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"That’s because she spent the entire book under an accidental love spell," Isabel says, "so she was actually into Finnigan for once"

"A, co her "She’s liked him the whole time"

While it’s definitely next-level surreal to watch my best friend nerd out with a costumed prince, we’re close to the bookstore now, so I scoot in between the the look Isa cuts me

"Okay, so here’s the deal," I say "Glynnis basically strong-ar since me and Isa missed out on Key Con thanks to allthis" I wavein Seb, Scotland, all of it "Which means best behavior from all of us, and by all of us, Idown at me, but the hel for

It strikes me suddenly that I sound a lot like Ellie the day of the race, re is important to me, and the race was

Iies are in order once we get back to the palace

For now, I stop just outside the bookshop It has a bright blue door with a bell over it, and next door, thefraainst all the dark stone and the gray sky It hasn’t rained yet, but it’s been threatening it all day, and I wish I’d thought to bring an uhter around me "This is the Ash Bentley Show, not the You Know Who Show" I nod at Seb "We’re letting you tag along becausewell, I’ of a fan, couldn’t you have seen her at a signing like a hundred tined first editions of the whole series" Then he spreads his arms out, palms up "But this is fun"

I don’t e aain and is clearly living her own royal drea she deserves, frankly

So I open the door to the shop and hope for the best

The store is already pretty crowded, but because the date was announced so late, it’s not quite the packed house it could’ve been Still, all the chairs are filled, and I immediately see that Seb is not the only one in costus, plenty of hele robes than I can count

Seeing them, I feel a smile start to spread across my face Okay, this? This is much more my scene than a race or a party at a castle or whatever other crazy stuff I ht have to do in Scotland Here, I actually feel like I’ve got a pretty good handle on things, and I’an Sparks books near the middle of the rooh-pitched whistling sound that i around, expecting to find Seb with his stupid hel his stupid smile like a stupid person

But Seb is still near the door, still behelmeted, Isabel at his side, and, confused, I look around