Page 69 of Fairy Godmothers Aren't Cheap

“And is she closer to believing?”

I opened my mouth, realizing that I was breaking our earlier deal, and that somewhere along the line, my confidence had overshot me. Gram-Gram had allowed me to grant Char small wishes that would help her believe in us, instead of cutting her off completely. Char now believed, and was actively working to reduce her debt. But I’d kept granting her more wishes. The question was a trap.

“She believes,” I admitted.

“Estelle.” The way the head fairy said my name held more disappointment than any words she could have used.

I lowered my head. “I’m sorry. I got caught up.”

“You have a good heart. But until she’s under the amount-owing threshold, you need to stop granting her wishes.” She lifted a hand before I could speak. Cutting Char off was unfair. “And Estelle? Quit meddling in Char’s love life.”

My jaw dropped. How did she know what I’d been doing behind her back?

Did she also know that I’d been influencing things by sending positive energy Char’s way? Just a bit here and there, nudging her life along.

“But they both want to leave the friend zone,” I protested.

“She didn’t wish for it, did she?”

I sighed, shaking my head. Technically, Gram-Gram was correct. There hadn’t even been a wish followed by a clawback, giving me no wiggle room. For a woman who wished so much, Char really should be more strategic.

“But if men had fairy godmothers, I’m sure James would be wishing for her to kiss him.”

The head fairy leaned forward, clasping her hands on top of her rosewood desk. I lowered my gaze to follow the pattern of flowers carved into the richly hued wood.

“So then, do you plan to continue to meddle throughout their lives to ensure their relationship stays on track?” she asked.

“They just needed a push.”

“They need to do things in their own time.”

I held in a dejected sigh. “Understood.”

“Also, a reminder?”

“Yes, ma’am?”

“Stop influencing fate.”

“Ma’am?”

“Your positive energy ‘gifts,’ shall we call them?”

No wonder she was the head of our region, and had been for centuries. I couldn’t slip a thing past her.

“I appreciate your creativity in finding a workaround, seeing as wishes surrounding her debt repayment can’t be granted. And, yes, I retracted the one you made in regards to the grant agency. It was flagged by the ethics committee shortly after you granted it due to a conflict of interest.”

I swore the sparkle in Gram-Gram’s lavender eyes suggested that a teensy bit of that wish had been granted before it had been shut down. Did she approve? She must, because, according to Big Bertha’s list of rules and regulations, I should be getting a strike right now. A red mark across my forehead for all the other trainees to see and for Trish to gloat over.

“The ethics committee will be watching you very closely from here on out.”

I nodded, reminding myself to act sombre. Having the ethic committee watching me was not a joke.

“Also, quit nudging all of those poor humans to help her.”

“But the book said that sending positive energy?—”

“I said stop. Before you leave tonight, read section 5.a. under Conflicts of Interest and be sure you understand. Then write a letter of apology to the committee.”

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