The Magician's Mistake (The Fay Morgan Chronicles Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

a fancy one, bedecked with thick crown molding and a crystal chandelier. I raised my head. Pain lanced through my neck and shoulders. I moved one arm. More spiking pain. I closed my eyes and sought oblivion, but my mind was already moving, restless and hungry for details.
    “Where am I?” My voice croaked like a crows.
    “The hotel suite Adam and I currently call home.” I felt heat, his heat, nearby. I opened my eyes to see Kestrel hovering at the edge of my vision, his face creased with worry.
    “What happened?”
    “Like a knight in shining armor, I rescued you.”
    “I have always hated knights and their loathsome chivalry.”
    He smiled and his hand reached toward my cheek. It hesitated, an inch away, and then withdrew. “Then I should say I came running toward you, throwing fish and chips hither and yon, screaming and swearing as I sent those wrong mothers running. They got away with the amulet, alas.”
    He held a cup of water up to mouth.
    I swallowed a mouthful. It hurt.
    “How?”
    He took a deep breath. “I set a confusion spell. The ladies with bombs became rather befuddled. They screamed and ran away. I then dissolved the spells attacking you, Lila, and Adam.”
    “You are powerful,” I murmured. “How are they?”
    “Lila and Adam are fine. A bit water-logged. Lila didn’t sleep all night and day, sitting vigil beside you.”
    I glanced out the window. It was late afternoon.
    Kestrel continued. “I sent them down to the hotel restaurant for lunch. They should be back soon. They’ll be delighted you are fine.”
    Fine. I managed not to groan as I turned my head to watch him. “So you are the magician.”
    “I’m a magician,” he said lightly.
    “I drew your card from my tarot deck.”
    “Did you now?”
    I blinked slowly. Painfully. “What part do you play in this unknown witch’s chaos?”
    “I save the lass and she responds with distrust and disdain,” he said flatly. “Never mind that I gave you the necklace that the trolls and women sought.”
    Which didn’t answer my question.
    “Did you learn anything from any of the women before they fled?” I asked.
    He scowled and turned away from me. “I’m sure you will find it convenient that the wicked magician was too busy saving the lives of you and yours to chase after them.”
    I took a deep breath, gritted my teeth, and forced myself to roll over and sit up. I managed to only let out one gasp of pain. We were in some kind of hotel suite, and I was in a bed that could have slept a family of ten back in my day. I wore a thick white bathrobe and nothing underneath. Purplish bruises ran up my arms and down the flesh of my legs.
    Kestrel watched as I swung my legs over the bed. He offered no help.
    “Coffee?” I asked, my voice breaking.
    He disappeared through a doorway and came back in wheeling a cart with coffee, a bottle of good whiskey, and a meat pie with a flaky crust. He pushed it close so I could eat where I sat.
    I held a fork gingerly and took a bite of the pie. It tasted like home, like nothing you could buy in the States. Everything still hurt, but I felt minutely better. “You made it?” I asked.
    “I cook when I’m nervous,” he said.
    “Nervous?” I asked around a mouthful of beef and potatoes.
    “You lie in this bed for hour upon hour like Sleeping Beauty and expect me not to care?”
    “You don’t know me.”
    He glared at me. His jaw clenched.
    The door opened, and Lila and Adam came in.
    “Morgan!” Lila yelled and ran to me. She bear-hugged me painfully. “You’re really okay, Morgan? Like really? You looked like this beautiful corpse, barely breathing, and I was going out of my mind, and those women at the lake were so intense, and whatever happened with female solidarity, right? And you’re really okay? Really?” Lila spoke in a rush.
    “I’m fine, Lila. A bit sore, that is all.”
    “It’s so, so good to hear your always-sort-of-pissed-off voice.”
    “Glad you’re back, Morgan.” Adam