“For your compatibility questions,” the gnome said. “This is a love fortune-telling tent.”
“What? We don’t need that.” I didn’t need a gnome or their Sight to tell me that Darcy and I were about as incompatible as love potions and wolfsbane potions.
The gnome glowered at me. “Didn’t you see my tent’s name is the Soulmate Seer? What were you expecting?”
Darcy shifted, the movement tweaking the purple cord connecting us like a two-foot-long pair of handcuffs. “Can you remove this?”
“No.”
The word dropped with deafening finality, and Darcy stilled next to me.
“What do you mean?” I whispered.
The man looked at us, something like pity in his violet eyes. “There is nothing I can do to unbind the two of you. You’re stuck together.”
Chapter 9
“Whatdoyoumeanwe’re stuck together?” Quiet menace edged Darcy’s words.
His anger was the calm before a storm, a lion waiting to pounce. In contrast, my heart felt like it was about to beat out of my chest, and my breathing was way too fast.
How could this have happened?
“I meant exactly what it sounds like. I’m afraid my hands are tied.” His mouth twisted in a grimace. “Poor choice of words. What I meant to say is, there is nothingIcan do.”
“This can’t be happening.” My stomach twisted itself into knots.
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Darcy jumped to his feet.
The movement yanked on my wrist with a sharp tug, and I stumbled up after him.
“Darcy!” Charles barreled into the tent with Jane not far behind.
How did they find us so fast?
As Charles took in the scene, the panic leaked from his expression. “Why didn’t you wait for us by the Ferris wheel?”
“Elizabeth ran off, so I chased her here where this old man cast a spell on us.” Darcy drove a hand through his hair.
I put my free hand on my hip. “First of all, I didn’t ask you to come. And second, you’re the one who lied about your magic and got us into this mess.”
Jane’s attention fell on the purple cord connecting me to Darcy. “What is that?”
Darcy’s shoulders slumped, and he rubbed a hand across his face. “The gnome’s magic reacted poorly with mine, and it would seem Elizabeth and I are stuck together.”
Charles burst out laughing, and Darcy shot him a killing glare.
“I’m sorry, but you have to admit, it’s sort of funny. To be literally stuck to a woman after turning down all the ones who…” Charles trailed off at another warning look.
The purple cord sparked, then faded. An answering knot in my stomach dissolved as it disappeared.
“Thank heavens.” Darcy stepped away.
The move pulled on an invisible tie around my wrist and sent me stumbling into his chest. He caught me, his hands briefly landing on my waist to steady me. His fingers tightened around my hips, flexing with his frustration.
“Didn’t you hear me say it won’t disappear?” The gnome rubbed his forehead. “It might have faded from sight, but you two are as stuck together as before.”
“I demand that you undo this spell at once.” Darcy glowered at him.
