I said.

  “That's not what I mean,” Daniel said. “What if you go into labor while you’re driving? What if you end up in an accident?”

  My pulse raced. “Daniel, are you trying to ratchet up my anxiety?” I’d stopped taking my anti-anxiety potions early in the pregnancy because I worried about potential damage to the baby. Thankfully, I’d managed to keep my emotions in check most of the time, except for the occasional hormonal outburst.

  “Why don’t I quickly fly you there and then I can fly you home when you’re ready to leave?” Daniel said. “It wouldn't take too much time to do it that way.”

  “I don’t know whether flying is good for the baby,” I said.

  “Emma, it’s okay to say no. You don’t have to make excuses.”

  “Then no.”

  “See?” Daniel said. “That wasn’t so hard.”

  Except it was. I hated to say no, especially to those I loved.

  A tap on the window drew my attention away from Daniel. Sedgwick was banging his beak against the glass.

  “Allow me,” Gareth said and hurried to the window to open it for my owl familiar.

  “Sedgwick, where were you?” I asked. The owl was usually on his perch at this time of morning.

  I came back earlier, but all the windows had been closed. The owl shot Daniel a reproachful look. I decided to go back to the forest and wait until I knew you would up and about.

  “I’m sorry about that,” I said. “Daniel, can you try to remember to leave a window open for Sedgwick? I’ve asked you before.”

  The angel smacked his forehead. “I’m sorry. I forgot. I woke in the night because there was a chill, so I closed the window.”

  “I don't think it’s wise to leave windows open once the baby comes,” Gareth interjected. “What if someone wanted to steal the baby?”

  My hand flew to my chest. “Is everyone trying to give me a heart attack today? We’re not having the Lindbergh baby. Let’s just stop with the negative talk.”

  Three heads hung in shame.

  “I think maybe we should consider finding another way for Sedgwick to exit and enter the house at night,” Daniel said. “I mean, what if the baby has wings?”

  I was fairly certain a vein in my neck exploded. “We will cross the flying baby bridge when we have one!” And here I thought I was the neurotic one. They were all driving me nuts.

  “You need to stay calm,” Gareth said. “Stress is…”

  “Stress is your middle name!” I pushed back my chair and struggled to my feet. “I’m going to drive myself to the World Market and hang out where absolutely no one is talking about my body or my baby.”

  Chapter Two

  The World Market was set up in the town square. A huge banner was draped across the clock tower that read: World Market: What You’ve Been Missing in large, looping letters that glittered. Daniel had decided that it would be a great way to introduce the residents of Spellbound to things they might not have experienced during the long curse on the town. Once he secured the approval of the town council, he had to negotiate with the general organizers of the World Market. After that came negotiations between Daniel and the local businesses that lined the square, as well as the Wish Market, but they managed to reach an agreement that satisfied all parties. Daniel regaled me with tales of his powers of persuasion, convincing owners like Ricardo that Ready-to-Were could only benefit from an influx of shoppers coming to check out the pop-up market.

  The market had drawn such a crowd that I couldn’t find a parking spot anywhere near the square. I didn’t relish the thought of walking any further than I had to, but I didn’t have much of a choice. At least the sky was clear and blue. One of the perks of living in a magical town was the weather bubble that provided beautiful sunshine, yet plenty of nourishment for plants and flowers.

  “Emma Hart, what do you think you’re doing?” Mayor Lucy Langtree fluttered alongside me, her pink wings sparkling in the sunlight.

  “What does it look like I’m doing? I’m heading to the World Market in support of my husband.”

  She looped an arm through mine. “We can’t have you waddling around like this. What if you fell over? You know how uneven this cobblestone is. We’d need a team of elves to roll you back to a standing position.”

  “I’m not a turtle,” I protested. So much for no one talking about my body or my baby.

  “Here, at least let me help you get to the market.” Lucy zipped around behind me and reached under my armpits. “On the count of three…”

  “Lucy!” I tried to unhook myself from her grasp, but the fairy was stronger than her petite frame suggested. Before I could extricate myself, we had liftoff. My flip-flops skimmed the cobblestone as Lucy did her best me to keep me airborne.

  “Just relax and we’ll be there in two shakes of a broomstick,” Lucy said.

  “You know that’s not my strength.” I’d tried many things to combat my constant state of tension, including harp therapy. At the moment, my body was simply too unwieldy to play the harp, though, so I’d put the activity on hold until after the birth of the baby. In fact, it seemed like my whole life was on hold until the baby’s arrival.

  Lucy lowered me to the ground at the base of the most popular statue in town, which happened to be a depiction of Daniel and me. It was meant to celebrate the breaking of the town curse, but most residents joked that I seemed to be celebrating my first brush with ecstasy.

  “Is Daniel already here?” Lucy asked.

  “Yes, he flew ahead. He has a lot to do and I don’t want to be a distraction.” I scanned the crowd for any sign of my husband. At well over six feet tall, a golden halo and white wings, he was hard to miss.

  “I’m so pleased he came up with this idea,” Lucy said. “I’ll be honest, I was skeptical at first to have Daniel in charge of tourism, but he’s doing a wonderful job.”

  “That means a lot to hear you say that.”

  Lucy’s eyes glittered with excitement at the sight of the market. She loved to shop more than anyone I knew. The World Market would be like Christmas and her birthday rolled into one. “I don't know where to start,” the fairy said. “So many new trinkets to explore.”

  “Here’s a map of the stalls,” I said, plucking a pamphlet from a nearby kiosk. “Oh, look. There’s an entire section devoted to cosmetics.” I knew that would get Lucy’s attention. During a recent trip to another town, she’d been introduced to YouTube tutorials on makeup and quickly became fixated on copying celebrity looks. Not that she knew who anyone was. It didn’t matter. If there was an achievement to be unlocked, Lucy was right there with her competitive key.

  “That sounds perfect for me,” Lucy said. “I’ll start there.” She cast me a sidelong glance. “I don't suppose that’s where you’ll be headed.”

  I laughed. My friend knew me well. “No. The last thing I need to worry about right now is eyeshadow.”

  “Are you sure about that? I can do an amazing smoky eye on you. Daniel will lose his wings over it.”

  I patted my stomach. “I don't need Daniel to lose his senses right now, but thanks. I’ll catch up with you later.”

  “Have fun and stay hydrated!” She fluttered off into the crowd.

  I took my time going from stall to stall, keeping one eye open for Daniel. I’d noticed on the pamphlet that there was a section of
baby-related items, so I decided to head there first. It was possible Daniel was having the same thought, although I suspected he was too distracted right now.

  “A keepsake for the new mother?” a voice rang out.

  I went over to the stall to admire the Christmas tree ornament that he dangled. “That’s cute.”

  “I bet you don’t know what these are.” The middle-aged elf held up two plastic green objects that resembled a clothespin.

  “They’re refrigerator magnets,” I said.

  He frowned. “How did you know that? Everyone else who passed by here was stumped.”

  “It’s a long story,” I said. “I haven’t been trapped here my whole life like everyone else.”

  His eyes popped. “You’re her. The savior.”

  Heat warmed my cheeks. “I prefer to be called Emma.”

  His gaze drifted to my enormous stomach. “You’re due any time now, eh?”

  “So they tell me.” I stroked my belly and received a kick in response. “Ouch. Someone’s feisty today.” Probably tired of everyone talking about him or her.

  The elf chuckled. “Get used to that. Kicking doesn’t stop just because they leave the womb. My wife and I can tell you all about it. We have five of our own.”

  “Oh wow,” I said. “I can’t imagine more than one right now and I don’t even have that one yet.”

  “I won’t lie and tell you it will be easy because it won’t,” he said. “But the rewards far outweigh the sacrifices.”

  “Thank you,” I said. “That’s just what I need to hear today.” I had no idea what to expect and each day closer to the birth was another day for me to tack on more worry. There was no blueprint. No roadmap. No experience. My adoptive parents died when I was young, so I was raised primarily by my grandparents. I didn’t grow up with any cousins. I never even babysat. In short, I had zero role models when it came to parenting and Daniel was the same. We knew we had our work cut out for us.