Tangled Magick by Jennifer Carson Read Free Book Online Page A

settled herself deeper into the chaise lounge.
    â€œYes, miss.” Folkvarus nodded and the door shut behind him.
    Mae blew air from her mouth, her cheeks puffing out. Then she bit her lip. Where would they even start cleaning? It was worse than any mess Gelbane had ever created.
    â€œI suppose we could start with a broom? I can get the higher parts and you the lower?” Poppy said.
    â€œBut where do we get a broom?” asked Mae as she scanned the chamber. She’d been able to find the ash shovel; surely a broom had to be around here somewhere. Poppy started pulling a pile down, searching for some sort of cleaning utensil. Mae followed her lead. There were painted portraits, teapots, faded pillows, and bedcovers in the first pile, but no broom or mop.
    â€œYou two are being too noisy.” Huldfrejya sighed and rolled over in the chaise. “Keep it down. I’ve had a long night and need some sleep.”
    Mae and Poppy exchanged glances. How were they supposed to clean this mess up without making any noise?
    They picked through the piles with caution, making other, smaller piles—one for garbage, one for things that could be cleaned and used again, and one for laundry. Soon, deep snores filled the chamber.
    Mae took out her wand.
    Poppy shook her head frantically, her eyes growing wide.
    Mae took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Her palms were a bit sweaty. She was nervous, because Poppy doubted her, but Mae had to try. She raised her wand and whispered, “Clean this room with mop and broom!”
    A blue shimmer filled the chamber. One of the debris piles shook and shimmied. A feather duster shot out and began to swat at the cobwebs. A broom darted out from underneath the bed and began to sweep the floor.
    â€œHa!” Mae laughed and then quickly covered her mouth. Poppy grabbed her in a huge bear hug and jumped up and down.
    â€œIt worked! It worked!” they whispered.
    A sudden knocking on the wall made them freeze in their places. Mae’s stomach dropped. She pointed to the wall on the right of the hearth. A crack was appearing, following a jagged line around the stones. Another knock made the crack grow bigger. Poppy clung to Mae. She shook with fright.
    Another loud knock, and a door opened in the wall. A brown stick poked out and seemed to peer around the edge of it.
    Mae let out a big sigh, relieved, as a mop danced into the room.
    Poppy let go of Mae. “It’s only a mop,” she whispered, relieved.
    Mae pulled the hidden doorway open. It was dark, but there was a faint light far below. “I wonder where it goes?”
    Clank, clank, clank
. The mop bucket jumped up the stairs.
    Mae put her fingers to her lips. “Shhhh!”
    The mop bucket slowed and quietly ascended the remaining stairs of the dark passage. Water sloshed onto the floor as it settled in the chamber. The mop dipped itself in, wrung itself out, and waltzed across the stones.
    Satisfied, Mae closed the passageway door. Poppy was sorting the laundry into a basket she’d found. Trina had emerged from under the bed and was now perched on the laundry basket, supervising. Poppy held up the yellowed dress Maewyn had tossed from the pile earlier. “It looks like a wedding gown,” she whispered.
    Mae pulled out the long train of the dress. “Perhaps it was.”
    â€œWho would want to marry her?” Poppy screwed up her face in distaste. Then her eyes grew wide as her gaze settled over Mae’s shoulder.
    An outraged shriek filled the chamber.
    Mae twirled around and snapped her fingers. Trina scampered for cover.
    The feather duster fell to the windowsill.
    The broom dropped with a
clang
.
    The mop slid to the floor.
    Huldfrejya stood red-faced, with the hem of her dress pulled up off the floor. Water dripped from her sodden garment and pooled around her feet. Gone was the cracked, green skin from her toes, and in its place was soft, pink flesh. The troll queen dropped