Merlin and the Killer Crush: Wyld Enchantment Woods Cozy Mystery by Carpenter Kura Jane

Author:Carpenter, Kura Jane
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wicked Unicorn Press
Published: 2024-04-07T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

What the Letter Said

Huntsman Tavern, Southgate Square, Charmington.

“Shush!” Merlin swept the book bag close and hugged it to his person. Furtively casting his terrified gaze into the gloom of the tavern’s empty common room, he blinked up at Ella. “No one can find that out! My reputation depends on it! If anyone in the encyclopaedia circuit found out I wrote such lurid fiction, I’d be a laughingstock!”

“That may be a dent to your pride,” Ella scoffed, “but you’re acting as if your life were on the line.”

“Ha! If only it were that simple!” Merlin poured a shot of whiskey and downed the amber liquid in one gulp. “Do you know how many schools have put in orders for Merlin’s Magic for Beginners textbooks? The numbers are boggling. But no school of magic will want to touch academic references written by me if they learn about my romance side-hustle. If Gwen finds out, I can kiss my textbook contract goodbye.”

“So it could ruin you. Just as Claude said. Hmm…” Ella tapped her fingernails on the polished wooden surface. “Why did you even bother writing Cinderella then, if it's such a risk to your career?”

Merlin baulked. “What? Are you mad? A tale of true love, unbridled passion and betrayal? How could I not write it? You just don’t understand, you’re not an artist. You’ve always had no imagination. You’re as dull as a wooden spoon.” He snorted and then fished a pencil out from his pocket. “That’s good, I should write that down…”

Ella rolled her eyes. “Insults to my character aside. Clearly, there are people who do know your secret identity. Claude from the bookshop for one, and Millie, I assume. Did Millie know you wrote the Red manuscript?”

“Yes, but she was sworn to secrecy. And I only gave Millie the Red manuscript to read because I needed her to fact check details as it’s loosely based on the local Charmington outlaw. You know, that hooded fellow who wore the red cape? But this new story—it’s the tale of Cinderella’s daughter, it follows on from when the rebellion forms and—”

“Stop! I don’t want to hear it,” Ella said, interrupting. “I have no interest in your lurid misrepresentation of Charmington outlaws. Magic preserve, Merlin! How can you take tragic events from our own family and turn that into a romance novel?” Ella took a moment to compose herself. “Putting your disrespect of the past to one side. Do you, or do you not have the note that Sally gave you last night?”

Merlin shrugged. “I have it.” He extracted a piece of notepaper from in the side pocket on the book satchel. “Here. see.”

Someone had ripped the top of the page off, but the body of the typed note remained, and read:

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