Read The Unexpected Enlightenment of Rachel Griffin (Books of Unexpected Enlightenment Book 1) for Free Online Page B

and let her fingers trail over the thick, soft fur of the Norwegian Elk Hound. The dog licked her hand. “What’s his name?”
    “Payback. And it’s a she,” Valerie drawled. “Because Payback’s well, you know…a female dog.”
    Rachel, whose family owned an estate with a dog kennel that bred hunting hounds, knew exactly what the proper name for a female dog was. She began to giggle.
    Siggy and Salome came running back, faces flushed. Salome’s chest rose and fell rapidly.
    “He is an Agent,” she reported, her eyes huge. “I saw his badge. It was legit.”
    “No!” Siggy interrupted her, scowling in annoyance. “That’s not what happened. I just told you. The man held up a blank piece of paper. He told you it was a badge. I could feel it in my head, trying to make me think stuff. But I’m too quick for the coppers! I didn’t let it get to me! Then, he asked you where Valerie was, and you told him. He’s coming.”
    “Oh, that’s right,” Salome frowned in confusion. “Evil paper. You told me. But…he had an official paper, too, right?”
    “She’s ensorcelled.” Rachel stared.
    “The guy is coming!” Siggy repeated.
    “W-what should I do?” Valerie asked, her face going pale. Leaning down, she pulled a knife from her low boot and held it ready.
    Fear gnawed at Rachel’s stomach. She thought and thought, but this was not like flying. She did not have a set of skills for hiding from bad men.
    “Shouldn’t we go get a proctor?” she asked.
    “Never go to the grown-ups!” Sigfried cried fiercely. “They will blame you, even if it’s not your fault. They’ll probably lock you in a closet and take your food away. Grown-ups are like that.” Beside him, Lucky the Dragon bobbed his head in agreement.
    “You may slip in here, if you wish.” From behind them, the beautiful princess stood up from the bench. She spoke with a slight Australian accent. Her speech had an air of formality, her words measured and clearly enunciated.
    Rachel was startled, upon glancing her way again, to be struck just as forcefully by the girl’s ethereal beauty as she had been the first time. It was like the beauty of a lovely summer day. Rachel was reminded of breathing in the perfumed air when the lavender farms on her family’s estate were in bloom. The girl’s beauty must be a supernatural thing, Rachel decided, such as the gift fairies occasionally bestowed.
    “Wow! A staircase in a bag!” Siggy grabbed Valerie’s elbow and hustled her toward the purse. “In you go!”
    Valerie ducked in and ran down the staircase.
    “What’s in there?” Siggy asked. “Is it safe? Will it eat her?
    “A house,” the lovely princess replied with good humor as she closed the bag. She gave them a sweet look that made the day brighter, as when sun broke through heavy clouds. “A modest one, I fear, but fully furnished and provisioned. Your companion should be quite comfortable for the duration of her visit.”
    Rachel’s eyes grew large. She had only ever seen purses with a space the size of a room inside. Siggy looked skeptical, as if he thought the princess were teasing him.
    The princess stood up and extended her hand. “Lady Rachel Griffin, as there is nobody here to present me, I shall have to introduce myself. I am Nastasia Romanov, Princess of Magical Australia.”
    Rachel shook her hand, curtseying. With a shy yet brave smile, the princess curtseyed in return. Salome made a noise of amused impatience.
    Nastasia regarded Salome as if she were a quaint exhibit at a county fair. “Would you be so kind as to introduce the commoners to me?”
    Rachel nodded. “This is Sigfried Smith.”
    “Mr. Smith.” The princess shook his hand. “Your exploits are known to us in Magical Australia. I applaud your bravery.”
    “Why, thank you, your highness.” Siggy bowed over her hand, looking pleased. “Are you a real princess? That’s extraordinary! Do you get to be queen someday? Do you own hoards of gold? Or do you