I Think My Fairy Godmother Drinks

Oops...

It was Chicanery all over again.

Tynder massaged her temples and willed her impending headache to go away. She stared at the recommendations page...the wrong recommendations page to be exact. The winning lottery ticket was burning a hole in her jeans pocket. It occurred that she could cash in the ticket and take off. She could start over somewhere far away. No wishful thinking. No desperate humans suddenly in grave danger because of her decisions.

Just leave. Just take the money and leave. Simple. It was simple. Unfortunately, Tynder didn't do simple. A nagging feeling had her reaching past her double shot espresso coffee for her wand. She flicked the wand in a small circle and conjured an image of the ball. Her eyes scanned the room. No prince in sight. "Find him." She whispered.

She did.

She wished she hadn't. The prince was pacing manically up and down the library while his brother looked like he was trying to talk him down. Tynder frowned and tapped the floating image with the tip of her wand. Their voices became clear as a bell in her mind.

I have to find her. My goddess!

What the hell is going on with you? This isn't like you at all.

Of course not! That was before love bloomed in my heart. I never knew what love was until I laid eyes on her. She's enchanting. Everything I've ever wanted.

Have you lost your mind? Does this 'goddess' even love you back?

Of course she does.

Then why did she run when you proposed?

She...must be shy. Or overwhelmed by her feelings for me.

Or she doesn't love you. You can't force someone to love you. Didn't you say arranged marriages were antiquated?

If she gets to know me, she'll love me. I'll make her love me.

"Well that was disturbing." Tynder waved her wand dissipating the floating image of the prince and his brother. A dark cloud of foreboding settled over her. She'd seen that blank mad look in a human's eyes before. It was when an enchantment tailored for one person was directed at another. She hit her forehead with her palm. The dress. The damn dress. 

How could she be so stupid? This was what Alcyone warned her about. Consequences.

The dress she'd given Ashe to wear was the enchantment meant for someone else. It had curled itself around the wrong person and was forcing him to behave out of character. From the looks of things, it was escalating quickly. Tynder needed to intervene quickly. Before the prince did something irrevocable.

But first...

"Where did you run off to Ashe?" She waved her hand again. Ashe came into view, hanging out of a bedroom window.  She was struggling to fit the full skirt of the gown through the narrow opening. "Well, at least she's safe...for the moment."

Tynder downed the last of her coffee and stood. The bitter liquid burned down her throat. "I should have taken that telemarketing job."