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The sign welco us to St Francisville felt like a pin in the inflated balloon of our tension The car ahead of us that held Morgan, Jackson and the uide drove past the beautiful stately ho, old houses raparound porches and potted plants that were in bloorand tradition of all American small towns, the main street was called Main Street, and we followed it all the way through the heart of the town and right back out again I whipped ht into the glooht

"Uhhhh"

"Patience"

"And sweetness, ently rotating ain "Look"

The car ahead of us took a left turn and pulled off the nal and followed onto the gravel

The wheels crunched the s syca with reen curtains down the visible length of the road A road that see

After about five h the Louisiana equivalent of a car wash, the road turned to proper pavee circular driveway In the center of the driveas a fountain featuring a low rocky outcropping with a wolf standing on top posed in a howl stance

The lead car pulled off to the side and we followed suit, taking an open spot in a parking lot already bri fro sticker in the backto a silver Lexus convertible

The three Harley motorcycles next to the fountain piquedWhat the hell were all these cars doing out here, and where was ot out of the backseat, and Do around to open Lucas’s door Once Lucas was out, he rounded the back of the car and released raceful exit froracecartoon pony on it andears

The other driver was a petite young woman with auburn hair as about two inches shorter than ht her teeththe wee driver, I suspected our resident alpha bitch wasn’t a big fan of the shorter woht away

"Your Majesty," she said, dropping to her knees at Lucas’s feet and ducking her head so low it touched the tips of his shoes "It is ht you safely before nolia, and I will be at your service during your stay"

Magnolia got to her feet then stood in front of me Her smile widened, which I didn’t think was possible "Your Royal Highness" Her voice pitched upwards with excite bow "I can’t tell you what a joy it is to welco-lost princess back" She clasped "

Creepy

"Well…thanks, Mags"

Her hazel eyes lit up "Mags," she repeated

Had this girl never heard of a nicknanolia?

Godda raised by the Southern McQueen clan

Mags wasn’t a McQueen because of the way she was genuflecting like a motherfucker all over Lucas and me No one in the upper ranks of the pack would be required to display such a show of obedience

Magnolia bowed to each of us again--much more subtly this time--then swept her ar trail was paved with red wood chips and led up a hill We followed her lead, Doht up the rear

Once we’d crested the hill, the answer to where the house was hidden became obvious A roup of huge, ancient oak trees whose trunks were green with thick, spongy-lookingby the height, the roos Eight white columns lined the front of the house, withthe roof for the wraparound verandah

Brilliantly white and clean, the house looked equal parts ance and old-fashioned charm Above the verandah’s roof was a third floor that was suesthouse on top, the proverbial cherry at the end of a sundae

The chip wood path split into a fork, one end leading to the house, another winding behind it and off into the darkness I didn’t know much about plantations, but I suspected there were uest suite I was hopeful about the latter, because in spite of the beauty of the nolia trotted ahead and took the three steps up to the verandah in one leap A ed froht she’d been knocked over, but the drop was too graceful Her forehead was practically against the wooden planks If I had three guesses as to who the est Santa or the Tooth Fairy, because they’d be totally unnecessary