Once Upon A Curse Book 3 (Completed)

Chapter 11

The party went on until dawn, but by the time the faint light of a rainy day had crept through the windows high on the wall of the Great Hall, nearly all of the guests had gone home. The normal, human guests—including the relatives and the unsuccessful suitors—had already gone to bed, even though they wouldn't leave until the next day. After staying up with us all night, Eadric had wandered off to the kitchen in search of breakfast. Only Hazel, Millie and I were still in the Great Hall waiting to say farewell to the last of the guests.

A trestle table had been set up to hold the everlasting bouquets. When the final guest came to claim her present, I was delighted to note that there were still two bouquets left, even though some guests had taken more than their share. It looked as though Hazel had enough bouquets for everyone.

"You're sure she's the last one?" I said, gesturing toward the table where Scrofula was chatting with Hazel.

"I'm positive," said Millie. "We had the pages look everywhere, just as you suggested. They found her in the garden and brought her here to get her gift."

"Good," I said. "Then maybe it really is over."

When Millie and I went to the table to say good-bye to Scrofula, she was reaching for a second bouquet. "My sister left early. I'll give it to her the next time I see her."

"So we still had enough," I said, watching Scrofula leave.

"I don't know why you're so worried," said Millie. "If we'd run out, Hazel could have made more."

"Made more what?" asked Garrid.

I hadn't noticed him come into the room, and apparently neither had Hazel. "Where have you been?" she asked, her gaze frosty. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

"I had things to take care of so I could concentrate on you this morning," he said, putting his arms around her. "We still have a lot to talk about."

I turned away when they started to kiss, and that's when I noticed something small and black fly in through a window and land in one of Hazel's trees. I slipped away to investigate. "Li'l, is that you?" I whispered.

A little head popped up from behind a branch. "Why didn't you tell me there were trees in this castle?" Li'l asked. "I could have stayed in one of these."

"They weren't here before," I said. "Hazel grew them for the party. I'm glad you came. I was just about to go look for you. I'll be leaving as soon as I say good-bye to Millie and Hazel. The party is over. Most of the guests have left. Since there were enough gifts for everyone, no one cast a curse."

Li'l crawled around the branch until she was hanging upside down. "I didn't come to say good-bye now. I was looking for Bugsy. He was late coming to see me, and then he acted funny. I was worried about him, so I followed him after he took me home. He came to the castle. He has to be around here somewhere."

"I haven't noticed any other bats, but then I haven't been looking. Maybe I should go—"

Someone groaned on the other side of the tree, loudly enough that even Millie heard it. "Emma, was that you?" she asked from halfway across the Hall.

"No," I whispered, tiptoeing around the trunk. "It was...."

The Swamp Fairy sat up and looked at me, rubbing her eyes with her knuckles. "What day is it?" she asked.

"The day after my birthday party," said Hazel, joining us by the tree. "Everyone else has gone home. I thought you'd left already."

Li'l pulled her wings closer to her sides, trying to make herself look smaller and less conspicuous. "Is that a bat?" asked Hazel, backing away from the tree. "What is a bat doing in my castle?" She looked around frantically, spotting a dirty tankard on a table. "Get out of here!" she hollered, snatching up the tankard and hurling it at Li'l.