《Reign (An Unfortunate Fairy Tale #4)》


 Page 1

    Chapter 1


    She was drowning. Her fingers were numb with cold. An eerie green light surrounded her while her lungs burned in agony. Something dark and ominous swam toward her through the murky water. Mina kicked, swimming to the surface to evade the approaching being, but no matter how many times she tried, she never got any closer to the surface.


    And she knew that tonight in this dream, like all the other nights before, she wouldn¡¯t make it.


    It was a memory being played out over and over in her head. A reenactment of her memory on the Fae plane fighting for her life against the sea witch. Every night it plagued her subconscious as she fought against the nightmare, but there was no eluding what was coming next.


    She hated this part of the dream. The monster¡¯s strong hand grasped her ankle. Inwardly, she screamed, using all of her strength to kick against the thing grabbing her leg. She kept her eyes pinched closed and refused to look at the beast. She could feel its strong hands pull her down as its touch moved up her legs, to her waist, and then to her shoulders. The sea witch stroked her cheek, trying to convince her to open her eyes and gaze upon its hideous form.


    But Mina refused. One thing she had learned was that sometimes she could control things in a dream¡­ like holding her breath for near eternity.


    ¡°Come to me, Mina,¡± the familiar dream voice coaxed as slithery hands reached under her chin and pulled her face to mere inches from the monster¡¯s. Mina shivered in revulsion and fear.


    ¡°Why do you fight me when you can join me?¡± The male voice, though underwater, rang clear as day in her mind. ¡°Accept me.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help it. Her eyes started to open and she met the gray eyes of Jared. Her heart soared for a split second before she realized her mistake once again. The eyes weren¡¯t gray¡ªthey never stayed gray for long. Just a trick of her imagination before they shifted and changed into the deep blue eyes of¡­ Teague.


    ¡°Never.¡±


    ¡°Have it your way,¡± Teague sneered. Then he dragged her down into the never-ending depths of her dream, to her death. As always.


    Every scenario and every sequence Mina tried to play out always ended with this scene, and just when she couldn¡¯t hold her breath any longer, she would wake gasping for breath and crying.


    She had fallen for Jared, and¡ªbecause of her stupidity¡ªhe was gone. Or the Jared she knew was gone. He was now her mortal enemy, and these dreams were just a reminder of what she had done and what she would have to face.


    Tears trickled down Mina¡¯s cheeks like rain, and she wiped her face on her blue sleep shirt, letting herself mourn her loss. She spent many hours crying in the night, scared to fall back to sleep only to return to the same dream. Instead, she would lie in bed, stare out the window, and wait for the sun to rise signaling a new day.


    Her seventeenth birthday came and went with nothing more than a cake and a present from her mom and brother. They tried to cheer her up, but they knew what she was going through. For her mom had gone through the same thing when her father died. She was mourning the loss of someone she loved. That pain took time to heal. And it couldn¡¯t be rushed.


    Each day, it became harder to drag herself out of bed. The alarm clock would go off at seven o¡¯clock on the dot, and she¡¯d listen to the weather and traffic report on some nameless AM channel. She¡¯d stare at the ceiling and wish for her limbs to move, but wishing on anything other than a falling star, was merely that¡ªwishing.


    Her mourning turned to terror as the dreams persisted week after week. She knew it was better to pretend they didn¡¯t occur each night, so she wouldn¡¯t worry her mom.


    The door opened and her mom, Sara, walked into her room wearing khaki pants and a navy polo, her signature Happy Maids uniform. She stopped in front of Mina¡¯s nightstand and gently pushed the snooze button.


    ¡°Sweetie. It¡¯s time to get up. You have your presentation today.¡±


    ¡°Kill me now.¡± Mina groaned and pulled the comforter back over her head.


    ¡°Mina, it can¡¯t be that bad.¡± Her mom yanked on the coverlet and pulled it completely off the bed.


    Her mom couldn¡¯t understand. It was the dreaded English presentation where she had to give an oral report on a famous author. All the students in her class had to pull a name out of a glass fishbowl. Nan had been ecstatic when she drew J.K. Rowling, and of course¡ªbecause Mina¡¯s epic unfortunate luck would have it¡ªshe pulled out the Brothers Grimm.


    ¡°Yes, it is. It¡¯s worse than bad. It¡¯s horrible. I have to talk about my¡­ however many greats it is, because I can¡¯t remember grandfather and uncle. Not to mention I have to lie about their whole lives. They weren¡¯t traveling the world collecting stories for their book. What a crock! They were saving mankind from evil Fae and trying to permanently close the gates to the Fae plane. But if I said that, I¡¯d get an F and a trip to the school¡¯s counselor.¡± Mina rolled over to her stomach to hide her head beneath the pillow. ¡°Can¡¯t you call in and say that I¡¯m sick or something? Or how about dead? Yeah, dead would be good,¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°Now, Mina, stop it,¡± her mom said softly. The mattress dipped as she sat on the edge. ¡°I know this hasn¡¯t been easy for you. It¡¯s a lot for a girl your age, but you¡¯ve handled it with such strength and determination. I know you can go in there and give a simple presentation¡­while leaving out all of the important details.¡±


    ¡°What if I just sneak in a few juicy tidbits?¡± Mina rolled over and forced a smile at her mother. ¡°Can I tell them how they had to cross-dress to complete Hansel and Gretel?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not, Wilhelmina Grimm. You are just asking for more trouble.¡±


    ¡°Okay, what about my name? Can I finally tell someone I¡¯m a Grimm?¡±


    Her mother let out a disgruntled sigh. ¡°You know why we hide who we are.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of hiding when every Fae in the world knows we¡¯re here? I mean, we are in a magic house.¡± Mina sat up, crossed her legs, and gave her mom the dreaded teenager stare, the¡ªyou know I¡¯m right¡ªstare.


    Her mom tucked her hair behind her ear. A small golden bracelet dangled from her wrist, and two charms now hung on the bracelet. The first, a small gold elephant, was a charm of forgetting. Her Fae Godmothers had put it on last year to help her mom forget about her brother when he¡¯d been kidnapped by a Stiltskin. The second charm was new. A small golden bell dangled next to the forgetting charm, and Mina knew she would have to ask Mrs. Wong about it when she saw her next.


    ¡°No, Mina, you can¡¯t tell anyone about your last name. I know we¡¯re no longer hidden from the Fae, but we can¡¯t risk bringing more trouble down on us.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go to school and give the report, but don¡¯t expect me to get an A on it or anything,¡± Mina said. ¡°I hate standing in front of people and giving speeches.¡±


    Her mom leaned over kissed her head. ¡°Okay, but you better at least pull a B minus. After all¡­ you don¡¯t want to disappoint your ancestors.¡±


    Mina scrunched up her face. ¡°Sure, whatever.¡±


    Her mom left the room and the door closed with a soft click. Mina got out of the huge four-poster bed and made her way over to the dresser. It still took some getting used to, the large house, which had apparently belonged to all of the Grimms before her and changed according to the new owner¡¯s needs.

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    After she¡¯d saved Charlie and lost Jared and crossed back over from the Fae plane, the world had righted itself. At least as much as the Story and the Fates allowed. She still wasn¡¯t sure who¡¯d pushed the magic reset button this time and covered up Charlie¡¯s death.


    The fire had still happened. The Wongs lost their restaurant and the whole building still came down, only in the new version, Charlie never died¡ªor was never presumed dead. He got out of the fire and they all moved into the Grime Mansion. Or that¡¯s what Nan continued to call it.


    When Mina was finally dressed, she grabbed her jacket and a fun colorful scarf and headed down the hall. Charlie was standing on a chair, trying to drag a large suitcase from a shelf in the hall closet. Mina reached up and helped pull the large case down, but it slipped out of her hand and crashed to the ground, spilling the contents onto the floor.


    Charlie jumped at the opportunity and began to dig excitedly into the pile of odd clothes and hats that all looked to be decades old. There were scarves, vests, purses, and few odd knickknacks.


    Charlie pulled out a pinstriped suit vest and pulled it over his head without buttoning it. He saw an old hat and reached for it, but when his hand touched it, he looked like he flickered out of focus for a moment. Mina¡¯s breath caught in her throat and a trickle of dread raced through her body, causing the hair on her arms to stand up. She snatched the hat out of his hands and threw it back into the suitcase.


    Charlie¡¯s hands flew in anger as he signed his displeasure and made a face at her.


    Mina¡¯s hands shook as she tried to close and lock the suitcase, but a long feminine blouse hung out, preventing it from closing properly. Opening the case, she shoved the blouse back in and forced the clasp shut until it clicked. Then she proceeded to put it back on the top shelf in the closet, being sure to push it to the far back and out of her brother¡¯s reach.


    Once she stepped off of the chair and closed the door, she turned to give her brother her full attention.


    ¡°I know. I know. You wanted the costumes out of there.¡± Her brother was the greatest kid, mute since birth, smart as a whistle, and unique in a variety of ways¡ªone being his penchant for expressing himself in a bevy of weird costumes ranging from villains and superheroes to anything bright and shiny. Currently, he was dressed to impress in a Flash t-shirt, the vintage pinstripe vest, and Bermuda shorts¡ªcomplete with cowboy belt, holster, and boots.


    Glaring, he stomped his foot in challenge. He widened his stance and wiggled his fingers over his holster, inches from the toy gun. The last thing she wanted was to play along, but she would do anything right now to keep him away from a repeat of whatever had happened before, and that meant she needed to keep him away from the closet.


    Mina frowned, pretended to dip her imaginary hat in acceptance of the duel, turned around, and placed her back against her brother¡¯s. One step at a time, they each took five paces toward their end of the hall.


    Charlie¡¯s boots clicked on the hardwood. They paused.


    Mina spun around, her finger held out. ¡°Bang!¡± she yelled, seconds before Charlie¡¯s toy gun was pulled from the holster.


    He gripped his side in mock injury, flung the plastic revolver to the side, and crumpled to the ground in one of the most dramatic death scenes a nine year old could muster. Right down to the twitching right leg and the hand splayed out in a final act of farewell. When his breathing stopped and his eyes closed, Mina used the chance to escape by jumping over Charlie¡¯s prone form and running for the front door.


    But he was too fast. He magically sprung to life and lumbered after her in a very zombie-esque fashion.


    ¡°Uh-uh,¡± she said, laughing. ¡°You haven¡¯t been dead long enough. Plus, you were shot. You¡¯re not going to reanimate as a Zombie unless you were bitten by another Zombie.¡±


    Charlie shrugged his shoulders, held his arms out in front of him, and headed toward the kitchen, dragging one foot slightly behind him.


    Mina knew where her brother was heading, and seconds later she heard her mother scream in fright. Charlie was the master of the sneak and scare.


    ¡°Ouch, Charlie! What are you doing? You bit me!¡±


    Chapter 2


    Mina tried to strike the suitcase from her mind, but it kept haunting her all through her English Lit. She barely paid attention as student after student went up and gave their five-minute oral report. Brody stood up and spoke for minutes on something. Even his tanned figure, sun bleached blond hair, and blue eyes didn¡¯t distract her from her inner turmoil for more than a moment.


    What was it that caused Charlie to flicker out like that? Was it something in the suitcase? Was it a sickness? Oh goodness, she really hoped not. Maybe it was all a figment of her imagination. Yeah, that was easier to believe. She¡¯d just chalk it up to the extra stress she¡¯d been under.


    Nix sauntered from the back of the room and paused for a second by her desk to gently place a small rounded piece of sea glass on her book. It wasn¡¯t Nix¡¯s first token of thanks. Every few days he¡¯d discover something different, unique, and wonderful about the human plane, and he¡¯d leave little gifts for her to find on her desk or in her locker.


    Mina smiled and picked up the smooth bit of glass. It was dark green and probably at one time part of a beer bottle, but Nix didn¡¯t need to know that. She remembered his home on the Fae plane and how there were tons of crystals placed in the wall. She had a feeling that here, in her world, Nix might become a bit of a hoarder if not properly immersed in the culture.


    But it seemed that Ever had taken care of that, or was at least trying. She¡¯d become his sponsor, like a guardian to Nix, helping him to adapt and fit in with the social norms of a teenager. Currently though, he was living with the other Fae at the Godmother¡¯s Guild.


    Ever wasn¡¯t a fan of the place and didn¡¯t really like being near the Godmothers¡¯ home, but she did what she could when it came to Nix.


    Nix went to the front of the class, running his hands through his tumbled red hair in nervousness. He took a deep breath and smiled, making those Fae green eyes twinkle mischievously and the female classmates sigh. He seemed to take everything that was new to him in stride and with enthusiasm. He had never been to school before and didn¡¯t quite understand the logistics of homework, or the need for it, but his personality and contagious enthusiasm helped him get out of loads of trouble. That or there could have been a little of the Nixie charm still in his blood.


    ¡°Ahem,¡± Nix cleared his throat, looked over at Mina, and winked. ¡°Dr. Seuss was a man passionate about animals and clothes. He put hats on cats and socks on foxes. He was always losing his Things so he took to numbering them. I think he may at one point have lived on a mountain as a hermit who didn¡¯t have a heart. And the people in the village didn¡¯t know Who they were¡­uh¡­the end!¡± Nix said with enthusiasm.


    The students had giggled throughout his presentation, but as soon as he was done, the room erupted. T.J. and Steven started hooting loudly and gave him a standing ovation. Nix¡¯s face turned red, but he bowed and jogged through a gauntlet of high fives, receiving numerous pats on the back as well.


    The teacher just stared after Nix with a look of utter confusion on his face. Luckily, Ever and Mina were able to convince the school that Nix, or Nick¡ªhis new human name¡ªwas a foreign exchange student from some far off land. Ever had to pick a country so small no one would even know about in the hopes that it would explain his lack of knowledge in modern culture. Up to this point it had worked, because the teachers had been extremely helpful and lenient toward him.

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    Nix¡¯s survival of the trip to the human plane had been a godsend, because it was the one thing that brought Ever and Mina back together. Ever had been five shades of furious over Mina¡¯s error in being tricked with the Grimoire and losing Jared to Teague. She had actually still refused to talk to her until she learned Charlie and Mina saved Nix¡¯s life by bringing him over. Ever had a few choice words about how dangerous and stupid it was, but she understood. And as Mina was trying to explain the school bus to Nix¡ªhow it wasn¡¯t a giant yellow beast devouring a sacrifice of young children¡ªEver finally took pity on her.


    T.J. returned to his seat amid laughter and a few claps. Mina had missed the entire thing, remembering. She¡¯d need to pay better attention.


    ¡°Nan Taylor?¡± Mr. Morris called from his desk.


    Mina craned her neck, surprised when her best friend popped up from the back corner of the classroom. She had thought, since the desk next to her was empty, that Nan hadn¡¯t come to school today. Quite possibly though, she wouldn¡¯t have recognized Nan with her bottleneck glasses, crazy ratted hair, and dark robe even if she were beside her.


    It was apparent from her dress, Nan was trying to make a grand entrance. Her normally beautiful blonde hair was disguised beneath a very large witch hat. Her mischievous blue eyes were hidden behind thick glasses, which Mina could only assume were impossible to see out of. Mina¡¯s assumption was proven correct when Nan banged her knee against a desk.


    Once she reached the whiteboard, Nan turned up her iPhone, and familiar mystical music floated through the air. She always did prefer the dramatic approach to¡­ well, everything. Nan decided to take a simple oral presentation and dress up as a character from the Harry Potter series.


    Nan¡¯s presentation was highly entertaining and informative, and she received bonus points from their teacher for taking the presentation one step forward with such creativity.


    Mina¡¯s heart sank when her name was called to do her presentation. Her hands clutched her paper, which was only slightly wrinkled from being folded and unfolded a hundred or more times in the last thirty minutes.


    She desperately wished she had her best friend¡¯s confidence in front of a crowd. Mina¡¯s feet felt like they were encased in cement, and her heart pounded so loud and fast, she could hear it in her head. Why did she have to be so nervous? She happened to look out the window and saw that the clear sky had turned a dismal gray¡ªwhich mirrored her feelings of distress.


    She trudged up to the front of the room, desperately wishing for a giant crater to open up in the ground in front of her and swallow her whole. Or a meteor to come crashing into the school¡¯s football field and cause a big huge distracting thing, so she could duck out the back of the room. But luck wasn¡¯t on her side. Luck was never on her side. In fact she was pretty sure it avoided her at all costs.


    She was standing in front of the class and she was now out of time. A small cylindrical object weighed heavily in Mina¡¯s pocket, and she felt her hand gently brush against the seam ripper, its magic powerful enough to rip through the physical plane to the Fae plane by creating a door between the worlds. Oh, how she wanted to use it.


    Her teacher Mr. Morris gave her a small smile of encouragement, and she felt her gumption leave. It was a bit ridiculous, if she thought about it. She could fight off bears, wolves, sea witches, Stiltskins, giants, ogres, and snakes, but she couldn¡¯t handle standing in front of her peers and giving a dumb speech.


    Her stomach dropped and a bitter acidic taste rose up in her mouth. Oh, Heaven Almighty, help her! She was going to puke. Was her face turning green? Isn¡¯t that what happened right before an epic expulsion of bodily fluids? Or maybe her face would turn white.


    Her curiosity got the better of her and she turned her head to try and see if she could tell from her reflection in the window. In the middle of the afternoon, she shouldn¡¯t have seen anything, but the sky¡¯s dimming its own sickly green made a reflection possible. A few seconds¡¯ glance told her that her face was white.


    She didn¡¯t look well at all.


    ¡°My report is on Joseph and Wilhelm Grimm, otherwise known as the Brothers Grimm. Joseph and W-Wilhelm traveled the world collecting all of the various Fae¡ªry tales for their own records.¡±


    Her hands began to shake. She saw that Nix had caught her blunder and quick recovery. Nan was smiling at her like a goon, trying to encourage her to keep going.


    Mina smiled back and continued with her report. When her eyes flickered to Brody Carmichael, she started to stumble over her words again. Brody was leaning back in his chair, his arms crossed over his chest with his head cocked ever so slightly to the side. He gave the impression that he was studying something of interest, and that something of interest happened to be Mina.


    What had she just said? She¡¯d been talking about their volumes of tales and then she lost her train of thought. Brody¡¯s chair tipped forward and then gently settled on the ground again. With its impact, her thoughts scattered like cockroaches in the daylight. But it wasn¡¯t Brody¡¯s striking looks that distracted her; it was the person standing just behind him against the back brick wall.


    He was wearing a long, dark jacket with a high collar, and his hair looked almost black. There was no mistaking the intensity of the hate rolling off of him in waves. But he wasn¡¯t focused on Mina at the moment. Teague was glaring at the back of Brody¡¯s head with enough hate to bore a laser hole through it¡ªwhich confused Mina. Why would Teague hate Brody? Teague was the one responsible for Brody falling unnaturally in love with her and then promptly making him forget her. What was with the ire?


    ¡°Is that all Miss Grime?¡± Mr. Morris asked.


    Apparently, she was so shocked by Teague in the room that she had completely stopped talking. Mina chewed on the inside of her cheek as she tried to retrace her steps and think of where she had left off.


    ¡°Um¡­um¡­¡± She faltered and shot Nan a desperate look, unwillingly casting another worried glance to the back of the room.


    Nix frowned and followed her gaze. As soon as he saw the Fae prince, he turned around and slouched low in his desk, trying to hide from his prince¡ªwho may or may not recognize the Nixie in his human form.


    ¡°I uh, I¡¯m¡­¡± She glanced down at her cheat sheet, but she could no longer read the words written across the plain notebook paper. They were simple bullet points, and facts about the brothers, but the script staring back at her wasn¡¯t her own.


    Careful what words you utter. For they may be your last.


    Mina was careful to keep a neutral face as she read the threat. Instead of causing her to become scared, the words ignited a fire within her. Schools should be a safe zone, free from Fae influence¡ªat least from the bad kind. There were too many innocents at risk: Nan, Brody, and Nix to name a few. And here Teague shows up and tries to intimidate her.


    Nan noticed Mina staring and turned to follow her friend¡¯s line of sight, but it was obvious from her confused looks at the brick wall that she couldn¡¯t see Teague. Even though Nix could.


    In fact, it seemed that most of the room couldn¡¯t see Teague, so that eased her fears. But only a little.


    ¡°Mina, do you need a minute to regain your thoughts?¡± her teacher interjected.


    Mina¡¯s eyes never left Teague. He was now giving her his full, undivided devilish focus. Those blue eyes bored into hers with a clear challenge. Everything about him screamed Jared except for those blue eyes.

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    ¡°No, I don¡¯t need another minute. I¡¯m fine,¡± she answered. ¡°I¡¯m almost done.¡±


    ¡°Okay then. When you¡¯re ready to proceed.¡±


    She nodded her head, crumpled up the paper into a small ball, and tossed it in the trash can. A smile crept up her face and she raised an eyebrow in challenge. The smirk dropped from his haughty face and he moved away from the wall.


    ¡°An interesting fact that is not well known is that the Grimm Brothers were inter-dimensional travelers who captured and sent evil Fae back to their world, which exists on another plane.¡± The words were clear and crisp, and she didn¡¯t stutter. ¡°Although tasked with an impossible quest, they never gave up in their mission. And to this day their descendants carry on the same assignment. I once said that Joseph and Wilhelm were cursed, because it seemed like the odds were stacked against them. But I was wrong. They¡¯re not the ones cursed. They¡¯re the ones who live free. It¡¯s the Fae that are cursed, and all the ones who must live in fear of tyranny. It is those on the Fae plane I pity, for their time here is short. The Grimm grace period is over. I will not fail to end the tyranny where others have. So run. Run while you can,¡± she threatened.


    Silence filled the room as the tension tried to find a way out. Mina knew what her classmates were probably thinking, although no one said a word. It was uncomfortable and awkward.


    Teague looked angry enough to spit acid. ¡°I warned you, Grimm. I warned you, but you didn¡¯t listen,¡± he spoke out.


    Not a single head turned his direction. They were all focused on her. She could see the odd shoulder shrug, the pairs of rolled eyes as some tried to process what she¡¯d said. Only Nix heard Teague, and when Teague¡¯s threat reached his ears, he started to tremble and slid lower in his chair. Any lower and he would be sitting on the floor.


    Mina didn¡¯t back down from Teague. She knew never to back down from a rabid dog, and this was the same. This was an intimidation game, and she could not show any sign of weakness.


    She managed to cross the short distance without her legs crumbling under her. Now for the icing on the cake. When she reached her desk, she turned her back on Teague, sat in her chair, and pretended to inspect the non-existent nail polish on her fingers.


    She could feel the crackle of energy building behind her. It was almost impossible to ignore. The room dropped in temperature, and goose bumps ran up and down her arms. Without looking, she knew Teague was doing what he could to draw her attention, but she turned to Brody and gave him her most dazzling smile.


    Or what she hoped was a dazzling smile. It probably looked a bit pained and constipated. ¡°How¡¯d I do?¡± she asked.


    ¡°That was intense,¡± he answered. His brows furrowed and he looked around. ¡°Does it seem like it got really cold all of a sudden?¡± When Brody exhaled, his breath turned white.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t find it cold at all,¡± she lied. Her heart was racing so fast that it sounded like a bass drum leading a marching band in her ears. The temperature dropped again.


    Just go away. Please just go away. She looked over her shoulder to see frost creeping up the nearest window and spreading out in impossible swirling fractals. Mina picked up the pencil on her desk and tapped it on her notebook. She visibly shivered from the chill in the air and watched as Mr. Morris went over to thermostat. He rapped the square white box a few times and waited before flicking it off then on.


    By now a few of the students were pulling their arms inside of their sleeves and rubbing them to create friction. To have this kind of chill in the middle of a seventy-degree day was nuts.


    An idea came to Mina, and she flipped open her notebook and scribbled the words GO AWAY, TEAGUE in bold capital letters and waited.


    Only moments later, his answer appeared in a beautiful cursive script on the paper before her.


    Not until I get what I want.


    What do you want? You¡¯ve won, okay?


    I want the dagger.


    Mina had no idea what Teague was referring too, so she answered, ???


    You know what I mean. Bring it to me and I¡¯ll let your friends live. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll destroy them. One by one.


    Mina couldn¡¯t ignore the threat anymore. She dropped her pencil and turned around to look at Teague, but the back of the room was empty. She felt a sense of loss and desperation and turned to face the front again.


    There he was. She came face to face with fierce blue eyes. Teague was leaning across her desk, his face inches from hers. She could feel his breath on her face when he exhaled, and she was very careful to not move or alert the rest of the room to the invisible person she was having an intense conversation with. From the corner of her eye, she saw Nix¡¯s eyes transfixed on her, waiting to jump in and help if needed. But she could tell he was terrified.


    Oddly, Mina didn¡¯t feel the same. It wasn¡¯t fear that caused the single tear to cascade down her cheek, but sadness¡ªat the loss of Jared. Looking into Jared¡¯s face and seeing someone else¡¯s hate-filled gaze was almost her undoing.


    One corner of Teague¡¯s lip curled up in a smile when he saw her tear. He leaned even closer across the desk and whispered into her ear. ¡°That¡¯s right, little Grimm. You should be afraid, be very afraid, of what I¡¯m about to do to your friends.¡±


    Her breath caught in her throat and a little gasp escaped, but it was not for the same reasons he probably thought. Teague¡¯s voice sounded so much like his other half.


    ¡°Jared.¡± Mina let the name slide across her lips in an almost inaudible whisper.


    Except that Teague was close enough to hear the name. He pulled back from her with such force that Mina¡¯s desk moved. His face turned red with rage, and his eyes glowed and crackled with power.


    Loose papers began to flutter and fly about the room. Pencils rolled off desks and skittered across the floor. Students¡¯ startled cries filled the air as many jumped up out of their seats. The desks moved outward, seemingly all on their own, from the epicenter that was Teague.


    She knew better than to show that this had anything to do with her, so she sat frozen in her desk, staring at the display of power that Teague emanated almost unconsciously. Was this why he wanted his other half back? What if this was only a small taste of the power he gained when he became one with Jared?


    Mina¡¯s hands slowly moved to the edge of her desk and gripped the sides until her knuckles turned white. What had she done? They were doomed.


    Her desk started to move backward from Teague¡¯s fury storm of power, but she wrapped her ankles around the legs of the desk and held on. Pinching her lips together, she locked eyes with Teague in angry challenge and nodded her head¡ªsignifying that yes, she would give him his whatchamacallit.


    Within half a second, he was gone. The wind had stopped, the desks had quit moving across the floor, and Mina looked around in surprise. Brody, Nan, Nix, and the rest of the classroom were pinned against all four classroom walls by desks.


    Mina was the only student still in her seat. And her desk, in the exact center of the room, was the only one not disturbed. So much for being inconspicuous.


    ¡°Mina?¡± Nan¡¯s shaking voice called out as she began to try and push a desk out of the way and make it over to her.


    Mina¡¯s fingers still gripped the edges of her desk, and she quickly released them and unlaced her legs as well. It looked odd, and frankly she had no explanation for what had happened. She glanced up to see an air conditioning vent in the ceiling that was right above her desk.

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    ¡°That was scary,¡± she joked. ¡°Someone should get the AC fixed.¡± She picked up her books and bolted for the door just as the bell rang.


    Footsteps sounded behind her, but Mina didn¡¯t slow her pace. A quick self-preserving glance revealed the red-headed Nix. He took two large steps and caught up to her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that the dark prince visits you at school often.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell him what to do. Or have you forgotten all the havoc he wreaked on the Fae plane?¡±


    ¡°No, I have not forgotten. Nor will I ever forget what he is capable of doing. But I wonder if you have.¡±


    ¡°I can handle him,¡± Mina said.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think you can. Not on your own anyway.¡± Nix grabbed Mina¡¯s shoulder and pulled her over by the water fountain. ¡°You look at him and see Jared. You were in love with Jared, so you¡¯re letting his looks fool you into thinking he is, in part, still the same person. He¡¯s not. You don¡¯t know what the prince was like before there ever was a Jared.¡±


    ¡°Do you? Does anyone really know someone?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve grown up on the Fae plane. I¡¯ve heard the stories of his destructive power. The other Nixies retold the stories frequently. What you did back there was suicide.¡± Nix flung his arm out toward the classroom they¡¯d just left and almost clotheslined a poor unsuspecting student. ¡°Sorry!¡± he yelled, grimacing. ¡°Mina, what I¡¯m trying to say is don¡¯t throw your life away by challenging the most destructive being in the world.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t challenge him,¡± Mina whispered.


    ¡°Yes, you did. You were insubordinate, which only angers him more.¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m insubordinate. I don¡¯t answer to him. He¡¯s not my prince. He doesn¡¯t rule my world.¡±


    Nix swallowed and looked back toward the classroom as Nan exited. Her blonde hair was disheveled and she looked a little shaken, but she was now laughing at what had happened. Brody was searching the mass of students in the hallways. They could hear T.J. asking if anyone else¡¯s air conditioning unit had tried to freeze the classroom into a fortress of solitude.


    ¡°Not yet, he doesn¡¯t. Not yet,¡± Nix answered solemnly.


    Chapter 3


    Mina waited outside of the music room for Mrs. Colbert to exit. Mrs. Colbert¡ªConstance, as she was known by the Fae¡ªwas in fact a Godmother. Or as they referred to themselves these days, GMs. Students filed out of the music class in groups of twos and threes. Mina waved as Melissa, Makaylee, and Julianne walked out, but the girls only smiled politely and waved in reply.


    Mina heard Melissa ask her friend, ¡°Who¡¯s she?¡±


    Makaylee shrugged. ¡°Beats me.¡±


    ¡°No clue,¡± Julianne answered.


    Mina inwardly groaned at how thorough the Story could be sometimes when resetting everyone¡¯s memories. She knew she couldn¡¯t keep letting the memory wipe happen to her friends. Not without permanent damage.


    Even Nan had been acting strange lately. Ever since the last quest ended and Nix appeared. Some days she would be her normal and chipper self, but other days, mellow and withdrawn.


    When no more students exited the classroom, Mina rushed inside to Constance. ¡°He was here! Teague showed up here at school.¡±


    The Godmother¡¯s face filled with panic, and she rushed toward the door as if to stop the prince by herself.


    ¡°He¡¯s gone.¡± Mina called after her teacher. Constance slowed, smoothed her gray pencil skirt, and adjusted the teal wingtip glasses on her small nose.


    ¡°I wonder what his intentions are. Why did he show up today, reveal himself to you, and not do any harm?¡± Constance ran her hands through her wavy hair. The spiky style she used to wear looked like a Pixie cut, but this made her softer somehow. Her eyes kept flicking to the window and back to the door, checking all of the exits, despite Mina¡¯s assurance that he was no longer here.


    ¡°He showed up to annoy me, to threaten me, to demand that I give him some dagger or he¡¯ll destroy my friends.¡±


    ¡°A dagger?¡± She paused, looking pensive for a moment before shaking her head. ¡°And he just left without it?¡±


    She shrugged her. ¡°Yeah, he just left.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s stronger than he¡¯s been in a hundred years. Mina, you have to be careful. He¡¯s vengeful and he¡¯s dangerous. He could have destroyed the whole school with everyone in it.¡±


    Mina¡¯s heart was thundering and her mouth went dry. ¡°Then why didn¡¯t he?¡± Now Mina was the one checking all the exits and watching the windows. All she saw was a steady rain.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But remember what I told you about this being your chance to end the curse on your family. He¡¯s only going to continue to grow stronger with time. He¡¯s waiting for something. I just don¡¯t know what.¡±


    ¡°Do you know what Teague was referring to? The dagger? And why does he think I have it?¡± Mina came in and sat on one of the vacated music chairs. ¡°I need help. I¡¯m defenseless against the curse.¡±


    Constance looked her over and smiled, shaking her head slowly in disagreement. ¡°Who¡¯s to say you don¡¯t have it? After all you live in a very mysterious house.¡±


    ¡°Do you know something I don¡¯t?¡± Mina snapped.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Constance pursed her lips. She raised one eyebrow on her otherwise calm face. ¡°Defenseless? With each quest you complete, not only does the Story¡ªexcuse me, Teague¡ªgrow stronger, but so do you, dear child. It happens to all the chosen Grimms eventually. You can¡¯t be involved with so much Fae magic and not have some of it rub off you. You must have seen some signs by now, Mina,¡± Mrs. Colbert coaxed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean,¡± Mina lied uncomfortably, not willing to share that the flares of power had been coming and going around her. They scared her.


    And why was she only just finding out about her house having artifacts inside it?


    Constance closed the lid over the piano keys with a click. She ran her hand over the wooden cover softly and gave Mina a small chiding smile.


    Suddenly, Mina felt overwhelmed. There was simply too much mystery¡ªand too much out of her control. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do. I feel alone, and I need help.¡± She rubbed her palms on her legs in an attempt to keep her focus.


    ¡°You have help. You have us.¡± Mrs. Colbert answered adamantly.


    ¡°I want my friends.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Mina interrupted. ¡°No more messing with their minds. I want Nan and Brody to be protected from the resets.¡±


    ¡°Mina, I don¡¯t think that is possible.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is. When the fairy-tale quest is over, and everything goes back to normal, all of the Fae retain their memories, and I do. Why not my friends?¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re a Grimm. Your protection is in your blood. Same with Charlie.¡±


    ¡°What about our mom?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s only Grimm by marriage. She¡¯s been allowed to retain her memories so she can protect you.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°Well, we help with tokens and such.¡±


    ¡°The charm bracelet that she always wears. This morning I saw that you¡¯ve added another charm.¡±

 Page 6

    ¡°Yes, that one was created for the sole purpose of helping her forget about Charlie¡¯s kidnapping and staged death by the Stiltskin. She needs to keep some of the Grimm memories so she can do her duty in protecting her children, but she doesn¡¯t need to hold on to the worrisome ones.¡±


    ¡°So now you¡¯re playing God and getting to choose what memories my own mother gets to keep. You¡¯re getting as bad as Teague,¡± Mina argued.


    ¡°Now that¡¯s a little harsh. We¡¯re doing what we need to do to protect ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Well, I want you to create more of these protection charms.¡±


    ¡°They do nothing against physical attacks. They are only strong enough to protect the mind.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Right now, my mind is my greatest weapon, and I need my friends¡¯ minds too.¡±


    Constance closed her eyes and sighed loudly. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do about getting the Guild to allow a protection charm for your friends.¡±


    Mina nodded. At least Mrs. Colbert was going to try instead of saying no. ¡°Oh, um, there¡¯s one more thing.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°This morning, my brother was playing with items in a suitcase, and I swear he disappeared right before my eyes for a split second. Does this have anything to do with what happened to him on the Fae plane? I have to admit, I thought maybe it was something he touched but I¡¯m not sure. Can you ask around as see if there are any after-affects to staying over on the Fae plane for too long?¡±


    Constance looked worried and pulled out her cell phone. ¡°I¡¯ll have the Guild look into it. We will try and find you answers.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Mina felt relieved. Hopefully, she was wrong about her brother and what she saw. Maybe she could write it off as her being overly stressed and plagued by nightmares.


    Chapter 4


    Once she was home, Mina began tearing the house apart, looking for the dagger. In desperation, she pulled all of the old books off the bookshelf and felt along the back for hidden compartments. Nothing.


    Seeing Teague had been no fluke. He would certainly be sending a quest after her and soon. Especially if she didn¡¯t find the item he was asking for.


    Life was so unfair.


    The rain that started this afternoon at school still hadn¡¯t let up, and now and again lightning lit up the sky followed by thunder. The pelting of water on the roof and windows was unnerving, especially when she was all alone.


    Leaving the piles and piles of books on the floor in the library, she turned her attention to the walls and picture frames. Wasn¡¯t that how it was in the movies? Pull on a sconce and a hidden room opened up? Or a safe appeared behind some old portrait of an aged, overweight smiling millionaire? Of course it couldn¡¯t be that easy either.


    Mina wasn¡¯t worried about the mess upsetting her mother or Charlie since they had gone out to see the new animated Disney movie. She¡¯d politely excused herself with a ruse of a headache and too much homework. That was partially true. She did have lots of homework¡ªsort of. If you counted that it took work to tear their home apart.


    She glanced at the clock and counted down the minutes in her head before her mom and brother came home. It took twenty minutes to get to the theater, wait in line, order popcorn, fifteen minutes of previews, an hour and a half movie, and the return trip. She¡¯d been banking on two and half hours, and she was down to an hour and a half left.


    Mina was underneath the study desk when a loud knock at the front door startled her, causing her to bump her head on the bottom of the desk. Funny, she hadn¡¯t heard a car pull up. And no one other than Nan came to visit her old creepy house. Crawling out from underneath, she grabbed a fireplace poker and slid to the window, being careful to not pull the curtain too far. Nothing. The library window didn¡¯t give a clear view of the front porch without her leaning farther out. She heard gravel crunch and ducked back behind the safety of the dark drapes, right as someone else pressed their face to the same window and looked in to the room.


    Mina gasped, her heart pounding, and debated her options. She could open the door screaming like a banshee, and chase the intruder away with the fire poker. Or she could cower on the floor and call the police. Her imagination running wild, she didn¡¯t stop to think whether she¡¯d locked the front door. And then she couldn¡¯t remember. She kept low and crawled to the door of the library. Just on the other side were the foyer and the front door. Four more steps and she could turn the deadbolt. She was about to make a run for the lock when she heard it.


    The loud squeak of the rusty hinges from the screen door. Usually, she complained about the annoying noise.


    All alone in this house, that simple sound was terrifying.


    Her heart thumped loudly, and all she could do was plead in her mind. No no no. Don¡¯t try the door. It¡¯s locked. Nobody¡¯s home.


    But all her inner dialogue did nothing to persuade her visitor. Too late. The old metal knob jangled and turned.


    Utter silence followed as the well-oiled inner door pushed open.


    Frozen, she had to make a completely illogical decision.


    Attack!


    Chapter 5


    Mina rushed around the wall, poker raised above her head in the most intimidating pose she could muster. She closed her eyes and swung at the dark figure invading her foyer¡ªthere was a whoosh of air followed by a gasp and a thud on the floor.


    Still in a state of panic, she opened her eyes. Nix lay sprawled out on the ground and staring up at her, his hands protecting his red head from being decapitated. A pair of shocked green eyes greeted her.


    When he recognized her expression, his turned amused. ¡°Honey, I¡¯m home,¡± Nix quipped, mimicking one of the old TV reruns he¡¯d been obsessed with lately.


    ¡°Nix, what in the world are you doing sneaking into my house?¡± Mina said, still brandishing the poker over her shoulder like a baseball bat.


    ¡°Careful, Lucy, I¡¯ve brought company.¡± Nix said still lying on the floor. He gestured with his laughing eyes to the doorway.


    Mina looked up in confusion to see Brody filling out the doorframe very well. He appeared entertained at the situation and the fire poker in her hand. She let out a small gasp and dropped the poker.


    A soft thud and a yelp told her she dropped it on Nix¡¯s foot.


    ¡°Serves you right,¡± she muttered under her breath. ¡°For breaking and entering.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t break anything. You, on the other hand, could¡¯ve broken my head if I hadn¡¯t ducked. Besides, I knocked. You didn¡¯t answer,¡± Nix whined, as he sat up and nursed his injured leg.


    ¡°That¡¯s because nobody¡¯s home.¡±


    ¡°Of course you¡¯re home. I saw you walk by the window.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I didn¡¯t want company, did you think of that?¡± she mumbled between clenched teeth.


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t you want company? Now that¡¯s just dumb. No one likes being alone.¡±


    Mina sighed loudly in frustration. Nix still didn¡¯t understand human etiquette. Since Nixies didn¡¯t have doors on their underground caves, they were used to just letting themselves into each other¡¯s dwellings. And since Nix only one of his friends and family that hadn¡¯t disappeared or turned into an evil Sea Witch, being alone was a terrible thought.


    ¡°Well, I happen to like being alone,¡± she answered.


    ¡°Being alone isn¡¯t good for the soul. It¡¯s not healthy. I should know.¡±

 Page 7

    ¡°Nix, this isn¡¯t really the time to be debating this,¡± Mina hissed under her breath as Brody just leaned against the wall and watched the whole exchange with a bemused expression.


    ¡°And you,¡± she turned on Brody. ¡°Were you going to let him just walk into my house?¡±


    Brody shrugged his shoulders and started to chuckle. His hair was slightly damp, and his shirt clung to his shoulders. He seemed wetter than he would have been from walking a few feet in the rain from the car to the house. They must have driven here straight from water polo practice. Over the last few weeks, Brody and Nix had bonded over their love of water sports. ¡°When he gets his mind set on doing something there¡¯s hardly a way to stop him,¡± he answered and motioned to Nix. ¡°It¡¯s way more fun to sit back and watch.¡±


    Mina rolled her eyes and picked up the poker from the floor, stashing it in a corner of the room.


    ¡°Yay, the weapon of decapitation has been dispensed with. Now we move onto business,¡± Nix said happily.


    Mina put her hands on her hips and tilted her head. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Nix started toward the open doors that led into the library. When he saw all the books on the floor, he looked surprised and entered. He began to pick up random books and flip through them, ignoring her question.


    Brody followed Nix into the library and looked at the mess. ¡°Got something against reading?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m just alphabetizing,¡± Mina answered quickly, knocking a pile of books over. The pile fell sideways, and the top one slid across the floor into Brody¡¯s foot.


    They both reached for the book at the exact same time, and their hands touched. She inhaled deeply and held it as a whiff of his shampoo washed over her. He smelled so clean. Her heart pounded in her chest. She had almost forgotten what Brody smelled like.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± He pulled gently on the book, and she let him have it. He walked over to a semi-empty bookshelf and placed the book upright.


    Nix flipped his book closed with a loud thud, looked between Brody and Mina, and announced loudly, ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Anyone want any food? No?¡± He answered for them before they could respond. ¡°Good, ¡¯cause I wasn¡¯t going to make you anything anyway. So if you¡¯ve got something to say Brody, you should say it now. Before I finish eating whatever sandwich I can make out of their leftovers.¡±


    Brody¡¯s cheeks flushed. Was Brody here to see her? Was this his idea? For some reason, she¡¯d believed Nix was the one behind their sudden arrival on her doorstep.


    Brody looked even more handsome when he blushed. Was that because of her? ¡°Uh yeah, so about the real reason I asked him to come here with me.¡± Brody scratched the top of his blond head, messing up his sun-kissed locks.


    ¡°Why did you need Nix to come here with you?¡±


    ¡°To be the first through the door, if you decided to attack us when we broke in, of course.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°No, I only asked him because you two seem to have grown close. And he swore up and down that you two weren¡¯t an item. When he heard my plan, he said he would come with me just in case you turned me down.¡±


    ¡°Your plan?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. There¡¯s this thing at my parents¡¯ country club.¡±


    ¡°I like things.¡± Mina rushed the words out, anticipating where the conversation was headed, then inwardly groaned at her childish answer.


    Brody laughed. ¡°I¡¯m glad you like things. I like these things well enough, if someone I like is willing to go too.¡±


    ¡°And you think this person that you like would like going to this thing?¡± Mina asked coyly. She chuckled at their verbal game. Flirting with Brody Carmichael was thrilling.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he breathed out softly, stepping closer. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m here. To ask this person that I like to go to this thing.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well, in that case, Nick is in the kitchen,¡± Mina teased, jumping back as Brody made a playful punch at her arm.


    ¡°That¡¯s not funny,¡± Brody challenged.


    ¡°Yes, it was,¡± Mina laughed, ¡°and you know it.¡±


    Brody grinned and stepped closer. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right it was funny.¡±


    When their laughter died down, she had a moment to contemplate. ¡°But why?¡± Mina immediately hated herself for doubting his motives. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t believe him, but more that she wanted to make sure he wasn¡¯t under any Fae influence.


    It was the wrong thing to say. His face fell, and he looked irritated. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to go, you can just say so.¡± He turned and left the library without another word. She wondered where he went until she heard the screen door slam.


    ¡°Crud.¡± Mina and rushed out after Brody into the rain. He was only a few feet off of the porch and had stopped in front of his black car. He looked forlorn and lost as the rain ran off of him. When he heard the door shut he turned to look at her. His face was a mirage of emotions¡ªconfusion, want, need. She rushed off the steps and went to him. Stopped within arms¡¯ reach and watched him silently.


    ¡°It¡¯s raining,¡± Brody said as if he just noticed it.


    ¡°Yeah, it is,¡± she answered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for doubting your reasons. If the offer is still good, I would like to go with you.¡± She smiled, blinking through the rain.


    Brody stepped closer, and she closed the distance. She almost leaned into him but caught herself at the last moment. He was standing closer than was appropriate as well, and they were both staring at each other. Neither one said anything, but her thoughts hung heavy in the air.


    What are you thinking? Do you remember me¡­us?


    Brody opened his mouth to say something, but closed it at the last second and shoved his hands in his pockets. She could see them balled into fists through the denim of his jeans. His smile dropped from his face and he looked irritated at himself.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked, promptly forgetting to breathe.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± He shook his head.


    ¡°Okay then.¡± She turned and walked in the pouring rain back toward her dry porch. The storm seemed to have passed, but a strong, steady rain continued.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not true.¡± Brody ran after her.


    Mina stopped and turned to look up at him.


    The rain was pelting them, but he didn¡¯t seem to care. ¡°Do you ever feel like you¡¯re losing your mind? I have these dreams, recollections of events that I know deep down couldn¡¯t have possibly happened. But then whenever I go to sleep, I remember everything¡ªclear as day. I tell myself when I wake up, I¡¯ll recall every detail¡ªonly I don¡¯t.¡±


    Mina stood there holding her breath, refusing to believe what she was hearing. ¡°Yes, unfortunately that¡¯s how dreams work. But they¡¯re only dreams,¡± she said.


    ¡°Are they?¡± Brody looked at her sadly. He stared at her as if waiting for her to lay his worries to rest or give him answers he desperately needed.


    She shivered at how close they were coming to the truth, and she so wanted to believe he remembered everything they¡¯d shared.


    But then she remembered Teague¡¯s warning. He could hurt her friends. Was it really better if Brody didn¡¯t know?


    It couldn¡¯t be. How many times could the Story mess with her friends¡¯ memories without leaving permanent damage? ¡°Why are you asking me about this?¡± She had to know.

 Page 8

    This time it was Brody who shivered. ¡°Because I dream about you. Every night, I dream of you¡­and me. Yet at school we act like strangers. But I know things about you I couldn¡¯t possibly know. I know you hate the color red, hate being the center of attention. Love journaling, love Asian dumplings. I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She avoided looking at him. Afraid he¡¯d see the truth in her eyes.


    He reached out to touch her shoulders. ¡°How could I know that your kisses taste like honey? And I would give anything for another one, but yet¡­I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve ever kissed.¡±


    The tears came, and Mina thanked God that it was raining to at least hide them. ¡°I don¡¯t kn¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop. Don¡¯t say that again. I don¡¯t think I can hear those words again. Not from you.¡± Brody¡¯s grip became tighter and he pulled her closer.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t have the answers you want,¡± she answered softly, refusing to meet his gaze.


    ¡°No, I think you do.¡± The water trailed off of Brody¡¯s cheek and dripped onto Mina¡¯s face with a small stream. She flinched from the splash and her movement brought Brody back to the present. He looked around and only now seemed to notice he was holding her captive in the middle of her driveway in the pouring rain. He stepped back, appearing upset with himself, and ran his hands through his hair.


    Mina wanted to wrap her arms around him and tell him everything would be okay. But she couldn¡¯t. She didn¡¯t dare. She was a bona fide chicken when it came to him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Brody,¡± she whispered. She looked over her shoulder at him before she walked away. ¡°For everything.¡±


    Without warning, he grabbed her arm and pulled her into his embrace. His lips locked onto hers, and he kissed her. She was momentarily a prisoner of his desire, and she didn¡¯t respond right away. His hand lowered to her back refusing to let her pull away. He wasn¡¯t going to let her escape.


    She didn¡¯t try. She leaned in and met his kiss. The ember of desire that she¡¯d been squelching for so long started to burn hotter. Maybe it was because Jared was gone that she felt lost¡­alone. She¡¯d closed herself off from so many other emotions that she forgot what it was like to feel. And right then, with his kiss, she felt more alive than she had in weeks. Her hand reached up to cradle his neck, encouraging him. Never before had their kisses been like this. It may have started off soft, unsure, and confused, but then it was as if something awoke in them.


    Their lips remembered. Then the sparks that have been pushed down for so long resurfaced.


    He pulled away and Mina gasped for breath, his mouth still inches from hers. His eyes locked onto her lips as if he couldn¡¯t believe what they had just shared. Their breaths were ragged, and he squeezed her closer to him.


    ¡°See, we¡¯re a natural fit. We¡¯ve must have done this before,¡± he buried his head into her shoulder, hugging her close, the rain a forgotten thing.


    Mina sighed in happiness. This¡ªthis was what she could have if she had a normal life. Brody leaned back and brushed away a wet tendril of hair that had wrapped around her cheek. ¡°If it¡¯s okay with you, I¡¯d like to try that again, just to make sure I won¡¯t forget this kiss.¡±


    Mina smiled. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡±


    Brody¡¯s face lit up and he lifted her chin slowly. Her heart raced with anticipation as he leaned in to seal their kiss and their new relationship. She felt the warmth of his breath whisper across her lips before an animal-like snarl ripped through the night, searing fear into her heart.


    Brody spun, and Mina stared over his shoulder to see an impossibly large black wolf only feet away. The wolf¡¯s mouth was opened wide, teeth glaring as he lunged for Brody¡¯s throat.


    Chapter 6


    Mina screamed in terror as Brody was knocked to the ground with the full force of the large wolf. Brody lifted his arm to protect his throat, but the wolf locked his teeth around his forearm and continued the attack on Brody¡¯s arms and stomach with his powerful front legs.


    Brody twisted, brought his feet up, and successfully launched the wolf off him. He rolled to his side and looked toward Mina, his face filled with fear as he struggled to his knees. The wolf recovered from the throw quickly and prepared to attack again.


    ¡°Brody!¡± Mina cried out. She rushed forward, putting herself between the wolf and Brody. Her arms flailed wide as she made herself a human shield. Tears fell from her eyes as she challenged the wolf. ¡°Come on! I dare you!¡±


    It wasn¡¯t fair. Just when she thought she could recover and have a normal life, normal boyfriend, something terrible happened. She was sick to death of it.


    ¡°Mina, no!¡± Brody warned, as he slowly got to his feet.


    The wolf rebounded quickly and began to pace in a half-circle, searching for a way to get to his target. His dark fur bristled, and he growled in warning. He turned his canine eyes on her, and she gasped at the intense blue that stared at her.


    The rain began to pour down faster, and¡ªas the wolf continued pacing¡ªMina found it difficult to focus on where he was. One minute he was in front of her, the next five feet to the left.


    Her instinct to protect those she cared about caused her to do something she¡¯d been trying to avoid. Her skin began to prickle with electricity. As the air charged with power, Mina closed her eyes and exhaled. She focused on the pounding of her impossibly fast heart.


    The screen door slammed, and she opened her eyes. Nix rushed out of the house screaming with the fire poker in his hand. He jumped off the porch and landed among the rocks, skittering the smaller pebbles along the ground.


    The wolf turned, zeroing in on the new threat. Nix held the poker out in front of him, then swung the metal rod toward the animal, trying to make the wolf back up.


    The wolf dodged to the side and ran away into the trees.


    Nix watched him retreat into the darkness before he turned around to ask, ¡°Is everyone all right?¡±


    Brody nodded and moved to stand near Mina.


    The black form darted toward Nix from a different direction, releasing no warning growl.


    ¡°Nooo!¡± Mina screamed, releasing the power she¡¯d gathered to herself. A flash of lightning came out of the night and struck the ground inches from Nix. The startled wolf flew off of the Nixie, landing on his back. A second bolt of lightning struck the wolf, burning off a patch of fur and searing the skin, filling the air with the smell of burnt flesh. The wolf yelped in pain and disappeared into the night. This time he did not return.


    Nix blinked his eyes and looked at the scorched earth inches from his prone body. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be. I thought lightning never struck the same place twice.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t usually.¡± Brody answered, coming to survey the damage. His right arm had some nasty cuts, and the teeth marks had gone deep.


    ¡°Well, thankfully, mother nature was on our side tonight.¡± Mina shivered as she struggled to release the energy zinging through her fingertips back into the atmosphere. She had saved them¡ªshe knew it. Mina wasn¡¯t sure how, but there was no denying that she was the one who called down the lightning. It had struck exactly where she¡¯d wanted it to.


    Nix stood up and eyed Mina suspiciously. ¡°Yeah, when you see her next, tell her thanks from me.¡±


    Mina ignored him and went over to Brody, who was staring off into the night where the wolf had disappeared.

 Page 9

    ¡°Let¡¯s get inside.¡± He turned and put his hand on Mina¡¯s lower back, ushering her up the porch steps in front of him.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me twice.¡± Nix scampered up the steps and into the house before either of them reached the top step.


    ¡°We should call animal control,¡± Brody said as soon as the door closed. They latched the lock.


    ¡°And tell them what exactly?¡± Mina did not want to be the one to call attention to her family.


    ¡°That I think a large rabid dog is on the loose.¡±


    ¡°A dog? You think that was a large black dog?¡± She asked in disbelief.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I could have sworn it was a wolf, but then when it attacked me, I saw its eyes. Wolves don¡¯t have blue eyes.¡±


    ¡°How do you know they were blue? It was dark. You could have been mistaken.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll never forget those eyes. They were so blue they looked human.¡±


    Mina¡¯s stomach dropped. She¡¯d thought the same thing. She would never forget that shade of blue either, because it haunted her every night in her dreams.


    Chapter 7


    Never in her wildest dreams would Mina have thought Brody Carmichael would be sitting shirtless on her bathroom counter. Of course, as dreamy as this was, his bare muscled chest was the last thing on her mind. Okay, maybe it was the second to last thing on her mind.


    The first was applying hydrogen peroxide to the long cuts on his chest. Nix was taking care of the more serious injuries on Brody¡¯s arm. He¡¯d already cleaned up most of the blood with a clean towel, being careful of the torn skin surrounding the bites.


    ¡°I think I can make a salve for this,¡± Nix said after evaluating Brody¡¯s arm. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a jiffy.¡± He may have actually skipped on his way to the kitchen.


    ¡°What¡¯s with him?¡± Brody hissed in pain as Mina used a cotton ball to dab at one of the scratches. The clear liquid immediately started to bubble as it cleansed the wound. After a few seconds, Brody released the breath he was holding.


    ¡°He¡¯s obsessed with Leave it to Beaver lately.¡± Mina placed the cotton on a larger cut. Brody inhaled quickly. ¡°Oh, Brody. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. It¡¯s just cold and it tickles.¡±


    Mina put the swab over the lid of the brown bottle and turned it upside down, trying to stay focused on the white fuzzy cotton ball instead of how near he was. ¡°No, not about the antiseptic. About what happened in the yard. With the wolf. It¡¯s all my fault.¡±


    Brody gently grabbed her hand with the swab in it. ¡°Mina, that had nothing to do with you.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t look him in the eye. ¡°No, I think it does. I think everything weird that has ever happened to you, and so much more that you don¡¯t remember, all happened because of me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± Brody dropped her hand and pulled back to look at her.


    It was the moment of truth. ¡°Falling from a catwalk, waking up on the floor of an abandoned building, fighting a man in a dark alley.¡±


    Brody visibly paled and his brows furrowed in anger. ¡°How do you know all of that? You can¡¯t possibly know those things. I¡¯ve never told anyone¡ª¡±


    She held up her hand, interrupting him. ¡°No, let me finish.¡±


    Mina¡¯s bottom lip started to tremble. The seriousness of what she was about to reveal weighed upon her. He may hate her for it. She lowered her voice and whispered, ¡°For killing Nan.¡±


    The blood rushed from Brody¡¯s face, and he actually started to keel forward.


    Mina instinctively reached up and braced him as Brody dropped his forehead onto her shoulder in an awkward hug.


    ¡°In a car accident?¡± he mumbled.


    ¡°Yes, at the lake house. It was raining and you were racing her to see your cousin before he left on tour. You took the turn too fast and flipped your SUV, killing Nan.¡±


    Something warm spread over her shoulder, and Brody¡¯s body started to shake. Mina wrapped her arms around him and let him cry.


    The Fae were stupid to think that altering humans¡¯ memories wouldn¡¯t harm them. Here was proof that they were doing more damage than good. Obviously her friends did retain bits of their memories, or the memories surfaced when they dreamed. Truth was the only medicine for the internal hurts they¡¯d been hiding, for goodness knew how long.


    A few minutes later, Brody leaned back and placed his hands around her face, brushing a thumb across her lips. ¡°So how much more is true? Were we? Are we¡­?¡± he trailed off.


    Mina nodded her head. ¡°Yes, once. A long time ago.¡± She tried to remember what month it was when she¡¯d found out about being a Grimm. ¡°It¡¯s been over a year.¡±


    He nodded and sighed loudly. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll ever understand, but just knowing that you know is comforting.¡±


    ¡°Brody what happened¡ªwhat has been happening¡ªit may continue to happen to you, to me, to others.¡± She swallowed nervously.


    He stiffened and sat up on the counter and pulled away from her. ¡°No. Nobody should have to live not knowing if what they experience is real or not. I know I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Then you have to stay away from me. Stay as far from me as you possibly can, and maybe you won¡¯t be sucked into my curse.¡±


    Brody¡¯s eyes flashed and he looked at her possessively. ¡°Never, now that I know we really had something. I¡¯m going to continue to pursue that. I won¡¯t let anything come between us.¡±


    Mina¡¯s heart soared before it came crashing down to earth, shattering in a million pieces. ¡°Can you fight your shadow? Something that you can¡¯t see or understand? What I¡¯m in the middle of¡ªthis fight¡ªis something that¡¯s been going on for hundreds of years. People get hurt, become pawns, and get tossed aside. Especially those closest to a Grimm.¡±


    ¡°Grimm? You mean like the two brothers?¡±


    Mina nodded her head. ¡°The very same. They were my ancestors.¡±


    ¡°I seem to remember you studying a bunch of books by the Grimm Brothers¡­at a library¡­right?¡± He looked at her expectantly.


    Mina smiled. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Go on¡­¡± he waited.


    Mina¡¯s eyes drifted to his chest and then to his injured arm that was turning an ugly purple. ¡°Not now. First we need to worry about this.¡± She stepped away from him, which was harder to do than she thought. She opened the bathroom door and pointed with her head for him to precede her.


    Brody slid from the countertop, picked up his bloody and ruined shirt, and walked into the hall. Mina brushed all of the cotton balls into the garbage and screwed the lid back on the disinfectant before walking him to their kitchen.


    He probably could have found the kitchen without her based on the horrid smells wafting down the hallway. Mina found Nix wearing her mother¡¯s flowered apron as he hummed and stirred a cast iron pot full of boiling green liquid.


    The kitchen was an epic disaster. It looked like Nix had raided the cabinets and left all the cupboard doors open. He was currently going through the spice cabinet, taking the lid off every available jar of natural herbs to smell them. Most he discarded quickly, making a face and shoving them to the right. He did set two or three in a different group. But then he reached farther back, and slid out a few glass jars sealed with wax.

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    Mina didn¡¯t recognize the unlabeled jars as belonging to her family. Well, not her immediate family. They could very well have been put there by her father¡ªor even her grandfather.


    Nix seemed pleased with what he¡¯d found and added them to the boiling concoction. The way he mumbled to himself, tossing herbs in, made him look very much like he was boiling and toiling up some trouble. The brown terra cotta pot that sat in the corner by the kitchen table had been stripped of all of its leaves. She had no idea what the plant was¡ªit had already been in the house when they moved in¡ªbut obviously Nix knew.


    ¡°Take a seat. The doctor will be ready in a moment,¡± Nix said, chuckling.


    Brody sat on a chair facing Nix, who started straining the foul smelling broth into a teapot. He kept the spices, leaves, and who knew what else and threw them into another pot, crushing the remains with a potato masher until it took on a pulpy texture. It looked horrible and smelled worse. But Nix scooped the paste into a small bowl and stood over Brody.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m ready,¡± Nix grinned happily. He was clearly in his element.


    ¡°Not on your life,¡± Brody said, holding his hand over his nose. ¡°That stuff can¡¯t possibly help.¡±


    ¡°Arm,¡± Nix demanded, eyeing the wound that was starting to ooze again.


    ¡°You don¡¯t even know how to work a toaster. I¡¯m not letting Betty Crocker go all Florence Nightingale on me.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± Nix asked and looked to Mina.


    ¡°Exactly!¡± Brody pointed toward Nix. ¡°You agree with me right, Mina?¡±


    Mina had to cover her mouth as the laughter just spilled out. Amid all the stress, these two could still make her laugh. When her giggles stopped, she finally choked out, ¡°No, he knows what he¡¯s doing, Brody¡­trust me.¡±


    Brody looked at her like she¡¯d grown horns. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Mina frowned.


    ¡°Not until I know for sure that you¡¯ll go with me to that thing.¡±


    ¡°Are you really going to deny being treated until you have an answer? I thought I already said yes.¡±


    ¡°Well, technically you did, but I want to make sure you hadn¡¯t changed your mind.¡± Brody raised one eyebrow at her and waited.


    Nix watched the exchange, holding a long wooden spoon filled with the green paste up in the air. Any minute now, he would start tapping his foot.


    ¡°This has nothing to do with the date. You¡¯re just trying to delay the inevitable. Just let him treat your arm before you get rabies and die, you big baby.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Brody said sheepishly. He held out his arm.


    Nix looked relieved and started to smear the goo up and down, covering the large bite marks. Mina didn¡¯t want to draw any more unnecessary attention to it, but those wounds were made by something bigger than any dog she¡¯d ever seen. Way bigger.


    ¡°It feels weird.¡± Brody kept flexing his fingers. ¡°It¡¯s getting hot.¡±


    ¡°That means it¡¯s working.¡± Nix grinned and went to pick up the glass jar he had found earlier. ¡°At home in my cave, I used to keep a jar of this stuff. I never expected to find it here in your world.¡±


    Mina¡¯s eyes went wide, and Brody¡¯s head snapped to look at Nix.


    ¡°Cave? World? What in¡ª¡±


    ¡°Heaven¡¯s name is going on in here!¡± her mother screeched as she came to a halt in her kitchen. Her face flushed red as she surveyed the mess in the kitchen, the half-naked boy sitting at the table with her daughter, and the other boy wearing her apron.


    Charlie peeked around his mother and took one look at Nix in his apron and ran to him. Nix bent down and scooped the boy into his arms in a big hug. Charlie began to pull on Nix¡¯s red hair and touch his face as if he couldn¡¯t believe the difference. It took a second for Mina to realize that this was the first time her brother had seen Nix¡¯s new human body. He¡¯d seen Nix on the Fae plane with green hair and skin. Charlie had been the one to insist that she drag him into their world. She hadn¡¯t been sure Charlie would remember.


    ¡°Hey, Li¡¯l man.¡± Nix chuckled, placing Charlie¡¯s feet back on the floor.


    Charlie smiled and yanked on Nix¡¯s arm, pulling him out of the kitchen and pointing toward his room.


    ¡°What are you doing, Charlie?¡± her mom asked, evidently confused at her son¡¯s reception to a complete stranger.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. They¡¯ll be fine,¡± Mina spoke up. She jumped up and moved as far as she could across the room from Brody and began to clean up. ¡°I¡¯ll have this cleaned in no time, Mom.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t explain what you¡¯re doing and why he¡¯s¡±¡ªshe pointed to Brody¡¯s chest but wouldn¡¯t look at him¡ª¡°not wearing a shirt. And what is that awful smell?¡± Brody was smart enough to move to the restroom to try and clean up.


    ¡°Mom,¡± Mina rushed over to her and pulled her closer to the sink. ¡°Let me explain. Look at his¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mina, I don¡¯t know that I want to hear an explanation.¡±


    ¡°He was bitten by a wolf.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. There are no wolves around here.¡±


    ¡°No, I think it was a different kind of wolf. You know. Of the Fae variety. Although I¡¯m not certain.¡±


    Her mom stopped talking and froze. Mina gave her credit for not immediately breaking down into hysterics. She looked over at Brody¡¯s empty chair and asked, ¡°Is he going to be okay?¡±


    ¡°I think so. Nix made something, and it seems to be making it better.¡± She gestured to the messy kitchen.


    ¡°Nix?¡±


    ¡°The boy with red hair, the one that¡¯s with Charlie.¡± Her mother walked over and gingerly picked up each bottle reading the label. She looked into the cauldron and over to the teapot. ¡°This smells familiar, this smells¡­Fae. Mina, what do you know about this boy?¡±


    For starters, Mina didn¡¯t know her mother could tell just by smell what things were Fae and what weren¡¯t. Was that even possible?


    ¡°Charlie saved Nix¡¯s life when Nix was about to die on the Fae plane.¡±


    ¡°Charlie was on the Fae plane? When? What happened?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s best if you ask your Fae godmother Terry for those answers. Right now, I need you to trust me. We are doing what we can for Brody.¡±


    Brody stuck his head in the kitchen and held out his arm. ¡°You won¡¯t believe this.¡± He pulled up one end of the dry paste to reveal a bright pink patch of skin. There wasn¡¯t a single wound left. ¡°That putrid smelling garbage works.¡±


    Chapter 8


    Thankfully, Mina¡¯s mom understood and helped her clean up the kitchen. Brody had hundreds of questions. Her mom and Nix were able to fill him in on the gist of it. It was nice to have someone else besides her to explain. When three different people agreed on the story, it was at least slightly easier to make him believe he wasn¡¯t crazy.


    Convincing him the Fae really existed was tough. He got quiet a few times and had to get up and walk around the kitchen. Once, he even left the house and stood in the rain before he came back in to hear more of the impossible. The inner turmoil was evident. His mind struggled to come to grips with the reality of what happened versus the false memories implanted by the Story.

 Page 11

    They were all careful to continue calling the Fae power Story. Trying to explain Jared¡¯s death as he became one with Teague again could be saved for a later date. A few times, her mom became visibly shaken with the retelling of certain events¡ªespecially when something didn¡¯t gel with her own memories. She toyed anxiously with the charm bracelet on her wrist until her face relaxed and she calmed down enough to continue on with the story. Then, her breathing slowed, and she would perk up.


    Mina knew it was the charms that were helping her mother. Each renewed memory must send her mother into a nervous fit, but then the charm would push the memory farther back into her subconscious.


    It was after midnight when they explained it enough for him to understand. Nix even came clean about his own past and the horrors of possibly turning into a Sea Witch.


    Mina told him about the Fates and how it was their deal with the Grimm Brothers to break the curse and close the gates. She left out how the royal Fae were able to shape shift, and that she believed it was Teague himself that attacked Brody. She wasn¡¯t positive, after all. The dark prince could have sent any one of his followers to do the dirty work.


    They did warned Brody to watch out, because there were bad Fae intent on harming Mina and all who were associated with her. But there was something different about the wolf. She¡¯d seen the wolf. It was intent on killing Brody.


    Brody grew quiet again, and she thought for sure he would drive off right then¡ªout of her life forever. But he surprised everyone, even her mother, when he asked, ¡°What can I do to help?¡±


    Nix shrugged his shoulders and pointed to Mina. ¡°You¡¯d have to ask the Grimm.¡± He looked at her with such confidence, such devotion and admiration. What had she done to earn this kind of loyalty? She only hoped she was worthy of it in the end.


    After the hours-long conversation wrapped up, Mina was still concerned with one thing. ¡°Can you keep my secret, Brody?¡± He looked like he was about to argue with her, so she added, ¡°For now. And I swear I will try and find a way to secure your memories from being manipulated again.¡±


    Brody hesitated but nodded his head. ¡°Okay. Since you¡¯re coming with me Friday.¡±


    ¡°Why? What¡¯s Friday?¡±


    ¡°The masquerade ball at my parents¡¯ country club, of course.¡±


    ¡°A ball?¡± That one word made her skin crawl and her mouth go dry. Balls were full of fairy-tale possibility. It would be a sure opportunity for the Story.


    ¡°It¡¯s that thing that you promised to attend.¡±


    ¡°I really need to ask more questions in the future.¡± Mina said, inwardly panicking but doing her best to appear excited.


    ¡°That would probably be a good thing.¡±


    Scarves can be a great fashion accessory if utilized right. Incorrectly used, they¡¯re a torture device for fashion-challenged teens. In Mina¡¯s case, they were more the second. After her shower the next morning, she looked at three items Nan lent her the last time she¡¯d been over¡ªwedged heels, scarf, and lipstick¡ªand decided to pick one. She chose the scarf, thinking it was the least dangerous of her choices. Mina felt like the simple silk scarf was choking her, but Nan always swore by them as ¡°the perfect accessory to any outfit.¡±


    She should have chosen the heels.


    ¡°Blech!¡± She glared at the chevron-patterned offensive material. This is as good as it¡¯s going to get.


    This morning Mina wouldn¡¯t even give the ball a second thought. Her heart was soaring. Because someone knew. Brody knew.


    Whether he would continue to believe her remained to be seen. He might change his mind and end up calling the psycho ward on her. But for the moment, she wasn¡¯t alone. Which gave her a whole new outlook.


    For the first night in months, she¡¯d had a dreamless sleep.


    She headed toward the kitchen to make a sandwich for lunch and made a face at her reflection every time she passed a mirror. Her bedroom mirror received a pig face; the bathroom she shot a bucktoothed expression. She¡¯d just passed the hallway mirror with her jaw jutted out, when she caught something strange.


    Had her skin seemed a bit translucent? She leaned closer to the hall mirror, within inches of the glass, and touched her face.


    A polite cough spun her around. Brody stood by her front door. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You look lovely.¡± He chuckled.


    Her cheeks burned red with embarrassment. He stood there in his jeans and white V-neck shirt looking relaxed and confident.


    Mina¡¯s hair was wet from her shower, and she didn¡¯t have a touch of makeup on. ¡°Don¡¯t you knock?¡± Mina frowned.


    ¡°Yes, and I even wait to be let in,¡± he nodded over to Charlie. Her brother was once again hauling a chair to the hallway, appearing ready for Operation Open Suitcase again. ¡°He opened the door.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± she said. ¡°I guess that means you can come in.¡±


    ¡°I assumed as much.¡±


    ¡°So why are you here?¡± Mina asked, feeling dumb for having to ask why his tall handsome self graced her foyer in the middle of the afternoon.


    Brody looked uncomfortable and glanced at Charlie. He leaned forward and lowered his voice. ¡°To protect you from any stray¡­ um¡­ Fae.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Mina said, surprised. She wouldn¡¯t have thought it possible, but her cheeks burned even hotter.


    ¡°That is, unless your problems have all gone away?¡±


    ¡°Uh, no.¡± Mina thwarted Charlie¡¯s curiosity by pushing the door closed as soon as he opened it. She locked the door and tucked the iron skeleton key into her pocket.


    He grabbed the doorknob and shook it angrily.


    Brody continued, ¡°But also to see if you¡¯d like to come over and keep me company during a planning committee for the ball. My mom¡¯s in charge of planning the event, and I know girls really get into this kind of thing.¡±


    ¡°Um, that would be most girls. Not me.¡±


    His face fell. ¡°Oh, if you don¡¯t think you¡¯d like it, you don¡¯t have to come.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she replied hastily. ¡°I¡¯d love to come. Let me just grab a jacket.¡± Mina stepped over Charlie¡¯s mess, grabbed a light sweater, and turned to face Brody. Maybe she should tell him that party planning terrified her.


    But the way Brody looked at her helped her make up her mind and had her smiling politely and going to the passenger door of his car. Underneath his worried expression, she thought she saw a bit of hope. He wanted her to come.


    She slid into the seat, snapped the seatbelt, and looked over at him. He cranked the engine and pulled out of the driveway. Pop music and the hum of the vehicle soothed her frayed nerves. Were the nerves from butterflies or terror?


    The car slowed and they passed through the gates, heading up the Carmichaels¡¯ driveway. Mina noted the large statues of horses and neatly trimmed hedges.


    ¡°My mom has invited a few of her friends¡¯ daughters over to help with the last minute details,¡± Brody said softly.


    ¡°Ah,¡± she exclaimed as they passed the garage. ¡°That explains¡­nothing.¡±


    ¡°The Ziesters and Steppes happen to be longtime friends, and our families go way back,¡± Brody chuckled, reaching over to give her hand a reassuring squeeze. ¡°Especially their daughters. There are two of them here tonight who can be a bit zealous in their pursuit. They can¡¯t take a hint, but I thought¡ª¡±

 Page 12

    ¡°You brought me here to run interference.¡± Mina pinched her lips trying to hide the smile. ¡°You want me to tackle them.¡±


    Brody laughed. ¡°That¡¯s why I like you. You get it.¡± He pulled up to the front of the large three-story house with its terra cotta roof. As soon as the engine died, the double mahogany doors opened, and Mrs. Carmichael rushed out, phone in hand, followed by two young women. Both of the girls looked to be in their late teens, one a stunning brunette with laughing blue eyes and suntanned skin, the other a striking redhead with full, pouty lips and pale skin. They stayed on the steps, and when Mina exited the car, their faces flickered annoyance.


    ¡°Brody, you kept our guests waiting.¡± Mrs. Carmichael turned and noticed Mina for the first time. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. You must forgive me. Please call me Melody. And you are?¡± she chimed.


    ¡°Mina,¡± Brody cut in, standing behind her. ¡°She¡¯s a friend from school.¡±


    The words ¡°friend from school¡± cut her a little deeper than expected. Granted, he¡¯d never verbally stated they were more than that, but hearing it still hurt.


    ¡°Mina. Let¡¯s go to the sitting room and get started.¡± Melody didn¡¯t miss a beat.


    Mina didn¡¯t even know new houses still had sitting rooms. Her own house did of course, because it was hundreds of years old. But apparently the wealthy still liked to follow tradition. The sitting room was lovely with a large family portrait on a taupe-colored wall above the marble fireplace. Two Victorian white sofas faced each other across a white coffee table. An antique grandfather clock towered next to the bay window. Two high back chairs brought the room together in a perfect little circle, made for intimate conversation over tea. She could very well envision Melody sitting here with her friends talking about the latest news and gossip.


    Once Mina was seated, Melody left to call the caterer for the event. Mina sat in a high back chair, and Brody sat on the sofa across from her. The redhead and brunette joined their party. The redhead slid onto the sofa, closer than necessary to Brody. She gave a slight tug on her white shorts before crossing her legs to dangle them in his line of sight. Her foot bobbed up and down, the tinkling of her charm anklet acting as a lure.


    ¡°So what happened?¡± she asked. ¡°You¡¯re late, and you kept us waiting.¡±


    Brody sat a little straighter and shot Mina a worried look. She mentally kicked herself for sitting so far from Brody.


    Brody answered, ¡°I needed to pick up Mina.¡±


    ¡°Oh! So you¡¯re going to help us with the planning?¡± the brunette asked. Mina heard a slight southern accent.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m here for moral support.¡±


    The redhead¡¯s leg froze, and her eyes narrowed. ¡°Like one of those twelve-step programs?¡± she whispered.


    ¡°No!¡± Brody and Mina answered at once.


    The conversation was a bit awkward and stilted after that. Brody politely introduced the two guests. The tall brunette was Lara, and the spicy redhead, Daphne. Mina couldn¡¯t help but picture Lara and Daphne as the video game heroine and the cartoon detective, although the girls in front of her were nothing like the fake ones.


    Lara opened up a magazine from the coffee table in front of them and pointed to the full color spread from last year¡¯s ball. ¡°See, it frequently makes the headlines in Glitz & Glam Magazine.¡±


    Anxiety filled Mina as she scoped the page¡ªphoto after photo filled with ruffles, flounces, and feathers. Not to mention a few close up photos of Mr. and Mrs. Carmichael. Mina¡¯s gaze was instantly drawn to the photo of a very dapper Brody in a tux, with none other than Daphne on his arm. Her dress was a sweet peach that brought out the color of her hair and added a warmth to her cheeks.


    Lara smiled, showing even white teeth. ¡°It¡¯s one of the biggest events of the season, and Melody is the planning committee chair. We¡¯re on the junior planning committee.¡± Her eyes dropped to the floor coyly when Brody glanced her way.


    It didn¡¯t take a genius to see that both girls liked Brody. Who didn¡¯t?


    ¡°I think all that¡¯s left for us is to finish our playlist for the party.¡± Lara looked only at Brody as she spoke. ¡°I¡¯ve made a list of fast, medium, and slow songs, and we need to put them in order.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what a DJ is for? To put the sets together and play according to the crowd¡¯s taste?¡± Mina asked.


    Her question received two blank looks from Daphne and Lara followed by a snort from Lara. ¡°This isn¡¯t some cheesy homecoming. This is the biggest event of the year. We leave nothing to chance.¡± She handed out the song sheets to Brody and Daphne but ignored Mina¡¯s open hand.


    Not to be outmaneuvered, Mina got up and sat next to Brody to share his song list. This only encouraged another dour look from the girls.


    Mina scanned the names of the songs briefly and felt a bit lost. She knew many of the popular songs from the radio, but she was stunned by the number of waltzes being played by the live band. Not once had she thought it was going to be that kind of a ball. She didn¡¯t know how to waltz. Mina chewed her thumbnail, pretending to be interested in the discussion, while secretly thinking of a hundred excuses to get out of the date.


    ¡°So the ones marked with hearts are our must-haves,¡± Lara said. ¡°We¡¯ll intermix our live music with songs from the DJ. If we run out of songs, then we move on to the ones with stars on them. What do you think, Brody?¡± Her voice dripped with honey.


    ¡°Sounds all right,¡± he answered. It was obvious he didn¡¯t want to be a part of this.


    Daphne frowned. ¡°Brody, really. You have to give us some input. After all, you¡¯re as much a part of this as we are.¡±


    ¡°Okay then.¡± He picked up the sheet again and gave it more thought. ¡°I think it needs something else. What do you think Mina?¡± Brody turned to look at her.


    Mina dropped her hands to her lap and clasped them together. She really didn¡¯t have an opinion and had stopped reading the list soon after she saw the word ¡°waltz.¡± But she lied. ¡°I think you need to add in some Dead Prince Society.¡±


    Brody¡¯s face broke into a huge grin. ¡°That¡¯s perfect! It¡¯s exactly what we need to bring it into the twenty-first century.¡± He nudged her with his elbow and she blushed. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you agreed to come.¡±


    Daphne forced a smile. ¡°We could definitely put it on our Maybe list.¡±


    He shook his head no. ¡°Not going to happen.¡± He grabbed a pen from the table and wrote it at the top of her paper with a big heart around it. ¡°We added them.¡±


    Lara looked skeptical. ¡°I guess we could do one or two songs.¡±


    ¡°No, I say we bring them in live. If we¡¯re going to have a live orchestra for the waltzes, then they should switch off every thirty minutes. After all, the band is family.¡±


    Brody¡¯s announcement really sent the girls into a tizzy, but they aimed to please. Over the next hour, they crossed songs off, rearranged, and highlighted like crazy. The girls did everything they could to make it work¡ªfor Brody.


    After a while, he disappeared to let his mom know about the song list and to get drinks, leaving Mina with the cartoon girls.


    ¡°So you know Brody from school?¡± Lara asked, playing with the locket around her neck. ¡°I still think it¡¯s weird that he insists on going to public school instead of private like us.¡±

 Page 13

    ¡°Uh huh,¡± Mina answered, slightly intimidated by the elegant girls in front of her.


    ¡°What about the other girl? What¡¯s her name?¡± Daphne asked, tapping her lip with a perfectly manicured nail.


    ¡°Nan. Yes, we both attend classes with Brody.¡± She automatically thought of her own best friend.


    ¡°No, not her.¡± Daphne rolled her eyes, flipped a magazine open and pointed to an old photo of Brody and Savannah. ¡°Is she still with Brody?¡±


    ¡°Savannah? No, they aren¡¯t together anymore.¡± Mina wanted to claw the snarky Daphne for that jab.


    Lara and Daphne started to pick up their notebooks, magazines, and seating charts for the ball.


    ¡°So are you coming to the ball?¡± Lara asked casually. Almost too casually.


    ¡°Why, yes, I promised Brody I would.¡± This was starting to sound familiar.


    ¡°Really?¡± Daphne swung her cross-bag over her shoulder. She eyed Mina¡¯s clothes and ripped jeans. ¡°As a server? I know the club was a bit short-handed for the event.¡±


    ¡°No. As his date,¡± she said between clenched teeth.


    Brody returned with two glasses of iced tea. Daphne reached for one, but Brody turned and handed it to Mina instead. The gesture was so unexpected, she almost let the glass slip through her fingers. Thankfully, she caught it, as well as the look of hatred that shot her way. Brody took a long swig of his own glass of iced tea.


    Right then, the old grandfather clock in the corner started to chime, and it didn¡¯t ring the two tones it should have. It continued¡ªanother ten chimes.


    Lara¡¯s face scrunched up in confusion, ¡°Twelve?¡±


    ¡°I think your clock¡¯s broken,¡± Daphne snorted.


    ¡°It¡¯s not broken. At least it shouldn¡¯t be.¡± Brody walked over to the clock, opened the glass door, and looked inside for the key to wind it. He inserted it into the face of the clock, gave it a few twists and turns, and gently moved the hands around the face until it showed two o¡¯clock.


    Immediately, the clock started to chime again. Everyone waited, silently counting two deep, resonant chimes.


    There was almost an audible exhale as no other noise came from the clock.


    ¡°See, it¡¯s not broke,¡± Brody turned and smiled.


    ¡°I guess not.¡± Mina smiled wanly, but she kept her eyes on the clock because what she knew was coming next. She¡¯d been on high alert as soon as she heard the girls¡¯ names. Steppes and Ziester? How close could the Story get to ¡°stepsister¡±?


    The slight tingling began, indicating the Story was near. Mina couldn¡¯t take her eyes off of the clock, watching as Brody hung the key up and closed the glass door. As soon as it clicked shut, the clock continued its haunting chime.


    Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Eleven. Twelve.


    And this time, when the clock struck twelve, the bay windows blew open, and the curtains flew horizontally into the room.


    Lara and Daphne shrieked as the pages in the open magazine on the table began to flip.


    Brody rushed across the room and tackled the opened windows. Once he got them shut, the wind died down. The magazine settled on a two-page spread of Brody wearing a white mask with the caption in bold Times New Roman:


    Brody Carmichael¡ªA real, live Prince Charming.


    Mina launched to her feet, knocking her knee into the corner of the coffee table. ¡°Ouch! Excuse me, but I have to go.¡±


    ¡°Where are you off to so early?¡± Daphne called out. ¡°Is your coach going to turn into a pumpkin?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, Daphne. She probably just has to catch a bus.¡±


    ¡°Girls, enough.¡± Brody said heatedly.


    Both Daphne and Lara turned pouty looks toward him.


    Brody leapt after her. ¡°Mina, are you feeling okay?¡±


    She waved him off. ¡°I¡¯d like to go home.¡±


    Brody disappeared to tell his mom where he was going.


    Mina could hear the two girls whispering. One of them¡ªsounded like Lara¡ªsaid it was all an act. That Brody couldn¡¯t possibly like her. She was only there to make them jealous.


    Mina¡¯s anger got the better of her and she spun. ¡°No wonder you¡¯re so excited about wearing masks at a ball. Who knows, if you don¡¯t say a word, you may be able to disguise your hideous personalities.¡±


    Lara¡¯s and Daphne¡¯s mouths dropped open. They looked like drowning fish as they tried to come up with a retort.


    Mina didn¡¯t stay to listen or battle with words. She needed to get home and get help, because Teague had just set up her next quest. As innocent as the Cinderella story sounded, Mina knew there would be a deadly twist to this fairy tale.


    The whole way home, she was tense and on edge. Brody asked if she was okay.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not okay.¡± She blew out a long breath.


    ¡°Is it something I did?¡±


    ¡°Not intentionally. It seems like we¡¯re both in for another round of fairy-tale madness.¡±


    ¡°You mean you¡¯re getting your intuition?¡±


    Mina laughed softly. ¡°Yeah, I guess you could say that. I think we are about to go head to head with the Cinderella tale.¡±


    Brody pulled the car up her driveway and put the car into park. She listened to the hum of the engine as he unbuckled his seatbelt and turned toward her.


    ¡°And you think we¡¯re both caught up in this tale?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, unfortunately I do.¡±


    ¡°Okay and what part do you think I¡¯m going to play in this quest?¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re Prince Charming,¡± Mina said, feeling awkward at voicing her assumption out loud.


    ¡°So in Cinderella, it¡¯s all about the girl falling in love with Prince Charming, right?¡± A mischievous smile lurked at the corner of his lips.


    She could hardly concentrate with how good he looked right then. She swallowed. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°And the prince falls in love, loses the girl, and has to find her.¡±


    Again she answered, although her voice dropped in volume. ¡°Yes.¡± She studied her hands, clasped in her lap.


    Brody reached for her hands and pulled them up between them. ¡°Well, this may be the easiest quest ever then, because this prince has already found you.¡± He placed a gentle kiss on the back of her hand.


    Her heart slammed against her chest at the simple gesture that was so packed with emotion.


    ¡°And I don¡¯t plan on letting you go anytime soon,¡± he added.


    She smiled weakly. ¡°It¡¯s never that easy.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect it to be. Otherwise the other Grimms before you would have beaten this.¡±


    ¡°We could get hurt. You could get hurt.¡±


    Brody tightened his grip on her hands, cupping them between his. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you play sports. You need all the help you can get. Maybe Nix could make up another batch of that foul smelling fix-it-all? Then we¡¯ll be good.¡±


    Mina pulled her hand out of his to playfully punch his shoulder. He lurched forward and she missed.


    He laughed. ¡°See, you probably couldn¡¯t hit the broad side of a barn.¡±


    ¡°Probably not, but I¡¯ve got to try.¡±


    Brody mellowed. ¡°As long as you let me, I¡¯ll be here to help you.¡±


    ¡°As long as you remember me.¡±


    ¡°True, but keep in mind that¡¯s not something I can control. Still, there¡¯s something between us that¡ªno matter what¡ªkeeps pulling us together. So if I forget or get put under a spell, you¡¯ll just have to remind me how awesome you are.¡±

 Page 14

    Mina grinned and hopped out of the car. He was right. There was something between them, and it spun her in circles with confusion. Was it a crush, an infatuation, love? So soon after losing Jared, she didn¡¯t want to even think it was possible, but ¡­what if what she had for Jared hadn¡¯t been real? It had only been a few weeks ago, but in her heart it felt like years.


    The stress of the quests was wearing on her. She could feel the next one looming over her. But for once, she felt like her future might not be so bleak.


    One final question hung over her, though. Teague would manipulate this. How would she survive it?


    Chapter 9


    Nan insisted on taking Mina dress shopping for her date with Brody after school on Wednesday. Since her car was in the shop, they were stuck with the horrible public transportation system. Maybe it was the combined stench of exhaust and sweat that filled the air making her feel uneasy. Maybe it was the odd look that Ever kept giving her from across the aisle.


    It had started as soon as Nan compared Mina to Cinderella going to a ball.


    The bus dropped them off at Harlow Street in a quaint area filled with small nook and cranny stores and family-owned businesses. They were heading to Nan¡¯s favorite caf¨¦ for a bite to eat while they decided what type of dress she should wear. Mina wanted simple; Nan wanted something spectacular, and jaw dropping.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want any old dress. You need a dress fit for a queen.¡±


    Mina shivered. ¡°Don¡¯t say that too loudly. I have no desire to be queen of anything.¡±


    Ever snorted loudly.


    ¡°Fine. Then you¡¯ll be the belle of the ball.¡±


    Mina inwardly groaned. Now it sounded like Beauty and the Beast. The last time she¡¯d gone dress shopping, she was stuck in a Red Riding Hood tale. ¡°No belles, no queens. Just a dress. A simple one, with not too much stuff on it.¡±


    ¡°Boring. Got it,¡± Nan answered.


    ¡°No, not boring. I just don¡¯t want any extra attention on my date with Brody.¡±


    Nan looked to Ever and wiggled her eyebrows. ¡°You heard that. We got our marching orders. We are on a mission to make her as unattractive as possible.¡±


    Ever smirked. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be too hard.¡±


    ¡°Hey, watch it!¡± Mina bumped her shoulder into Ever playfully. Ever withdrew and moved away to walk on the other side of Nan. That hurt.


    Mina wanted to say something, but Nan pointed to a sign above a store with a bunch of old clocks. ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve never heard of this one. Hickory Dickory Dock! We should¡ª¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Ever and Mina answered simultaneously.


    Nan¡¯s eyes went wide and she was about to ask why, when Mina noticed the traffic. A large garbage truck barreled toward them. She thought it would slow down for the light.


    Only it didn¡¯t. It continued picking up speed.


    ¡°Watch out!¡± Mina shouted. The garbage truck hit the curb and vaulted onto the sidewalk. It was heading straight for them.


    The ground rumbled and noise split the air as the driver blasted the horn in warning. The world moved in slow motion as the faded green garbage truck crashed through a newspaper stand, scattering papers into the air. The license plate came into focus. After all, she was only feet away.


    Mina saw Ever grab Nan and try to fly up into the air, but the Pixie wasn¡¯t going to be fast enough.


    Instinctively, Mina stretched out her palm and used power to launch her friends out of harm¡¯s way. That was it. She knew it. Save her friends or save herself. She turned and saw the driver¡¯s terrified expression as he raised his arm to cover his face, prepared to slam into her.


    But right before impact, she heard the sound of metal scraping across cement. And it wasn¡¯t from the truck.


    Chapter 10


    ¡°Stupid! You¡¯re so stupid. I can¡¯t believe you didn¡¯t try to save yourself. How dumb can you be?¡± A male voice growled into her ear as her rescuer carried her, pressed tightly to his chest.


    Mina couldn¡¯t see the person who spoke. Her arms were wrapped awkwardly around his neck, and she didn¡¯t let go for fear of being dropped.


    It was dark, and the sounds of the city were faint. Where was she? It had happened so fast. One minute she¡¯d been facing death, the next she¡¯d been pulled downward into someone¡¯s arms. The person holding her stopped and tossed her roughly to the ground.


    She slid across the cement in something slimy and let out a pathetic yelp.


    The voice continued to berate her for her stupidity as her rescuer walked back and forth in the darkness. ¡°You helped them instead of yourself.¡±


    She kept quiet and let her eyes adjust to the lack of light. It took almost a minute, but light trickled down through a hole in the ceiling, circular like a manhole. After a few more seconds, she saw rungs in the wall near her and made out that the top of the manhole was partially blocked. From this distance, she could see part of a wheel and the undercarriage of a car up there.


    Now that she could see, she stood and glanced over to spot Teague only a few feet away, his chest heaving in anger, his hands clenched into fists. The look he shot her was pure disgust.


    Had Teague just saved her? Why?


    Before she dwelt on those thoughts too long, she took another look at her surroundings. She decided to wait before she called him savior. Right now, since she couldn¡¯t find an exit, he was her captor.


    ¡°Teague.¡±


    Like a flash, he closed the distance between them and pressed her into the ladder rungs. His forearm barred across her chest, preventing her from moving. He held his other hand over her mouth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t speak. Don¡¯t you dare say my name.¡± His eyes blazed as he glared at her, but something was wrong with them. It was like they couldn¡¯t decide on what color they were. Shifting between a furious gray and an even angrier blue. He looked pained, and he momentarily released the pressure on her.


    Mina lifted her hand to gently brush across his arm.


    He inhaled in a quick hiss and jerked at her touch. He was shaking he was so furious.


    But he pushed her against the ladder again. The back of her head connected with the upper rung, sending blinding arrows of light into her vision. His arm pressed harder into her body, making another rung dig deeper into her shoulder blade.


    Tears formed at the corner of her eyes, and she lashed back in anger. ¡°Get away from me, you freak!¡±


    His lips formed a cruel smile as he leaned forward to whisper into her ear. ¡°I could have let you die up there. In fact, I¡¯m not altogether of one mind why I didn¡¯t¡­Oh, that¡¯s right. You have something I want.¡± He took his free hand and gently stroked the side of her cheek, running his fingers over her lips. The move sent an unwilling shiver through her until his fingers moved under her chin. ¡°I want that dagger.¡±


    ¡°Even if I had it, I wouldn¡¯t give it to you,¡± she spat out. She pushed against him to escape, but his fingers dug deeper into her throat, cutting off her air.


    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk,¡± he clicked his tongue. ¡°I thought you would have heeded my warning. I told you your friends aren¡¯t safe if you don¡¯t give me the dagger.¡±


    ¡°It was you that attacked Brody.¡±


    ¡°I thought it pertinent to give you another warning, to show you I mean business. But it will be your last.¡± He pushed away and turned his back on her.


    ¡°No, leave my friends out of this. You have no right to bring them into our fight.¡±

 Page 15

    ¡°You are the one doing that. You¡¯re endangering your friends, not me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an outright lie and you know it. You have been controlling me from the very beginning with your games.¡±


    ¡°Mina, if you don¡¯t want to play my games, I¡¯m okay with ending this here and now and moving on to the next Grimm. Your brother.¡± He turned to face her, and his eyes looked almost black in the shadows. Something invisible tightened around her neck.


    ¡°N-n-no,¡± she stuttered, struggling against the magic. Fear raced through her. Never before had Teague been so violent with her. Threatened her?¡ªyeah. Tried to kill her through quests?¡ªplenty. But before, she¡¯d thought she was his equal.


    She used to be able to play the games and win, but this was someone new. This was the Teague who threatened to tear the Fae kingdom apart. The one who frightened the Fates and forced their hand. This wasn¡¯t the Jared she knew or the Story. It was true: divided Teague was manageable.


    This wasn¡¯t a case of Jekyll and Hyde.


    This was Hyde on steroids. The person who stood before her was terrifying, and he was going to kill her.


    She couldn¡¯t breathe, couldn¡¯t inhale, and she felt herself starting to black out. ¡°Puh-please,¡± Mina choked out.


    ¡°You¡¯re the only one who stands in my way.¡±


    ¡°Mina?¡± Nan¡¯s voice echoed faintly from above her. ¡°Mina, where are you?¡±


    Teague clearly savored watching her writhe under his power. At the sound of Nan¡¯s voice, he turned to listen and released some of the pressure on her throat.


    It was enough that Mina could gasp for air. Which then set off a round of coughing.


    Teague looked irritated and moved away from her. Mina fell to her knees as she gathered her strength. ¡°Pathetic,¡± Teague taunted, staring up at the trickles of light that came from above. Police sirens increased in volume, coming to the scene.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just kill me?¡± Mina stood up straight to challenge him, her hands splayed at her sides.


    ¡°I keep wondering that myself.¡± He turned to square off against her, his hands clasped behind his back as if waiting for her to make the first move. ¡°What can you accomplish with no Grimoire to do all of your dirty work for you? You have nothing in your arsenal but a pretty face¡ªand a lying one at that.¡±


    ¡°Mina, are you down there?¡± This time it was Ever, who had either heard something or figured out that she¡¯d gone down the manhole into the sewer. Ever¡¯s hand squeezed through the opening the light shone through.


    ¡°I have enough to fight the likes of you,¡± Mina challenged.


    Teague sighed, ¡°You¡¯re all talk, and I¡¯m becoming bored. I¡¯m done with you and your pretty little threats to stop me.¡± He started toward her with his hands aimed at her throat.


    Mina had no clue to what Teague was referring, but she was scared she was about to die. Desperate to save herself, she tried to use the power she had so little control over. Harnessing what she could, she thrust it all toward him.


    Teague flew across the room and cracked his skull into the wall, going limp. Mina used her chance to climb up the rungs toward Ever¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go up there,¡± he growled from below.


    ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± Mina thrust her hand through a small opening between the chassis of the truck and the wheel. She waved her hand in the air and almost started crying when Ever¡¯s hand took hold of it.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got you, Mina. I¡¯ll get you out. I promise.¡± Ever called. Mina believed her.


    Something grasped her ankle and started pulling her back down. Mina cried out when Teague¡¯s hands began to pull on her legs. He was trying to make her fall.


    ¡°Ever! Don¡¯t let go!¡± Mina yelled, wrapping her left arm around the rung. It was useless, she knew. She couldn¡¯t squeeze out of the opening, and she was trapped underground. Her mind had a sudden moment of clarity. This was so much like her underwater dream. Had she seen the future?


    ¡°Mina!¡± Ever cried, when Mina¡¯s hand started to slip through her grasp. Teague had crawled up to the rung behind her and was yanking on her other arm. She knew how this would end.


    In her dream she didn¡¯t make it to the surface, so she doubted she would now.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, just take care of Nan. Take care of Nan,¡± Mina called.


    Teague reached up and yanked her arm from around the rung, pulling her backwards. They both lost their footing.


    She was falling and Teague was falling with her. The last thing Mina saw was Ever trying to look through the wreckage into the hole. She knew the moment Ever must¡¯ve seen Teague, because she screamed. ¡°Nooo!¡±


    Chapter 11


    She was lying on something soft that smelled faintly of cat urine. ¡°Gross,¡± Mina grumbled. She rolled over to see that she was resting on a yellowed mattress in an old abandoned runoff tunnel. It took a moment for her eyes to focus on the blob of movement by her foot. She¡¯d thought at first it was an old towel¡ªuntil it moved toward her. She screamed and kicked at the rat sniffing at her shoes, making it scurry away.


    Mina sat up and ran her hands across her body for injuries. Had she blacked out? Had she hit her head? Something disturbed a can, and it rolled over by her foot. She jumped to her feet and prepared to run, but Teague stepped out of another tunnel. A light that came from behind her faintly illuminated him. This time he kept his distance from her.


    He seemed to be in an odd mood, simply studying her face silently. His eyes softened as he cleared his throat and looked away from her. ¡°That runaway garbage truck wasn¡¯t me.¡±


    ¡°What? You didn¡¯t try to run me over? That wasn¡¯t part of your quest?¡±


    He shook his head no.


    ¡°So why warn me? Why save me?¡± she said irritably.


    ¡°Because you haven¡¯t finished the next quest that I¡¯ve set up for you. And this one is the most important of all stories. I am especially partial to the ending.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, me too. Because one day her prince will come and they¡¯ll live happily ever after.¡± She tested the waters to see what he had up his sleeve.


    He laughed. ¡°Come on, Mina, you know there¡¯s no such thing. The day your prince comes will be your worst nightmare. For I will make you bow down and beg for your life.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong. One day I will have a happy ending. It will be the day that you¡¯re dead.¡±


    ¡°I know, Mina. I know. You¡¯ve tried your best. But I¡¯m not done with you yet.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m done playing along.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not. Soon you¡¯ll bow to me and beg for your life.¡±


    ¡°You are not ruler of the human plane, Teague.¡±


    ¡°And I don¡¯t plan on ruling the human plane. I plan on destroying this one.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Mina asked, shivering at the chill that crept into her veins at his merciless tone. ¡°What do you have against humans?¡±


    ¡°You ask why?¡± Clearly, he believed his reason to be obvious. ¡°Humans are shallow liars and thieves. They are emotionally fickle, which is fun for the Fae to feed on, but they leave a sour feeling in my stomach.¡±


    ¡°Teague, don¡¯t do this. You don¡¯t have to be evil.¡± Mina moved toward his dark figure and paused within a few feet of him. She could see that she made him nervous. His eyes kept flickering to her neck, probably remembering the pain he¡¯d inflicted on her with his hand. As if he couldn¡¯t trust himself with her. If he felt guilt, then maybe there was a way to reason with him. ¡°You can be good.¡±

 Page 16

    ¡°I was¡­once. But being good didn¡¯t really work out for me. Being nice and gentlemanly didn¡¯t give me what I wanted.¡± He met her eyes and she thought his expression saddened for a split second. ¡°So now I just take what I want. And right now I want the dagger.¡±


    ¡°Teague,¡± Mina cried out in frustration. ¡°I don¡¯t have it. I have no clue what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me!¡± Teague roared at her and rushed toward her again.


    Mina raised her hands, trying to mimic what she¡¯d done earlier and push him away with power. But she was too scared.


    He closed the distance between them but didn¡¯t raise a hand to touch her. ¡°I know you have it. I¡¯ve waited for so long. Jared didn¡¯t think it was you. He tried to convince me I had the wrong girl¡ªthat I was mistaken, but I¡¯m not. I know it¡¯s you. You haven¡¯t changed. After your next tale is over you will give to me. Or I will hurt your friends and start sending the quests after your brother and your mother.¡±


    ¡°I thought only one Grimm at a time could complete the quests,¡± Mina said.


    Teague just smirked. ¡°Silly Mina, why do you think the Fae Guild exists all over the world? Why do you think the Godmothers watch all the Grimms from their little mirror room? I¡¯ve toyed with all of them at one time or another. But there was only one Grimm I ever cared about.¡±


    She knew which Grimm he meant. Whichever one the Grimoire presented itself too. Because he needed his other half¡ªhe needed Jared.


    He turned his back on her and walked away. ¡°But you¡¯ve always been a deceiver, and I¡¯ve never been one to play by the rules,¡± Teague continued before disappearing down another tunnel, leaving her alone in the dark. His voice echoed back to her. ¡°Neither have you, Mina.¡±


    What in the Fae plane was he talking about? Mina¡¯s hand brushed her aching throat, and every part of her wanted to break down and cry. But she couldn¡¯t at this moment. She needed to get out of while she could. Teague had left a small flashlight on the stain-covered mattress. She had no desire to think on the sources of those stains. Instead, she needed to focus on escape.


    Thankfully, the flashlight clicked on. Its bright beam of light sent even more rats scurrying for safety. Alarmed, she made a little noise in her throat and pain shot through it. It was probably best if she didn¡¯t do that again.


    Mina decided that stomping loudly as she walked would help disperse the rats faster. She aimed the flashlight at the tunnel that Teague disappeared down and was surprised that it immediately turned and opened up into another large culvert. Light poured in from an opened manhole in the ceiling above, and she realized Teague must have carried her until he found another exit.


    She stood in the circle of light and looked to the left. No sign of him. After she clicked the flashlight off, she pocketed it before ascending the rungs to the street level. Orange construction cones surrounded the open manhole and a Silver City Sewer & Water truck was parked nearby. The city workers had abandoned their sewer work to investigate a crash¡ªthe one that had almost killed her¡ªfarther down the block. Mina pulled herself out of the hole and moved to the other side of the caution tape.


    At first she walked, but then she started to run back to the scene of the accident. The garbage truck had struck a fire hydrant and run into the brick building. The whole area was cordoned off with tape, and carefully placed police vehicles kept the looky-loos at bay.


    Mina walked closer. The vehicle that actually covered the manhole and blocked her escape was a small pickup that had been caught in the aftermath of a pile up.


    Even now, she could see Ever and Nan pointing beneath a totaled Toyota. A fireman was carrying over a large hydraulic spreader to try and lift part of the car off of the hole.


    ¡°Nan! Ever! I¡¯m over here!¡± Mina called out, waving from behind the police line.


    Nan looked up and started shrieking. She ran to Mina and threw her arms around her. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever do that again!¡±


    Ever rushed over behind Nan. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. I think.¡± She rearranged her scarf so the soft material was up against her neck. The pain seemed to lessen a little that way.


    ¡°Mina, did you see?¡±


    ¡°See what?¡± she mumbled.


    Nan leaned forward and cupped her hand over her mouth. ¡°Ever can fly. She picked me up flew out of the way of the crash. I saw it.¡±


    ¡°Did not!¡± Ever denied it and rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Did too.¡± Nan placed her hands on her hips. ¡°I know what I saw.¡±


    ¡°You have no idea what you saw. I think you got a bump on your head.¡±


    Mina didn¡¯t feel like hiding anything else from anyone ever again. Despite Teague¡¯s warning. ¡°Give it up, Ever. She saw you. And I know for a fact that she won¡¯t give up till she proves you wrong. I actually think it¡¯s about time we start sharing what we know and stop keeping my friends in the dark.¡±


    Ever didn¡¯t look pleased. Nan beamed and turned to give Ever a poke in the arm. ¡°So how¡¯d you do it? Happy thoughts and pixie dust?¡± She continued to walk around Ever, trying to find the secret of her flying.


    Ever started laughing. ¡°You have no idea how close to the truth you really are.¡±


    Nan just crossed her arms and demanded an explanation. ¡°Show me.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ª? No!¡± Ever waved her hands at her.


    ¡°Show me¡­or I¡¯ll do something really embarrassing.¡±


    Ever rolled her eyes. ¡°That¡¯s not hard to do when you hang out with a gimp.¡± Mina hated when Ever referred to her family that way, but she didn¡¯t say anything.


    Nan frowned and turned to Mina, worry etched across her face. ¡°How¡¯d you find your way out?¡± Nan lowered her voice.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ever said. ¡°How did you escape?¡±


    Nan shot her a doubtful look.


    ¡°What? She was kidnapped by an evil Fae prince.¡±


    ¡°No, he saved me, and then he let me go,¡± Mina said loosening her scarf again. ¡°But not before giving me a warning.¡±


    Ever sucked in her breath when she saw the purplish bruise. ¡°He did that to you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mina dropped her hand to her side, feeling conflicted and confused about what had transpired with Teague.


    ¡°It seems there¡¯s no hope for him,¡± Ever sighed sadly. ¡°It would be best not to anger him. Just keep your nose clean.¡±


    Mina swallowed and agreed. ¡°That¡¯s my plan. Except he seems to want something from me, and he¡¯s threatened to hurt you. All of you¡ªincluding Brody and Nix and my family.¡±


    Ever didn¡¯t even flinch. She seemed to accept the news.


    Nan, on the other hand, flew off the deep end. ¡°What? How could he threaten me? He doesn¡¯t even know what he¡¯s getting himself into. Just you wait. No one crosses Nan Taylor.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll stop him before it comes to that, right, Mina?¡± Ever¡¯s voice hinted at the fear that she hid behind her stony mask.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let him hurt any of you.¡±


    The rest of the afternoon was crazy hectic. Since the girls were just ¡°witnesses¡± to the accident and not visibly involved, the police let them leave to go on with their business.

 Page 17

    Mina wasn¡¯t really in the mood to eat anything, and she honestly didn¡¯t want to search for a dress anymore, but Nan dragged her along against her will.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Nan said. ¡°If we can¡¯t go to the caf¨¦, then we shop. Shopping is the cure for everything. Plus, I¡¯m not letting you out of my sight until you tell me everything¡­and I mean everything.¡±


    Ever frowned. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think¡ª¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± Nan interrupted. ¡°We¡¯re going to Lacey¡¯s Boutique. I¡¯ve made up my mind. It¡¯s across town. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Reluctantly, Ever and Mina got back on the next bus while Nan grilled them.


    Once Nan learned that Ever was a pixie, she couldn¡¯t stop talking to her about it. Mina didn¡¯t mind shopping for dresses with Ever. In fact, recently, she had enjoyed the Fae girl¡¯s company. Maybe they¡¯d bonded over their grief at losing Jared or something. Still, she¡¯d obviously done something to anger Ever again¡­which had never really taken a whole lot of effort.


    ¡°Do it again,¡± Nan whispered encouragingly to Ever. Nan had quickly bonded with Ever and had even gotten the pixie to show off a few of her gifts. Something that Mina had never even thought to ask about.


    ¡°Sure, pick someone.¡± Ever leaned back in the seat and put on a pair of white skull sunglasses¡ªfeigning sleep. She looked relaxed in her dark denim jacket over her striped pink tank and black skinny jeans. Her army boots were laced with skull shoelaces, and her nails were painted an awesome crackle black color.


    Nan sat next to her wearing red skinny jeans and a chevron striped shirt with bangles up her left arm. Her blonde hair flowed down her back, and she looked angelic, with the sunrays coming through the bus windows making her hair glimmer.


    Night and day. Dark and light. Fae and Human. Her two friends, worlds apart yet so similar. Mina sighed and ran her hands up and down her sensible denim shorts and Dead Prince Society shirt. This one was a faded gray with black letters, which were perfect with her gray All-Star shoes. Mina didn¡¯t curl her hair, but let it hang loose in ponytail over her left shoulder.


    ¡°Um¡­that one.¡± Nan gestured with her head toward the front of the bus where a gentleman in a suit sat reading a paper.


    ¡°You sure?¡± Ever pulled the glasses down to zero in on her target.


    ¡°Yep,¡± Nan answered.


    ¡°Child¡¯s play.¡± Ever flicked her finger toward the man and then quickly turned away.


    Not Nan. Nan leaned forward and watched as the newspaper flew out of the man¡¯s hands and scattered across the bus floor. He quickly jumped up and tried to pick up the pieces before they were stepped on by the oncoming passengers.


    ¡°Well, then you pick one,¡± Nan whispered trying to not laugh or look in the man¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Fine, but see if you can catch me doing it.¡± Ever smiled and waited for the new passengers to enter the bus and find seating. When the bus had closed its doors and pulled off again, she picked her victim.


    At first Mina couldn¡¯t see what Ever was doing. But then she saw that a plump red-haired woman reading a very large hardcover book was having issues turning the page. The exasperated woman gripped the back of the book and tried to separate the page she¡¯d just finished from the ones in the back. It held.


    She picked at it with her nail. Still nothing.


    The woman put the book on her lap, and all of a sudden, all of the pages started flipping. They stopped at the last page.


    She stuttered out in surprise but looked relieved that the pages turned. Until she realized she couldn¡¯t get the book to open from the beginning.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t need to be reading those kind of books anyway,¡± Ever said. The woman exited the bus at the next stop, and the girls watched her throw the book in the nearest dumpster. ¡°That¡¯s right. The end.¡± Ever smiled.


    ¡°That was so cool!¡± Nan fawned a bit, and Ever shrugged her shoulders.


    ¡°It seemed kind of mean,¡± Mina said.


    ¡°Eh, it¡¯s not that great a book. I¡¯ve read it. She¡¯ll thank me for saving her five hours of her life. The main character dies in the end.¡±


    The bus dropped them off three blocks from Lacey¡¯s Boutique. And Mina had just explained about the Grimoire and the curse.


    Nan frowned, ¡°So does it strictly deal with the Grimm tales?¡±


    Ever nodded her head. ¡°Most of the time, yes. They¡¯ve gotten harder over time, though, because they morph as they unfold. Truthfully, I¡¯m not sure even if Mina finished the tales that the quests or demands would stop.¡±


    ¡°Why would you say that?¡± Mina asked, feeling sucker punched. She hadn¡¯t expected someone to come right out and say there was no way to beat the curse.


    ¡°Well, because I remember where I come from. I know what it¡¯s like on the Fae plane. I knew him before he was¡ª¡± she made a splitting motion with her hands. ¡°When that happened, I chose to follow his good side here.¡±


    ¡°Ever, can you tell me about it?¡± Mina asked.


    Her teary eyes flashed in anger, and she shook her head at Mina.


    ¡°Pretty please with pixie dust,¡± Nan begged. Mina was irritated when Ever gave in to Nan¡¯s request.


    ¡°Back then he was just Teague. He was betrayed by someone he cared about. The betrayal tore him apart on the inside. It brought out the worst in him. He was extremely powerful, and the Fae feared for their lives. He was obsessed with opening gates to the human world and sending the Reapers. Then he turned them on his own people.¡±


    Nan shook her head. Mina wondered if this was hard to believe.


    Ever¡¯s eyes looked sad. ¡°Even the Fates didn¡¯t know how to make the pain stop. Truthfully, I think his heart was already in two before the sprite split him.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± she continued, ¡°all this happened right before the Grimm Brothers made their appearance on the Fae plane. The King and Queen had their hands full with keeping Teague from destroying the kingdom and then to add a portal between the two worlds? It spelled bad news for both sides. They just came up with the quests to distract the brothers from their larger problem: what to do with Teague and Jared.¡±


    ¡°So they never intended to keep their promise,¡± Mina deduced.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what they intended. I¡¯m not a Royal, okay? I only know this¡­because I was living at the palace at the time.¡± Ever was clearly irritated, rolling her eyes. ¡°I just know that the sprite split him into two parts and bound them to two books or something. They sent the Grimoire and Jared to the human plane with the Grimm brothers, without them ever knowing what they had. And they kept Teague in the Fae plane. Teague and Jared could travel back and forth between the worlds, but only a Grimm could return the book to the Fae plane.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that¡¯s how it happened,¡± Mina said.


    ¡°Of course you wouldn¡¯t know. You¡¯re not a Fae, and even most Fae don¡¯t know all of the deets, okay? But Teague figured out that the more quests the Grimms did, the stronger he became. He¡¯d make the Grimms fail on the quests, so the curse would move on to the next one. As much as he loved power, he loved revenge even more.¡±


    ¡°How does Mina stop him?¡± Nan asked.


    ¡°Now that he¡¯s whole again, his anger burns with a vengeance. I¡¯m not sure there¡¯s anything Mina can do to stop the curse. He is deadly on both planes.¡±

 Page 18

    ¡°Unless I kill him,¡± Mina said the words softly. They hurt like gravel coming out of her mouth, but she had to say them.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m afraid so.¡± Ever stopped walking and leaned against a building for support. ¡°And I¡¯m scared, because I¡¯ll think you¡¯ll do it.¡± Her shoulders started to shake silently.


    ¡°You love him,¡± Nan said, a bit dumbfounded.


    ¡°Duh! And this gimp here ruined it for me.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t understand,¡± Nan said softly.


    Ever launched herself away from the wall. Her fingers flew to erase the tears from her eyes. ¡°Because back then, I wasn¡¯t what he wanted. I thought he loved me like I loved him. When he was split, I followed Jared, thinking I¡¯d have a chance here. And sure, we dated for a while. But he wasn¡¯t happy with me. He was always looking for something or someone. He doesn¡¯t love me on this plane either.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know that.¡± Nan tried to soothe Ever.


    Ever sniffed loudly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I don¡¯t matter. I see that now.¡±


    ¡°What an awful thing to say about yourself,¡± Mina said.


    ¡°Naw, it¡¯s the truth. I can¡¯t compete with you. Never have been able to, never will,¡± Ever mumbled.


    Mina¡¯s mouth dropped open at the melancholy compliment.


    ¡°Unless you die in a horrible accident. Then I may have a chance,¡± Ever quipped.


    ¡°Ever, what a horrible thing to say!¡± Nan turned to face the girl, her hands in balled fists on her hips. ¡°Y-you¡­you are not a nice pixie,¡± she stuttered out.


    ¡°Who said pixies are nice? You have a lot to learn about our kind. Pixies are never nice.¡±


    Mina, used to Ever¡¯s barbs, intervened. ¡°Nan, it¡¯s okay. She doesn¡¯t really mean it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, stick up for yourself, Mina. How can you let her talk to you that way?¡± Nan shook with anger.


    Mina had to pull her aside and whisper to her. ¡°Because deep down, beneath all of that angst is actually a sweet girl who saved our lives¡­if you remember. She came here following love, and I destroyed that. She has a right to be angry.¡± Ever watched them with distrustful eyes. It was easy to see how much she wanted to hear what was being said.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Nan agreed grudgingly, but she confronted Ever, pointing her finger at the pixie¡¯s chest. ¡°You¡¯ve been dealt a low blow with losing Jared. But remember, you¡¯re not the only one to lose someone they were close to. Mina is my best friend. So you better hold your tongue around me, or I¡¯ll knock your pretty striped socks off. Got it?¡±


    Ever looked taken aback and, for a moment, both Nan and Mina thought they were in for a pixie tantrum. Instead, she smiled and her eyes scrunched up in laughter. ¡°Deal.¡± Ever thrust out her hand to shake.


    Nan¡¯s raised an eyebrow and rubbed her fingers over her chin as if she were debating. ¡°Pinky promise?¡±


    Ever rolled her eyes. ¡°That¡¯s so dumb.¡± Nan looked a little hurt at her words, but Ever saw and changed her tune. ¡°How about Pixie promise?¡± The wind kicked up as her invisible wings started to beat in excitement.


    They finally ended up at Lacey¡¯s, a small boutique with prom and wedding dresses. The consultant assigned to Mina kept giving her disgusted looks.


    ¡°What¡¯s her problem?¡± Mina asked when the lady hurried away quickly.


    Nan grimaced and made an apologetic face, but didn¡¯t say anything.


    Mina looked to Ever, and the girl shrugged her shoulders before answering. ¡°You kinda stink.¡±


    Horrified, she looked down at her filthy shoes and then checked her reflection in the full-length mirror. There was a smear of who-knows-what across her t-shirt. Her hair was a complete mess, her face had a scratch on it, and her neck was rubbed raw and discolored.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I should have listened and let you go home,¡± Nan said sadly.


    Mina stared at her reflection and started laughing. She laughed so long and hard that eventually Ever and Nan joined in. She truly looked like a rag tag dirty mouse.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I hate dress shopping anyway. Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± Mina turned to leave and her friends joined her, leaving the stack of dresses untouched in the dressing room. As they passed the consultant, Mina swore the woman held her hand over her nose.


    The summons from the Godmother¡¯s Guild came by raven later that afternoon at Nan¡¯s apartment. Nan suggested that Mina just borrow one of her dresses for the ball, but of course Mina insisted on a shower first before trying any on.


    Mina stood under the hot water letting the heat steam up the mirrors, not caring if she turned Nan¡¯s bedroom into a sauna. Nan and her mom lived in the penthouse apartment with all of the fixings and trimmings that could land them in one of those high style magazines. And unlike Mina¡¯s own mom, Mrs. Taylor didn¡¯t care how long a hot shower she took.


    Water cascaded down her face as she stood under the pounding water and hoped it would soothe her nerves and muscles. Safe and far away from the scene of the confrontation, the reality that she could¡¯ve died in the sewer that afternoon was hitting hard. Nan seemed to be still running on pure adrenaline after the accident. Mina, on the other hand, was falling apart now that she had a minute to herself. She couldn¡¯t even turn the shower off her, hands were trembling so badly. She wrapped herself in the terrycloth guest bathrobe and stood in front of the large bathroom mirror. The mirrors were so thoroughly steamed up, there was hardly a reflection.


    Mina brushed her hand across the mirror to clear a spot to see herself. She picked up a borrowed comb and began to run it through her long brown hair, taking extra care with the snarls. Until she saw something that made her drop the comb in the sink. The clatter echoed in the steamy room.


    Mina grasped the collar of her robe and took a few deep breaths. Maybe it had just been her imagination. But she could swear her reflection had started to fade out.


    ¡°Get a grip,¡± she told herself.


    A rapping at the door pulled her attention away¡ªat least for the moment. Nan popped her head into the bathroom. ¡°So, um, you have a visitor.¡±


    ¡°Here?¡±


    Nan was beaming and having a hard time keeping her excitement in. ¡°This is the coolest thing ever to happen to me. I mean you. I mean¡ªoh, just get out here.¡±


    Mina walked out of the bathroom, pulling the robe tighter around herself. After what she thought she saw in the mirror, she really didn¡¯t want any more surprises. Nan had run back to her sliding glass door and opened it up to reveal a very large black raven sitting on the patio railing. In its mouth was a gold envelope.


    ¡°That has your name on it,¡± Nan said, entirely too eager and excited about all this.


    Seeing the bird and the note sent shivers of trepidation down her spine. Mina had no desire to go anywhere near the bird. But neither Ever nor Nan seemed to be scared of the fowl, so she approached with caution. Sure enough, her name was scrawled across the front in cursive script. Mina had no idea how to actually retrieve the letter. But just when she was about to reach for it, the raven opened up its mouth and dropped the letter on the ground. Then it started to flap its wings and lift into the air.


    Mina stepped back in fright, instinctively holding her hands over her head to protect herself as the bird flew towards her. One minute it was flying, the next it had transformed midair into an impossibly small Yorkie and landed on her shoulder. It gently began to butt its head against her cheek, demanding attention.

 Page 19

    She laughed in relief as the shape shifter began to lick her face profusely. This was the Baldander that lived at the Godmother¡¯s Guild! He hopped a few times and then jumped into the air again, transforming into a dragon.


    Nan gasped behind her.


    ¡°Hello, Anders,¡± Mina laughed.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Nan asked, coming outside to pet the dragon.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shape shifter,¡± Ever explained. ¡°Normally, they don¡¯t show themselves to people. This one must be defective.¡±


    ¡°Or he¡¯s got good taste in friends,¡± Mina answered with a mischievous grin.


    Nan scooped up the temporarily forgotten letter and handed it to Mina. ¡°Who do you think it¡¯s from? Is it from your Godmother? I still think that is the coolest thing to have a fairy Godmother. You deserve it so much. I¡¯m actually a little jealous.¡±


    Mina knew it would be from Constance since Anders was the one to deliver the message. She was, after all, the only teenager in history without a phone. The summons made sense¡­sorta. As long as the Baldander could keep a news crew or passerby from noticing his shape shifting from a raven to a dragon, blowing puffs of fire and lying around near the top of the building.


    She opened the envelope and read the simple message.


    Come quick to GMRC. We have answers.


    The Baldander will lead you through the waterways.


    ~ Constance


    It wasn¡¯t the news she wanted, but it couldn¡¯t be ignored. Mina headed back inside to get dressed. Ander voiced his opinion at being abandoned outside with a tiny roar.


    ¡°What does it say?¡± Ever asked, crossing her arms with evident worry.


    She tossed the letter on Nan¡¯s pink bedspread. It wasn¡¯t like it was a secret. Ever read the note and looked up at her. ¡°Do you want backup?¡±


    Nan was just now reading over the same note. She turned and placed her hands on her hips. ¡°Of course she wants backup. We¡¯re not giving her a choice.¡± She linked her arm through Ever¡¯s and gave Mina her try-and-talk-me-out-of-it stare.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Mina muttered. She grabbed a pair of Nan¡¯s pants and a blue top that was set out, throwing Anders a stern look. ¡°I sure hope you know your way in.¡±


    Anders flew in happy circles as they headed downstairs to get a cab. It took some time and a lot of bribing but they finally convinced him to turn invisible and get into the vehicle. But once in, he scampered around the back of the cab. The girls kept squealing when he ran across their laps or legs and¡ªof course¡ªthey received odd looks from the driver.


    Mina hadn¡¯t had time to dry her hair, but by the time the taxi dropped them off at the old Green Mill Recycling Center, it was dry. The taxi driver wouldn¡¯t let them go off by themselves without some significant warnings about being out alone when it was getting dark.


    ¡°I¡¯m the reason you don¡¯t go out at night,¡± Ever snapped.


    The elderly taxi driver took one look at her heavy eye makeup and black clothes and promptly closed his mouth, took the money, and drove off.


    The last time Mina had been here, Jared had led her around the back of the building to a cellar door and broken in. She felt the memory in the pit of her stomach. But Anders led them away from the building and toward the water¡¯s edge where a large caution sign stood. Something about unstable terrain. The girls held onto each other as they made their way down the rocky embankment.


    Anders, visible again, shifted into an otter, dove under the water, and disappeared.


    ¡°I really hope he doesn¡¯t expect us to follow him,¡± Nan asked. ¡°Do you know how to get in?¡±


    Ever shook her head. ¡°Do I look like Godmother material? Ha, no. I brought Nix here, but I prefer to stay away from them.¡±


    ¡°What about the front door? What would happen if we knocked?¡± Nan asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. There was another way in that Jared knew about, but they closed it off once he became¡ªyou know¡ªevil. I¡¯d say follow the Baldander,¡± Mina answered.


    Ever looked around. ¡°Something¡¯s not right. There are more wards in place than last time. She pointed up at the branches of the nearest copse of trees. Mina noticed how still this grouping was compared to the others.


    ¡°That means there¡¯s a ward, like a warning system in place. Like motion detectors. If they get disturbed, the Godmothers will know,¡± Ever explained.


    The ground suddenly rumbled underneath their feet, and the water began to recede, away from the embankment.


    Five feet¡ªten¡ªfifteen¡ªtwenty¡ªthirty. The water continued to move and part, as if two invisible hands were pushing it back to reveal a hatch in the middle of the lake floor. Anders popped out of the wall of water on the left and danced excitedly by the door.


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s our cue,¡± Mina said, taking off toward the entrance. Nan and Ever followed closely behind. The closer they came to the metal hatch, the higher the wall of water looked. It was eerily similar to a biblical story, and Mina slowed down to study the river carefully. If it was released back, it could literally crush them beneath the water and they¡¯d most certainly drown. But she couldn¡¯t focus on that. She needed to reach the door and make it down the hatch before whatever magic was working stopped.


    Nan slipped on the riverbed and fell on her rear. Anders¡¯s movements became more frantic, but she promptly got up and ran for the door.


    Mina made it first and turned the hatch wheel, but it wouldn¡¯t budge. ¡°Ever help!¡±


    Both girls tried to turn it together. Nothing happened.


    Water started to spill slowly back into the lakebed, soaking their shoes.


    Nan, muddy and covered in sand, reached the wheel and tried as well. Anders looked confused and upset. ¡°It¡¯s stuck!¡± Nan yelled out. Fear was all over her face as she gauged the distance back to shore. The water wall clearly wouldn¡¯t hold much longer. ¡°We need to run for it!¡±


    Ever shook her head, her face red from exertion with all the straining. ¡°We won¡¯t make it.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? You can fly!¡± Nan choked out.


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving either of you!¡± Ever screamed. ¡°Back up now!¡±


    Mina and Nan let go of the door. Anders crawled up into Mina¡¯s arms and they watched as Ever closed her eyes and concentrated on turning the hatch handle. She got it to move, but even once turned, it wouldn¡¯t open. Her forehead glistened from sweat. They could hear the giant door groaning, as it glowed brightly from Ever¡¯s magic.


    ¡°Ever, hurry!¡± Nan screamed and wrapped her hands around Mina.


    The door flew open, splashing water everywhere and revealing a downward staircase that was quickly filling with water.


    ¡°Go now!¡± Mina yelled, carrying Anders down the stairs into the darkness. Nan and Ever were on her heels. ¡°Ever, can you get the door?¡±


    Ever turned and used magic to pull the door closed just as the wall of water broke. The hatch fell back down, but didn¡¯t latch because of the rushing water pouring into the stairwell.


    Mina dropped Anders and ran for the hatch wheel. The force of the river almost swept her away. She held her breath and dropped her head under the water. Bracing her feet against the frame of the door, she pulled with all of her might. It felt like eternity, and her hands kept slipping, but if she didn¡¯t close the door and stop the water, they would surely drown. Another pair of hands closed over hers and together they were able to turn it until they heard a click. They¡¯d sealed off the onslaught of water.

 Page 20

    The flood level began to recede, drains pulling gallons into the walls of the culvert every second. As Mina¡¯s head broke the surface of the water, she looked over and saw Nan holding onto the large handle, her eyes squeezed shut.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Mina coughed.


    The rushing water pulled at them, but Nan smiled and nodded.


    Mina reached up to wipe the water from her eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let go!¡± Nan reached out with one hand to stop her from releasing the wheel but realized her own mistake. She slapped her hand back on the cold metal and gripped even tighter with both hands.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s fine. The river will keep the door sealed now that it¡¯s closed,¡± Mina tried to reassure her.


    ¡°How do you know?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t, but Anders seems sure.¡± She pointed to the Baldander who was now waiting a ways down the tunnel looking at them eagerly.


    Ever walked up to the door and inspected the lock. ¡°I wonder why it wouldn¡¯t open. It¡¯s kind of odd for them to send you this way if it¡¯s going to almost kill you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been welded shut.¡± Nan pointed from her perch on the stairs. She finally released one hand to point at the bead trail that ran around the whole door.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing it was shoddy work, otherwise I might not have been able to get it open,¡± Ever admitted.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s a good thing you were with us. Otherwise we wouldn¡¯t have made it.¡± Mina looked up at Ever gratefully.


    Ever shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it¡­really.¡±


    ¡°Now what?¡± Nan asked finally gathering enough courage to let go of the door handle.


    ¡°We follow the wet rat.¡± Ever pointed at Anders in his otter shape, who was shaking the water from his wet fur and giving her a pointed glare. He moved forward and then turned back to the tunnel, trying to get them to follow him.


    ¡°She¡¯s right. We follow him.¡± Mina instructed.


    Anders went farther up the tunnel, trying to stay on higher ground¡ªanything that hadn¡¯t been submerged in the floodwater. He peeled off down a left passageway, and they came to a second set of air lock doors. Anders jumped up onto the round wheel and¡ªthis time when Mina turned it¡ªit unlocked and opened easily. He scampered right through the door.


    The girls were a bit more hesitant.


    Mina went first into the second air lock. It was dark. There was a slight smell of kerosene in the air as if a lantern or heater had been lit recently. She put her hands out in front of her and tried to make it to a wall, but she stumbled over something on the floor. Mina let out a cry as she fell forward onto the large form. She got up and tried to feel around on the ground but almost lost it when she realized what she was feeling.


    Her hands were roaming over a dead body.


    Chapter 12


    Mina¡¯s hands stilled on the dead body as bile rose to her throat.


    But then she realized it was still warm. Even though every part of her wanted to run away, she stayed.


    She heard a slight moan, and instinct kicked in.


    ¡°Light! I need light!¡±


    Ever and Nan searched the room until one of them found a kerosene lamp and matches. The room was quickly illuminated as Ever held the lamp close to Mina.


    ¡°It¡¯s Nix!¡± Ever cried out. ¡°He¡¯s hurt.¡±


    Nix was sprawled across the floor. He groaned and his eyes started to flutter open. He immediately reached for the back of his head and winced. ¡°Where am I?¡±


    Mina looked around, unsure exactly how to answer him. ¡°Right outside the air lock, below the river.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± he said, cringing again. ¡°I was supposed to meet you and take you to Constance.¡± He groaned and tried to sit up but almost tipped over from the pain. He curled up in a ball and nursed the wound on his head.


    ¡°Nick?¡± Nan said.


    ¡°Yeah. He¡¯s one of us,¡± Ever said without a blink. ¡°Nix, what¡¯s the last thing you remember?¡±


    ¡°I remember coming around the corner and putting the lamp down to unlock the door. I think someone came up from behind and attacked me.¡±


    ¡°You poor thing!¡± Ever said softly.


    Nan cast an odd look over to Mina, both of them surprised at Ever¡¯s nurturing side appearing out of nowhere.


    ¡°You mean someone from this side of the door?¡± Mina asked. ¡°Are you sure? Because that would have to mean it¡¯s one of the Godmothers.¡±


    Nix stood slowly with Ever¡¯s help. ¡°Yeah, it must have been. But why would they attack me? I¡¯m so confused.¡± He leaned against the wall.


    ¡°Someone sealed the outer air lock door, and we were caught by the river when the walls started to come down. We could have drowned. I¡¯m guessing whoever did that didn¡¯t want you in the way,¡± Mina answered.


    ¡°That¡¯s terrible! I¡¯m so sorry. If I had been paying more attention¡ªor if I was still a Nixie¡ªI would have been able to sense someone down here, so close to water. Mina, please forgive me. I¡¯m such a failure!¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re a¡­a Nixie?¡± Nan breathed out slowly.


    ¡°Uh¡­hi, Nan,¡± Nix said sheepishly. ¡°It¡¯s Nix actually. I mean down here with my kind it is. But for school and stuff, Nick is better.¡±


    ¡°Nix used to be a Nixie.¡± Ever spoke up.


    ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°Think jolly green giant but likes the water,¡± Ever explained.


    Nan chuckled. ¡°You said ¡®used to be.¡¯ What happened?¡±


    ¡°Something happened on the Fae plane¡ªand he was dying,¡± Mina answered. ¡°Charlie and I brought him over and now he¡¯s human. But he¡¯s still learning to adapt.¡±


    Nix grinned ear to ear. ¡°I¡¯m a fine specimen of human if I do say so myself.¡±


    Nan leaned over and whispered loudly to Mina. ¡°That explains¡­a lot.¡±


    ¡°Nix, I think we better find Constance.¡± Mina was exhausted, but whoever tried to kill them still had to be around somewhere. This day felt like it would never end.


    ¡°Of course, yes. Right away. That¡¯s what I was supposed to do. It was my only job and I botched it.¡± Nix turned and led the way, slowing a few times to touch the back of his head.


    Mina was so worried about him that she wasn¡¯t paying attention to the way they headed. She needed to do better.


    ¡°She¡¯s waiting for us.¡± Nix took a back hallway, and they passed the dining hall. Nan craned her neck, apparently wanting a slower tour of the place.


    When Nix opened the door to the library, Constance was sitting in the same high back chair as last time, drinking tea and talking with someone. Mina wasn¡¯t surprised to see her music teacher, but Nan certainly was.


    Constance glanced over at Nan. Her short white hair was particularly spikey today, reminiscent of a hedgehog. Her teal wing-tipped glasses matched her knitted button-up sweater and pencil skirt.


    ¡°Mrs. Colbert?¡±


    Constance straightened in her chair. Mina¡¯s guest seemed to take her by surprise.


    Quietly, Nan said, ¡°Our music teacher is a Fae too. This day just keeps getting weirder and weirder.¡±


    ¡°Yes, dear. I¡¯m a muse.¡±


    As they approached and could see both women, Mina cleared her throat, feeling awkward. ¡°Nan, you remember Mrs. Wong?¡±

 Page 21

    Nan¡¯s eyes widened as she recognized the small Chinese woman as well. She nodded.


    ¡°She goes by Meira here.¡±


    Mrs. Wong smiled at Nan. ¡°I¡¯m a brownie. You can call me Mei.¡±


    Anders ran across the polished floor toward Constance in obvious distress, squeaking and making odd noises. Her brows narrowed and she frowned. Apparently, Constance could understand them. ¡°What happened, Baldander?¡±


    The creature answered.


    ¡°I see. That¡¯s horrible!¡±


    She looked to Nix. ¡°Are you okay? Would you like to go to the healing garden?¡±


    Nix shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I won¡¯t leave Mina.¡±


    ¡°As you like. Let¡¯s get them dry.¡± Constance nodded to the puddles that were forming under their feet.


    Mei waved her hands over the girls¡¯ clothes and, within seconds, they were dry.


    Mina filled Constance in on their earlier events¡ªthe accident and Teague¡¯s warning. Both Mei and Constance were stumped.


    ¡°We shall have this incident investigated immediately,¡± Constance said.


    ¡°Mina,¡± Mei said softly, ¡°on the tail of our recent discovery, this is worrisome indeed.¡±


    ¡°The reason I¡¯ve brought you here, Mina, is so you can meet with the leader of the Guild and we can discuss a development. Come with me now; Nan and Ever can stay here.¡±


    ¡°No, they come with me. I¡¯m not letting Nan out of my sight, until I know that no one is going to mess with her memories.¡±


    Constance¡¯s eyes squinted, her thoughts impossible to discern.


    ¡°All right. But you mustn¡¯t interfere with the Guild¡¯s decision, Mina.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t. As long as I agree with their decision,¡± Mina added. She slowly stepped in front of Nan, in a protective manner. Mei caught Mina¡¯s eye and gave a subtle wink.


    A small smile flew across Constance¡¯s lips. ¡°We shall see. Mei, notify Ken and the others to put more wards up and send a team to investigate this interloper. We can¡¯t be left vulnerable,¡± Constance warned.


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll get right on it,¡± Mei answered before disappearing out into the hall.


    ¡°Follow me please.¡± Constance gestured toward the girls.


    Nix stepped in line behind Nan.


    ¡°Nix, you don¡¯t have to come,¡± Constance said.


    ¡°Yes, yes I do,¡± he said.


    ¡°Very well. This way.¡± Constance pointed toward a gray metal door at the back of the room, the rings on her fingers glinting in the light.


    They followed Constance out the door and down a hallway. The temperature started to drop and Mina¡¯s heart felt heavy. She could tell just from these two signs which way they were heading.


    ¡°Nan, close your eyes and give me your hand,¡± Mina whispered.


    ¡°What?¡± Her small voice sounded so distant and unsure. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Even now she was affected by the dangerous feelings assailing her. Nan gripped Mina¡¯s hand tightly. Nix slipped in front of Mina and took her hand, taking lead. He used his own body to block the Troll¡¯s unnatural gaze.


    Ever sucked in an audible breath and shivered. ¡°What is that?¡±


    Constance turned to warn them, but nodded her head for Nix to continue leading Mina and Nan past the troll. Mina¡¯s skin prickled and she could feel the hate radiating from the large gray troll who was slowly turning to stone.


    ¡°He¡¯s been trapped here for the last twenty years, when Teague last attacked the GM¡¯s headquarters,¡± Mina said. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t look the troll in the eyes, you can pass him. Most everybody is used to ignoring him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡± Nan¡¯s hand shook in Mina¡¯s. ¡°I feel¡­I feel¡­I need to get away from here.¡± She pulled her hand away, and Mina knew the moment Nan opened her eyes and saw the troll. She froze on the spot¡ªher mouth opened in fear, her eyes locked onto the troll. Tears started to pour from her eyes and her body trembled.


    ¡°Nan, don¡¯t look.¡± Mina yanked on Nan¡¯s hand, but she wouldn¡¯t budge.


    Nix rushed forward and wrapped his arms around Nan in a strong hug, burying her face in his chest, breaking the visual connection. His arms rubbed up and down her back in a comforting way. He whispered soft, encouraging words to her. When he was able to move her, he guided her down the hall and around the corner.


    Mina kept her eyes on the ground and followed, only pausing when she thought she heard something. It sounded like the troll had spoken¡ªbut that was impossible.


    His lips were sealed shut.


    Looking at the troll from the side wasn¡¯t as dangerous as a straight on. So Mina stopped and looked at the monster. He hadn¡¯t changed since she¡¯d seen him a few months ago. More of his face had turned to stone, but his eyes still moved.


    He blinked a few times and tried to turn his head to look at her. The sound came again. It was coming from the troll.


    Mina stepped closer, keeping just out of his line of sight. He was trying to speak to her. She leaned in to listen as the troll tried again.


    ¡°Soooooon!¡± the troll hissed.


    Chapter 13


    That one word made Mina¡¯s whole body quake in terror. No one else seemed to hear the troll¡¯s veiled threat since they had moved on and down the hall. She picked up her pace and joined the rest of the group.


    Constance stopped in front of a large bolted door surrounded with golden seals. ¡°Before you go, Mina, there is something I need to mention.¡± The Fae music teacher turned to look toward Ever, Nan, and Nix. ¡°You are taking on the responsibility of deciding how much you want to endanger your friends. Do you understand that?¡±


    Mina swallowed but nodded. It was a hefty burden, but at least they¡¯d be together. If she left them here, she had no idea what they¡¯d face. And they wouldn¡¯t know what she was up against either.


    Constance raised her hand, and a glow emanated from her palm. The seals mirrored the glow until Mina heard a set of clicks and the sound of metal sliding into its casing. Constance pushed the door open, and a soft white light poured from within.


    ¡°Come,¡± she beckoned. Nan hesitated only a second before entering.


    Mina, Ever, and Nix followed and spread out to surround a small glass table which held on it an inscribed and gilded wooden box.


    Constance waited until the door behind them had completely closed before she spoke. ¡°Nix please lock the door, I need to put up a ward so nothing escapes.¡±


    He turned the deadbolt on the door and Constance¡ªMrs. Colbert¡ªsang a scale of disharmonic notes. The letters on the box lit up, and Mina heard another click as if the box had unlocked.


    Nan looked scared, but her curiosity got the better of her. ¡°Escape? What¡¯s go¡ª¡±


    Nan froze. Mrs. Colbert finished waving her hand in the air and let it fall to her side.


    ¡°What did you do? Unfreeze her now!¡± Mina rushed to her friend and checked to see if she¡¯d been harmed.


    ¡°She¡¯s fine and will unfreeze momentarily. We just need a minute without her to discuss our terms before we proceed.¡±


    Mrs. Colbert gently opened up the lid and then pulled the sides open to reveal a hundred small compartments, each covered with a unique symbol. Her fingers flowed across each of them as she searched for the one she wanted.


    ¡°Aha!¡± she said softly. As she pulled open the small compartment, a tendril of light began to trickle out of the box. She wound it around her finger, and it solidified into a small golden charm. Quickly, she closed the drawer, as another tendril of light wanted to escape after the first one.

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    ¡°What is that?¡± Mina asked, wondering if these were the charms her mom wore.


    ¡°Pandora¡¯s box,¡± Mrs. Colbert answered, walking toward Nan with her hand outstretched.


    ¡°Like the Greek myth? Where Pandora opened the box to release all of the evil into the world. Is that the same box?¡±


    ¡°No, that box was destroyed. Since then, Pandora has tried to make up for her transgression by collecting the strongest and best attributes in the box as a way to make amends. We¡¯ve been the protectors of this box for over a century now. This is Pandora¡¯s jewelry box.¡±


    Nix moved over to stand closer to the box, highly interested in the other symbols, his lips moving as he read them. Ever kept to the edges of the room as she watched in silence. She had her arms crossed in front of her and leaned against the wall, pretending she wasn¡¯t interested in what was happening.


    But Mina could tell. She was as curious as Nix.


    ¡°It took many years, but we were able to add locks to each compartment.¡± Constance approached Mina and leaned down to speak quietly with her. ¡°The Guild and I have spoken. We listened to your request for help, and we¡¯ve voted in your favor.¡±


    ¡°Meaning?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve decided to allow you one.¡±


    ¡°One?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are allowed to tell one human. We will allow only one to know of our existence. Other than your immediate family of course...and your Fae friends.¡± She looked over at Ever and Nix.


    Mina was quiet for a second, contemplating how wrong all of this was. There were hundreds of Fae that knew about her, but she could only tell one human person. She had already told Brody and now Nan knew. She was already over her allotted human limit. ¡°What happens if I want to tell more?¡±


    Constance shook her head. ¡°We can¡¯t allow that. We would have to erase their memories ourselves. Any more and they become a liability to us, to you¡ª to all Fae. So I have to ask you now¡­¡± She held out the small gold charm in the shape of an anchor. ¡°Is Nan Taylor your one?¡±


    Mina¡¯s eyes flew to Nix who leaned back in surprise. He pinched his lips tightly, signaling that he wouldn¡¯t say anything about Brody knowing. Now¡ªwhen they were locked into a magic room with Pandora¡¯s box¡ªwas not the time to argue. But this clearly made him even more interested in the box full of charms.


    When Mina hesitated, Constance added, ¡°Because if she¡¯s not, we need to erase her memories before she leaves this room. And unfortunately, we aren¡¯t as skilled as the Fates in doing it.¡±


    Her veiled threat made Mina rush out her answer. ¡°Yes, yes. She¡¯s my one.¡±


    ¡°Okay then. The Guild will be happy to hear you¡¯ve chosen.¡± She waved her hand and Nan picked up right where she left off.


    ¡°¡ªing to escape?¡±


    ¡°Nothing that you need to worry about. Here, Nan. Take this charm and wear it, but do not ever take it off.¡± She pressed the small key-shaped charm into her hand. ¡°It will help unlock your memories and keep them from being altered in the future.¡±


    Nan looked at the little golden key charm. ¡°Sweet.¡± She lifted it up in the air and promptly dropped it. The charm slipped across the floor. ¡°Oops.¡±


    Nix moved away from Pandora¡¯s box and reached down to pick up the runaway charm. He handed it to Nan, shooting Mina a disappointed look.


    Mina understood. If the Guild caught her¡ªshe¡¯d just chosen her best friend over Brody. They would once again be back to square one in their relationship. But in that moment, she¡¯d had to make a choice.


    She would just have to make sure the Guild didn¡¯t find out.


    Mina was silent and despondent as Constance led them back to the main hall. Nan seemed as chipper as Mina had expected and took everything in great stride. She had a spring in her step. It also helped that Nan held onto the charm and continued to rub her finger over it like it was a good luck token.


    ¡°I¡¯m to bring you to the hall of mirrors,¡± Constance said.


    ¡°Ooh! Sounds interesting,¡± Nan smiled and came over to squeeze Mina¡¯s arm.


    The hall of mirrors was a white circular room filled with mirrors of all shapes and sizes. Mina had been in there once before. With Jared.


    The door they entered disappeared into the white wall, making it almost impossible to detect in the rounded room. The mirrors covered almost every square inch. One was the size of a small moving truck with an illegible plaque next to it. Many had ornate frames of gold or silver; a few had simple wood frames.


    Mina walked past an antique mirror, the glass now cloudy with dust. There was no shadow of movement behind it and she briefly wondered if that was because the Grimm it watched had passed on. There was no reason to clean a mirror if you weren¡¯t looking into it every day.


    Usually she could see at least the barest glimmer of a silver shadow before it came into focus. But now she noticed more mirrors had no movement behind them. They were just lifeless.


    She was drawn to her own looking glass, a smaller handled mirror that hung on hooks on the wall across from them. It took only a moment after her finger brushed the surface for her image to appear in her mirror. This time she didn¡¯t look around searching for the hidden cameras.


    Nan had moved over to a large mirror to check her reflection. She was studying the spot on her forehead where there¡¯d previously been a cut, but jumped in surprise when someone else¡¯s image reflected back at her.


    Mina turned to see who was in there. A large man in his fifties, wearing a suit, sat eating a bratwurst at his dinner table. The colors of the kitchen and the cabinetry didn¡¯t look American. It must be one of the distant Grimms over in Germany or Europe somewhere.


    Something moved near the edge of the frame, catching Mina¡¯s eye. A little brown mouse perched precariously on a wooden ledge, watching the goings on in the mirror closely.


    Nan waved her hand in front of the man¡¯s face but nothing happened. ¡°Hey. Hey you!¡± The man continued eating, oblivious to the fact that he was being watched in the mirror. ¡°This is so creepy.¡±


    Nix had apparently never been in the mirror room and was writing in the dust on all of the old mirrors. When he walked away, they read NIX in capital letters.


    ¡°Why¡¯d you do that?¡± Nan asked.


    He shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Now they will have to be cleaned.¡±


    ¡°Dork,¡± Nan rapped his shoulder playfully.


    ¡°Sprunk.¡± Nix answered, his face lighting up.


    Nan looked taken aback. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what that is.¡±


    ¡°And you think I know what a dork is?¡±


    ¡°Ha, ha. Very funny. That is exactly something a dork would say.¡±


    ¡°Not only are you a Sprunk, but you¡¯re a Feeter too!¡±


    Her eyes went wide, and she called out in a whiny voice, ¡°Ever?¡±


    Ever held up her hands. ¡°Don¡¯t drag me into this name-calling game, or both of you will lose.¡±


    Just then, Mei entered the hall of the mirrors, rejoining them.


    Constance moved to a small door near the floor and gave a slight knock. The door opened, and a little white mouse wearing spectacles and a blue robe stepped out.


    ¡°Hello, Constance, Mina, and friends,¡± the small mouse said in greeting. His high-pitched voice was soft and squeaky. Nan squeezed Mina¡¯s arm in unbidden excitement at seeing the talking mouse. He quickly ran up the closest frame, perched at eye-height for Constance.

 Page 23

    ¡°Hello, Baynard. What is our current situation?¡±


    Baynard rubbed his small paws over his eyes and adjusted his glasses. ¡°It¡¯s not good, not looking very good at all. They¡¯re disappearing at random.¡± He ran across the frame and crawled up a wire to the frame around another mirror. ¡°Our sources say that this one is next.¡± It happened to be the same mirror that Nan had been looking into earlier. Baynard hopped onto the same ledge as the little brown mouse, who moved over so he could sit by her.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Concern gripped Mina. Were the Grimms disappearing?


    Constance rubbed her hands together and then pressed them to her lips. ¡°We¡¯re not sure, but once we heard Mina¡¯s concern about her brother, the Guild has been monitoring the other Grimms more closely. We¡¯ve noticed that they are fading.¡±


    Mina¡¯s heart beat a little faster at that word. Fading?


    ¡°The watchers seem to have discovered a pattern.¡±


    ¡°What kind of pattern?¡± Nix asked, moving to get a better view of the mirror everyone was now crowding around.


    Baynard nodded his head and looked at a small pad of paper that the brown mouse held up for him to see. ¡°We don¡¯t know for sure that it¡¯s a pattern, but all of our research points to Leonard Grimm as the next one.¡±


    ¡°Next one to do what?¡± Mina asked, feeling extremely anxious. She wondered what in the world Constance meant by ¡°fading,¡± but now wasn¡¯t the time to ask. Everyone was busy watching Leonard.


    Mina wanted answers, and grew more frustrated by the second. She was bored with watching this distant relative eat his dinner. He had polished off his sausage and was now working on the sauerkraut. He burped, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and then speared another sausage for his plate. He began cutting the sausage and stabbed a piece on his fork.


    Mina¡¯s stomach was queasy just watching him eat, and she wanted to turn away, to look anywhere else. But everyone seemed to be waiting for something. So she watched the silver tined meat-bearing instrument head to his mouth and those fat greasy lips.


    The fork never reached Leonard¡¯s mouth.


    It dropped suddenly to clatter on the blue plate.


    The reason it never reached its destination?


    The Grimm in question ceased to exist.


    Chapter 14


    ¡°He¡¯s gone!¡± Nix exclaimed. ¡°Where¡¯d he go?¡±


    Mina couldn¡¯t believe what she¡¯d just seen. One minute he was there¡ªeating¡ªand the next¡­he was gone. He¡¯d just blinked and faded out.


    ¡°Did a Reaper get him?¡± Mina asked, scared of the reply. She knew personally how dangerous it was when a hunter from the Fae plane had a Grimm in their sights.


    ¡°Negative.¡± Baynard turned to the other mouse by the mirror. ¡°Rewind it, please, Thistle.¡± The little brown mouse reached up and ran her hands across the glass. The Grimm was once again back in the frame. Thistle paused the glass by placing both paws over the mirror. They were able to get a closer look at Leonard, and in his paused state they could actually see him starting to appear translucent¡ªthinner? Thistle lifted one paw, and we watched the horrendous scene all over in slow motion. He raised the fork to his mouth, and this time Mina watched Leonard¡¯s face. He didn¡¯t look scared; in fact, he didn¡¯t even seem to notice what was happening to him. He was so focused on the food in front of him, he never saw his own doom.


    ¡°What does this mean?¡± Mina asked. Her voice sounded anxious even to herself. ¡°This has happened before? How often?¡±


    ¡°Constance, do you mind?¡± Baynard asked. Mrs. Colbert held out her arm, and he scampered down onto her hand toward Mina. ¡°Mina, I know you don¡¯t know me. I¡¯m one of the Guild, and we take our job very seriously. We are the ones who assign the Godmothers to their Grimms. And lately, like you just witnessed, they are disappearing.¡±


    ¡°How can you let this happen?¡± Mina accused Constance.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t know what was happening at first. Our Godmothers were simply reporting that they couldn¡¯t find their charges. But when you informed me about seeing Charlie flicker out, I knew it had to be more. We checked the looking glasses, but they can only hold a few minutes¡¯ worth of history. All we saw were empty mirrors, frozen in time in the last place the Grimm was.¡±


    ¡°Do they reappear somewhere else?¡± Nix asked.


    The mouse shook his head sadly. ¡°All of our research shows that they¡¯ve just ceased.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®they¡¯ve just ceased¡¯?¡± Mina cried out, fearing she already knew the answer.


    ¡°They no longer exist. It¡¯s like they are being erased from time. All we know for sure is that something seems to be following the Grimms¡¯ line and wiping each of them out,¡± Thistle explained softly.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that because Mina is a Grimm, her branch of the family could be next? That Charlie, her mom, and she could be in danger of disappearing like that?¡± Nan pointed to the empty mirror.


    ¡°Unfortunately, yes.¡± Thistle hung her head.


    ¡°But you¡¯re not certain it will target her family? It¡¯s just a hunch? It could skip over her family entirely?¡± Nan¡¯s voice rose in pitch with each question.


    ¡°It won¡¯t,¡± Mina spoke up.


    Ever turned to Mina. ¡°It could be a fluke. Maybe it will stop. There¡¯s no guarantee that the rats are right.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not rats. Baynard is part of the trusted Guild of Fae Godmothers, like me,¡± Constance spoke up sternly. ¡°We are doing the best that we can.¡±


    ¡°Well, maybe your best isn¡¯t good enough. Maybe she needs a new Godmother,¡± Ever hissed.


    ¡°Ever!¡± Mina warned.


    ¡°No, she¡¯s right,¡± Mei agreed solemnly. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m capable of protecting her. That¡¯s why I pushed for allowing her friends to be a part of this. She needs help.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too late. I¡¯m already starting to fade. It¡¯s happened to my brother and now me. Tell me you know what¡¯s causing this!¡± Mina spun toward Constance and Baynard.


    Constance sighed and looked to Mei. ¡°I was afraid of that. Something has altered the course of the tale.¡±


    ¡°Which tale? This doesn¡¯t sound like any I know of,¡± Mina said.


    ¡°Your whole life is one long tale, starting back to the very beginning with the Grimm Brothers. That is the beginning of your tale; you are in the middle of writing it.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t the news she wanted to hear. ¡°And you¡¯re saying that someone has altered my tale? How can that be?¡±


    Baynard spoke up. ¡°From what we¡¯ve gathered, something big happened and altered the course of the Story. It may have to do with your ancestors. Do you see those mirrors that are yellowing and are covered with dust?¡±


    ¡°Yes, what about them?¡±


    ¡°They were not like that a week ago.


    ¡°What?¡± Nix, Nan, and Mina said at once.


    ¡°Something or someone has altered your history. It¡¯s only a matter of time before this occurrence catches up to our current timeline.


    ¡°How do I stop it?¡± Mina asked. ¡°How do I stop something that I can¡¯t see?¡±


    It was little Thistle that spoke up. She scurried down the wall and ran up Nix¡¯s arm. ¡°You can¡¯t. Not at this time.¡±

 Page 24

    ¡°Then she¡¯s a sitting duck. Not any duck¡ªprobably a Peking duck.¡± Nan ran to her friend and wrapped her arms around her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will hold onto you. I¡¯ll never let you go.¡±


    ¡°No, she has to go,¡± Thistle piped up again.


    ¡°You just said there was nothing she could do,¡± Nix intervened. ¡°Make up your mind.¡±


    Thistle tapped her foot impatiently. ¡°You¡¯re not listening. I said there¡¯s nothing she can do at this time. She can still stop this.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± Mina and Nan chimed together.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do in the present. You have to go back in time.¡±


    Chapter 15


    ¡°That¡¯s outrageous,¡± Mina whispered.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± Ever gasped.


    ¡°That¡¯s awesome!¡± Nan cheered.


    Ever looked the most startled at the prospect of time travel. Her face had paled. ¡°It can¡¯t be. I don¡¯t believe it.¡± She kept casting Mina sideways glances and frowning, but Mina was quite used to the odd looks from Ever.


    The thought of going back into the past terrified her. What if she messed up¡ªstepped on a butterfly and the following chain of events destroyed the world? Wasn¡¯t there a movie about that? There was no way she could do it.


    ¡°What does she need to do?¡± Nan jumped up and down in excitement.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s going to take some preparation,¡± Constance said. ¡°Baynard, how long would it take to get Schumacher in here to disassemble one of the looking glasses?¡±


    ¡°I believe it would take two days to craft at least. But there¡¯s no guarantee we could land her in the right spot or time.¡± Baynard turned and whispered to Thistle who took off running up a pipe that went into a wall and into the next room.


    The Guild had clearly decided on a course of action without her. They were going to send her back in time. Constance, Mei, and Baynard began to walk among the mirrors and study each of them. It seemed they were looking for a certain one.


    ¡°I think we should use one of the oldest. They are the strongest and have garnered the most magic over the years,¡± Mei said.


    Constance nodded her head. ¡°Yes, but we also need to make sure that we don¡¯t destroy its powers in the making. This could get tricky.¡±


    Mina was temporarily forgotten by the Guild as they plotted their next move. Nan, however, was thrilled at the idea of Mina going back in time. She immediately started to pressure her with all kinds of demands. ¡°Okay, make sure that you bring me back souvenirs, and if you see one of my family members, you should leave them with a set of winning lottery numbers. No, that won¡¯t work. Lottery wasn¡¯t invented back then. Wait, what time are you going back to?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Mina said heatedly. ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean you¡¯re not going? If you don¡¯t, you¡¯ll disappear!¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know that for sure.¡± She knew it was a stupid thing to say¡ªbut at that moment she was feeling very overwhelmed. This was not a task for a seventeen-year-old girl. There had to be someone else who could go back and fix whatever was wrong with the timeline. Some other Grimm.


    She was about to ask Mei who else could go when she turned and met Nix¡¯s angry emerald eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about backing out. You have to do this!¡± he demanded. ¡°It¡¯s not just your own life that you have to save.¡±


    ¡°Nix, I don¡¯t know if I can.¡±


    ¡°So what? At least you try. Mina, if it wasn¡¯t for you, I would have given in to the darkness and become a Sea Witch¡­or I would have faded and died. If something in the past keeps you from coming into my life, I¡¯m a dead man. Please do this! Please try and save¡ªnot only your family¡ªbut me as well.¡±


    ¡°You have to! You have to try and save Charlie and your mom!¡± Nan jumped in, cheering her on.


    ¡°No, send someone else! I¡¯m not strong enough to do this.¡±


    When Ever met Mina¡¯s eyes, she looked resigned. ¡°You have to.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t, Ever. I don¡¯t think I can.¡±


    Nix dropped to his knees and grabbed her hand. ¡°Mina, I beg you please!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Nix. Please don¡¯t ask me again.¡±


    Mina ran from the hall of mirrors with no clear direction in mind. All that mattered was getting away.


    Chapter 16


    Loud footsteps followed Mina, and she turned expecting to have to dissuade Nix from pressuring her to go back in time.


    Instead she was confronted with Ever. Her eyes narrowed and her lips pinched in stubbornness. A flicker of agitation flew across her face. She was far past upset.


    Mina stood there with her hands on her hips. ¡°Spit it out.¡±


    ¡°Nix,¡± Ever said. ¡°He helped you. He saved you.¡±


    Mina gave her a scorching look, but Ever ignored her. ¡°I owe him nothing. My debt was paid before he ever came to the human plane.¡± Mina glanced around, still confused that he hadn¡¯t followed her. ¡°Where is Nix?¡±


    ¡°I told him to not interfere and that I would try and reason with you,¡± Ever said defensively. ¡°I won¡¯t let you hurt him.¡±


    Mina was taken aback by her venomous tone. Ever¡¯s invisible pixie wings fluttered behind her, stirring up her dark hair. Another sign of her heightened emotion.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt him,¡± Mina replied. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine. He¡¯ll be better off if he never meets me. He¡¯ll still be a Nixie. There¡¯s no proof he would have turned into a Sea Witch. At least he¡¯d still be alive.¡±


    Ever snorted. ¡°He would have made a terrible sea witch. He¡¯s too kindhearted.¡±


    ¡°You should be worrying about me.¡±


    ¡°Mina,¡± Ever said, trying to keep her voice calm and even. ¡°Nix is human now thanks to you. He¡¯s defenseless against the dark prince¡¯s power.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, defenseless like me.¡± Mina rushed out angrily.


    ¡°Ugh, there¡¯s so much I could¡ª¡± Ever shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s your own fault. You returned the Grimoire to the Fae plane, you gimp. And destroyed¡­Jared.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that would happen, because no one ever told me anything.¡±


    ¡°Listen to me, Mina. Nix is good. Saving him is the one good thing you¡¯ve done since I¡¯ve met you. You betrayed Jared, and now he¡¯s gone. I won¡¯t let that happen to Nix. Someone has to protect him from you.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? By not going back, I¡¯m not going to hurt Nix.¡±


    Ever sighed and rubbed her forehead. Her shoulders slouched forward in defeat. ¡°Look you don¡¯t understand. You have no choice. I see that now¡ªso clearly.¡± Her eyes grew misty with tears. ¡°And I¡¯m going to hate myself forever for saying this¡­but if you don¡¯t go back, I¡¯ll never forgive you.¡±


    ¡°Ever, what are you not telling me?¡±


    Ever rubbed her arms as if to ward off an invisible chill. ¡°You¡¯re a Grimm. You can¡¯t help that. Even if you don¡¯t mean it, you will eventually betray us all. But I care about Nix, and I¡­I want what¡¯s best for him.¡±


    ¡°I do too. You have to believe that.¡±

 Page 25

    Ever dropped her head, refusing to make eye contact. ¡°I wish I could. All I can tell you, Mina, is if you do what the Godmothers tell you, you¡¯ll save your family.¡±


    ¡°How can you be certain?¡±


    She lifted her head and tears ran freely down her face. ¡°I just have a feeling. Call it Pixie intuition if you must.¡±


    ¡°Ever, that¡¯s not enough.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t it be enough?¡± She turned to kick the wall. ¡°Gah, you were just as infuriating back then.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®back then¡¯?¡±


    Ever blew out a deep breath and ignored the question. ¡°Don¡¯t try and argue with me. Get your tush turned around and go back to the hall of mirrors. You have a quest to finish and a family line to save. More than you can possibly know is riding on this. If you don¡¯t mess this up, you have a chance of righting more than a few wrongs.¡±


    She wanted to ask more, but Ever vanished around the corner.


    Confused but determined, Mina retraced her steps and found the hall of mirrors. Nix sat on the floor, his head leaning against a smooth wooden frame. Nan kneeled in front of him, trying to coax him out of his depression. Constance and Mei were busy detaching a mirror from the wall and lowering it onto a rolling cart.


    Mei patted the antique mirror and gave Mina a wide smile. ¡°I knew you¡¯d come around. You are not one to let others suffer. Yourself? Yes. Others, no.¡±


    ¡°I had to have someone talk some sense into me. I seem to have lost all my own for a minute.¡± Mina walked over to look at the mirror they had removed from the wall. The frame was made of crystal clear glass inlaid with diamonds and pearls. It looked to have been well taken care of over the years. ¡°That¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very old. Probably the oldest mirror here.¡±


    ¡°Whose is it?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry about it.¡± Mei ran her hand across the frame and a sparkle followed her hand. ¡°I know we are asking a lot of you. You have met every challenge so far with great strength and determination. I¡¯m proud of you.¡±


    ¡°Mei, I¡¯m scared,¡± Mina admitted.


    ¡°I know, sweetie. I¡¯d question your sanity if you weren¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°What if I go and I can¡¯t get back? What if I get stuck there¡­or killed?¡±


    Mei shrugged her shoulders. ¡°There¡¯s no guarantee, Mina. But we hope you can stop whatever is doing this to the Grimms.¡±


    Mina sighed. ¡°What do I have to do?¡±


    Constance came and placed her hand upon Mina¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Do you still have the seam ripper?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Good, because you never know when you might need to jump from plane to plane. Keep it with you at all times. We will do our best to get you to the right time.¡±


    ¡°What do I do when I get there?¡±


    ¡°You blend in. Try and find whatever caused the anomaly and fix it. But you will only have a short amount of time before you are transported home. A few days at most¡ªbut possibly as little as hours.¡±


    ¡°And what if I can¡¯t find the problem?¡±


    ¡°Then you and your family are doomed.¡±


    ¡°Okay then. No added pressure or anything,¡± Nan chimed in, coming to stand beside her. She met Mina¡¯s eyes, her face full of understanding. ¡°You know I would go with you if you asked.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Baynard answered. ¡°We don¡¯t have another mirror. We can¡¯t send you both back.¡± He¡¯d reappeared from a ledge above them, Thistle at his heels.


    ¡°Schumacher says he thinks he can have it done by tomorrow evening,¡± she said. ¡°Once the enchanted item is made, it will decide on the best time and place to send you. Once the shoes become active, you will have only seconds before you¡¯re transported. It will be the same with returning. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I think so,¡± Mina answered feeling lightheaded. This wasn¡¯t a good time to faint.


    ¡°Good.¡± Baynard pointed, and Mei took the mirror out of the room. ¡°Expect a forthcoming delivery with further instructions.¡±


    ¡°I think she¡¯s got it,¡± Nan answered for her. ¡°I¡¯ve got total faith in her.¡±


    ¡°That makes two of us,¡± Nix smiled. He stood up and brushed his hands off on his pants. ¡°Thank you, Mina.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet,¡± Mina breathed out softly. ¡°Wait to see if I fail first. I may end up in the wrong time period.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± Ever confirmed in a loud voice. ¡°You¡¯ll make it, but your course of action once you¡¯re there will determine your future.¡± Ever¡¯s eyes were puffy and her tears had removed all of her makeup. She looked so lost. ¡°So don¡¯t mess it up again. Got it?¡±


    Confused, Mina just gave Ever a thumbs up.


    ¡°So we don¡¯t know exactly when she¡¯ll have to go back, right?¡± Nan asked.


    ¡°Right. We have to wait for Schumacher,¡± Baynard said, looking across the room as the door opened again and Mei came in.


    Nan leaned in. ¡°Is there still a chance she can go to the ball tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°I completely forgot.¡± Mina slapped her forehead.


    Constance looked worried.


    Mei¡¯s interest was piqued. ¡°A ball, you say? That¡¯s my specialty. After all, I am your Fae Godmother.¡±


    Mina groaned.


    Chapter 17


    It was the suckiest of all sucky days. Mina was walking the line between being extreme happiness and hysteria. Constance worried about the Fae Guild being attacked and promised that they would be on alert. Nix was sent to the healing ward to get his head taken care of, and Mei drove all the girls home. Once Mina reached the safe haven of her messy bed, she collapsed on a pile of clean laundry and slept through the night.


    She woke around two Saturday afternoon.


    Her mom must¡¯ve seen how exhausted she was and let her sleep. ¡°Woohoo, Meehna. Wakey wakey. Open door. We get you prettied up for you big date.¡± Mei was pounding on her bedroom in full on Mrs. Wong character.


    ¡°Mmmfff, not by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin,¡± she grumbled loudly into her pillow. Mina turned her head to make sure the door was locked. It was. It was a terrible idea for her to go to the ball, especially when she had much bigger problems.


    Maybe she could close her eyes and wish really hard and everything would just go away. It¡¯d all be a dream.


    No such luck. She heard a whooshing sound as the lock on the door turned with a click. Mei¡¯s grinning face peeked through the crack in the door. ¡°I huff and puff and blow your door in.¡± In other words, she used Fae magic.


    Mei carried a large garment bag draped over her arm and gently laid it across Mina¡¯s back, pretending not to see her in the pile of clothes and blankets amassed on her bed.


    Mina groaned and pulled herself out from beneath the offending garment bag until she slid off the other side of the bed. Peeking up from beside the mattress, she glared at Mei. ¡°I¡¯ve decided to not go.¡±


    ¡°You have to go.¡± Mei gave her the stink eye and thrust her fists onto her hips. The dreaded finger came out and began to wave at her. ¡°Every Fae Godmother dreams of this, and they never get the chance. They always boys. You make my dreams come true and be a girl for once.¡±

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    ¡°I¡¯m a girl,¡± Mina argued offensively.


    ¡°Not today you not. You stink like river. Get in the shower now.¡±


    Mina cringed and pulled her collar up to sniff it. Oh yeah, she reeked. It was that odd combination of lake water and fish. Without another word of argument, she grabbed a towel and headed to the bathroom. It wasn¡¯t the world¡¯s quickest shower, but it was fast in her book. She came back into her room wearing her pink polka dot robe, a towel wrapped around her brown hair, and her Cookie Monster slippers.


    As Mei finished fluffing her pillow and placing it on her neatly made bed, she cast one look at Mina and started muttering about how she could give Charlie a run for his money in the odd costume department. In the few minutes she¡¯d been gone, Mei the brownie had cleaned her room top to bottom. She could see her floor and the odd colored rug, her clothes were folded and put away¡ªeven the pictures and knickknacks had been dusted. If she hadn¡¯t had known Mei was a brownie, she would surely have accused her of being a cleaning fairy.


    But the cleanliness of the room was quickly forgotten at the sight of the glorious dress that peeked out of the unzipped garment bag on her closet door. Mina walked to the bag and reached out to run her fingers across the white bodice. It looked to have been embroidered in intricate fine silk half-moons. She noticed the barest glimmer of small crystals buried deep within the silk. The skirt flowed downward into what she first thought were squares of silk, but were actually feathers.


    ¡°What is it made of?¡± Mina asked, nervous she might brush across it too hard and break the threads of silk.


    Mei grinned merrily. ¡°You like? The bodice is made from the rarest spiders¡¯ silk and moon crystals. The skirt is made from the feathers of the golden goose. You my dear are vera vera lucky.¡±


    Tears formed in Mina¡¯s eyes. Never before had she seen such splendor¡ªand she would be the one wearing it! ¡°Oh, Mei, thank you. You wouldn¡¯t happen to have a rabbit¡¯s foot and a four-leaf clover would you?¡±


    Mei made a face. ¡°Why? Those not lucky. Those superstitious mumbo jumbo.¡±


    Her Godmother continued to fuss over her. She blow dried her hair and curled it, using a wee bit of Fae magic to get the curls flowing perfectly over one shoulder. ¡°Now, this is a masquerade, right? So you need a mask.¡± She reached down to pull a feather from the skirt and cupped it into her hands. Bright gold light poured from between her fingers, and she held up a perfectly sculpted feather and crystal mask that matched the dress.


    Mina couldn¡¯t help but let out a little cry of joy.


    Her mother came to look in on her. ¡°Oh, she¡¯s beautiful!¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Mei smirked proudly, folding her arms. ¡°She¡¯ll make anyone fall in love with her tonight.¡±


    Her mother ran to get the camera and spent the next ten minutes taking silly pictures along with serious ones. It was almost time for Brody to pick her up.


    When she heard the knock on the door, her heart thudded in anticipation. He¡¯s here!


    How come she was suddenly excited to spend the evening with him when just a few hours before it had terrified her? Everything was going so well. Maybe she¡¯d been wrong about her next quest. Maybe this had nothing to do with Teague and the Story. It wasn¡¯t like Brody¡¯s car would turn into a pumpkin.


    Charlie beat Mina to the door and yanked it open.


    An extremely tall and gangly man with an equally long face stood on their front porch. His skin was pasty white, and his eyes were small and beady as if he never saw the sun.


    ¡°Can I help you?¡± her mom asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m Schumacher. I¡¯ve brought you your shoes.¡± His deep voice resonated, reminding Mina of Lurch from an old show called The Addams Family. Charlie and she would often stay up late to watch the reruns.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± her mom said again, glancing at what he was holding out in front of him.


    Mina was scared to look, but she leaned to the side of Mei and¡ªsure enough¡ªsitting in the palms of Schumacher¡¯s long hands was a pair of pumps with a small two-inch heel fashioned from glass. Mina and Sara both registered the implications at the same time, because her mother slammed the door on poor old Schumacher.


    ¡°Mom! We need those.¡±


    ¡°No you don¡¯t! I know what this is. Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were given another tale? I¡¯m your mother. I should know if your life is in danger,¡± she spoke harshly.


    Mina rushed to her mother, grabbed her hands between her own and tried to calm her. ¡°Mom, listen to me. We will always be in danger as long as we are alive. There¡¯s no way around the curse. But there¡¯s something even worse that is about to happen to you, to Charlie, to us¡­if I don¡¯t take those shoes and use them to save us.¡±


    Her mother started to cry. She reached out and pulled Mina into a long hug. ¡°I know. I know this is something you have to do. But don¡¯t ask me to not worry or be afraid. That¡¯s my right as a mother to be terrified for you.¡± She sniffed and wiped at the back of her nose with her sleeve. Mina stepped back and nodded.


    Charlie had kept the curtain back to stare at Lurch.


    Mei pulled her mother into another hug, and they both watched as Mina approached the door again.


    She opened the door and Schumacher was still standing there with the beautifully horrifying shoes. Beautiful in their design, horrifying in what they symbolized.


    ¡°I¡¯m Schumacher. I¡¯ve brought you your shoes,¡± he repeated.


    ¡°Why yes. Thank you, Schumacher.¡± Mina held out her hands to receive the shoes from him. The glass shoes tinkled together when she grasped them. Upon closer inspection, Mina could see that they were a mixture of clear glass and long pieces of mirror. The sole of the shoes were lined with mirrored glass, and she could see her reflection staring at her from within the slippers. The form and heels were sculpted glass, the tops decorated with little glass diamonds. These were the creation of not only a master cobbler but a master glassblower as well. ¡°They¡¯re beautiful.¡±


    He nodded and his long face stretched into an awkward smile. He leaned forward and whispered softly to her. ¡°Wear now.¡± Mina opened her mouth to ask a question, but he cut her off. ¡°Now. Wear now!¡±


    Mina¡¯s mouth lost all of its moisture. ¡°Sounds good.¡± Her tongue felt like a piece of sandpaper when she tried to answer him. She watched as Schumacher turned and stepped off of the porch. He walked to the nearest shadow, made from a large maple, stepped into it, and disappeared.


    She turned and showed the shoes to Mei who only whistled. ¡°You hear him. Listen to Schumacher. Don¡¯t dilly-dally. Put them on.¡±


    Mina did just that. Her toes felt weird sliding across the cool mirrored glass, and she was terrified that they would shatter if she put her whole weight on them. But they held. And she didn¡¯t go flying across the floor when she walked in them either.


    Another knock sounded on the door.


    This time it was Brody. He smiled, showcasing his dimple. In his black form-fitted tux, which only made his blond hair look even more sun-kissed, handsome wasn¡¯t quite the word. Mina thought she heard her own mother sigh.


    Mina¡¯s mom showed them the camera and they posed for picture after picture, but no matter what Mina did, she couldn¡¯t regain her joy about this evening. She knew her smile must looked forced. Every time she took a step, those darn shoes tinkled against the wood floor. Taunting her about her duty¡ªher journey that could start any minute.

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    They were about to leave when Mei ran back up to Mina and gave her a quick hug, pressing something cold and round into her hands¡ªthe seam ripper. Mina ran back to her bathroom tucked it in the dress. She took one last look at her reflection in the mirror and tried to smile.


    The smile froze on her lips when her reflection began to flicker in and out.


    Chapter 18


    The conversation on the way to the ball was a bit stilted and one-sided. She knew she was being a terrible date by not responding with more than one word answers. Brody even asked her multiple times if she was okay. She could see by the way he gripped the steering wheel that he was getting frustrated.


    ¡°It¡¯s the curse, isn¡¯t it?¡± he choked out as he pulled the car up to valet parking.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she admitted.


    He breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Good, because for a minute there, I thought you didn¡¯t like me anymore. But don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m here. We¡¯ll finish this tale together.¡± He reached out to touch a lock of her hair. ¡°I never got a chance to apologize.¡±


    ¡°Apologize for what? I¡¯m the one who should be apologizing. I¡¯m making this into a horr¡ª¡±


    Brody¡¯s finger touched her lips, silencing her words midsentence. And making her accidentally kiss his fingers. ¡°I¡¯m apologizing because I never got to say how beautiful you look tonight. When your brother answered the door and I saw you standing there, I was at a loss for words.¡±


    Mina was afraid to move, her cheeks burning in embarrassment. He leaned forward to kiss her when the driver-side door swung open.


    The valet attendant stood there awkwardly. ¡°Oh, excuse me. I¡¯m s-sorry.¡±


    Brody didn¡¯t pull back but changed direction and ended with a slight peck on her cheek instead. She was slightly disappointed, but they had an audience.


    Brody hurried to make it around the car before the attendant, to open her door for her. She took his hand and let him lead her toward the steps of the country club.


    The club was built to mimic old plantation homes but on a much grander scale. Large columns lined the front of the building and its long wraparound balconies. A light shone in each window giving the place a warm and inviting feel. For once, the weather was cooperating and the evening was warm.


    She saw a fire truck pull up the driveway and circle around to the back of the club.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Brody answered. ¡°There¡¯ll be a fireworks show at midnight tonight.¡±


    ¡°Oh, cool,¡± she replied, trying to not sound stressed. He took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. She was sure it was probably cold and clammy, but she tried not to think about it as he led her up the steps to the front doors.


    His mother was one of the greeters, and she looked regal in a gown of gold, her hair secured in a coif with gold colored pearls.


    ¡°You made it, and you¡¯re on time,¡± Melody teased her son.


    He gave his mother his most dashing smile then leaned in and gave her a kiss on each cheek.


    Melody held her mask in her hand and turned to greet Mina warmly. ¡°Welcome, Mina. I hope you have a magical night.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it will be one to remember.¡± Mina returned her smile.


    Melody pointed to the mask Mina was twirling in her fingers. ¡°Don¡¯t forget. You can¡¯t enter without wearing your mask. Brody, where¡¯s yours?¡±


    ¡°I forgot it¡­at home.¡± He didn¡¯t seem the least bit sorry.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s no problem. We are prepared for just this scenario.¡± His mom turned to a stand next to her and handed Brody a plain silver mask from the small tray.


    Brody shrugged his shoulders. ¡°It was worth a shot.¡± He picked up the mask and placed the black elastic band over his head. Mina followed suit, although hers was attached with thin silver ribbon.


    ¡°Here, let me.¡± Melody reached out and helped Mina. ¡°You look lovely, dear.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    With masks properly secured, they entered the country club hand in hand. It seemed the doors to the ballroom hadn¡¯t been opened yet and everyone was mingling in the foyer. Tuxes, ruffled dresses, and perfume filled the air, and the impending quest made Mina feel nauseated.


    They were there barely a minute before Lara, wearing a skin-tight green formal dress and Daphne in short purple mini-dress descended on them from a spiral staircase in the middle of the room. They must have been lying in wait for Brody. Both girls wore matching masks, covering just their eyes and noses. The way they smiled in Mina¡¯s direction filled her with unease.


    Their smiles were too confident, too pasty white, too fake.


    ¡°Oh, Brody sweetie, you¡¯re here,¡± Lara drawled. She came up and planted a kiss on each of his cheeks. Daphne sidled up close and followed suit, but her pecks on each cheek were drawn out much longer than was appropriate.


    Brody pulled back in surprise at Daphne¡¯s advances and almost tripped over another attendee.


    Daphne laughed and pulled him closer to her. ¡°Careful, I¡¯m not usually the one doing the saving.¡±


    Lara looked irate, but she quickly calmed herself and turned to offer Mina a small booklet with a ribbon. ¡°Here you are.¡±


    ¡°What is this?¡± Mina asked, looking it over. She opened it up and saw each of the songs laid out in order. Next to each song was an unfamiliar name.


    ¡°It¡¯s your dance card, silly.¡± She opened up her own book and explained. ¡°It¡¯s the song list that we worked on, and next to each is your dance partner for that song. Since you¡¯re new to this event, and we didn¡¯t feel it was right for yours not to be filled, we took the liberty of filling it out for you.¡±


    Mina scanned the list and her heart fell. Brody¡¯s name was only on there twice, right after a Simon Rochester. She looked over at Lara¡¯s dance card and raised her eyebrow.


    ¡°Honey, it¡¯s not considered proper to dance with the same person too much, and Brody said you were just a friend. We thought it pertinent to fill it with other eligible men.¡± She smiled, and Mina wanted to shove her fist through those pearly whites.


    Brody, confused, picked up Mina¡¯s dance card and scanned it himself. Then he pulled Daphne¡¯s from her wrist, much to her own surprise. ¡°I¡¯m on your card three times.¡±


    She pouted beautifully. ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m not just a friend from school.¡± Daphne ran her hand around the back of his neck and he yanked away from her.


    He looked ready to explode. ¡°Who approved this?¡±


    ¡°Why, your own mother, Brody. Weeks ago. It was her idea. That¡¯s why she wanted the music picked out ahead of time,¡± Daphne said. ¡°Then at the end of the night your cousin¡¯s band the Dead Prince Society will perform. But until eleven o¡¯clock we follow these.¡± She held up her own card.


    ¡°We posted the available dance cards online, and they were mostly filled within hours,¡± Lara added. ¡°We sent you the link, Brody. The ones who didn¡¯t sign up got distributed among the dance cards. Did you not check your email? You can talk to your mother if you want, but it¡¯s all been approved. Don¡¯t create a scandal for your family.¡±


    Brody ran his hands through his hair. Clearly, he was torn. Of course he didn¡¯t want to cause a scene and embarrass his parents.


    Daphne smiled like the cat who ate the mouse. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t know. I¡¯m almost certain I heard your mother mention it to you.¡±

 Page 28

    He looked defeated and turned to Mina. ¡°I¡¯ll fix this¡­I¡¯ll¡ª¡± The ballroom doors opened and everyone began to press forward into the room. Mina was caught in the hustle and bustle of activity and became separated from Brody. She found herself off in a corner near one of the verandas and desperately scanned the crowd for him.


    But with every male wearing a tux and a similar mask, it was impossible to pick him out.


    Mr. Carmichael stepped up on a small stage near the seated orchestra and pleasantly welcomed the guests. He held out his hand and Melody joined him on the dais. Brody walked up the steps next to her. Mr. Carmichael continued, ¡°We¡¯re so thankful for your support of our theme this year. I have to give a warm round of applause to the wonderful gem who put this together¡ªmy lovely wife Melody.¡±


    Melody smiled, tossing her head to the side, and waved to the room. Applause followed, dying down when her husband started to talk again. ¡°I also have to say that I¡¯m extremely proud of our son, Brody, who has become quite the eligible young man.¡±


    The room filled with feminine cat calls and Brody shoved his hands into his tux jacket, staring at his feet. His face reddened and his dad playfully punched his shoulder. Brody gazed across the crowds, and Mina knew he was searching for her.


    ¡°We¡¯d like to begin the evening with the first dance. So ladies, look to your cards¡ªand gents, find your partners.¡± Brody moved to step off of the stage, but Melody grasped his hand. ¡°Brody, wait.¡±


    He turned expectantly.


    His father said, ¡°You can¡¯t skip out on the first dance with your mother.¡±


    Brody¡¯s smile was genuine. ¡°Oh, I hadn¡¯t realized. It would be my pleasure.¡± He extended his elbow and led his mother onto the floor. Soon more couples joined them.


    Mr. Carmichael cued the conductor and the music began. It sounded like a slow waltz. Mina looked to her card and saw a name she didn¡¯t recognize. The good thing about wearing a mask was that her partner might not find her.


    A slight tap on her shoulder crushed all her hopes. ¡°Are you Miss Grimes?¡± the portly man asked. A graying mustache poked out from beneath his silver mask. An aroma of old musk surrounded him, and Mina guessed he must be in his mid-fifties.


    She sighed and turned to give him her most polite smile. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°The two lovely young ladies over there directed me to you.¡± He pointed to Lara and Daphne. ¡°I believe this dance is mine.¡±


    She inwardly cringed but put her hand over his and let him guide her to an open area on the floor. It was worse than she imagined. Within the first few measures, she had already stepped on his toes twice. Her partner was very patient as she struggled to find the rhythm.


    ¡°Easy now. The waltz is the backbone of all dances. It¡¯s three-quarter time. If you can learn this, you¡¯ll be very well off,¡± he said gently.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she mumbled, feeling better that Brody wasn¡¯t the one to watch her fail.


    ¡°Right foot forward, to the side, and feet together.¡± Her partner continued to give her tips. ¡°Now left foot back, move to the side, feet together. Imagine an invisible box and your feet can only move along the outline of this box. Do you see it? Now listen to the orchestra. Do you hear it? Can you feel it?¡±


    After a few more measures of counting and listening, she finally heard it. When they made two full rotations of the waltz and she didn¡¯t step on his toes once, she beamed up at him. She did have to count 1-2-3 in her head the rest of the dance, but she laughed and did a little fist pump when the song was over. ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°You did wonderfully.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me. You¡¯re an excellent teacher.¡±


    ¡°That is only because you were a quick study.¡± The music started to transition to another number, and her partner bowed low, excusing himself to find his next pupil. Mina almost laughed when he moved on and tapped his chubby finger on Lara¡¯s shoulder.


    She gave him a horrified stare. Her face curled up into an ugly snarl, but she followed him onto the floor.


    Mina couldn¡¯t hold back a chuckle. She actually felt sorry for her previous partner. If all of the others on her dance card were like this, then maybe she could make it through the night. And as long as Prince Charming danced with her and fell in love with her, then this quest would be over. Was it too much to assume that she was Cinderella in this tale? It sure felt that way. Lara Steppes and Daphne Ziester were obviously the stepsisters.


    An annoying giggle came from a pair already on the floor. Mina had to bite her tongue as she watched Daphne claim Brody for the next dance. This piece was slower, and she watched as Daphne wrapped her hands around his neck, forcing him to dance closer than he wanted to. An angry burning jealousy bubbled within the pit of her stomach, and Mina had to turn away and count to ten to calm herself.


    Brody had asked her to come. He was here with her.


    But Mina didn¡¯t have much time to dwell on that. Her next dance partner, a younger man¡ªin his late twenties, she¡¯d guess¡ªfound her. She politely asked him how he knew who she was. He looked a little embarrassed but explained that he knew everybody¡¯s name in the room except for her. And he hadn¡¯t been able to take his eyes off her since she entered the hall.


    Mina fell silent after the compliment. She wasn¡¯t expecting one from a complete stranger.


    As they danced, Mina saw that her first partner was right. After learning the waltz, it was easier to learn another dance. Her new partner helped her through the turns and didn¡¯t seem to mind that she didn¡¯t know what she was doing. He seemed charmed by her innocence. The dance ended.


    Finally, Brody came to claim her for their first dance. His hair was messed up and there was a smear of lipstick across his cheek. The sight made her uncomfortable, except that she knew he hadn¡¯t left the dance floor the whole time. He¡¯d just been the victim of Daphne¡¯s parting gift.


    Brody gripped Mina around the waist and pulled her to the middle of the floor. ¡°How are you surviving?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m actually quite enjoying myself,¡± Mina laughed.


    Brody frowned. ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate. You should be just as miserable as me, since we haven¡¯t been able to dance together.¡±


    ¡°What do you call what we¡¯re doing now?¡± she teased.


    He had to stop and look down. ¡°Uh, dancing.¡±


    ¡°And are you miserable?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not,¡± he admitted.


    ¡°Then quit complaining.¡± They continued to dance, Brody leading, Mina attempting to follow. He joked and she laughed, but something felt off. Maybe it was the building tension she felt¡ªa tremble of trepidation that sent shivers down her arms.


    The song was almost over when a mirror ball was turned on and the room alit with dancing lights. A woman and her partner stopped dancing to comment on the display.


    ¡°Hey, those shoes are amazing! How much did it cost to get them to light up?¡± the lady in the blue dress asked.


    ¡°Light up?¡± Confused, Mina looked around at the faces as the crowd slowed to watch her. Lifting the hem of her dress slightly, she gasped aloud. Her glass slippers pulsed with a light that grew brighter and brighter.


    ¡°Mina, what¡¯s happening?¡± Brody asked.

 Page 29

    ¡°No, not here! Not now!¡± Mina turned to run off the floor.


    Brody called out after her, but she didn¡¯t stop, didn¡¯t slow down. She just kept running. Tears started to fall as she realized the implications of what she was doing. She ran through the foyer, toward the exit, aiming to get out of the building and onto the golf course behind the club. Somewhere where there were less people.


    She never made it. Her shoes sparkled and the lights flickered faster. She picked up the hem of her dress and barely made it down the first few steps when Brody burst through the doors in a panic, as if he too realized what the Cinderella story really entailed. He would lose her.


    And¡ªwith the Story in charge¡ªhe might not find her.


    ¡°Mina!¡± Brody yelled from the top of the stairs.


    She stopped running. ¡°Stay back, Brody.¡± Mina stood on the bottom step, holding her hands up warning him away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go,¡± he said. ¡°Please.¡± He looked heartbroken.


    ¡°I have to. I have no choice.¡± The tinkling sound grew more intense, and a piercing white light surrounded her, cutting off her view of Brody. One minute, she saw him mouthing her name and reaching for her. The next¡ªhe was gone.


    Chapter 19


    Mina refused to move until her eyes adjusted from the flash of light.


    Right before she¡¯d transported, she heard a loud sucking noise followed by a small pop. She could only imagine what being pulled through time would do to her nervous system. Her limbs tingled from the rush of returning blood as if her whole body had fallen asleep. Tall spindly forms began to come into focus around her.


    Trees.


    Where had she ended up? When? Teeth chattering uncontrollably, Mina wondered how the whole time travel thing actually worked. Had she gone into a hyper sleep? Broken down into energy particles, beamed somewhere else, and rematerialized like on Star Trek? The sheer thought of it all scared her. She was just grateful to be alive and in one piece.


    She tried to take a step, but her body seized up in pain and she had to grab onto a nearby tree for stability. Her hands were cold as ice, but she tried to continue moving. She didn¡¯t know how much time she had, but she figured she needed to find Jacob and Wilhelm. This whole curse had started with them, so maybe if she could find them and warn them about the Fae plane, she could convince them never to set foot there. Maybe, just maybe, she could end the curse before it ever began. Then the brothers would never catch the eye of the Fae or the Reapers. And her family would be safe.


    But what if Schumacher¡¯s shoes didn¡¯t take her to the right time? What if she didn¡¯t land in Germany¡ªor anywhere in the vicinity of where she needed to be to save the Grimm Brothers? She tried to keep herself together and not fall into hysterics. She really should start thinking things through before she agreed to these plans.


    Wait, she had thought them through. She said no! Look how well that didn¡¯t work.


    She blinked and studied the mossy pine forest around her. Her eyes had adjusted enough that she could try and make it out of the woods to look for a road. If she could find a highway, it might lead to a town where she could get more information.


    A few steps told her it would be a difficult journey. Her glass slippers were impossible to walk in, and the heels kept sinking into the soft earth.


    She gathered the skirt of her dress, watching her step carefully. She made it to a clearing and looked up into the night sky, hoping to see the North Star.


    ¡°Oh crud.¡± Mina was on the verge of breaking down. The night sky was alit in a glorious display of stars, but¡ªunlike her stars on Earth¡ªthese were moving and shooting across the black expanse. Something that wouldn¡¯t happen on her plane. At least not to the extent that it looked like a never-ending display.


    Which meant she was on the Fae plane.


    Mina found a stump and sat down to take off her shoes. It may not have been the smartest thing to do, but she could move faster without them. Gripping the glass slippers in one hand and holding up her dress in the other, she started walking.


    The moonlight shed a bit of light in the woods. Mina had no clue what direction she was heading, since she couldn¡¯t find a single point in the night sky that would stay put long enough for her to get her bearings.


    Suddenly, an immense shadow flickered on the ground as something passed over her. She froze in her steps and waited, counting to thirty before she continued on. When the shadow passed over her a second time, she ducked underneath the canopy of the nearest tree. Mina tried to calm her nerves and scan the sky for the owner of the shadow, but her silent predator made no sound. Staying beneath the branches of the trees, she kept moving. She needed to either find shelter or lose whatever was tracking her. The size of the shadow filled her mind with the worst possible man-eating-beast scenarios.


    Her canopy came to an end. She¡¯d have to run without cover to the next copse of trees. Gripping the shoes close to her chest, she counted to three and took off running across the meadow.


    She heard it before she saw it. The screech of her pursuer was the only warning, a sound so terrifying it made her body tremble. She looked up to see an immense red-gold griffin bearing down on her from above, its front claws outstretched to maim her. She threw up her hands to protect her face just as something dark darted out from a nearby tree and knocked the griffin out of the sky. Mina felt the barest touch of the griffin¡¯s wings across her back as she dove to the ground.


    Her rescuer swooped back into the clearing¡ªanother griffin. The much larger red-gold griffin veered right and pulled up into the sky again, driven off course by the smaller griffin. Its feathers were gray, fading to black along the hindquarters. The dark griffin flicked its feline tail, while its bird-like head screeched at its airborne enemy. Then, it landed right in front of her. Up close, the griffin was terrifying¡ªa four-legged beast with the hindquarters of a powerful lion and the giant flesh-ripping talons of a bird. Enormous gray and black wings extended from the powerful predator¡¯s back.


    Mina was frozen in terror, lying on the ground in front of the black griffin. Its scorching breath heated her face, and she tried to not show fear.


    The powerful beats of the golden griffin¡¯s wings thundered in the air around her as it tried again to attack her from above. But the black griffin screeched and opened its wings wider, claiming her as its own.


    Mina was too terrified to scream or run. She just stayed low and waited for the ensuing battle over who got to eat her for dinner.


    The golden griffin wouldn¡¯t back down and kept calling out in challenge from the sky. Twice more it feinted toward her, veering away at the last moment, trying to draw out the black griffin. The third time, the predator flew even higher, tucking its wings to its side with its talons extended, prepared to attack.


    Mina watched in wide-eyed astonishment as the black griffin¡¯s feathers grew lighter and it shifted into a smaller form. Before her eyes, the tail disappeared along with the wings, until a young man stood before her, protecting her. He turned his face upward and held his strong arms outward, challenging the griffin.


    When the giant griffin saw the man, he squawked in fear and pulled up. Ungainly and clearly disappointed, it flew away into the moving starry sky with its tail between its legs.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that,¡± the young man spoke up. ¡°The griffins are allowed to hunt these grounds freely. When, they¡¯re hungry, they tend to forget their manners and will fight over food. Sometimes they need to be reminded that a Royal is never to be undermined.¡± He kneeled down and gave her a brilliant smile, offering a hand to help her up. ¡°Are you okay? You shouldn¡¯t be out in the Fates¡¯ woods unescorted. It¡¯s much too dangerous. And, Milady, where is your coach?¡± He looked around and waited for her to explain her sudden appearance.

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    Mina was powerless to answer him and unable to comprehend who stood in front her. It was Jared.


    No, that couldn¡¯t be right. The eyes were the wrong color.


    ¡°Y-you saved me?¡± she answered breathlessly.


    His eyes lit up and crinkled with laughter. ¡°So you can speak. For a minute there, I thought I had saved a mute. But mute girls don¡¯t exist except in Fae tales.¡±


    He was beautiful. The moon highlighted his strong chiseled jaw. His dark hair wasn¡¯t as long as she remembered but cut shorter along the sides. His eyes were full of joy, and she could see the hint of teasing mischief that lurked there. As he helped her up off the ground, his warm hands held onto hers just a second longer than was necessary. Her heart was in utter turmoil as she tried to process the voice and personality that were coming out of the young man. It had to be Teague, but he wasn¡¯t trying to kill her. He was being polite, bewitchingly charming even, which was more Jared¡¯s style.


    He pulled her up and she crossed into the moonlight. It was his turn to be left speechless.


    ¡°I know you,¡± he stated emphatically.


    Mina felt a tremor of cold dread run through her veins, and she stepped back from him in fear. Teague didn¡¯t let her move away, but grabbed her hand and pulled her closer. Mina cried out, thinking he was going to try and hurt her like before.


    She leaned away from him. ¡°Let go of me. Please, let go.¡± She whimpered and pushed against his chest when he came too close.


    ¡°Why do you fear me? I will not harm you.¡± He immediately let go of her hand and stepped away, giving her space. Clasping his hands behind his back, he continued to study her, every emotion showing on his face.


    ¡°Do you know me?¡± Mina whispered, doubtful.


    ¡°Yes¡­and at the same time, no.¡± This time he seemed like the one who couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve dreamt about you. I didn¡¯t think you were real, but here you are.¡± He reached out to her but caught himself and stood up straight. His hands went behind his back again.


    It was odd, but she felt reassured by the way he was holding himself in check. She wasn¡¯t afraid anymore. Mina watched as his eyes devoured her every inch of her. He held himself impossibly still and swallowed nervously the closer she came to him.


    Teague wore a high-collared shirt tucked into black pants and black polished boots. A ring of silver leaves embellished the collar. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said, bowing. ¡°Let me introduce myself to you. I¡¯m Teague, Prince of the Fae. And you are?¡±


    She faltered for an answer. ¡°No one of importance. Someone you would be better off forgetting.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a game. I see. I¡¯ll play along. You can tell me when you¡¯re ready.¡± He reached across the space between them and found she wasn¡¯t afraid. He ran the back of his finger down her cheek, then turned his hand over and cupped her face.


    She leaned into him, lost as he gazed upon her with utter and pure longing. Underneath that stare, she trembled, knees weak.


    Mina shook her head and shivered again, this time from being cold. The night air was quickly leaving goose bumps across her flesh.


    ¡°Please tell me I¡¯m awake,¡± he whispered softly and closed his eyes.


    Mina stepped closer, wondering if he meant for her to overhear his plea. ¡°You¡¯re awake, I think. I don¡¯t know if the same goes for me.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s one way to find out.¡±


    ¡°What? Are you going to pinch me?¡± Mina teased, feeling safe.


    ¡°I was thinking more along the lines of a kiss.¡± He smiled again, and her heart fluttered. ¡°But I know that wouldn¡¯t be proper of me, given the current situation.¡± Only then did he frown and turn to look off in the distance. ¡°In three days¡¯ time, I¡¯ll be betrothed.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Then, congratulations on the betrothal¡ªalthough you don¡¯t seem too excited.¡± Mina answered, doing some quick mental calculations. If the stories were true, then Teague¡¯s betrothal happened before the Grimm Brothers ever crossed onto the Fae plane. She groaned when she realized she¡¯d been sent too far back in time. Maybe even by years.


    He shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Happily ever after with a complete stranger. Yes, I¡¯m ecstatic. Please excuse me if I¡¯m not dancing for joy.¡±


    Mina was confused. ¡°You¡¯ve never met her before?¡±


    He eyed her sadly. ¡°I¡¯ve met a few of them at formal dinners and such, but most of the eleven I¡¯ve only heard about in stories. Over the last few days, I¡¯ve been flooded with details about them¡ªtheir attributes, beauty, and family lineage¡ªbut they¡¯re still just names on parchment to me.¡±


    ¡°Eleven? You¡¯re going to marry eleven girls?¡±


    He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. ¡°Will you walk with me?¡± He offered a hand, and she placed her hand in his, letting him lead her down a path, toward a downed tree. As he reached out, the tree began to glow, shifting and changing into a beautifully carved bench. Mina sat on it and he sat next to her, his hand still wrapped around hers. Part of her wanted to pull it away, and another was curious at the weight of his hand in hers. It was a reassuring feeling, yet confusing at the same time.


    The warmth of him seeped through the fabric of their clothes to her shoulder. He looked at their hands intertwined, and he smiled.


    ¡°Would you like to hear a story?¡±


    The word ¡°story¡± made her gasp inadvertently.


    He released her hand from his and she felt the immediate loss of both his trust and his warmth.


    She bit her lip and pulled herself together. ¡°Yes, I would.¡±


    Teague dropped his gaze to the ground and let out a slow breath. ¡°I have no desire to marry any of the girls my parents have tried to parade in front of me. But they¡¯ve given me an ultimatum¡ªpick one or they¡¯ll strip me of my title.¡±


    He looked so hopeful and young. Of course he was. He was a few Fae-hundred-years younger than the person she knew. Teague was sitting next to her, before he¡¯d been corrupted, when he was still good and full of innocence. Her heart filled with sympathy because she knew what his future held. His soul was destined to grow cold with hate until he was pure evil. Unless she could stop it¡­but how? There was no way she could kill him when he was so uncorrupted.


    ¡°So what are you going to do?¡±


    His smile fell. ¡°Do? I can do nothing. I waited too long. The choice has been taken from me. The Fates have arranged a betrothal ceremony. The girls arrive tomorrow. They¡¯ll be the most powerful, the most beautiful, and the most intelligent girls in the land. And one of them will be my future bride.¡± The word ¡°bride¡± was filled with such distaste. He leaned forward, placed his head in his hands, and groaned.


    Mina gently set her hand on his back, offering what little comfort she could.


    He turned to look at her, an apologetic expression on his face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was rude. You are not much more than a stranger either, but here I am pouring out my troubles on you.¡±


    ¡°No, not rude. You¡¯re stressed and worried. I understand. Sometimes when the choice is taken from us, we feel like a victim. I get that.¡± It was easy to utter those words which mirrored her own feelings toward her curse.


    ¡°What would you do in my situation?¡± he asked. He leaned in closely, and she felt herself swallow.

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    What could she tell him? She couldn¡¯t encourage him to do the wrong thing and alter more of history than she was supposed to. Repercussions could be endless. She had to be careful to only affect her own timeline. Still, it seemed like he was asking her permission for something.


    ¡°Hope for the best. Maybe you¡¯ll find your true love over the next few days. And if not true love, then true friendship. But I do have to ask¡ªwhy haven¡¯t you married before now?¡±


    He gave her a slow smile that rocked her to her core. ¡°Because I never met the girl of my dreams¡­until now. Tell me, though I can already see it in your eyes. You know me like I know you. You¡¯ve dreamt of me also, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    Heat flooded her cheeks and her heart skipped a beat. How could he know just from a look? The Prince of Fae may have been dreaming of her, but how could she explain that when he appeared in her dreams they were her worst nightmares? She shivered at his words and her stomach sank. He saw her shudder and mistook it.


    ¡°You¡¯re cold? I¡¯m so sorry. It¡¯s late. I should be getting you back to your escorts.¡± He paused and looked around in confusion. ¡°Where are they?¡±


    ¡°I seem to have lost them,¡± Mina lied.


    ¡°Well, that will be no problem. I¡¯ll find them. And if not, I¡¯ll send a coach for you, and you can come to the palace. I¡¯ll tell my parents there¡¯s one last addition to list.¡± He grinned and stood back a few feet.


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t. I¡¯m not here for¡ª¡±


    But he didn¡¯t hear her. ¡°Have you ever seen a Royal shift? Because only the Fae with royal blood can do it.¡±


    Mina pursed her lips at him and laughed. ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t mean earlier. That doesn¡¯t count.¡± His smile lit up his face. ¡°Name anything that flies, and I will find your entourage.¡±


    She had no desire to ruin his fun by telling him she had seen him shift numerous times in the future. And he looked so earnest, she couldn¡¯t help but laugh at his attempt to impress her. ¡°Okay, how about a bald eagle?¡±


    ¡°What is that?¡± he asked, confused. She realized her mistake. He wouldn¡¯t know all of the creatures from the human plane. Yet.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bird.¡±


    ¡°Well how can a bird be bald?¡± he laughed. ¡°That¡¯s absurd.¡±


    ¡°Uh, never mind. Why don¡¯t you pick?¡±


    ¡°All right. Stay here and I¡¯ll be back with your escorts shortly.¡± Teague stepped back and took off running.¡±


    ¡°No wait!¡± Mina called after him.


    He just waved at her and kept running. He spread his arms and leapt up into the air, shifting into a fiery phoenix. His feathers left a trail of flames in his wake and she watched as his path lit up the sky. She tried to keep him in her line of sight and wave him down, but she was quickly distracted. The shoes that she had left discarded on the ground began to glimmer and flash.


    Already? She hadn¡¯t finished what she came here to do, but she couldn¡¯t be stuck in the past. Mina ran to the slippers as their flashing picked up speed, like a timer counting down to activation. She wouldn¡¯t get to say goodbye to Teague. He wouldn¡¯t know where she¡¯d gone.


    Mina got one foot in the slipper and dropped the other. She cried out and slipped her foot back in just as another ball of light enveloped her.


    She shot down a bright luminescent tunnel.


    Chapter 20


    This time she was burning hot, and her muscles felt like rubber. She opened her eyes to find herself collapsed in the driveway of the country club¡ªonly a few feet away from where she had left Brody.


    In fact, he was still there.


    ¡°What just happened? You disappeared, and now you¡¯re here again. Where¡¯d you go?¡± Mina reached for Brody and he helped her up, although she immediately felt like falling again. ¡°You¡¯re burning up. Are you okay?¡±


    Mina nodded. ¡°It¡¯ll pass. Just give me a second.¡± Odd. It seemed going into the past made her body cold, and shooting into the future made her core temperature a raging inferno. This couldn¡¯t be good for her. And she¡¯d blown it. She hadn¡¯t saved anyone. Her family was still doomed.


    It was all because of the stupid shoes. They were broken. They didn¡¯t work. Not to mention she¡¯d been sidetracked by Teague and his problems. Brody helped her back inside the country club and to a private sitting room. Once she sat down on the chair, her defeat set in, and she started to cry. She¡¯d failed.


    Brody wrapped his strong arms around her and let her cry on him. His hand rubbed her back as he tried to comfort her. When Mina had settled down, he asked, ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡±


    ¡°I went back in time. The shoes did it. I was supposed to help my ancestors and save myself and my family from disappearing.¡±


    It took Brody all of one minute to let the news sink in. ¡°And you knew the shoes did this? That they would take you back in time. When were you going to tell me?¡± That reaction was not what she expected.


    ¡°Soon. After tonight. I don¡¯t know. I was just given them today, and no one told me when they would work¡ªonly that they needed to charge. Then¡ª¡± she waved her hands in the air, ¡°¡ªpoof I would go. But they sent me to the wrong time. I was nowhere near where I should have been. In fact I was on the wrong plane entirely.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯d you end up?¡±


    ¡°On the Fae plane. I was attacked by a griffin.¡±


    Brody didn¡¯t look pleased. ¡°Take them off,¡± he demanded.


    ¡°I can¡¯t. I need to be ready in case they work again. In fact, give me your phone. I have to call Mei.¡±


    His lips thinned in frustration, but he let her have his cell phone. She quick dialed in Mei¡¯s number.


    Mei answered on the second ring. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Mei, it¡¯s me. It didn¡¯t work. I didn¡¯t fix anything,¡± she rushed out. ¡°I doomed everyone.¡±


    ¡°Mina, Mina. Calm down, okay?¡± There was muffled whispering, and then she heard static. ¡°You¡¯re on speaker.¡± Mei¡¯s voice sounded far away. ¡°Constance is here.¡±


    Mina put them on speaker phone too, so Brody could hear. ¡°I ended up on the Fae plane. Not the human plane. The shoes are defective.¡±


    There was a moment of silence, and then Constance said, ¡°They¡¯re not defective. How long were you gone?¡±


    ¡°I think only a few seconds,¡± Mina answered. Brody nodded his head in agreement.


    ¡°Then they took you exactly where you needed to be for the right amount of time. I¡¯ve talked with Schumacher, and he explained that they can only hold you in time for a certain amount total before their powers are depleted for good. Look at the heel.¡±


    Mina slid one shoe off and turned it over. Sure enough, within the heel was a small hourglass. The top half was filled with hundreds of tiny diamonds that looked like sand. Some had started to fall, but the top was still filled.


    ¡°Do you have time left?¡±


    ¡°Yes, there are still diamonds within the heel.¡± Mina swallowed and felt herself start to relax.


    ¡°Then you still have time. Trust the shoes; trust Schumacher. Just don¡¯t lose them¡ªdon¡¯t even take them off,¡± Constance said.


    ¡°You¡¯ll do it, Mina. You will fix this.¡± Mei jumped in, trying to calm her down.

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    ¡°What do I do now?¡± Mina asked. A knock came on the door. ¡°Wait,¡± she whispered. Mr. Carmichael popped his head into the room and motioned for Brody. When he was out of earshot, she whispered softly. ¡°I met Teague on the Fae plane, and he didn¡¯t know who I was.¡± She turned the volume down slightly so Brody and his dad wouldn¡¯t hear.


    ¡°Then keep it that way. Don¡¯t let him figure out who you are. Lie. Mina, I¡¯ve told you before what you need to do to break the curse. If you go back again, I think you must seize your moment,¡± Constance said.


    ¡°And do what?¡± she said louder than she meant to. Brody glanced over at her, his brows lifting in concern before he turned back to speak to his dad. It seemed like things were getting heated over there too.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. I¡¯m just stepping into the hall,¡± Brody said. He stepped out and closed the door softly.


    ¡°Mina you know what you have to do to save your family, your mother, and even your father.¡± Constance¡¯s voice became sterner. ¡°I know you know. Now I want to hear you say it.¡±


    She sighed loudly into the empty room, ¡°Kill Teague.¡±


    Constance waited a moment before responding. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve come to accept that. This is why the shoes took you to that time and place. You can gain his trust and kill him before it¡¯s too late.¡±


    The shoes started to flash again, signaling another time jump.


    ¡°Oh no! It¡¯s about to happen again,¡± Mina called out in fear. Mina turned the volume back up and set the phone on the seat beside her. She stood up.


    ¡°Mina?¡± Mei¡¯s voice sounded unsure and her voice filled the room over the speaker phone. ¡°If you do this, you may never meet me in the future. Because there will be no need for Godmothers.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Mei,¡± Mina started to cry.


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying this to dissuade you.¡± Her voice was shaky with emotion, ¡°I just wanted to say that I have come to love you dearly, like my own daughter. And I¡¯ll miss knowing you.¡±


    ¡°I love you too, Mei,¡± Mina sobbed.


    ¡°Mina,¡± Constance¡¯s self-assured voice called to her.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Do whatever you have to do to survive. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Mina answered, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. She moved to the middle of the room, leaving the cell phone on the chair.


    ¡°And, Mina, one more thing,¡± Constance¡¯s voice sounded.


    ¡°Yes?¡± The shoes were flickering wildly, sending beams of light all over the room.


    ¡°You make us proud to call ourselves Godmothers.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Con¡ª¡± The ball of light surrounded her and she was cut off.


    Chapter 21


    This time she was prepared for the aftereffects of the time travel¡ªthe chill that ran through her body and the tingling sensation of pins and needles.


    But she was sorely unprepared for the band of giants that immediately surrounded her upon her arrival. Their crested metal helmets and large thumping clubs created an intimidating and menacing picture.


    ¡°I got her,¡± the closest giant bellowed, lunging for her. He swung out his hand as if to try and pick her up by her feet.


    Mina tried to run but couldn¡¯t get her limbs to work. She tripped over the hem of her dress and fell into a pile of leaves. It looked to be mid-afternoon, if she had to hazard a guess.


    ¡°Careful! You¡¯re scarin¡¯ it.¡± A giant of slightly less stature than the other piped up. The giants backed up and Mina was left alone to struggle and get her legs to support her.


    The leaves clung to her feathered dress and sticks and twigs were entangled in her long brown hair. She must look strange to them. The giants weren¡¯t as frightening as long as they weren¡¯t trying to kill her, and apparently they weren¡¯t¡­at least not yet.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Mina asked when she was able to stand without wincing and walk a couple feet unaided.


    The first giant¡ªthe one who¡¯d tried to catch her¡ª seemed the least pleased with taking it easy on her. He had rough gray-colored skin, dead eyes, and a very large chin.


    The smaller giant with sunspots splattered across his nose appeared to be the talkative one of the group. ¡°We¡¯ve been sitting out here for hours, waiting for you.¡±


    ¡°For me? Why are you waiting for me?¡± Surely that wasn¡¯t right.


    ¡°Captain Plaith said to escort you to the palace,¡± he answered. They had to be mistaken. If it truly was her they¡¯d been waiting for, the passage of time must flow differently on the Fae plane¡ªwhat was minutes in her realm had been hours in the Fae.


    The giants closed in on her and forced her to walk among them as they marched through the woods.


    Wedged in the middle of the pack, she had no choice but to follow their lead. They walked for a quarter mile before they came to a road. Pulled off to the side was a white carriage, drawn by four large mice. Mina wondered who the carriage was waiting for, when a giant opened the door and motioned for her to get inside.


    She picked up her skirt and put one foot on the step. A large hand shoved her roughly from behind and she landed fast face first in a velvety purple cushion. Mina heard the laughter that followed at her expense, and she might have yelled at them if they weren¡¯t dangerous giants. She heard the snap of a whip, and the carriage lurched forward. Once the carriage was moving, she felt it was safe enough to part the curtain and look out the side window.


    She wondered if Teague¡¯s betrothal had already passed, and if he was angry at her for disappearing like she had. Mina was surprised at how the thought saddened her, though it shouldn¡¯t. She knew that historically, Teague got betrothed, but then the betrothal was broken off. That turning point was the epicenter of the problems.


    Her one chance was to try and catch him unaware. ¡°Oh please.¡± She closed her eyes and whispered. ¡°Let him not have turned already.¡± For the dark prince petrified her; this kinder one she could handle.


    She sat back in the seat and was almost lulled to sleep by the swaying of the carriage. Half an hour later, she heard the sound of hooves. She sat up again and looked out the window. They were beside the lake, and the mountain backdrop was just the same as the view she¡¯d seen with Nix the day she¡¯d destroyed the Grimoire. They seemed to have fallen in behind another carriage, this one the color of fresh leaves in spring. It was hard to tell, but Mina thought she saw the back window flap on the carriage move as someone peeked out.


    A white and black carriage pulled by four beautiful white horses with snow white manes came up alongside Mina¡¯s coach and then moved in front of them. She watched for signs of life, but this passenger wasn¡¯t as curious as the one in the green carriage.


    Mina¡¯s curiosity got the better of her. She couldn¡¯t help but stare out her window at the bright colors and strange steeds that pulled them. Truly, there were rhinoceros-like creatures, unicorns, and tamed griffins. One carriage was even pulled by forest trolls. Her driver seemed to be aware of what was passing, and he let every carriage pull in line in front of theirs.


    Over the next fifteen minutes, the line became a caravan. Twelve carriages rode toward the palace.


    The closer they came to the familiar snowcapped mountain, the more hands she saw pointing into the sky from the carriages. Mina didn¡¯t need to look to know that the griffins patrolled the skies. But she wondered if she alone knew the glory of the palace¡ªsuddenly visible¡ªat sunrise and sunset. The sun had not set yet to reveal the splendor of the white palace. At all other times it was nestled, hidden, on the far side of this mountain lake. Its only access was a single stone bridge that led across the lake and ended in the glamour.

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    Mina shivered when she saw the bridge, because she knew that hungry trolls lay in wait underneath it, a siren statue stood guard deep in the murky water, and giants guarded the front gates. They were all there to protect the Royals from intruders, from attackers, from assassins¡ªfrom her.


    The first carriage in the caravan began to cross the bridge to the middle of the lake. Unlike the last time she¡¯d been there, when the giants tossed a carriage and driver into the lake, these guards let the carriage pass without a second glance. The carriage disappeared into a protective veil. The second carriage passed the giants and then the third.


    Curiosity drove her to continue peering out between the curtains, and she saw a young girl with long midnight-black hair looking out of the white and black carriage.


    Her hair was much longer, but there was no mistaking the petite features and easily irritable face of Ever. Mina sucked in her breath and was about to yell and wave in her direction. Then she remembered this was before Ever knew her. Everything was becoming more surreal with each passing minute. This was what Ever had been hinting about but refusing to tell her.


    Ever¡¯s coach passed through the veil.


    Mina sat back and found herself holding her breath and squeezing her eyes shut as her own mouse-drawn carriage followed the others. For the second time in her life, she felt the buzzing and pop as she passed through.


    The glamour dropped, and she was once again seized in the moment. How beautiful the Fates¡¯ castle was with its shimmering walls, arched gold and silver gate, tall towers, and artisan-carved sun and moon symbol throughout.


    The carriages pulled up into a long receiving line hosted by two beautifully adorned individuals¡ªthe sun and moon themselves. The Fates were waiting on the steps. Queen Maeve, her raven black hair sparkling like starlight, wore a dress of deepest blue which made her pale skin look even paler. A crown of silver rested upon her brow. Her delicate hand was entwined with her husband¡¯s. King Lucian was dressed in the same blue, with gold suns embroidered along his sleeves, his crown golden. Where his wife was pale, he was tan, and his honey-wheat beard and hair seemed to soak up the rays of the sun. He honestly emitted a warm glow.


    Even from a distance you could feel their love for each other radiate from them. Next to them, standing tall and looking extremely dashing, was Teague. His own royal garments complemented his parents¡¯, the slightly lighter tint highlighting his nervous blue eyes. His gaze flickered over the awaiting coaches and then back to his parents. His expression was entirely opposite theirs. He looked forlorn.


    King Lucian smiled and waved a footman forward to open the first coach¡¯s door. A young woman stepped out and walked forward to be presented before the Fates.


    ¡°Miss Annalora Goldfind,¡± the footman hollered out, his voice echoing across the lake.


    The young woman smiled sweetly and curtsied before the Fates. Then an escort led her into the palace. As the carriage drove off, the next one took its place in line. The footman opened another door and a woman with pink skin and deeper pink hair stepped out in a startlingly pink dress. Mina thought she heard the name lady Fuchsia. Like the young woman before her, she was presented and led indoors.


    She needed to get out of the princess receiving line before she the Fates realized she was not from their plane and imprisoned her for life. Arriving at the palace on her terms, not the giants¡¯, was the wise approach. Mina reached for the handle of the door on the side of the coach facing away from the Fates. She opened the door to jump out, but her way was blocked by a troll.


    ¡°Going s-s-somewhere?¡± He sneered cruelly.


    ¡°Yes, anywhere that¡¯s not here,¡± she answered. Her frankness only elicited a raucous laugh from the troll, startling the mice. That caused them to dance into the carriage in front of them, jostling it around.


    Ever¡¯s head popped out and she tried to soothe her horses. She shot an annoyed glance¡ªutterly and oddly familiar¡ªat Mina and the troll whose laugh had started it all.


    ¡°You¡¯re funny,¡± the troll acquiesced.


    ¡°And you¡¯re funny smelling,¡± Mina said. He laughed again, but he refused to budge from her door.


    ¡°Nice try. Sit.¡± He pushed her in her chest with one of his ginormous fingers. The force of the impact sent her crashing backwards into the opposite door and causing it to open. As the carriage rocked, she held tight to the doorframe. The door swung open, smacked the side of the coach, and then swung back inward to nail her on the behind.


    ¡°Yeouch!¡± Mina yelped. She grabbed the door, slammed it shut behind her, and ducked to the ground, as if she could hide from her own stupidity. Every eye there¡ªincluding the Fates¡¯¡ªmust be on her at the moment. She peeked through the parted curtain and saw that¡ªthough the royal couple didn¡¯t seem to be looking her way¡ªa frowning Teague seemed to have noticed the commotion with her coach.


    More girls entered the castle, and it was almost time for Mina¡¯s coach to pull up. What would happen? Would they open the doors and immediately arrest her for trespassing? Would she be fed to the trolls under the bridge?


    She quickly ran her hands through her hair to pull out the stray leaves and tried her best to brush off her skirt. The coach dipped as a footman stepped up and asked for her name.


    What in the world was she supposed to say? She couldn¡¯t very well tell them she was from another dimension. Or give them her real name. She bit her lip and tried to think of something, anything. Then it came to her.


    The Story was pushing her this way. She might as well play her part in it. ¡°Cin¡ªuh¡­I mean Elle Cinder.¡±


    ¡°From¡ª?¡±


    What would Mei Wong tell her to do? She¡¯d probably say stick as close to the truth as she could. Immediately, an image of a where she used to live popped into her head. The small apartment above the Wong¡¯s Golden Palace Restaurant.


    ¡°Elle Cinder from the lands of the Golden Palace.¡±


    He leaned closer and whispered back at her harshly, ¡°There is no such place.¡±


    ¡°Where I come from there is.¡± She tried to make her voice drip with arrogance.


    Frustrated, the coachman poked his head through the curtain and gave her a glare. His long pointed ears were turning red at the tips. ¡°Do you expect me to lie to the Fates?¡±


    ¡°No, but who¡¯s to say that I¡¯m lying?¡±


    He shook his head and gave her a long look. ¡°Your neck, not mine.¡± He leapt nimbly down and stood in front of the coach as another footman opened the door. He cleared his throat and seemed to rethink the announcement, but finally raised his voice loudly. ¡°Miss Elle Cinder from the Lands of the Golden Palace.¡±


    Mina took the offered hand of a third footman and let him help her down the steps. Her nerves got the better of her and she almost tripped, but she recovered before anyone noticed. Her body moved on its own, and she found herself standing in front of Queen Maeve and King Lucian. She could feel the moment Teague recognized her, because his gaze bored a hole through her.


    He continued staring, and she was afraid to look, afraid to make eye contact. She curtsied before the Fates and was about to rise when King Lucian stopped her.


    ¡°Elle Cinder,¡± his strong self-assured voice repeated. There was no question in his voice. He seemed to be repeating it so he could remember.


    ¡°Yes, your¡ª¡± What was she supposed to call him? Majesty? Highness. Her mouth went dry and she finally spit out, ¡°Royalness.¡±

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    Lucian smiled and slowly rubbed his beard. Queen Maeve gawked at her, judging her. Mina noticed the moment when the Queen dismissed her, because her gaze moved past her and beyond.


    Mina¡¯s legs began to quiver from staying low in the curtsey.


    She was doing great so far at not making eye contact with Teague. His black leather boots had not a single spot of dirt on them. Suddenly that black boot started to tap impatiently, as if trying to draw her attention upward. Was this it? Had the giants brought her all this way so Teague could send her to prison?


    Knowing the moment was at hand, and it was no longer avoidable, Mina looked up and her breath caught in her throat.


    He was frowning, but then the corner of his mouth lifted in the hint of a smile that he was trying to hide. Her eyes traced a line from his lips and his angular jaw up past his nose to make contact with his deep blue eyes. Which were alit with¡ªrelief?


    He bowed. ¡°Elle,¡± the name rolled off his tongue, and she shivered.


    She was certainly thankful he wasn¡¯t furious at her, but she could tell he wanted to say more. He held her gaze and flicked his eyes to the right. She glanced in that direction. There wasn¡¯t anything over there.


    He did the motion again, and she realized she was supposed to head up the steps and follow the other girls inside. She was standing there like a goof staring at the prince.


    ¡°Oh yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± She lifted her skirt and proceeded up the steps. When she got to the top, she hesitated again. There were two options. She started to go left.


    ¡°To the right,¡± Teague whispered.


    ¡°I knew that,¡± she said into the air, refusing to look back at him. His laughter followed her down the corridor. When she was out of his line of sight, she started to run¡ªnot down the hallway toward where the other girls were waiting¡ªbut for an exit. An escape route. She found a smaller hallway and followed it around to another side door. Thinking this must be a servant¡¯s entrance, she opened it and dashed inside.


    Only to come face to face with beautiful girls in a waiting room.


    Eleven hateful gazes greeted her.


    Chapter 22


    ¡°Hi,¡± Mina said meekly. She waved her hand in a wide arc in good old American fashion. Which was obviously not the thing to do, because the scowl grew deeper on the girl closest to her. Apparently, waving was not in their etiquette book or something.


    ¡°Who are you? I don¡¯t know you. Why are you here?¡± The questions vaulted out of the one called Annalora¡¯s mouth, one after another. Annalora¡¯s dress was deep amber, which complemented her gold blonde hair and hazel eyes, and she was petite.


    Mina couldn¡¯t help but liken her to a small, aggressive Chihuahua.


    ¡°I¡¯m here for the food, of course.¡± A snarky comment felt like the best course of action. She didn¡¯t feel the need to elaborate.


    ¡°I knew it,¡± Annalora huffed. She turned and sat down next to Ever, crossing her arms and casting an annoyed look toward the others. ¡°I heard there were only eleven, but she makes twelve.¡±


    Another beautiful girl in an emerald green dress approached her. Her skin was tanned, and her hair a dark green piled high and woven with leaves and vines throughout. Her reception was much kinder than Annalora¡¯s¡ªthe girl clasped her hand gently and gave it a warm squeeze. Mina noticed that her skin, though soft, had an odd pattern to it.


    Oh. It wasn¡¯t skin, but very soft, supple bark.


    ¡°I¡¯m Dinah, a wood nymph. Welcome, and I¡¯m sorry for Annalora¡¯s reception of you. After all, she¡¯s part gnome, and we all know gnomes have no manners.¡± There was no hidden malice behind Dinah¡¯s comment. She¡¯d stated it as fact.


    Mina glanced over and watched as Annalora just gave a shrug of acceptance and looked away. Other than Annalora¡¯s stature, there was nothing similar to what she¡¯d envisioned a gnome to look or act like. The girl was not rosy cheeked or good natured. In fact, she was quite mean.


    ¡°Come sit with us. You must be nervous.¡± Dinah motioned to a long padded bench.


    Mina sat next to her, studying the girls, while Dinah gave quick introductions. Her head spun as she tried to match the names with the faces and races. She finally settled on trying to go by the color of the dress¡ªor in some cases, the girl herself. Fuchsia, a pink fairy, had small iridescent wings. Shaya was a nixie with green skin and dark waist-length hair. She sat closest to the fountain with her shoes at her side, dipping her toes in the cool water.


    Ever was the most surprising; she was so different from modern-day Ever. Her jet black hair fell in soft curls down her back. Her pale blue dress was trimmed with silver lace. Her face showed hints of mixed anticipation and anxiety. She kept clasping and unclasping her hands, reaching up to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, but her expectant eyes never left the door. She wasn¡¯t paying the other girls any attention, even seeming to tune out most of Annalora¡¯s complaints.


    Mina was about to move and try and speak with Ever, but the door opened and a page entered, clearing his throat. The small talk died immediately as all eyes zeroed in on the young man. ¡°Follow me, please.¡±


    Dresses ruffled and shoes clipped along the marble floor as eleven anxious girls and one terrified interloper followed him out into the hall. Mina picked up her pace and cut in line to squeeze next to Ever, receiving a scowl from one of the girls with star white hair¡ªStella, Stellya¡ªor something.


    Mina stared at the back of Ever¡¯s head, willing her to look over her shoulder and recognize her, but the pixie never did. She knew that Ever had fallen for Jared and that they¡¯d been friends for years. She¡¯d just never realized until now how many years, since the Fae aged differently than humans. Of course, it could¡¯ve had something to do with how immature Ever acted on the human plane. Like when she was thieving French fries from Mina¡¯s tray at lunch.


    Something soft brushed against Mina¡¯s face, and Ever jumped and turned around, her eyes filled worry. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± she said. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to bump you with my wings.¡±


    Mina paused as Ever¡¯s long pointed wings shimmered into view. They were more spectacular than Fuchsia¡¯s wings. The fine spirals of iridescence created a mosaic of color.


    ¡°Why are you hiding them? They¡¯re beautiful. You should be showing them off proudly,¡± Mina said softly.


    Ever¡¯s cheeks filled with color as she blushed and stammered. ¡°It¡¯s because I can¡¯t control them. They reflect my mood. When I¡¯m excited or angered, they flutter uncontrollably. And right now, I¡¯m extremely excited. I¡¯d die of embarrassment if the Fates saw me like this. I mean, who knows what kind of tests we will have to go through before he gets to choose one of us.¡±


    ¡°Tests?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t think the next queen would be selected on beauty alone did you?¡±


    ¡°Queen?¡± Mina knew she was starting to sound like an idiotic parrot who repeated everything. But Ever didn¡¯t hear her and kept on talking.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be weeded down to a few based on certain requirements, and only then will one of us be betrothed.¡± Her cheeks flushed a pretty pink again, and her wings fluttered, causing a stir in the air. ¡°Oops, see? There I go again. It¡¯s so embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°I think they¡¯re beautiful.¡± Mina tried to process what Ever had said. She quickly looked over the girls in front of her and couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for Ever. She seemed so hopeful, but Teague¡ªand then Jared¡ªwere obviously not in her future.

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    ¡°Thanks.¡± Ever¡¯s face lit up with joy. ¡°I think they¡¯re pretty special too. I¡¯m Ever.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Ever. I¡¯m M¡ª¡± A towering set of double doors opened with a sharp crack, and it was a good thing. She¡¯d almost blown her cover.


    They were ushered through the doors into a room that Mina had been in before. It was hard to hold back her tears as she glanced around at the tall glass ceilings and the white pillars lining the room. She looked past the fountain by the windows as she searched for the golden cage she knew wouldn¡¯t be there.


    There. Right there was where her brother had been held captive. In the future. Mina froze and caused a bit of a traffic jam as the girls behind her suddenly had to stop, dresses swishing. When Mina didn¡¯t budge, the others quickly bypassed her to gather around a large pedestal in the middle of the room. In years to come, it would hold the Fae book; right now it held a small crystal bowl filled with water.


    But Mina¡¯s mind was plagued with guilt-inducing memories and terrifying thoughts. She had messed up and was the reason that Jared ceased to exist. The self-loathing she¡¯d been fighting to keep deep inside of her¡ªthat she¡¯d been ignoring for weeks¡ªroared to the surface. She started to quiver as silent tears formed.


    No, that wasn¡¯t true. It wasn¡¯t her fault. It was Teague¡¯s.


    It was his fault Jared was gone. He was the reason her brother was kidnapped; he was the reason that her father had died. When she turned to face him like the other girls had already done, she¡¯d see that same disarming smile. But the packaging didn¡¯t matter. She knew what he would become. She knew the evil that was inside of him. This handsome charmer was a fa?ade. Her hands shook in anger, and she clenched them within the feathers of her dress. She sniffed back the tears and refused to let anyone see her cry. She had a job to do, and she couldn¡¯t be distracted by emotions. Not when so much depended on her having a level head.


    She turned slowly, trying not to draw attention to herself. The Fates and their son stood behind the pedestal and bowl. Teague had a definite air of confidence about him, but she could also see the nervousness he was trying to mask. He kept shifting his weight from foot to foot. It was hard for her to equate the Teague that plotted the destruction of her family to the young man standing in front of her.


    Lucian smiled and addressed the girls. ¡°Thank you for coming. We are honored by your presence, but as you know the choosing ceremony is only just beginning. Some of you have traveled a great distance to be here for the betrothal. Your families believe you possess a beauty and qualities that make you worthy of being the future queen. But no matter the qualities for which your families praise you, we are searching for someone with very specific traits. You must meet all of our royal requirements. Your journey here will end right now unless you can prove yourself with a few tests.¡±


    Mina wanted to scoff and roll her eyes. This sounded like that reality TV show Nan watched obsessively. She looked around, wondering where they kept the roses. But only briefly. She couldn¡¯t afford to take any of this lightly. If she didn¡¯t pass whatever tests the Fates had set up, she would be escorted out of the palace. She¡¯d been given a chance at stopping Teague here, and¡ªthough this wasn¡¯t the way she¡¯d planned to get in¡ªshe¡¯d be a fool to waste it. Her heart sped up and she found herself craning to see around Annalora, to get a better view of¡ªshe didn¡¯t know what exactly.


    Maeve stepped forward and held out one long finger, pointing to the crystal bowl on the pedestal. ¡°Here is your first test. Trial by blood.¡±


    That didn¡¯t sound good. Mina glanced around. More than a few of the girls looked a little unsure and scared.


    ¡°On the pedestal is a knife. You must prick your finger and let a drop of your blood mingle in the water. Blood is power, and the water will sort out the weak from the strong. Also it will determine your heart and your reasons for being here.¡±


    The room fell silent. Mina swallowed. Her anxiety had just quadrupled.


    The crystal bowl of water sat ominously on the pedestal waiting to decide the future of the twelve girls.


    It was Annalora who asked the question that was plaguing everyone¡¯s mind. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°Your blood will make the crystal bowl or the water react in different ways.¡± Lucian stepped forward, picked up the palm-sized dagger, and pressed it against the tip of his finger. When a small drop of blood pooled there, he let it drip into the bowl. Immediately, the water within the bowl swirled and began to flash and sparkle.


    After a few seconds, the flashing stopped and the water settled. King Lucian placed the knife back on the pedestal and motioned with his arm for the girls to proceed.


    Mina searched Teague¡¯s face, trying to see behind the indifferent mask he wore for everyone.


    Annalora approached first¡ªprobably hoping that by being brave and showing confidence, she would make an impression on the Fates. She winced as the knife pricked her finger and quickly, without hesitating, shook a small drop into the bowl. The crystal bowl turned gold and glittered like a snow globe newly shaken. Annalora couldn¡¯t hide the pleased smile that bloomed across her face. She looked to the Fates and waited for their verdict.


    ¡°Very good, Annalora. Follow Wilsey through the doors, and he will take you to the prepping room.¡± Her confidence paid off.


    Annalora curtsied. Then, with her head held high, exited through the doors they had entered.


    Mina would have given anything to be in her shoes at this moment. It didn¡¯t even matter if she got to complete the quest. She just didn¡¯t want to be caught and executed for being an imposter. Could this test prove she wasn¡¯t Fae?


    ¡°All right. Who¡¯s next?¡± Lucian called out.


    Ever raised her hand, and the girls stepped out of her way as she moved to the crystal bowl. She picked up her knife and pricked her finger, eagerly moving it over the bowl. The water turned a deep blue, but¡ªalthough it glittered¡ªit wasn¡¯t with the strength of Annalora¡¯s blood. Ever¡¯s face flushed red, and she looked up at Teague hopefully. He seemed pleased.


    Lucian nodded his head and motioned to the door. The servant Wilsey stepped in again and beckoned for Ever to follow him out. The girls that were left gathered themselves into a line, and Mina was stuck in the middle of the pack. Would it be considered rude if she made everyone else go in front of her? Two more girls passed the test and left the room, leaving eight girls to face the blood trial. The seconds were dragging by and Mina was finding it very difficult to not stare continually at the exit door.


    The next girl, the fuchsia-colored fairy, cut her finger a little too deep and dropped more than a few drops into the bowl. The water stilled. The bright red blood pooled along the top but failed to make either the bowl or the water react. The girl plunged her hand into water and swirled it around, leaving a ribbon like trail of blood. Despite her desperate efforts, there was no reaction. She waited and watched the bowl, tucking her bottom lip between her teeth. Her eyes flickered between the Fates and the bowl. It had returned to its crystalline state.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Fuchsia, but you will not be chosen.¡±


    Her face scrunched up with unshed tears as she tried to keep from breaking down. One of the girls in line behind her gave her a quick parting hug, which set off the waterworks before she was escorted out of the room. Teague seemed annoyed with the tear-filled goodbyes happening in front of him.

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    That was it? Suddenly, a failing test didn¡¯t seem so bad to Mina. There was actually hope. Twice more the crystal bowl performed, showing off the girls¡¯ power. Shaya¡¯s blood made the water rise out of the bowl and dance. Estellya¡¯s made the water freeze.


    Ferah, a beautiful young elf with red hair and pointed ears, approached for her test. She seemed calm and collected, but during her test, the water turned black.


    Unlike they had in reaction to Fuchsia¡¯s failure, the Fates rose up in alarm. ¡°An assassin,¡± Lucian announced.


    Ferah pulled a small knife from the folds of her dress and lunged toward Teague.


    ¡°Watch out!¡± Mina cried, rushing forward and grabbing for Ferah¡¯s wrist. She tried to wrestle the knife from her hand, but couldn¡¯t get her to drop it. Instead, acting on instinct, she pulled the girl toward her and spun, using her hips to flip the girl onto the tile floor in a pile of tulle and silk.


    The knife skittered across the floor.


    Seeing that she was defeated, Ferah got up, gathered her skirts, and ran for the door.


    ¡°Guards, guards!¡± Maeve shouted.


    The doors burst open and two giants entered, blocking her escape. The elf-girl turned, aware that she was trapped. Reaching within her dress, she pulled out two more blades. She scanned the room searching wildly for her targets, but the Fates had disappeared.


    Teague had disappeared.


    Mina felt a brush of cold air across her skin and realized that Teague at least had never left. The candelabras blew out as something large passed in front of them, leaving everyone in near darkness.


    By the dusky light coming through the window, Mina saw a shadow beast materialize behind the terrified girl.


    Ferah turned, screaming, stabbing at the darkness that merely dissipated. Her knife pierced nothing.


    The temperature dropped and the girls whimpered when their breath became visible. The beating wings of the creature grew louder, and the girl slowly backed herself into a corner. Her chest rose and fell in panic, and her knives whizzed through the air as she continued to stab at any shadow that passed close to her.


    Mina could feel the girl¡¯s terror radiate outward and spread to the girls behind her. Knowing how deadly Jared was and knowing that Teague was even more so, her first priority was to protect the innocent girls.


    ¡°Give me your hand.¡± She reached out to the girl closest to her, not knowing if they¡¯d even listen. But a trembling hand latched onto hers. Mina felt around and found another arm. They formed a chain, and Mina pulled them to the side of the room away from the action. The girls huddled in a corner with Mina in front of them, her arms held out as a human shield.


    The young assassin regained her composure and dashed to the middle of the room away from the approaching beast. The shadow creature moved, materializing as it touched down on the floor. But the darkness was evident even in Teague¡¯s handsome form. His eyes were dark with anger, his hair tousled from flying. He must have made a sound because the girl spun.


    Her dress didn¡¯t seem to hinder her as she leapt into the air and let the knife fly toward Teague, followed quickly by a second blade.


    Teague moved so fast he blurred as he dodged the knives, but they continued their trajectory.


    They were heading straight toward the clump of girls. As Ferah saw her mistake, her eyes widened and she reached out as if to stop their course.


    ¡°No!¡± Mina shouted. She held her hands over her face. The last thing she saw before she closed her eyes was the glint off the silver knives flying toward her.


    Chapter 23


    The knives never made contact.


    Mina waited a few seconds, opened her eyes, and dropped her hands to see the steely knives suspended in midair, mere inches from her face. Unwilling to take any chances, in case they continued on their trajectory she sidestepped the knives.


    Her mouth was dry and her heart felt like it was beating a path out of her chest.


    Wailing began behind her, and she turned to see that¡ªof the six girls left¡ªfour of them had broken down into sobbing piles of color on the floor. It seemed they no longer cared about wrinkling their dresses. The two not crying were pale in the face, and one looked like she was going to toss her cookies at any moment.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡¯ Teague came to stand next to her, his face full of concern. Two giants had grabbed Ferah and were now holding her in a kneeling position in the middle of the room. King Lucian and Queen Maeve materialized and stood in front of the young assassin. She had quit fighting and seemed to be slowly accepting her fate.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just a little shaken up,¡± Mina answered Teague. Her body was humming from head to toe, and she tried to get her emotions under control. ¡°That was a little too close a call.¡±


    ¡°You defended me.¡± He smiled, one corner of his mouth lifting in a bit of a smirk. ¡°Not that I needed your help. But I think it¡¯s kind of cute.¡± He crossed his arms and continued smirking at her.


    Which only irritated her. Here was the snarky Jared-side she was used to dealing with. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know. You could have been distracted by all of the pretty skirts in the room. Who knows where your mind was?¡±


    ¡°Skirts? Why would the material of their dresses be distracting? I can tell you that I¡¯m in no way interested in what they are wearing. Who¡¯s wearing it is what matters.¡± He raised his eyebrow, and Mina rolled her eyes.


    ¡°You can calm down now. The danger is over,¡± he added.


    ¡°I know that,¡± she huffed.


    ¡°Well maybe you do, but my parents not so much.¡± He gestured with his chin to the Fates who were looking their way very pointedly. They were obviously still worried and upset about something, and it looked like it was Mina.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked. Apprehension rose within her once again. ¡°Why do they seem angry?¡±


    ¡°It could be because they see you as a threat.¡±


    ¡°Me? A threat? I haven¡¯t done anything,¡± her voice rose in fear. Had they somehow figured out why she was here?


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re the one who is armed.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She couldn¡¯t breathe.


    Teague shook his head, reached out, and grasped her forearms roughly. Mina winced from the pressure and started to panic, pulling away from him.


    ¡°You have about ten seconds to calm down and release the knives from whatever spell you control them with, or the Fates will have no choice but to dispose of you, and there¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡±


    ¡°Knives?¡± She snapped out of her reverie and eyed the two knives that were still suspended in midair.


    ¡°Yes. Knives. Right now you are holding a weapon in the midst of the Royals. It¡¯s treason. Unless you drop it, your punishment is death.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know if I can. I¡¯m not sure how I stopped them there in the first place.¡± The words jumbled out of Mina¡¯s mouth and she could feel herself beginning to lose control. She was the one who¡¯d stopped the knives? It was her? How?


    Teague shook her roughly, and her knees knocked together. Over his shoulder she saw the large double doors open, and more Fae guards entered with swords drawn. They circled around Mina and Teague but kept their distance. The knives slowly turned toward Mina again, making Teague¡¯s back the perfect target now.


    Fear was making her freeze up. Her eyes started to water. She didn¡¯t know how she stopped the knives, and if she couldn¡¯t undo it, she would be killed right here on the spot. It was instinct on the human plane when she¡¯d pushed Nan and Ever out of the way of the truck. It was instinct that made her try and save herself here.

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    It wasn¡¯t instinct to stop doing what was coming naturally and unbidden.


    ¡°Help me,¡± she breathed out as a tear escaped down her cheek. She was desperate. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die.¡±


    He looked a little irritated at her lack of understanding, but he seemed to see her fear as genuine. When he realized she couldn¡¯t do it, he jumped into action.


    ¡°Look at me.¡± He pressed on her arms and she struggled to drag her eyes away from the soldiers and their swords.


    ¡°Look. At. Me,¡± he demanded again, but slower.


    Her eyes locked onto his dark blue eyes as if he were her anchor. She was too scared to look away now. She knew that she was accessing the Fae power, but she knew nothing of how she¡¯d done it.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Good. Listen to my voice. Listen to me,¡± he soothed. ¡°You¡¯re safe. Nothing¡¯s going to harm you. I¡¯m safe. Nothing¡¯s going to harm me. You¡¯re not going to harm me. At least I don¡¯t think you want to harm me, do you?¡± He winked.


    Her soul cried out at those words, and a little sob escaped her lips. Teague thought it was because he was holding her arms too tight, and he loosened his grip. His thumb rubbed the underside of her arm, quite an intimate gesture at the moment. After all, she was still a stranger.


    ¡°Take a deep breath,¡± he coached again.


    She did, and then she took another one, focusing on his eyes. On the color. She had to clear her mind.


    ¡°Close your eyes,¡± he said. ¡°Think of somewhere safe.¡±


    Home. Home was safe, or at least it was until she became involved with the Grimm curse.


    Finally, a picture formed in her mind. A picture of Jared. He was a safe place. He¡¯d been her protector. He looked out for her. It took a while, but she¡¯d come to realize that whenever she was with him, she would be safe. She pictured his strong jaw, his dark tousled hair, and his stormy gray eyes. A smile slowly formed on her lips.


    ¡°Jared,¡± she whispered under her breath. She heard the sound of metal clanking on tile and knew that she¡¯d released the knives. It still blew her mind that she¡¯d been able to save herself like that.


    She knew she was beaming from ear to ear, but she opened her eyes to see Teague¡¯s frustrated face.


    ¡°Who¡¯s Jared?¡±


    ¡°A boy,¡± she replied, immediately wishing she hadn¡¯t. Teague dropped her arms coldly and turned away from her.


    He moved to stand next to his parents, and she could hear him giving curt answers. Something about her being scared and not being able to control her powers.


    Queen Maeve seemed skeptical, and Mina was able to catch bits of what she was saying. ¡°What Fae girl of her age can¡¯t control her powers? Maybe we should send her home now, before we test her. We certainly have cause. Besides, her results are sure to be weak, even without using the bowl.¡±


    Her words dug deep beneath Mina¡¯s armor and wounded her. She¡¯d just done something great. She saved her own life as well as the six other girls¡¯. Coming off that high only to be treated as worthless was a huge kick in the stomach.


    King Lucian rubbed his golden beard. ¡°Perhaps, but you must admit, these were not normal circumstances.¡±


    ¡°What if she¡¯s an assassin as well?¡± the queen asked.


    ¡°Hardly.¡± King Lucian laughed. It felt great to get his vote of confidence at least. ¡°She was the one who saw the danger first and warned us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still not sure about her. Something feels off.¡± Queen Maeve didn¡¯t soften her blows simply because Mina was within earshot. Why should she? She was, after all, queen.


    They turned to address Ferah. At least for now, the topic was dropped.


    ¡°You, Ferah, have committed an act of treason with your assassination attempt. Your punishment will be doled out quickly and without mercy. What have you to say for yourself?¡±


    Ferah held her head high and glared angrily toward Teague. Mina was surprised by her stoic bravery in the face of death. ¡°He will destroy us all. The prophecy has foretold our impending doom.¡± Her finger did not waver as it pointed to Teague.


    Anger and turmoil rolled off Teague in waves.


    If anyone knew the truth behind Ferah¡¯s words it was Mina. She knew the outcome. Knew that Teague would quickly break off his betrothal and try to destroy the kingdom, which would force the Fates to split his power¡ªhis very self¡ªin two. Part of her actually wanted that to happen, because she wanted the Jared she had known and loved to exist. The person who stood before her was not him.


    ¡°Take heed, Fates. United he will destroy you. Divided he will fail.¡± Her voice had taken on an otherworldly quality. She looked around the room until her eyes met Mina¡¯s. They widened for a fraction of a second, and then she smiled. Ferah began to giggle. Her head fell to the side and she continued to laugh at a joke only she knew the punch line to. ¡°I see that I have failed. But there is another who will not.¡±


    ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± King Lucian growled. Captain Plaith and a guard lifted Ferah off the ground so only the tips of her shoes skimmed the tile.


    ¡°I am not your only hope. It seems there will be another who comes to finish what I have started.¡±


    ¡°Who? Who dares to try to murder our son? Answer me, you miserable excuse for a Fae!¡± he roared.


    Ferah pinched her lips together in a firm line. She met his accusing glare with steel and refused to say another word.


    ¡°She won¡¯t talk? I bet she¡¯d talk to one of the Reapers,¡± Teague said, and the room collectively gasped in surprise and horror. He looked to his parents, and they nodded in approval.


    ¡°Yes, fetch the Reaper, Captain Plaith. We will have a hunt,¡± Lucian agreed. The guard who stood at the Fates¡¯ side turned on his heel and strode from the room.


    Mina¡¯s stomach tightened as bile rose in her throat. She wanted to cower and hide. The king was calling the Reapers¡ªthe hunters of all things evil. And in the future, the hunters of the Grimm. Her family. For centuries to come, the Fates would send Reapers after her family line if they got close to finishing the quests.


    Summoned, the Reaper stood before the Fates, dressed in a long black leather cloak. ¡°My Fates.¡± He pulled two hand held scythes from beneath his cloak, bowed, and waited for his orders. This Reaper was different than the one who hunted her. He was tall and muscular, but¡ªwhere her human culture portrayed the Reaper as white like death¡ªthis one was as dark as sin with yellow eyes. Mina knew that Reapers were not a race of Fae, like fairies, nixies, or giants. A Reaper was a job description. And the position could only be held by a true murderer, for they liked to toy with their victims. They were the cleanup crew for the Fates.


    Maeve¡¯s voice rang out calm and collected. ¡°Take her to the woods. Let her feel terror on her heels as you hunt her down and kill her. It will send a message to all who dare to try and kill one of us.¡±


    ¡°No, no not that,¡± Ferah begged. The guards dragged her from the room kicking and pleading for mercy.


    When the double doors thudded closed behind her, the room seemed to come alive again.


    ¡°What¡¯s going to happen to us now?¡± Tawny murmured. Her heavy eye makeup had run down her face, leaving trails of black. ¡°Are we going to have to continue with the test? Or can we choose to leave? We can¡¯t possibly be expected to stay after what we just witnessed.¡± She whispered to the girl next to her, but since no one else was speaking at the moment, her voice echoed loudly.

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    Teague heard her fears and turned, his face red with fury. ¡°By all means, leave if you cannot handle what just happened. There lies the door and your salvation. Do you think being a Royal is without its drawbacks? It is not all pastries, dresses, and parties. This is real. Ruling our kind is dangerous, and I will not ask someone to stand by my side if I cannot trust them to defend me with their life. As I would do the same for them.¡± His chest rose and fell with passion, and his eyes shone black with anger.


    Tawny, embarrassed, was ready to cry. Her hands covered her mouth and she quivered with fear.


    Mina understood Teague¡¯s desire for a partner, someone he could trust to protect him in return. But his attitude! He needed some lessons in diplomacy.


    Tawny ended up staying, though Mina didn¡¯t expect her to last long. The room was put to right, and everyone gathered around the crystal bowl.


    Everything felt rushed and less formal. The Fates stood farther back from the bowl, and Teague paced like a caged lion. He didn¡¯t look like he would settle down anytime soon.


    Thankfully, Mina ended up toward the end of the line again. Tawny came forward to continue with the test, but when she picked up the knife, a door slammed loudly.


    Teague was no longer in the suddenly cold room. It seemed he didn¡¯t care about the outcome of the remaining girls and their test results. Which meant only one thing. He didn¡¯t think they were worthy, and he¡¯d probably already narrowed down his choices to those in the first group.


    She felt a pinch in her throat, and had to swallow back her hurt feelings. It was fine. She didn¡¯t need his approval. She wasn¡¯t here to become his next wife. She just needed to make it through to the next test so she could stay around. Then, hopefully, she would be the one to save the Fae plane and her own.


    Tawny¡¯s test revealed a strong red glow to complement her blushing cheeks. The others also passed with flying colors.


    It was finally time for Mina to approach the crystal bowl. So much had happened in the last half hour that she wasn¡¯t really sure how to feel about taking the test. She wasn¡¯t as apprehensive as before, because she¡¯d used magic. But what would it do, since she wasn¡¯t even Fae? Would it perceive her heart¡ªknow that she was an imposter¡ªand turn black like Ferah¡¯s test? Would nothing happen?


    She picked up the small knife and studied it. Even though it had been used on multiple girls, there wasn¡¯t a hint of blood on the tip. More Fae magic?


    Mina pressed the point into the tip of her finger on her left hand. She expected there to be a sharp pain from being pricked, but she didn¡¯t feel a thing. The shock of not feeling even the pressure against her skin made her accidentally press it farther than necessary into her finger. A very large drop formed, and she quickly held it over the bowl, praying as it fell into the water. The surface rippled.


    She held her breath and waited and watched.


    Nothing happened.


    She let out the breath she was holding and looked up to the King. He seemed a little disappointed in the outcome himself.


    Mina waited for the verdict. For the words ¡°imposter¡± or ¡°fake¡± to come. For the doors to open again and another Reaper to enter, gunning for her blood. She desperately looked toward the bowl again. Please, do something.


    The King opened his mouth and raised his finger to give an order, when a soft ringing noise was heard. He dropped his hand, and everyone turned to look at the crystal bowl. It didn¡¯t change colors, sparkle, or flash¡ªit moved. The water inside the bowl swirled in a circular motion, causing the crystal to sing. The peal grew in intensity and volume, and Mina had to cover her ears from the pain that followed.


    ¡°Ouch, make it stop!¡± Silene demanded from behind her.


    She wished she could, but this had nothing to do with her. It was a Fae creation. Finally, the crystal¡¯s song fell silent and the relief was almost audible.


    ¡°Never before has the crystal sung,¡± Queen Maeve announced, giving Mina a curious look. ¡°You are an enigma. It will be interesting to see how you approach the other tests.¡± The way she said it made Mina cringe with worry. ¡°Please follow the others out of the room.¡±


    Mina was so relieved to be dismissed that she almost ran the first four steps. She caught herself and slowed her steps to what was expected of a princess.


    She was escorted to a waiting room where the girls who passed the test were waiting. Annalora was reclining on a settee, her dress spread out around her. Ever stood by the window staring outside.


    Tawny was the center of attention as she was relaying the whole story of the attack, reveling in being the one with the news. ¡°And Ferah is to be hunted down by the Reaper and killed,¡± Tawny rushed out.


    ¡°Serves her right.¡± Annalora spoke up from her reclined spot. She didn¡¯t seem at all unnerved with the assassination attempt. ¡°She was about to ruin my chance of becoming future queen.¡±


    Ever turned and spoke up a bit heatedly. ¡°Don¡¯t you mean ruin any of our chances of falling in love and marrying Prince Teague?¡±


    Annalora shrugged. ¡°That too, but it¡¯s not what they¡¯re hoping for. They are looking for family lines and power. If Teague knows what¡¯s best for him, he¡¯ll choose me.¡±


    ¡°You seem awfully confident about that.¡± Ever confronted her, hands on her hips. The wind in the room began to whip as her wings fluttered, mirroring the temper that was about to get the better of her.


    The two girls bickered back and forth while Mina paced, biting her knuckle with worry. This wasn¡¯t good. She hated waiting, knowing that at any moment, she could be sent spiraling into the future without having solved a thing.


    Pretending her feet were hurting, Mina sat on a cushioned chair and slid off one of her mirrored shoes to rub her foot. She turned the shoe over and held the mini hourglass toward the light to see if her time was running out.


    Annalora stomped past Mina snapping her attention back to the room full of young women. ¡°I¡¯m of royal gnome blood which means I do not have a pointy head,¡± she fumed, pointing to her perfectly coiffed hair. ¡°Only the mining gnomes have pointed heads.¡±


    Ever raised her chin and dripped sarcasm. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. I forgot your kingdom lies deep underground. No wonder they think you¡¯re beautiful.¡±


    ¡°You insubordinate¡±¡ªAnnalora snatched the glass shoe out of Mina¡¯s hand and approached Ever, threatening her with the heel¡ª¡°poor, pathetic excuse for a pixie. Someone should teach you manners.¡±


    Mina gasped and immediately jumped up and ran after the gnome to grab the shoe. Her hand grazed the smooth glass side. She almost had it when Annalora turned, abruptly yanking the shoe out of reach.


    Her attention was fully on Mina, and she grinned when she realized that she had her in the palm of her hand. ¡°What? Do you want this?¡± She held the slipper high in the air, just out of Mina¡¯s reach. Mina swiped for the shoe, but with the other still on, her balance was less than stellar.


    Annalora laughed at Mina¡¯s attempt to get the shoe back. ¡°Ah, ah, ah. If you want it back you need to get on your knees and beg.¡±


    Mina felt hampered by her beautiful feathered dress and a single shoe. Annalora tossed the glass slipper Tawny, who threw it to Fuchsia. Then Annalora got it back and smirked at her. It was a triangle of insanity.


    ¡°Stop it, Annalora. Just give her the shoe back,¡± Dinah said.

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    ¡°Oh hush up, you nymph. I¡¯m just teaching her a lesson.¡±


    Mina didn¡¯t have time for games. She slipped off her other shoe, gathered it in the folds of her dress and snuck up behind Annalora. She tapped her on the shoulder just after she caught another toss from Tawny. The gnome turned to look over her shoulder, and her cocky expression fell mere seconds before Mina¡¯s fist made contact with her face.


    ¡°Sorry, but school¡¯s out,¡± Mina sneered.


    Annalora fell backward into a cushioned footstool and slid to the ground in an ungainly heap. She was too shocked to say anything but put a hand over her eye.


    Mina picked up the slipper from the floor and hurried away from the now-recovering drama queen. Any minute she would either wreak havoc here or call for the guards.


    Mina quickly checked the slipper for damage, inwardly chewing herself out when she saw a small crack along the heel. Did the timer still work? She wasn¡¯t sure.


    Part of her wanted to break down and cry, the other part wanted to get back up and give Annalora a second black eye.


    Annalora had gotten up and was red in the face with fury. Tawny ran forward, her sympathy making her sound like an injured bird.


    The others whispered quietly and gave Mina a wide berth.


    But Ever started laughing and came over to sit by her. ¡°That was phenomenal. I¡¯ve wanted to do that to her forever. Only now, I don¡¯t know if I want to be in your shoes. She¡¯s going to have it out for you. There¡¯s no way you¡¯ll make it to the end. She¡¯ll make sure of that now.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I won¡¯t be chosen anyway. It¡¯s not in my cards.¡±


    ¡°Why do you say that? Is that one of your gifts? Can you see the future?¡±


    ¡°Sort of,¡± Mina grumbled. She slipped the un-cracked slipper on her foot.


    ¡°Did it break?¡± Ever asked, pointing to the shoe. ¡°They¡¯re beautiful. I would love to have a pair like that. If I owned those I¡¯d never take them off. These ones I¡¯m wearing are killing me.¡±


    Mina had to stifle a laugh, because in the future, Ever preferred black army boots. It seemed she would eventually choose comfort over fashion.


    ¡°You¡¯re laughing at me? You¡¯re the one who was hobbling around on one shoe while you took on Annalora. You looked like a gimp, by the way.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Mina snapped. ¡°Why would you say that?¡¯


    ¡°Relax, I¡¯m a pixie. I call it like I see it. And speaking of ¡®see it,¡¯ will you tell me my future?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Oh please, puh-lease,¡± she begged. ¡°At least tell me if I¡¯m going to end up with Teague or not. I know it¡¯s a silly request, but play along with me.¡± Ever leaned forward with a huge, eager smile on her face.


    She didn¡¯t want to break her heart, but the last thing she wanted to do was lie to Ever. Mina took a deep breath. ¡°Ever, you will grow closer to the prince and spend more time with him in future than any of us ever will.¡±


    She sat as still as a statue and then her wings went crazy, blowing Mina¡¯s hair all over the place. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a good one.¡± She laughed and then settled down a bit. ¡°But wait, you didn¡¯t say marry him. If you¡¯re going to make up a lie, you could have at least made it a good one.¡±


    Mina didn¡¯t laugh or continue the banter, which only made Ever more suspicious. Her brows furrowed and she gave Mina a curious glare. ¡°You¡¯re serious about this, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re not joking.¡±


    Mina felt horrible. She just shrugged her shoulders and didn¡¯t make eye contact.


    Ever cleared her throat and pretended to straighten her dress, but she was really moving farther away from Mina. As if she were already severing the physical and emotional connection with her.


    Mina sighed and rubbed her forehead. It was probably for the best.


    Someone, she wasn¡¯t sure who, felt bad enough for Annalora that they got a wet cloth for her eye. But the way Annalora kept glaring at her out of her one good eye made Mina very uncomfortable.


    Only one more girl was sent home¡ªleaving a total of eight girls out of the original twelve. Even though it had only been a few hours ago, it felt like Mina had been here days. And much to her dismay, two more days remained before Teague¡¯s betrothal would be announced. She was no closer to finding the reason she¡¯d been sent back to this time. She had yet to find or hear of any clue with which she could save her family.


    The remaining girls were each given their own room, and a meal was sent to them. Mina received a plate of mixed greens, berry, and a spiced fruit drink. A porter came to her room and apologized profusely, because someone seemed to have misplaced her trunks. Mina didn¡¯t have the heart to tell him that she hadn¡¯t brought any. She simply said it would be fine. She¡¯d survive.


    That seemed to take him aback. He stared at her, clearly perplexed.


    Mina looked around the room and realized she¡¯d been here room before. It was a sitting room not far from the bathing room. It had barely changed in a few hundred years, but nevertheless, she¡¯d been here. Teague had presented her with a dress that day, and she¡¯d used Fae magic to change what she was wearing. There was the screen in the corner with the same large mirror. She had never opened the doors to see what was beyond the sitting room.


    She did now. A large, impossibly inviting four-poster bed graced a bedroom with a wardrobe and window. Mina went back to the mirror and studied her dress. It had seen better days. The feathers were scattered every which way after being torn loose from her scuffle with Ferah, which saddened her. She really did love this dress.


    Taking a deep breath, Mina closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on the electric hum of Fae magic in the air. The air was so thick with it, she could almost taste it. The tough part was gathering it into large enough forms that Mina could harness and direct it. Like when she unintentionally sic¡¯d it on Nan and Brody, causing them to end up in the car accident. And when she¡¯d changed her dress into pants. And every time the Grimoire would shift and change at will for her. Maybe she¡¯d always been the one doing it.


    ¡°Sleep clothes.¡± Mina spoke aloud but was unsure what to do. Her white dress softened and became a long-sleeved high neck chemise. ¡°Oh, um, no. How about pajamas?¡± she whispered, picturing her favorite set from home. Her dress shrank, slowly shrinking into a pair of pink shorts with hearts and a matching tank with the words heartbreaker on them. Mina was giddy with excitement. She looked down at her glass slippers. Dare she take them off to sleep? It seemed irresponsible to even consider it, but what would happen if they took her back to the present in her sleep? She¡¯d reappear wearing glass slippers and her pajamas. That¡¯s what. But then she might not get back again.


    She decided to take the slippers off and crawled into the large four-poster bed, sliding under the covers. She put the slippers on the wooden table with a pitcher of water and a cup. Hopefully she¡¯d see their flashing if they were about to head to the future again, and she¡¯d have time to magic herself into some appropriate clothes before she went with them.


    She curled up in the blankets and buried her head in the soft pillow, but realized she¡¯d failed to extinguish the candle on the nightstand. Instead of sitting up and blowing it out, she decided to practice. She waved her hand at the candle in an attempt to extinguish it.

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    Nothing happened. Really? She fumed.


    ¡°Okay, why can¡¯t I blow out a candle?¡± She wiggled her fingers, but still nothing happened. Frustrated, she crawled from underneath the covers and kneeled in front of the candle. Bringing her hand within centimeters of the burning flame, she felt the heat run along the pads of her fingers. The barest hint of pain ran along the underside, matching the tingling of power from Fae magic. Again, she concentrated and tried to put out the flame.


    ¡°Fine. If I can¡¯t stop it, I¡¯ll change it.¡± This time she imagined the wick dark, cold, extinguished. She thought she saw the flame flicker as if it was going out, but it continued just as before.


    She sighed.


    A window in the room blew open, extinguishing the candle, leaving her in complete darkness. Goose bumps rose along her arms. She didn¡¯t need light to know Teague was in the room.


    ¡°Do you sneak into all the girls¡¯ rooms?¡±


    ¡°No. Only those who try and protect me one minute, and punch a princess in the face the next. From what I heard, it was over a¡­shoe.¡± He saw the slippers on the table and reached for them. Mina dove for them and grabbed them before he could.


    ¡°Well, if you already know, then you should know better than to mess with a girl¡¯s footwear.¡± She tucked them behind her, which drew his attention to the odd clothes she was wearing.


    The candle reignited, and Teague stood next to her bed, dressed in dark colors. She would have called them black, but it seemed that he had changed and was wearing dark shades of gray. He frowned at her. ¡°What are you wearing? I¡¯ve never seen such clothes. Is this what you wear in your kingdom? Do you wear your title proudly upon your chest? I didn¡¯t know that there was such a thing as a breaker of hearts.¡±


    He looked so confused that she couldn¡¯t help but laugh at him, which irritated him. He backed away from her.


    ¡°Yes, everyone dresses like me where I come from.¡±


    ¡°And where is that exactly? Because no one really seems to know.¡±


    ¡°Very far away.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I gather that.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, because where I come from doesn¡¯t concern you,¡± she snapped, a bit more harshly than she intended.


    Teague¡¯s blue eyes darkened with righteous fury. ¡°How can your origins not concern me, when there may be a chance you will rule beside me?¡±


    She let out a snort, which he didn¡¯t find funny in the least. ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen,¡± she sighed.


    ¡°You think not?¡± He moved forward to sit on the edge of her bed and look at her. ¡°You are one of the oddest girls I¡¯ve ever met. Your dress is funny, the way you talk¡ªeven your attitude towards me, your prince.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not my prince.¡± Mina said, instantly wishing the words back.


    ¡°You see what I mean? You¡¯re odd¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not odd. I¡¯m normal.¡±


    ¡°¡ªand you¡¯re intriguing. You¡¯ve been sent here along with the others, in the hopes of being chosen to be my wife, yet you scoff at the idea.¡±


    Scoff at the idea? Mina was scoffing at herself. She had Teague this close to her¡ªin her room even¡ªand she had put the knife in a drawer across the room.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not. No one¡¯s heard of you. You make the crystal bowl sing¡ªno one has ever done that. You can¡¯t control your powers, and you act like you don¡¯t want to be here. Have I done something to offend you?¡±


    ¡°Not in this lifetime,¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°See? There you go again.¡±


    Mina couldn¡¯t help but laugh in the glow of the candlelight; it was so easy to believe she was sitting having a teasing conversation with Jared. And she knew exactly what buttons to push. They seemed to work on Teague as well.


    He froze at her laughter, swallowing slowly. He continued to observe her intently.


    ¡°What? Do I have something in my teeth?¡± She grinned widely, displaying her pearly whites for his inspection.


    He leaned over and gently grabbed her chin, pretending to inspect them. ¡°No, I don¡¯t see anything.¡±


    She busted out laughing at the seriousness with which he took her retort. He sat back and cocked his head to the side.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just surprised at you. Your laughter is genuine. You¡¯re not hiding behind fake smiles and phony compliments or memorized answers. You really don¡¯t seem to care about impressing me, do you?¡±


    This time Mina swallowed nervously. Was she being too casual? Was she going to be sent home because she¡¯d hurt his feelings or teased him?


    And why did that possibility bother her so much?


    She thought again about why she was here, and how many members of her family would die if she didn¡¯t fix what was going to happen. Being here laughing with her enemy wasn¡¯t going to solve her problems. Instead, it was making everything more complicated.


    ¡°No, I guess I don¡¯t see the point of pretending and putting on airs. I¡¯m not ashamed of who I am. At one point, yes, I was embarrassed about who I was, and the clothes that I wore, and where I lived. But I learned that those things weren¡¯t important. What¡¯s most important to me is family and being proud of the person I am. I¡¯m not going to pretend I¡¯m someone I¡¯m not.¡±


    Teague studied her intently and leaned forward. She stiffened as he moved closer, bringing his lips within inches of her ear. ¡°That¡¯s good. Because I despise liars and imposters.¡± His voice dripped with hidden meaning.


    Did he know? Did he suspect? ¡°And I hate princes that are selfish and power hungry,¡± Mina shot back.


    His eyes flashed with anger, and she heard his quick intake of breath. ¡°I can handle the truth, but I¡¯m none of those.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± she asked, gently testing the waters. ¡°Have you never been of two minds about something? Have you never felt a hunger for something that¡¯s not yours?¡± She watched him carefully for his response.


    He turned his head, showing off his handsome profile. ¡°Careful, you¡¯re tempting me to do something radical. And tempting me is very, very dangerous. For both you and me,¡± he warned.


    She shivered. It was so hard to read him. She didn¡¯t need to think much more because he elaborated for her.


    ¡°I¡¯m very tempted to steal a kiss.¡± He stood up and moved across the room from her, placing himself at a safe distance.


    ¡°What?¡± Mina asked, caught off guard. Those were not the words she expected to hear from him.


    ¡°Get some rest.¡± He closed himself off again. ¡°Tomorrow morning, you will face another test, and as much as I enjoy your wit and brutal honesty, I don¡¯t expect you to pass it. I was truly coming to say goodbye.¡±


    ¡°That is just stupid,¡± Mina hissed. ¡°Not to mention rude. Have you made the rounds to all of the girls and said goodbye to them?¡± she said. ¡°Or just me?¡±


    He was by her bed again in a flash, leaning in over her, his hands pressed into the mattress on either side of her hips. ¡°I don¡¯t need to say salutations to anyone ever. You disappeared in the woods on me, making me look like a fool when I went back to look for you. You should feel honored that I¡¯ve even come to speak to you a second time.¡±

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    ¡°Honored? I¡¯m seriously ticked off. What you should have done was never set foot in here.¡±


    He blinked at her, his head tilted as he tried to process what she had just said. ¡°Ticked off?¡± He started to laugh. ¡°One day, I will have to travel to your lands, so that I may learn to understand the way you speak.¡±


    ¡°Over my dead body.¡± Mina grumbled. Seriously, she was at the end of her rope.


    Teague laughed even harder and shook his head. ¡°I have to say that I will miss you and your brazen way of speaking.¡± He moved toward the shadows and she heard his parting words. ¡°Unless you can defeat an ogre?¡±


    Chapter 24


    Sleep hadn¡¯t come easy, and Mina was awakened by a knock on the door. Her mind immediately rushed back to Teague¡¯s challenge. Slay an Ogre? He had to be joking, right? The Fates couldn¡¯t possibly make the girls fight for their lives. That was a lot to ask of someone who wasn¡¯t guaranteed a throne.


    Maybe Teague was just being a jerk and trying to throw her.


    A small brownie opened her door and came in carrying a stack of clothes which she placed on Mina¡¯s bed. Her skin was darker than Mei¡¯s, and her eyes were golden amber in color. But oh, she made Mina miss the wisdom of her brownie-friend.


    ¡°Please put these on and meet up with the other girls in the main hall.¡± Her voice was soft and unassuming, and she left as quietly as she came.


    Mina lifted the slippers and saw a long sleeved dress of deep blue with no frills, ruffles, or lace. She wondered once again if she was the only one to be given clothes. Were the others going through their trunks and trunks of gowns and wearing their prettiest pieces?


    Feeling a sense of unease, she discarded the silk slippers and put on her own glass ones. The diamonds hadn¡¯t moved since she last checked and tears filled her eyes. What if the shoes were truly, absolutely broken? Would she be stuck here forever? She furiously wiped the tears away and stood up to see herself in the mirror. Her eyes had worry rings and her nose looked a little red from crying. Picking up a comb from the table, she quickly brushed out her hair, letting the curls from last night wave around her shoulders. She looked wild and free, but she felt anything but. Mina held her breath and puffed out her cheeks, making a face at herself in the mirror. At least the color of the dress complemented her skin tones and made her eyes stand out. She needed to pull herself together. ¡°You can do this, Mina. You¡¯re a Grimm. You can handle this. Everyone is counting on you to be smart and figure this out.¡±


    After her mini pep talk, she opened her door and headed to the main hall. Sure enough, the other eight girls were already there, minus Ferah, Fushia and Silene. They all happened to be wearing similar slim dresses in varying colors. Of course, the others had done their hair up in in extravagant coifs, ringlets, and braids. Ever, again keeping to herself at the edge of the crowd, looked stunning in a long black dress.


    Annalora¡¯s face was still swollen, but her makeup decently covered most of the discolored bruise. As soon as she saw Mina enter the hall, she turned her back. Which was fine with Mina. Just seeing Annalora¡¯s face put a bounce in Mina¡¯s step as she made her way to stand next to Dinah. The tension in the room was at an all-time high as the girls feigned small talk while they watched the doors. A few laughs tittered to unnatural pitches as the girls¡¯ nerves ran amok.


    ¡°What do you think the test will be today?¡± Mina asked Dinah absently.


    Dinah yawned and rubbed her back. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I hope we¡¯re done soon. There was a lump in my mattress, and I could barely sleep last night. I think I¡¯m bruised.¡±


    ¡°Maybe there was a pea under your mattress,¡± Mina said, amused.


    ¡°Oh don¡¯t be silly, Elle. Why would there be food under a mattress in the royal palace? It had to have been a rock.¡±


    ¡°Why would a rock be under the mattress? In fact, I¡¯d think it was more likely for food to be under the mattress than a rock.¡±


    ¡°Fine¡ªpea, rock, or elephant. It was awful. You wouldn¡¯t want to switch rooms tonight, would you?¡±


    ¡°If I make it past the next round, I would do anything to help.¡± Mina agreed easily, knowing she probably wouldn¡¯t be here after the next test. ¡°So, have the betrothal tests always been this grueling?¡±


    Dinah raised an eyebrow at Mina. ¡°Do you really not know?¡±


    Mina shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve lived a very sheltered life.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t sure if the nymph bought her excuse, but the tall girl explained. ¡°Well, depending on whether the heir is male or female, the choosing ceremony varies. If it¡¯s a female then the princes of lesser kingdoms and first-born sons are tested on wit, honesty, and bravery. In the past they¡¯ve been sent on quests to fight a dragon, steal a golden fleece, or travel to the ends of the known world. But the princess test is always kept a secret. I¡¯m not altogether sure why, but it is always conducted within the palace. Usually the youngest and prettiest daughters¡ªand other princesses¡ªare the candidates. There was a rumor that Queen Maeve was selected because she spun straw into gold.¡±


    That didn¡¯t sound so bad, but it still seemed out of Mina¡¯s expertise. Teague¡¯s warning came back to her. ¡°You don¡¯t think they¡¯d make us do anything dangerous, do you?¡±


    Dinah shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Who knows? But I¡¯m not expecting it to be as easy as yesterday.¡± Her words only confirmed Mina¡¯s fears. ¡°By the way, I¡¯m glad you brought Annalora down a peg. I¡¯d just be careful around her. She¡¯s got it out for you.¡±


    She turned to face the door when King Lucian entered alone.


    ¡°Greetings, princesses and ladies. Day two of our quests will commence shortly. One at a time, you will proceed through the double doors into the library. On the other side is your test.¡±


    Dinah let out a sigh of relief and Mina had to agree. A test in a library didn¡¯t sound too bad. Did that mean Teague lied to her?


    King Lucian wiped his brow and pointed to Tawny to enter first. Tawny smiled and stepped away from Annalora to head through the doors.


    They closed behind her, and then the girls waited. Each one of them strained to hear, trying to gather a clue as to what was transpiring on the other side.


    There were a few seconds of utter silence.


    And then the terrified screams began.


    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡± Annalora turned to confront the king. ¡°Is she being tortured? I didn¡¯t come all this way to be killed.¡±


    Most of the girls looked equally confused, while Ever remained thoughtful. Dinah seemed tense but steady. Neither of them appeared to know what was going on the other side of the door.


    Estellya spoke up, ¡°Maybe that¡¯s not Tawny¡¯s voice. Maybe that¡¯s part of the test, to distinguish her real cry from fake?¡±


    Mina was confident enough to answer. ¡°No, I¡¯m pretty sure those screams are not part of the test.¡±


    Sephora turned on her. ¡°How do you know?¡±


    Well, she sure wasn¡¯t going to explain to the others that Teague had snuck into her room to warn her. ¡°I just have a gut feeling.¡±


    More screams followed. Sephora covered her ears and tried to call the king¡¯s bluff. ¡°I think this is our test. Her screams are fake.¡±


    King Lucian shook his head sadly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to tell you, you¡¯re incorrect. Those screams are very re¡ª¡±

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    A deep roar echoed in the next room, the sound resonating through the floor. Mina felt it through the soles of her shoes. King Lucian winced at the sound.


    ¡°What kind of test is this? This doesn¡¯t seem proper,¡± Annalora shrieked again.


    ¡°One that is fully appropriate, I assure you.¡±


    The sounds coming from the other room died down, and Mina could just see the barest shimmer of light passing under the door. Then it went dark.


    King Lucian waited as the servant from yesterday reappeared and whispered the results to him. He looked disappointed.


    ¡°Ah, it seems we are ready. Who will go next?¡± He cast his golden gaze around at the girls, waiting for a volunteer. It appeared they wouldn¡¯t know the results of the previous contenders until they¡¯d either failed or passed the test themselves.


    Dinah stepped forward and gave each of the girls a nervous glance before entering the library.


    Mina couldn¡¯t lie. She didn¡¯t want to compete against Dinah, but she still wanted her new friend to succeed. It was the same with Ever. She truly cared about what was happening to these girls, and she didn¡¯t want any of them hurt. But then there was Annalora. She couldn¡¯t care less what happened to the bully.


    Dinah¡¯s test dragged on even longer than Tawny¡¯s. But she also didn¡¯t hear any of the terrifying roars. It was close to twenty minutes before King Lucian signaled for the next girl to enter the library. Like he¡¯d done with Tawny¡¯s results, he didn¡¯t give any indication what happened to Dinah.


    Ever jumped at the chance to go next. Mina¡¯s respect for her grew with each contest. The girl really wanted to win Teague.


    This time they heard angry roars coming from the library loud and clear. In fact, Mina could¡¯ve sworn she heard two overlapping. It might have been just her nerves. But maybe it wasn¡¯t.


    The petite Perrin went in next, leaving five girls. Perrin barely stood over four feet, with white blonde hair and doll-like features. But it was those doll eyes that made everyone avoid her. There was something about her that was a bit creepy¡ªlike right-out-of-a-horror-movie creepy.


    Then it was down to five: Mina, Annalora, Sephora, Estellya and Shaya. When it was time for someone to approach the doors, Mina felt a hand shove the center of her back, pushing her toward King Lucian.


    ¡°So eager to meet your fate?¡± he teased.


    ¡°I already have, your Majesty.¡± Mina nodded in his direction.


    He laughed. ¡°Excellent! Brave and quick-witted. ¡°Hopefully your wit will help you in your next task. Enter.¡±


    Her feet were on autopilot as she walked through the doors into the library. First, she let her eyes adjust to the darkness. Bookshelves lined every wall and formed long rows down the back of the room. There was a reading nook by a window with a cushioned bench. A few dark mahogany tables with stacks of books were placed throughout, and lit candelabras adorned each table.


    The room looked relatively peaceful. There was no evidence of any of the girls having been here. No sign of the originator of the beast-like roar. Maybe it truly was just a trick. She wouldn¡¯t put it past the Fates to tease them with something awful, and instead give them a simple-but-easy-to-overlook quest.


    She walked past a large window that was drawn shut. Looking around, she noticed most of the windows¡¯ thick curtains were drawn closed. Actually, only one window was visible, casting a path of light down the middle of the room. Maybe it was done on purpose to protect and preserve the books?


    Specks of dust swirled in the light and she was momentarily distracted by a book and quill laying on the table closest to her. It seemed that the story was left unfinished. The author had unique penmanship, and the ink still looked wet.


    I know what is expected of me, but the pressure is more than I can bear alone.


    And yet I know that to rule is to be alone...forever.


    The pages on the book began to flip as cold breeze blew over her skin. Somewhere, a door had opened in the half-darkened library. She was no longer by herself. She looked up in alarm, but couldn¡¯t make out the large shape lumbering toward her until it passed into the beam of light.


    It was just as Teague had warned¡ªan ogre. Its gray bald head and bulbous nose came into view as it leaned down, swinging a meaty hand toward her. Without thinking, she jumped back just in time. The ogre¡¯s gigantic fist crashed into the table, inches from the book. She should have run when she had the chance, but instead she leaned forward and grabbed the book from beside the ogre¡¯s hand and rolled under the table.


    He roared and smashed his fist into the tabletop again, cracking it.


    Desperate, Mina looked around the room considering her options.


    She muffled a cry as the ogre slammed the table once more, and dust rained down on her. She was so scared, the edges of the book¡¯s cover dug into her fingers. Her grip had only become stronger with her terror. The ogre¡¯s feet were inches from her, and she tried to use Fae magic to protect herself by pushing him away or knocking him over. But her limited knowledge of how it worked made it useless.


    ¡°Oh, Jared,¡± Mina cried out. ¡°What would you do?¡±


    The assault on the table ceased, and the enormous feet moved to her left, continuing in a circle around the area. Pacing her, taunting her, stalking her. Her nerves were getting the better of her, but she could also feel the power.


    She could feel the Story that she¡¯d always been so tuned into. Something stirred deep in her soul and she knew what she had to do. She¡¯d never been good at outright controlling Fae magic. Manipulation, on the other hand, was something that she could do¡ªand had been doing subconsciously ever since she¡¯d learned she was a Grimm. The power had been following her family for generations, and the longer she resided in the Fae plane, the more of the overall plan she understood.


    And the more she recognized her part in it.


    She may not like or agree with it, but it was becoming clear that she was the center.


    Mina flung the heavy leather bound book onto the floor, pressed her hands to the pages, and commanded it to change. She began to push her will and all of the Fae magic that gathered around her into the book. Her hands grew tingly with warmth, and she watched in awe as golden veins of magic rushed through her fingers into the pages. The book glowed with power and gradually lifted off the ground to float inches above the floor.


    She understood now. Granted, it was like trying to see the future by looking through the small crack in a window blind, but she could see her purpose and part. She would worry about the consequences later. When her hands stopped glowing and she felt herself weaken and tire, she pulled the book out of the air and felt it hum in happiness.


    ¡°Hello, my friend,¡± Mina whispered. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you. Do you think you are ready for a great adventure?¡± The book almost quivered with excitement, and Mina grinned.


    She braced herself on one knee with the book tucked under her arm and waited for the ogre to come around.


    Suddenly, he lifted the table and tossed it to the side. It crashed against a far wall, breaking the shelves and sending a mass of leather bound books to the ground.


    ¡°Rawrgh!¡± He advanced.


    Mina smiled wryly and held the book before her where it elongated into a golden sword of fire. The blazing weapon gave him pause, but he shook it off and tried to circle her. And then another ogre appeared from behind the first.


    ¡°Oh, come on.¡± Mina decided to attack. She rushed the first ogre and swung upward with the fiery blade, slicing him across the chest. He roared in pain but it only infuriated him as he charged at her.

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    Mina ran and climbed up the nearest book ladder, and then clambered up on top of the shelves. From there, she could see both ogres as they stalked her below. The shelves were at least twenty feet in the air, and the ogres were at least ten feet tall. She kicked the ladder away from the wall and calmed the Grimoire flame. The second ogre had come close and was staring up at her with a strange, almost human expression. In appearances they were almost identical, but the first one was bit larger.


    The first ogre shook the bookshelf and tried to climb it to get up to her, but the shelves easily broke beneath his weight. The main bookshelf, anchored into the wall, held. Thank goodness.


    Mina kept her back to the wall and quickly sidestepped along the top until she rounded a corner and was briefly out of sight. Mina gauged the distance between herself and the next stand-alone bookshelf. It appeared to be about three feet wide and spanned a quarter of the room, but it was at least a five foot jump.


    She took the chance and leapt.


    Almost! Her left foot slipped, and she found herself dangling from the side. Mina scrambled to pull herself up, because she could hear the approaching footsteps of the second ogre. She rolled onto her back, pulled up her skirt, pressed the Grimoire to her side, and waited.


    Not only could she hear the heavy breathing of the ogre, but the smell of onions wafted up to her from down below. Onions? Why was she only smelling onions now, and not before? The ogre paused briefly right below her, and she waited for him to knock her down from her hiding place. Instead, it moved on, making an odd grumbling noise in its throat. Was that laughter?


    The first ogre wasn¡¯t as amused. He now made inhuman noises and thrashed about in fury as he tried to climb up the wall of shelves.


    The onion smell grew stronger. She carefully turned her head to the left to see the second large ogre sitting on the next row over, watching her. How had he made it to the top without knocking it over? She grabbed the Grimoire, and jumped up in alarm. The book lit up in a fiery blaze and morphed into a sword again, revealing her hiding spot.


    The first ogre cried out in triumph and ran straight toward her. The floor vibrated beneath her.


    The second one still sat precariously on the bookshelf¡ªunmoving.


    One ogre attacking in front, one watching her from behind. She had to choose her course of action.


    She turned to face the one from below as he crashed into the bookshelf, clearly intending to knock it over with her on it. His beefy arms strained as he pushed and roared. Mina jumped onto the ogre¡¯s wide gray speckled shoulders. She started to slide down, but turned and used the sword to gouge his back.


    He fell into the bookshelf, howling, and it took a moment for him to regain his stance and face her. But by this time, Mina was ready for him. He was wounded and struggling. The flaming sword diminished, shifting into the Grimoire. A golden light poured out from within as she opened the pages and turned the book upon the ogre.


    He flung his arms up to block the blinding light coming from the book. A strange but wonderfully familiar wind picked up. Books and loose pages flew around the room as the ogre roared again, desperate to keep from being drawn into the book.


    But no one could fight the Grimoire. Like the other evil Fae before him, he was sucked into the prison-like pages. And once the Grimoire had entrapped him, the book closed and fell to the ground with a thud. The wind ceased, and the room seemed darker once the book had closed.


    Mina picked up the Grimoire and placed it on her lap, her fingers touching it gently. To once again have it within her hands! She felt whole.


    Until the ground rumbled as the second ogre loomed over her, its oniony breath wafting down on her from above.


    ¡°Hello, Teague.¡± Mina exhaled, not even bothering looking at him. ¡°Did you enjoy the show?¡±


    The ogre made that odd snorting noise again, and light illuminated him as he shrank and shifted until only Teague was standing in front of her. He was indeed laughing. ¡°That was incredible. I¡¯ve never seen anyone do what you just did. The others didn¡¯t even have the brains to run and hide, much less fight back. One girl sang him to sleep and another went invisible, but I had to intervene each time to save them. To entomb it within a book! Ingenious. Now there will be a delay as the guards must bring in another ogre for the next test. But really, what gave you the idea? I would like to look at this book of yours more closely.¡± He gestured at the Grimoire with a question in his eyes.


    She didn¡¯t see a reason to deny him, so she shrugged her shoulders and handed him the leather bound book. His face was full of awe until he recognized the journal. The smile quickly fell. ¡°Why this one?¡±


    ¡°It was a matter of convenience. I didn¡¯t have much time to choose, and it was lying open on the table.¡±


    ¡°Did you read it?¡± he accused.


    She rolled her eyes at him. ¡°Really, how much time do you think I had while running for my life?¡±


    When he continued to look at her, she finally relented. ¡°Only the words on the last page.¡±


    He turned from her and tucked the book back under his arm. Then, he looked around the room and whistled. ¡°Well, you are the also the one to cause the greatest destruction.¡± He waved his hand in the air. The books flew back onto their shelves, the table righted itself, and the chairs slid back into their spots.


    When he was finished, the library looked as immaculate as when she first entered. All evidence of her fight was erased.


    Teague turned back to her and tilted his head to the side. ¡°How did you know?¡± The Grimoire still remain tucked at his side.


    ¡°Know? Know what?¡±


    ¡°That I was the other ogre. That one was real and one was fake.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you if you give me the Grimoire back.¡± She held out her hand.


    ¡°Grimoire? This is my personal journal, and you are not getting it back. Not even if you give it pretty nicknames.¡±


    She shot him an un-amused look. She should have known he wouldn¡¯t give it back to her, and now she was peeved that she¡¯d been dumb enough to give it to him in the first place.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t answered my question.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She seethed, feeling like she¡¯d lost something precious to her once again. She was ready to cry.


    Teague saw that she was distressed and moved closer, gently placing a hand under her chin. He brought her eyes up so they¡¯d lock onto his. ¡°How did you know it was me? Why did you not try to entrap me within the book?¡±


    Why hadn¡¯t she? Tears pooled in her eyes, and she wanted to pull away from him. Thankfully, she got them under control before a waterfall appeared on her face.


    ¡°It¡¯s just something about you¡­I mean that I remember¡­¡± And she halted. How could she explain that she recognized his ogre shape? It was the same one she¡¯d seen Jared shift into, and he¡¯d smelled of onions in that form. ¡°I had seen you shift before.¡±


    ¡°Oh that¡¯s right. In the forest. But you saw me shift into a griffin, not an ogre. So there¡¯s no reason to believe that I¡¯d be the ogre as well. Only Baldanders can willingly shift into multiple forms, but they¡¯re rare. You can go a whole lifetime without seeing one. They¡¯re extremely shy.¡±


    Mina wanted to laugh. That wasn¡¯t how she¡¯d describe Anders. ¡°You¡¯re a Royal. All Royals can shift to any form at will.¡±


    ¡°Who told you that?¡± His voice dropped an octave and glared at her. ¡°No one knows about that gift but Royals.¡± His eyes darkened and his breathing quickened. ¡°Who are you working for? Why are you here?¡± The accusations shot out of him, and he stormed toward her, making her retreat until she was backed against a bookshelf.

 Page 44

    She racked her brain to remember how she knew, and once again it was Jared that had told her. There was no easy way out of this.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I must have heard it from a tale when I was a child.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you. No one else has been able to tell it was me. They either failed altogether or assumed I was also an ogre.¡±


    He didn¡¯t seem convinced, but at least he didn¡¯t seem like he was ready to murder her. She watched him warily, and she could see an inner battle as he tried to convince himself of her words.


    ¡°Well, now all of the girls here know you shift. Don¡¯t they?¡± She spoke up softly.


    ¡°What?¡± he frowned and placed the Grimoire within his coat. Now both hands were free. She assumed it was so he could kill her easier.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve shifted in front of me twice now. So don¡¯t the other girls know that you can shift?¡±


    His lips pinched together. ¡°No,¡± he grunted. ¡°They don¡¯t. I didn¡¯t reveal myself to the others. Most were too scared to defend themselves, so I held back the other ogre while they were removed. If they were smart enough to defeat or incapacitate the first ogre, they turned to attack me. Only you paused, only you knew. How?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t attack me. Scared me, yeah, by climbing up the bookcase next to me. But not once during this test did you actually try to hurt me. I can¡¯t assume, no matter how scared I am, that everyone is my enemy,¡± she reasoned.


    ¡°You should. You¡¯d live a lot longer that way.¡±


    ¡°If I did, then more people would end up dead or in a book.¡± She gestured to his jacket. ¡°I don¡¯t think even you could get out of that one.¡±


    ¡°Then I would be famous and live on forever in a storybook.¡± Even though he joked, those words chilled her. They reflected how dangerously close his true power hungry nature was to the surface.


    ¡°You¡¯re already famous. You¡¯re a prince. What more could you want?¡±


    ¡°Power. Power to protect what is important to me and power to smite my enemies and destroy those that hurt my family.¡± He said the words with a vengeance which made her wonder who had hurt him in his past.


    What had planted the seed deep within that would change him so easily in the future? That pivotal point was only days away, and now she was curious. ¡°How many besides me have made it through?¡±


    ¡°Worried about your competition?¡± he teased.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± she lied.


    His eyes danced, and he grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the bookcase, leading her down another aisle and to a side door that she¡¯d completely missed. Even if she had seen it, she doubted it would have opened during the trial.


    Teague paused before the door and gently rubbed off a spot of dirt on her cheek. Her skin burned from the touch of his hand and she had to settle her heart, beating out of control. The Grimoire was right in front of her, inches away, beneath his coat. All she had to do was grab it and open it, and all of her troubles would be over.


    But she couldn¡¯t. She was frozen under the spell of his touch. She felt her eyes close and her breath catch.


    His warm scent rolled over her as he leaned closer. She didn¡¯t want to move and yet she couldn¡¯t look. Was he going to kiss her?


    She felt a breeze and heard the door open behind her. He pressed forward, but only to make her pass backward through the door into the hall. Then he followed.


    That was awkward. Her heart sunk at how she¡¯d let her feelings run so amok. Feelings were weakness. She turned with the intent to walk quickly down the hallway with her head held high and cheeks on fire. Walk? Who was she kidding? She wanted to run away in embarrassment.


    He grabbed her wrist and pulled her into a side corridor before she got too far ahead.


    ¡°What?¡± she snapped, which only made him smile. A smile that was so much like Jared¡¯s. Every inch of her wanted to reach out and slap that smile from his face.


    He wasn¡¯t Jared. He wasn¡¯t the person she had fallen for. The person in front of her would eventually curse her family. She was finding it hard to breathe. Mina tried to pull away from him, but he wouldn¡¯t release her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be distressed, Elle, about the other girls and who made it. With you here, I¡¯m not sure there is much competition.¡±


    Chapter 25


    Those words, those few little words, sent Mina soaring for a whole three-point-two seconds before crashing down into reality with a flop.


    Stop it! She told herself. Don¡¯t let him fool you.


    Who was she kidding? If she didn¡¯t do what she¡¯d come here to do, everyone was doomed. Her ancestors, her brother, her family.


    Teague had left her alone after escorting her to the door of the gathering room. She assumed he had to get back to finish the testing with the last two girls, although he had said there would be a delay since they had to find another ogre.


    Somehow, that thought infuriated her. They were taking advantage of ogres and making them pawns in a princess test. So what if the ogres were naturally evil and most of the girls were no real danger to them? Mina had imprisoned one forever. She¡¯d had no choice. Evil or not, Royals shouldn¡¯t just use them as bait.


    She would really have to have a talk with Teague again later.


    Mina entered the waiting room to find Dinah and Ever alone. Dinah seemed surprised at Mina¡¯s appearance, but she masked it quickly. Ever didn¡¯t even look at her. She was too busy reading a book on a settee.


    ¡°Is this it?¡± Mina asked. ¡°Did the others not pass?¡±


    ¡°Looks that way,¡± Ever answered shortly. ¡°Do you see anyone else? I guess it¡¯s just us¡­and probably Annalora.¡±


    ¡°What makes you so sure?¡± Dinah asked.


    ¡°Oh, she¡¯ll pass the test all right. One look at her face and the ogre is sure to drop dead.¡± Ever delivered the dry line with a deadpan face and perfect timing. Dinah snorted, and Mina had to cover her mouth to keep back the giggles.


    ¡°No, she¡¯ll pass because the ogre will hear her complaining a mile off and run before he ever sees her,¡± Dinah added.


    Now Ever started laughing. The jokes definitely helped to relieve the mounting stress that made the room so suffocating. ¡°Or she¡¯ll try to sing, but it will be so bad, the ogre turns himself to stone.¡±


    The tittering laughter continued on, until a small cough at the door made them look up in surprise.


    Annalora stood there in her slim blue dress, which didn¡¯t look wrinkled at all. ¡°Or Annalora will pass the test, because she is worthy of being queen, and she will kill anyone who gets in her way.¡±


    Mina was stunned. ¡°You passed the test already? How many were there?¡±


    ¡°What does it matter? They¡¯re dumb and illiterate like you,¡± she taunted. ¡°What would really help everyone would be to banish all of the horrible, evil, and dangerous creatures to a faraway land. Elle, what land did you say you were from? I¡¯m sure there¡¯s plenty of room for more stinky ogres.¡± Annalora smiled cruelly, waiting for Mina to respond.


    Hateful, spiteful, inappropriate names were on the tip of Mina¡¯s tongue. She was seriously ready to lash out against the ignorant girl. But she curbed them. Something about Annalora¡¯s smile seemed a little too eager. She was ready to start a fight, and Mina knew how to read between the lines. Responding to her jabs would just be adding fuel to the fire. The girl thrived on the emotional turmoil she caused others. Mina had seen plenty of girls like her in her school and on the Internet. They called them trolls. Man, that thought entertained Mina.

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    Mina¡¯s silence in response to the subtle bullying did not by any means signify that she conceded. Only time would prove who was better. Mina would have to beat the girl in life, and not with words. After all, Annalora could say as many mean and hateful things as she wanted, but they would only hurt if Mina believed them, and she didn¡¯t.


    But she couldn¡¯t let the conversation lead to more questions about where she was from. She had to let her pride take the hit to protect her home.


    ¡°What¡¯s that? You don¡¯t disagree? Well, when I¡¯m queen that will be one of the first things I do.¡±


    ¡°Well, if you become queen, I will volunteer to go to this far off land just to get away from you,¡± Ever responded.


    ¡°Pixies are the bane of society,¡± Annalora snarled. ¡°Everyone knows they are the weakest in Fae magic. Truthfully, I¡¯m surprised you made it this far without cheating.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t cheat.¡±


    The gnome rolled her eyes and answered, ¡°Quit lying to yourself.¡±


    ¡°I. Didn¡¯t. Cheat!¡± Ever yelled, her wings fluttering furiously. The wind picked up, tossing things about. A ceramic vase flew across the room and crashed into the wall inches from where Annalora¡¯s head had been just moments before.


    The smug smile fell from her face at the same time the vase crashed to the ground. Ever realized her mistake and quickly calmed herself, but not before Annalora got in one last jab. ¡°You are one messed up pixie.¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Dinah spoke out. There¡¯s no use fighting amongst each other. This is not a battle that will be won by tearing each other down. Focus on the next test. Only one will be crowned Princess to rule beside Teague as a Fate. Only one will someday have all the power that is bestowed upon the queen. And that girl will be one of the four of us. Who among you is confident enough in your position to be making enemies with one of the future Fates? I, for one, am not willing to take that chance.¡±


    When Dinah¡¯s insight settled upon the room, a heavy silence followed. Mina looked at the nymph in admiration. She would make a wonderful princess. She was patient, kind, and intelligent. The Fae needed someone like her. If Teague chose her, there¡¯s no way he would be disappointed, and she would never betray him.


    Mina paused to study the three remaining girls. Ever was already in love with Teague, and she loved him enough to follow a part of him to the human plane¡ªwhich meant either she didn¡¯t pass the next test or she wasn¡¯t chosen in the end. Ever had never once let on about participating in a princess test. Surely she would have told Mina she was once betrothed to Jared or Teague. That wasn¡¯t something she thought Ever could have kept secret. There would be a very real possibility¡ªif Teague chose Ever¡ªthat they could live a happily ever after. He wouldn¡¯t turn evil. He wouldn¡¯t seek out Mina¡¯s family and continually curse them.


    But if he didn¡¯t choose Dinah or Ever that left¡ªAnnalora. The vibes Mina got from her were enough to make a polar bear shudder. It was quite probable that Annalora would be the winner. She was the only one selfish and heartless enough to send Teague to the dark side.


    The proverbial light bulb switched on in Mina¡¯s mind. What if she was here to sway Teague¡¯s decision from Annalora to Ever or Dinah? Mina gently slid off a glass slipper and saw that the diamonds had started to fall again. That had to be it! Her quest wasn¡¯t to save her family but to save the prince before her time ran out.


    Mina paced her room like a grounded teenager. She would try and rest in a chair for a few minutes, but then she¡¯d have the urge to move. The slippers sat on the edge of her bed, taunting her. She was afraid to put them on. What if they sent her spiraling back to the future before she was ready?


    But at the same time she was ready. She couldn¡¯t help but think of home and Brody. Her heart ached. Prince Charming was probably worried sick and she hadn¡¯t even dropped a slipper for him to find her. Inwardly, she cringed at the thought of him alone with the Lara and Daphne at the ball. Mina should be there with him, not here.


    ¡°You seem upset.¡± His voice came from the shadows of her room. She almost cringed at how much he sounded like Jared. Teague moved from the darkness and sat on the one cushioned chair in her room, flinging his long legs over the arm and clasping his hands over his stomach. He looked completely at ease, and it didn¡¯t seem to bother him that he was once again intruding on her privacy.


    ¡°I am upset. Really. Locks on the door would be great.¡±


    ¡°There are locks.¡± He pointed to the door and the large iron keyhole.


    Mina frowned at him. ¡°I mean locks to keep you out.¡±


    He laughed. ¡°There is no such thing.¡±


    ¡°I gathered as much. Since you are once again in my room.¡±


    ¡°This is my room.¡± He gestured to the whole castle. ¡°All of this belongs to me. I can go where I please. And right now, I feel like being right here.¡±


    There was no use arguing. She moved across the room and sat down on the bed, tucking her feet up under her. Closer to her shoes.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Teague¡¯s words lacked their usual spite. ¡°I¡¯ve been pondering the question since I met you, and I can¡¯t come up with a reason. It¡¯s obvious that you aren¡¯t here for the same reason as the others. You had no clue as to the goings on of the test. And why were you wandering around in the royal woods the other night?¡±


    Mina felt her insides clench with nerves. ¡°I¡¯m here to try and save my family.¡±


    ¡°And your family is living in the woods?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± She measured her words carefully. ¡°Someone cursed my family, and now they¡¯re in danger. I¡¯m here to find a way to save them.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re here hoping that if you become my betrothed, I¡¯ll somehow end the curse and save your family?¡±


    ¡°I, uh¡­uh¡­no.¡± The words stuttered out. ¡°That is not my intention. I¡¯m not a fool, and I don¡¯t have false aspirations. I doubt I¡¯ll pass the next test. Everything I¡¯ve done so far has been a complete fluke. But I am hoping that you will find true love and happiness.¡±


    His leg stopped swinging over the arm rest, and he leaned up to look at her. Surprise was all over Teague¡¯s face as he pondered her words. Finally, he said, ¡°Thank you. But I can¡¯t help but wonder why.¡±


    ¡°Why does there need to be a why? You can¡¯t just accept my well wishes?¡±


    ¡°Not without wondering what¡¯s your motive? All females cover their motives behind sweet words and false intentions.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m really hoping that if you find your Happily Ever After, your reign will be a peaceful and prosperous one for all races.¡± Mina truly believed in every single word she said. ¡°And I think that Ever Farindale is perfect for you. She¡¯s sweet, kind, and would follow you to the ends of the earth.¡±


    A dark shadow hovered over Teague. Was he angry at her suggestion? ¡°Why would you say such things?¡±


    Mina wasn¡¯t sure how she¡¯d upset him, but she sure had.


    ¡°Are you trying to influence my decision toward another competitor? Unheard of. You really are surprising.¡±


    ¡°Is it that surprising that I tell you the truth? She loves you, you know.¡±


    ¡°Love? Love has nothing to do with this.¡±

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    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to love the person that you will eventually marry?¡±


    ¡°Love, no. Tolerate, yes. The throne demands someone strong. That¡¯s all that matters. Strong bloodlines.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s horrible.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the way it is.¡±


    She didn¡¯t speak. She simply waited and watched Teague. He seemed content to just sit next to her without talking. For a moment, he looked like he had fallen asleep. His eyes had closed and he looked relaxed. Again, he resembled Jared.


    ¡°What do you think of Dinah?¡± Mina asked softly.


    Teague¡¯s face scrunched into a frown. ¡°Really? This again.¡± He opened one eye at her. ¡°Fine. Bestow upon me all of her fine qualities, if you think to persuade me.¡± He waved his hand in her direction.


    Mina pursed her lips. ¡°She¡¯s patient, wise, powerful, and can make a delicious dessert.¡±


    ¡°You lie. I bet she makes horrible dessert.¡±


    She laughed. ¡°Well, maybe for you, because of your sour attitude.¡±


    He waited a few more minutes and then opened both eyes again, watching her expectantly. ¡°You¡¯ve failed to speak up for Annalora or yourself.¡±


    ¡°Annalora doesn¡¯t need someone to speak for her. She can tout her qualities¡ªwhat few there are¡ªloud enough to be heard in the next kingdom.¡±


    Teague smiled wryly. ¡°True. But you? You don¡¯t want to speak up and convince me that you¡¯d make a perfect choice?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t belong here. And as soon as you¡¯re engaged, it will be time for me to leave.¡± She didn¡¯t really know how else to explain it. The Fae plane could never be home to her. She couldn¡¯t abandon her family, her friends.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of him isn¡¯t it?¡± he asked, surprising her.


    She wondered if he knew about Brody, but then he continued. ¡°It¡¯s the one named Jared. You love him?¡± He sat up and studied his clasped hands.


    ¡°I-I do. I mean I did. But there¡¯s no chance for us anymore.¡±


    ¡°You, who champion love, would give it up so easily?¡± He looked at her, seeming disappointed.


    She sucked in her breath and her thoughts spun wildly in her head. She had to push back her feelings about Jared. ¡°As you said before, you¡¯re not marrying for love. Please, think about what I said about the other girls. Don¡¯t waste any more time with me. Spend the rest of the night getting to know Ever or Dinah. Give them hints on the third test.¡±


    ¡°How do you know there will be a third? What if I¡¯ve already made my decision?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that how it always is in the stories? There are always three tasks. So I just assumed¡­am I wrong?¡±


    He paused in thought. ¡°There don¡¯t have to be three. I can end this anytime I want. The Fates will be happy if I just choose someone. The first test was to narrow down the selection down based on qualities. The other tests are only to make the final decision easier.¡± He leaned back in the chair again. ¡°Now you¡¯ve got me interested in your stories. One day you¡¯ll have to tell me some of them. But really, you don¡¯t even want to know what the next task is?¡±


    Mina walked to her door and motioned for Teague to leave.


    Teague stood up and stared at her, his face filled with disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re dismissing me. Me?¡± His pointed to his chest.


    She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve told you. I¡¯m not here to marry you. I¡¯m here to save my family, and I believe that I can do that by making sure you marry the right person.


    So don¡¯t waste any more time here.¡±


    His eyes went dark, and his mouth pressed into an irritated line. ¡°As you wish.¡± He gave her a mock bow, opened her door with a wave of his hand, and slammed it behind him.


    She listened carefully and didn¡¯t hear the lock click into place. To be safe, she waited another a half hour before opening the door and sneaking into the dark palace corridor. It was empty. Her stomach was growling, and she knew that the guards would probably be back shortly to escort them to dinner.


    Which would be an awkward affair. She didn¡¯t think she could sit and pretend to be cordial with Annalora any longer. Mina headed down the hallway and tried her best to backtrack to the library, hoping beyond hope that Teague had put the Grimoire back there.


    Footsteps and a feminine giggle approached. Mina ducked into an alcove and found herself, once again, in the bathing chamber with the mermaid fountain and the waterfall. If only Nix could see her now. There wasn¡¯t much time, so she just hid behind a column as the voices grew louder. And then they were recognizable. She cringed.


    ¡°I feel so special that you¡¯re sneaking off to be alone with me, my prince.¡± Annalora¡¯s voice resounded like nails on chalkboard in Mina¡¯s ears. Or it might have been her teeth grinding in anger. This was not what she meant for Teague to do. Annalora? Come on, Teague.


    ¡°Think nothing of it, my dear. I¡¯ve been wanting to be alone with you for a while.¡± His voice sounded husky. Why was he trying to get close to Annalora? Was it just that he was a boy, and they tended to do the opposite of what they were told?


    Mina wanted to take off her shoe and throw it at him, until she realized she wasn¡¯t wearing them.


    Annalora giggled again, making Mina¡¯s skin crawl. It was a fake, look-at-me kind of laugh. They walked past the bathing pools, and Mina did her best to stay hidden behind a pillar, but she kept one eagle eye on the couple. Annalora walked arm-in-arm with Teague up to the fountain. She oohed and aahed over the large waterfall and the mermaid statue.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± she exclaimed.


    ¡°Not as beautiful as you.¡± Teague teased, making Annalora let loose her annoying giggle.


    ¡°Of course not. There¡¯s nothing as beautiful as me.¡± She turned, grabbing his hands, and pulled him toward the water. The closer they came to the pools, the closer they came to large potted ferns surrounding the pools. Then they were out of earshot and covered by the greenery.


    Part of Mina wanted seize the moment and escape, but the other part wanted to sneak closer and spy on them.


    Teague had never taken her out of her room. He just visited her behind a closed door. Was that because he didn¡¯t want the girls to see him wooing her? She¡¯d thought he was showing her favor. But instead, he was just being a guy. Her jealousy won out, and her bare feet made no sound as she tiptoed to the closest ferns to watch the proceedings.


    Annalora pretended to slip, throwing herself into Teague¡¯s arms. He caught her and held her closely.


    ¡°Oh my, I almost landed in the fountain,¡± she breathed out softly, using the moment to wrap her hands around his neck and pull him closer to her. Mina rolled her eyes in disgust. There was no way she would fall into the fountain. The floor wasn¡¯t even wet. But Annalora didn¡¯t care, and it seemed that Teague didn¡¯t mind her forwardness. Annalora came to the same conclusion, because she softly pressed her lips to his.


    Teague was only momentarily caught off guard, but he returned the kiss. Or that¡¯s how it looked from Mina¡¯s angle.


    Mina was so furious at the betrayal. She honestly wished the girl would fall into the fountain. A second later, she saw a vine sneak out from the closest potted plant and reach up the girl¡¯s leg.

 Page 47

    Annalora broke the kiss only long enough to say, ¡°That tickles.¡± She greedily pulled him in for a deeper kiss. Ha! She thought Teague was the one tickling her. A split second later, the vine wrapped around Annalora¡¯s legs and pulled her sideways. She plunked into the fountain with a splash.


    The girl came up sputtering and crying. Her beautifully coifed hair was a tangled, watery mess. Teague put one boot up on the ledge of the fountain and laughed.


    ¡°It¡¯s not funny,¡± she yelled.


    ¡°Oh, yes it is,¡± he taunted back.


    How dare he? Mina thought. To tease a girl. Yes, Annalora got what she deserved, but Teague had no right to laugh at her misfortune. Mina made a shooing motion toward the vine, and it rose up behind Teague. With one hard push, the dark prince followed her into the water.


    Mina watched the vine go back into the closest pot and quietly congratulated herself on her advancement in Fae magic. She quietly made her exit amid the echoes of screaming and laughing.


    She hurried back toward her room but took a wrong turn. She had no idea where she was. Passing a partially opened door, she felt compelled to investigate. The room was empty. Going on gut alone, she slipped inside. It was a sitting room. The furniture was masculine¡ªa large desk and mahogany chair. Expansive gold decorations lined the wall. Mina noticed a silver leaf emblem carved into the bed. This was Teague¡¯s suite.


    She didn¡¯t have much time, so she began to search for the Grimoire. She headed for the bookshelf and gave it a cursory glance, but didn¡¯t see anything.


    Stressed, she rushed over to the desk and began to open drawers, looking for the book. Then she spotted it¡ªright on the desk. In her panic, she¡¯d missed it. She grabbed the journal and took off running for the door.


    A soldier approached, so she paused and ducked back in quickly. She recognized Captain Plaith in his white armor. When he passed, she quietly left and headed back the way she came. Eventually she found her room and closed the door behind her. Mina felt whole with the Grimoire in her hands once again. She crawled into bed and opened it up. Teague had added a new entry.


    It¡¯s a test. I know I¡¯m being tested. But how can I prove myself?


    The next entry was written with a heavier hand¡ªhurriedly.


    I will show her. I will make her wish she¡¯d never crossed me. She doesn¡¯t tell me what to do.


    There was nothing else on the page. Mina ran her fingers along the edges and waited for the familiar hum. It soon came. The Grimoire answered her touch, and it felt so good to have the book in her hands again. As soon as Teague had taken it away, she knew she needed to have it back. It was like a drug, its nearness. She just needed to touch it. She had no idea what would happen if Teague caught her with it, but she would take that chance. Slipping the Grimoire under her pillow, she lay down and rested her hand against the leather cover.


    She fell asleep that way, and woke to the young brownie knocking on her door.


    ¡°Miss, it¡¯s time for dinner.¡±


    Mina got ready quickly. So far, she had been very careful to not eat too much of the Fae food, because she wasn¡¯t sure what was safe for a human. Tonight that wouldn¡¯t be a problem, for her appetite had disappeared...along with her shoes.


    The brownie was able to find her a pair of slippers that fit, but Mina felt naked¡ªand terrified¡ªwithout her shoes. They were her one lifeline home. What was worse was that she wasn¡¯t sure when they disappeared. She couldn¡¯t remember if they were on her bed when she¡¯d left the room, or if they were there when she returned. Had someone slipped in and stolen them while she slept?


    The brownie braided her hair and applied just the lightest touch of blush to her face, probably because Mina looked so pale. Mina picked up the Grimoire and turned her back to the servant, trying to find a place to tuck it without being obvious about it.


    ¡°Here. Put it here,¡± the girl piped up. Apparently, Mina hadn¡¯t done such a good job being stealthy. The brownie pointed to a hidden slit in Mina¡¯s dress, a pocket big enough for a small mirror, handkerchief, or small book. Mina slipped the Grimoire inside and turned to her, trying to gauge her reaction. Maybe she simply assumed it was Mina¡¯s and didn¡¯t realize it had been stolen from the prince.


    The brownie just smiled widely at her, pleased that she was able to help.


    Mina still felt disheartened about her missing shoes as she was led down to dinner and escorted to an empty chair next to Dinah. Teague sat at the head of the table, with Annalora at the place of honor on his right, followed by Ever, and Dinah sat to his left.


    This dinner was supposed to be a special occasion¡ªfor Teague to congratulate the four ladies who had made it through the second test. Tomorrow would hold the last test followed by the official announcement to the whole land. The other three girls genuinely sparkled with excitement, their faces glowing and smiles lighting up the room. Mina couldn¡¯t even gather the courage to plaster on a fake smile.


    She found the strength to answer a question when directly spoken to, but she floundered when it came to entertaining. She felt hollow, an empty shell of herself. Here she was, at a beautiful table, eating the most extraordinary food, in a fairy-tale castle, and all she could think about was she was now stuck here¡ªpermanently.


    The only thing she could come up with was that the shoes might have run out of time and gone into the future¡ªwithout her. She had made a stupid mistake. Now she¡¯d never see her mother or brother again.


    Mina turned her head at the sound of Annalora¡¯s voice and noticed how often she accidentally brushed against Teague¡¯s arm, or ran her fingers along the cuff of his jacket. She was marking her territory. And at this point, Mina didn¡¯t care.


    Dinah dropped her napkin between her chair and Mina¡¯s, leaning close enough to grab it and whisper, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? This is no time to give up just because that harlot is trying to mess with your mind.¡±


    When Dinah looked into Mina¡¯s tear-filled eyes and read the pain there, her voice changed. ¡°Something else has happened.¡±


    Mina nodded her head, ¡°Yes, the worst imaginable.¡±


    Dinah pinched her lips together and gave Mina¡¯s hand a quick squeeze. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It will all be over tomorrow and you can go home.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just it. I can never go home, regardless of the outcome,¡± Mina confided. A single tear slid down her cheek. She tried to wipe it away without making a big fuss about it, but Annalora saw and moved in for the kill.


    ¡°So, Elle, crying about the next test already, I see.¡± Her smile was filled with delight. ¡°Maybe you should quit now and save your breath.¡±


    Teague didn¡¯t say anything. He just sat back and studied the two of them with interest.


    Mina didn¡¯t have the heart to exchange barbs at the moment. She just reached out and took a sip of water.


    Ever, on the other hand, had plenty of fight left. ¡°Why don¡¯t you worry about yourself, Annalora?¡±


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t have anything to worry about.¡± She scooted closer to Teague and proceeded to look down her nose at the pixie. ¡°But you on the other hand¡­do. I¡¯ve heard how you¡¯re an embarrassment to your family. Don¡¯t go doing something stupid tomorrow, like actually trying to win. Because we all know you¡¯ll fail.¡±


    Mina felt the air in the room stir as Ever tried to get her temper under control.

 Page 48

    Dinah gasped and clasped her hands over her mouth.


    The candles flickered more. Ever was about to truly embarrass herself. And that was something Mina didn¡¯t want her friend to do. What did she have to lose at this point? She really couldn¡¯t stand to see Annalora freely pick on the other girls.


    Mina picked up her glass of water and walked past Annalora, dumping it in her lap. Annalora shrieked in anger and jumped up.


    ¡°I thought you needed a bath. Oh wait, I forgot. You already had one in the fountain.¡± Mina snarled and let a smile of pleasure show on her face.


    ¡°You! You pushed me in the fountain.¡± Annalora¡¯s face turned purple with rage. She really looked ugly when she was mad.


    Mina shrugged her shoulders, ¡°How could I? I was in my room. Alone.¡±


    She had forgotten about Teague, but his laughter was a sudden reminder. Mina raised the empty glass in her hand and made a play of saluting him. He drank the rest of his and returned her salute.


    Mina placed her glass on the table and left. Instead of making her way back to her room, she picked up the edge of her skirt and wandered down the corridors until she found the main palace doors. She should have escaped as soon as she could with the shoes and found a way to her ancestors instead of getting distracted by helping Teague. But now, she was trapped on the Fae plane, and she hadn¡¯t even been able to help anyone.


    The guards at the gate gave her a cursory glance, but let her pass without stopping her. She continued down the steps and walked up to the bridge, looking out over the lake. It was nearing sunset, and it was a terrible time to leave, but she couldn¡¯t stay. She needed to find help, to find an ally that would help her find a way back home.


    Her feet carried her over the stone bridge, and she hesitated a moment when she heard the sounds of the trolls underneath, their claws scraping along the stone. Her steps piqued their curiosity, and she could see their red eyes watching her through the holes in the bridge. Since she was leaving they had no reason to bother her. Their job was to prevent unwanted arrivals.


    When she passed through the hidden veil, her skin buzzed and she heard the pop. She wasn¡¯t sure why, but something told her to pick up her skirt and run. She¡¯d made it past the final barrier without being stopped, but now she wanted to get as far away as she could. Maybe she could find another Schumacher to send her into the future.


    She was walking into the unknown. But she knew what would happen if she stayed. She¡¯d either fail the test tomorrow, or she¡¯d pass and have to watch as Teague got engaged to Annalora. And then the event she¡¯d been warned about would happen.


    Something would launch the prince onto a terrible warpath of destruction, and she needed to be as far away from him as she could when that happened.


    Tears filled her eyes, and it was difficult to see where she was going.


    The two suns had finally set just as she made it into the woods. She wandered around and eventually found a small grove of twisted trees with the familiar purple fruit Nix had shown her. She plucked some low-hanging fruit from a branch and sat down to eat.


    What was her next move?


    The bushes closest to her started to move, and Mina jumped, alarmed.


    Suddenly, someone darted out from between the branches. Ferah! Bedraggled, pale, and wide-eyed with fright, she tripped and fell on the ground next to Mina in exhaustion.


    Her hand gripped Mina¡¯s forearm as she choked out one raspy word. ¡°Run.¡±


    Chapter 26


    That was the only warning Mina received before a scythe sliced through the bushes¡ªquick and clean. The Reaper stepped into the open and pulled back his hood. His black face accentuated his evil yellow eyes. In the darkness, they seemed to glow like a cat as they followed her movements.


    Ferah whimpered and tried to move away, but it was clear that she was exhausted and couldn¡¯t run any farther. Her lips were dry and cracked and even her eyes were losing their luster. What had the Reaper done to her? She looked inches from death.


    Mina stepped in front of Ferah, protecting her from the Reaper.


    ¡°Go away. You¡¯ve done enough,¡± Mina warned, her hand slowly reaching for the Grimoire.


    The Reaper laughed, or tried to laugh. A weird hacking noise came from his throat. ¡°Move, or you¡¯ll die with your friend,¡± his coarse voice rang out, silencing the sounds of the forest.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be the one dying this night. Now leave. This is the only warning I¡¯m giving you,¡± Mina called out boldly. In the face of death, she wasn¡¯t afraid. If she couldn¡¯t save her family, then she would die trying to save one of the Fae.


    ¡°You mean you won¡¯t be the only one dying tonight. For I shall kill you both.¡± His hand gripped his scythe and the silver blade grew longer, creating an arc over four feet long.


    Mina couldn¡¯t let this girl die. Not if she had any say in the matter.


    She held the Grimoire out in front of her, and it grew in size to a shimmering golden version of the Reaper¡¯s own weapon. She changed her stance, gripped the scythe over her shoulder like a baseball bat, and beckoned with her hand.


    ¡°What¡¯s this, girl? You intend to mock me before you die? Do you know who I am? I¡¯m a Reaper. I¡¯m the killer of dreams.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m the Grimm¡­and I¡¯m a Reaper¡¯s worst nightmare.¡± Mina didn¡¯t wait. She rushed forward intent on catching him off guard. The Reaper swung his scythe to meet hers and the blades rang as they collided. She turned, using her momentum to swing her smaller scythe at his thighs. He had to lower his own blade to stop her from cutting his legs.


    They paused, staring each other down.


    The Reaper hissed. ¡°I¡¯m surprised at your enthusiasm to meet your death. Weren¡¯t you one of the young ladies at the palace? I believe you were. You protected the prince from this one, and now you defend her? Were you in league with her from the start?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve never met her before. But I do believe in second chances. Except when it comes to you,¡± she growled.


    This time it was the Reaper who led the attack, while Mina parried his blows. The clash of metal filled the forest, and she thought she saw a shadow pass overhead. But she didn¡¯t have time to be distracted. The Reaper feinted and took a Superman-like leap straight up into the trees. She lost him in the canopy of darkness above and slashed at the shadows that danced near her. Goose bumps ran up her arms, and she thought she saw movement to her left. She screamed and sliced, connecting with nothing but air.


    Breathing hard, Mina tightened her grip on her weapon and closed her eyes to listen. She knew the Reaper was hiding in the shadows above her. The wind blew softly through the trees, and she waited¡­listening¡­until she heard it.


    The rattle that comes before death strikes.


    She screamed and held the scythe above her, using it to blast a golden beam of light into the face of the Reaper as he leapt at her from the trees. He screeched in pain, covering his eyes from the blinding light that pulsed from her weapon. Mina used the distraction to spin and cut the Reaper out of the sky. He fell to the ground with a heavy thud, wounded but not dead.


    But it was enough. He was weakened enough for the Grimoire to entrap him. The scythe changed into the Grimoire again. More light emanated into the forest, wind picked up, and she heard him scream in terror.


    It was over.


    Afterwards, the forest was eerily silent, and Mina saw the Grimoire¡¯s pages flip. It stopped on a page, and just before its light faded and it closed, she could make out the picture of the final battle between her and the Reaper.

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    Mina turned to help Ferah, but the Fae girl was gone. She¡¯d disappeared, leaving only a slight impression where her body had lain on the grass. Mina was about to call out for her when she grew cold and a large shadow beast appeared before her. She wasn¡¯t afraid as the shadow dissolved into Teague¡¯s Fae form.


    ¡°You ran away, Elle. Why?¡± His voice didn¡¯t give any hint to his feelings. But she knew from experience with Jared, that he wasn¡¯t asking. He was accusing.


    She couldn¡¯t answer him, so she turned her back on him and continued to scan the forest for Ferah. If the girl came back now, she¡¯d be in worse trouble than before. She hoped Ferah had the sense to stay far away.


    ¡°Answer me, Elle.¡± His voice rose, and she could hear the anger he was trying to hide.


    Mina sighed and turned, holding her hands at her side. ¡°I¡¯m trying to find my way home.¡± She couldn¡¯t make eye contact with him, so she continued to stare at the grass.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you always think the worst of me. If you had passed the next test, you¡¯d always have had a home with me. Even if you didn¡¯t, I would make sure you¡¯d be taken care of.¡±


    Her heart skipped a beat, but she remembered why she was here. Teague couldn¡¯t be trusted. Even split from his worse half, Jared couldn¡¯t always be trusted.


    ¡°I can¡¯t. You¡¯ll come to hate me over time,¡± she answered truthfully.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know that.¡± He sounded hurt.


    ¡°I do. And I also know that I can never live in the castle. That will never be my home.¡± She pointed back toward the hills beside the palace.


    ¡°So you would rather run away, fight a Reaper, than marry me?¡± He was clearly trying to stay calm, but his words were sharp and his arms flung in each direction as he spoke. ¡°I can tell you that I¡¯m not that bad.¡± He finally noticed the Grimoire laying on the ground and leaned down to pick it up.


    Mina argued, ¡°Hey wait a minute, that belongs¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡ªto me,¡± he finished. But Mina grabbed the journal from him and pulled.


    Teague wasn¡¯t prepared to let go, and the book ripped into two pieces. ¡°You tore it!¡± He growled in frustration.


    ¡°No, you did!¡± she yelled back.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you stole from me.¡± Shocked, he held his ripped half up.


    ¡°Borrowed,¡± she corrected indignantly.


    ¡°When were you going to give it back? After you ran away from the ceremony and killed one of the Fates¡¯ Reapers to save a fugitive? I bet you were coming right back to give it to me, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Um, okay.¡± She bit her lip and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°Borrowed with the intent to not return¡­right away.¡±


    He crossed his arms and held the damaged book in front of her. ¡°If you wanted it that badly, I would have given it to you.¡± His hand glowed, and he waved it in front the damaged book. It began reknitting itself. He did the same to Mina¡¯s half, and her front cover and few pages filled out into a completely separate book.


    ¡°Now we both can have one. See?¡± He flipped his open, stopping to stare at the image of the ogre on one page and the Reaper locked in battle of scythes with Mina on another.


    Mina held her half of the Grimoire tightly and eyed the one Teague held. She started to shake. It couldn¡¯t be. This wasn¡¯t how it all started, was it? Was she the reason the Grimoire had been split in the first place, creating the two books? Could all this really have happened before? It was too much for her to take in.


    The sky spun and she felt light headed. She could barely make out Teague dropping the book and running for her as she slid to the ground in a faint.


    Chapter 27


    It was a maze.


    The final test was a maze and Mina was horribly lost.


    She¡¯d awakened the following morning back at the Fae palace in her own bed, weak and a bit disoriented. Her head literally pounded.


    No wait. It was the door. The brownie girl came in and helped Mina get dressed for the final test. The rules were simple. They would each be placed on different corners of the maze. Teague would be waiting in the middle. The maze was enchanted and would shift and change. Whichever girl made it to the tower would be worthy of being Princess of the Fae and would marry Teague.


    The brownie overlooked not a single detail as she curled and pinned Mina¡¯s hair to befit a princess. Mina¡¯s dress flowed from her hips in swaths of lavender silk that resembled flower petals. Strips of the same lavender silk wrapped around her torso creating a fitted bodice. She had no jewelry, nothing to adorn the beautiful dress, but it really didn¡¯t need anything else. She looked like a beautiful chrysanthemum.


    ¡°You did a beautiful job¡ªnot just today¡ªbut every day that you¡¯ve helped me.¡± Mina felt sad that she hadn¡¯t spoken to the brownie before this.


    Her deep tanned face grinned, making her eyes sparkle with pride. ¡°My charge will be on equal playing ground with the others. Doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re not from here. You belong with the prince.¡±


    Mina¡¯s stumbled in her borrowed shoes. ¡°How do you know I¡¯m not from here?¡±


    The brownie smiled knowingly and pressed her finger to her nose. ¡°We brownies are smart.¡± She waited a moment before adding, ¡°Plus, I found something in your coach when you first got here. I was looking for your trunks, but all I found was this.¡± She handed over the seam ripper.


    As Mina felt the cool silver tube in her hand, she wanted to cry. ¡°How? Why are you giving this to me now?¡±


    ¡°I had to make sure it wasn¡¯t dangerous, so I brought it to my brother who studied it and took it apart. We had to make sure it wasn¡¯t a weapon.¡±


    ¡°You took it apart? What if it doesn¡¯t work now?¡±


    The brownie looked offended. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have broken it. See? It looks as good as new.¡± She paused and looked eagerly at the silver object in Mina¡¯s hands. ¡°But he didn¡¯t know what it does. What does it do?¡±


    Mina lied. ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s just a good luck charm.¡±


    Now the Fae had the schematics to make a seam ripper. All because of her. Things were getting stranger by the minute. She tucked the seam ripper in her pocket next to the Grimoire.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Mina answered, unsure about what she was supposed to do next. Captain Plaith, wearing his sun and moon emblazed armor, was the one who appeared at her door to escort her to the final test. He seemed on edge, worried. Similar to how she¡¯d seen him when she and Nix snuck into the palace before. Though this time, he had less gray hair.


    Everything was a daze. She barely registered walking the halls. One minute she was in her room, the next she was outside being led across the dew-covered palace lawn. There was a slight chill in the air, and a morning fog crept along the ground which only added to her dismal mood. The fog hid the maze until she was almost right on top of it.


    Green. Walls of twisted green bushes rose out of the ground, ten feet high.


    ¡°The maze is over two square miles in size. In the very center is the glass observatory. That is your goal.¡± Captain Plaith relayed information to her the same way he relayed information to his troops¡ªformal and direct.


    She could hear voices on her near right and caught a glimpse of Ever and her escort just before they disappeared into the morning mist.

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    A loud, haughty voice laughed to her left, and Mina cringed. Annalora¡¯s laugh would haunt her for days. She was glad the fog hid the horrible girl from view. Only briefly did she wonder where Dinah would end up.


    ¡°Each of you will be entering from a different side of the maze. But be careful. It is enchanted. You will come face to face with your true self inside, and that can sometimes change people.¡± He clipped his boots together and turned abruptly, presenting her very own entrance to the maze¡ªa large silver door decorated with vines and roses. She couldn¡¯t help but think of Alice and Wonderland. Would she the words ¡°Off with her head¡± today?


    The beautiful door loomed in front of her. Mina¡¯s future depended on the choices she¡¯d make once she entered. It was too much for a seventeen-year-old girl to take.


    Queen Maeve and King Lucian stood on the nearest palace balcony overlooking the maze. He addressed the contenders. ¡°Remember, only the most worthy among you shall make it to the tower. Once the princess has made it into the star observatory,¡± he pointed to the tower, ¡°a light will shine across the land for all to see.¡± Lucian seemed pleased with his announcement and placed his hand around Maeve¡¯s waist.


    Two trumpeters on either side of the Fates lifted their instruments to their lips and began a melodious fanfare.


    Mina was neither nervous nor excited. She was sick to her stomach and really just wanted to find a place to throw up. This wasn¡¯t happening. She shouldn¡¯t be here. The trumpeters ended the fanfare, and the final contest began.


    As Mina approached the silver door and her hand brushed the iron latch, she almost lost her nerve. What was she going to do? She had to enter, or at least start the contest. She turned the latch and the door swung inward with barely a creak.


    Swallowing back her misgivings, she entered the maze. The grass was soft and a pleasant aroma of poppies surrounded her. The door swung closed behind her, and Mina gasped. She grabbed at the handle and twisted, but it was too late. She was locked inside the maze.


    Forward was the only option. As she moved farther into the maze, she kept her right hand on the hedge and tried to follow the twists and turns by never letting go. She wandered that way for most of an hour. After a few more bends, she came across a beautiful stone bench.


    Trying to use the bench as a marker she continued on for another hour and wound up right back at the same bench.


    ¡°What?¡± she turned in a circle and looked at the entrances to her little seating area. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go this way.¡± She took off again on a mission to get as far away from the bench as she could. Forget the tower. After another hour, the bench greeted her once again.


    ¡°So this is how it¡¯s going to be, is it?¡± She spoke to no one in particular.


    Mina decided to sit down and think things through before she went on. She knew¡ªor at least thought she knew¡ªwhat was going to happen. All of her steps up to this point had seemed oddly destined. There was no doubt in her mind that she had already come to the past and had a part in the division of the books and even in giving the seam ripper to the Royals.


    But the possibility of what could happen next terrified her. She wasn¡¯t sure how to proceed without messing up her own timeline. She was here to change things, after all, but what was right? And what would ruin everything? Should she sit and wait for Annalora to make it to the center of the maze and to Teague? Maybe by doing nothing¡ªshe was doing something. If only that was the answer.


    No, waiting didn¡¯t feel right. She caught her breath and continued searching the maze.


    Mina tried to gauge the time by watching the suns cross the sky. She had to have been going in circles for quite some time. The contest had started a few hours ago, and it looked to be almost afternoon. Her stomach was growling, and she¡¯d begun to lose feelings in her legs from walking for so long. She shaded her eyes and looked up at the tower for any sign of life. Had she seen a shadow move past the glass? Had someone made it to the tower? Or was that Teague pacing and watching them from above? She turned toward the tower and was again confronted with the stone bench.


    She heard soft footsteps and angry muttering. The noise drew closer.


    Annalora hurried around the corner of the hedge.


    ¡°You!¡± her angry voice rang out. The gnome princess looked out of breath, her cheeks red and perspiring. A sheen of sweat dotted her forehead. Her deep red dress was cut low to show off her assets, which honestly made her look desperate for attention.


    Annalora glanced around hesitantly to see if anyone was near before approaching Mina. Her right hand was hidden behind the folds of her dress. The way she walked warned Mina that something was afoot. ¡°I finally have you alone.¡± Annalora laughed softly, but it sounded stilted. Her eyes looked a little wild, and there was something desperate about her mannerisms.


    ¡°Leave me alone, Annalora. Solve the maze and go live your life with the prince,¡± she rushed out. ¡°I¡¯m no threat to you.¡± Mina took a seat on the bench, hoping to convey she wasn¡¯t going to compete.


    Annalora continued her approach, her head shaking, ¡°Oh no you don¡¯t. I¡¯ve searched every inch of this maze, and I¡¯ve gotten to the center¡ªto the tower. There is no entrance. There¡¯s no way up.¡± She started to laugh and scratched at right her arm. ¡°Then it dawned on me,¡± she continued. ¡°The Fates said that only the worthy one would make it to the tower.¡±


    Mina looked at her, confused. ¡°Yes, we all heard the rules. So what?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you see? The answer was there all along. There can only be one. Only one of us can win. The others didn¡¯t believe me, but they couldn¡¯t find the entrance either. I¡¯m right. I know I¡¯m right.¡± The whole time she spoke, she crept closer.


    Mina noticed that some parts of her red dress looked darker than others¡ªwet.


    ¡°So that means the tower won¡¯t open until there¡¯s only one of us left¡­alive.¡± She pulled a large stick from between the folds of her dress and swung at Mina¡¯s head.


    Mina wasn¡¯t prepared for the assault and fell backwards off of the stone bench. Her dress hampered her attempt to get to her feet, and Annalora was on her in two seconds flat. Mina struggled under the weight of the gnome girl and used all of her strength to keep the makeshift club at bay.


    Annalora¡¯s animalistic scream echoed into the sky, sending birds flying. When she couldn¡¯t get the branch past Mina, she tossed it aside and went for Mina¡¯s throat. She squeezed.


    ¡°Anna¡­cough¡­Ann¡­cough¡­stop!¡± Mina gasped out. She clawed at the hands strangling the life from her. She didn¡¯t dare release her grip to reach for the Grimoire, but she was starting to black out from the lack of oxygen.


    Something moved in the corner of her peripheral vision. Mina heard a thud and a small groan as Annalora went limp and fell forward, crushing her. She continued to gasp and cough but was able to move her unconscious attacker to the side.


    Ferah stood over her with Annalora¡¯s discarded branch in her hands. The elf girl, wearing green leather pants and a vest, looked fully recovered. She gave Mina a slow nod, and a mutual understanding passed between them.


    A life for a life.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Mina wheezed, rubbing at her sore neck. But the girl was gone, running back into the maze.


    That¡¯s when Mina noticed the blood on her hands. She searched her body for the source, but she had no open wounds. She rolled Annalora over and searched her, but again came up empty¡ªexcept for the blood splatter on her dress.

 Page 51

    It must have come from one of the other girls! ¡°No! Dinah, Ever!¡± Mina whined, and took off running, desperately searching for her friends.


    There was blood on Annalora.


    Fresh blood.


    She¡¯d said she had to convince the others. Did that mean what Mina thought it meant? Had the crazed Annalora killed Ever and Dinah?


    ¡°Ever!¡± Mina screamed into the maze. ¡°Ever! Answer me, you stubborn pixie.¡±


    Picking up her skirt, she ran toward the tower. Of course it wasn¡¯t easy. It was a maze. Every time she turned right, it dead-ended into a wall. She¡¯d turn around again and hit another wall. The hedges were changing, making her turns impossible to keep track of. She was thoroughly lost, and she kept envisioning Ever lying in a pool of blood somewhere in the middle of the maze.


    What had happened to Annalora? Was it the maze that changed her? Bringing out her ruthless side? Or was that Annalora¡¯s true self? Is that what Plaith had meant about the maze changing them?


    Near panic, Mina grabbed her head and turned in a full circle. The maze changed again. There was no exit. She was completely enclosed in a square hedge. Mina closed her eyes and took a deep breath. ¡°Please. I just want to find my friend.¡±


    When she looked again, there was another opening. Mina dashed through it before it changed and found herself on a cobbled path. Was she getting closer to the tower? She tried to keep it in her line of sight, but every time she headed toward it, the path led her farther away. How was she supposed to get to the middle? To find Ever?


    ¡°Please! Someone help me!¡± Mina cried out again, hoping that someone¡ªanyone¡ªwould answer. The wind picked up and leaves scattered along the path before her. A mist gathered near the turn ahead of her, forming into a familiar ethereal being with dull brown hair and a small moustache.


    ¡°Dad?¡± Mina clasped her hands over her mouth.


    It couldn¡¯t be him. He¡¯d died. Or as Mrs. Colbert said, his physical form died. He still lived on in the Fae plane, and he was here. Her father James was right here. In the maze.


    ¡°How?¡± she choked out in the midst of sobbing. Was the line between future and past so thin that he could cross it as easily as she passed through the Fae plane? Or was he a much-needed figment of her imagination? She decided to believe the first.


    He stepped out of the mist, whole and looking very much alive. He was taller than she remembered, and his kind brown eyes were filled with worry. He wore the same outfit she had last seen him in, when he walked out the door of their house never to return¡ªhis favorite white shirt and vest and the khaki pants with smear of peanut butter on them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the how, sweetie,¡± her father said, stopping just short of her. ¡°Just know that I¡¯m here to help you.¡±


    ¡°But, Dad, I have to know. Why¡¯d you make the deal with the Stiltskin? Why did you leave us? Why did you die?¡±


    He looked anxious. He was fading in and out as if he was struggling to stay with her in the past. ¡°I can¡¯t answer those questions. Another time mayhap, but you asked for my help and I can only stay here for a short time. So come with me.¡± He turned and beckoned for her to follow.


    She¡¯d be an idiot if she didn¡¯t, and Mina wasn¡¯t about to let her father out of her sight. He headed straight for the tall tower, ducking into the hedge in front of him. She pulled up short, stopping before the branches snagged her dress.


    Her father leaned out of the bushes, surprising her. ¡°They¡¯re not here. Just walk through them.¡±


    ¡°Easy for you to say,¡± she mumbled. Full of doubt, she held out her hands in front of her, closed her eyes, and stepped through the hedge. On the other side was another row of hedges and, just beyond it, the tower. Her dad turned down the cobbled path that ended by a fruit tree.


    In front of it, crumpled in a heap, was Ever. She was bleeding from her head. Mina kneeled down and ripped a silk petal from her dress to press against the wound. She felt her neck for a pulse. It was barely discernable, but she felt a soft flutter against her fingertips. ¡°She¡¯s alive.¡±


    ¡°Yes, she is,¡± her father leaned down and looked over the young girl.


    ¡°But where¡¯s Dinah?¡± Mina swung her head around to look for the nymph.


    Her father shook her head. ¡°She wasn¡¯t as lucky.¡± He turned to point across the same cobbled path to the hedgerow. At first Mina couldn¡¯t see anything, but when she leaned to the side, she could just make out the ruffle of a green dress and one leg, angled oddly, lying near the path. The rest of Dinah¡¯s body was hidden by the hedge.


    ¡°No!¡± Mina cried out, standing to go to her.


    Her father stepped in front of her and blocked her route. She wasn¡¯t sure how, but his strong arms wrapped around her in a hug.


    Mina started to sob. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. If only I hadn¡¯t given up. Maybe I could have saved her. I could have stopped Annalora.¡±


    ¡°Shhh, there¡¯s nothing you could have done. If you had gotten here any earlier, you would be the one lying there unmoving.¡±


    ¡°No, I could have used the Grimoire. I could have¡ª¡±


    ¡°No my dear, you couldn¡¯t have. But there is something you can still do. You can still save your family. Finish the test and return home.¡± He rubbed her shoulder and she leaned back, sniffing awkwardly.


    ¡°How? The glass slippers are gone. They went back without me.¡±


    Her father looked at her, his eyes filled with pride. ¡°You¡¯ve grown up so much. I¡¯m so proud of you, and I¡¯m about to lose you again.¡± He pulled her into another hug, and Mina took a deep breath, imprinting her father¡¯s scent in her memory. Tears fell freely down her face.


    Reluctantly, he pulled away from her and pointed to Dinah¡¯s body again. This time, Mina took a closer look. The shock of seeing her and the overwhelming guilt she felt had made her overlook something crucial. On Dinah¡¯s feet, glinting in the afternoon sunlight, were Mina¡¯s glass slippers.


    ¡°She stole them? But why? She was the sweetest, most honest person¡ª¡± Mina started.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. There¡¯s darkness within all of us. Bitter jealousies that sometimes cannot be controlled and make us do stupid things. I would think you¡¯d understand that more than most,¡± her father spoke softly.


    Mina shuddered and nodded her head, thinking back to when¡ªin her own fit of jealousy¡ªshe¡¯d manipulated the Story into hurting Nan.


    ¡°Jealousy caused her to steal the shoes,¡± he said. ¡°Take them and hurry. Your friend is fading fast.¡±


    Mina reluctantly left the warmth of her father¡¯s embrace and kneeled next to Dinah¡¯s body. Thankfully, the hedge protected her from seeing the worst of her injuries, but Mina still noticed the large pool of blood that spread to the edge of her green dress.


    She started to hiccup as she tried to control her anguish. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, D-Dinah. Please forgive me.¡± She reached for the glass slipper and slid it from the nymph¡¯s foot. She pulled the second one and noticed that the sands of time were almost depleted. She had very little time left. Had they picked up their pace when she neared the end of her quest?


    She took the shoes and carried them as she walked slowly back to her father, wondering at his presence. He held her gaze and straightened up.


    Then he stood back and grasped his vest, as if already distancing himself. ¡°Well, put them on. It¡¯s almost time for you to go, and you haven¡¯t helped your friend yet.¡±

 Page 52

    Mina nodded absently and slipped off her borrowed shoes. She slid the cool glass slippers back on her feet. ¡°What do I do now?¡±


    ¡°You know what you must do.¡± He looked up at the tower, and Mina shook her head.


    ¡°No. It can¡¯t be. This is not how it¡¯s supposed to happen. It¡¯s not me. It can¡¯t be me,¡± she pleaded.


    ¡°Mina, it¡¯s always been you. It started with you and will end with you. Everything we¡¯ve done¡ªthe curse, everything¡ªstarted because of the events that happened this day.¡±


    ¡°No, we can change it. I don¡¯t have to go up there. It doesn¡¯t have to be like this. We can live without ever having the curse over our head. I can sit here and wait for Ever to wake up and then she can enter the tower and everything will be put to right.¡±


    ¡°Sweetie, listen to yourself.¡± His voice was firm, commanding her to heed his warning. ¡°Everything has already been put in motion by your decisions. You have to finish what you¡¯ve started.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t! I know what happens. The one who goes up there betrays him, causing him to lose his heart and turn evil. He¡¯ll destroy everything. He¡¯ll eventually destroy you because of the stupid curse. I can¡¯t let you die again, not when I have a choice. If I don¡¯t go up there, you¡¯ll live. We can be a family again.¡±


    Her heart broke further with every word, because her father continued to shake his head.


    ¡°Oh, honey, there¡¯s so much you don¡¯t know. Things we could never tell you. If you don¡¯t go up there, we¡¯re already dead. All of the Grimms. You are our one chance of survival.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be. I can¡¯t be the one to betray him, to betray Teague.¡±


    His eyes softened for a split second, and she thought he would concede and let her off the hook. Instead, he turned his back on her and walked away.


    ¡°No wait! I¡¯m sorry. Come back.¡± She chased after him, but he kept walking. She crumpled to the ground and cried out, ¡°Dad!¡±


    He turned back, clearly weakening. Whatever was holding him in this time was losing its power. His eyes filled with hurt and anger. ¡°If you don¡¯t go up there, Ever will die! We will die! Do you hear me, Mina?¡±


    Mina blinked in surprise, taken aback by his fury.


    ¡°Go up there and face your destiny like a Grimm.¡±


    ¡°Dad, what¡¯s happening?¡± He was fading and she was losing him. A misty cloud surrounded him.


    ¡°Mina, I love you. I¡¯m proud of you. Tell your mom and brother I¡ª¡±


    As fast as he¡¯d reappeared in her life, he disappeared.


    Chapter 28


    There was no more time for tears. Every fiber of her being wanted to mourn the loss of her father¡­again. But Mina had to turn to the problem at hand.


    Ever was dying.


    She ran back to the girl and felt for her pulse. And she couldn¡¯t find it.


    Ever¡¯s skin was cold to the touch, and Mina realized she might already be too late. She ran for the tower, made a full circle around it, and could find no way to enter the pillar. There wasn¡¯t a door or hidden ladder. Nothing.


    The suns were setting, and it was becoming dark. Every minute she wasted was a minute that Ever slipped closer to death, that her shoes could send her forward in time, that Annalora could wake and attack her again.


    Mina pressed her hands along the stone base and felt along the wall. Every single brick was real and solid, until she suddenly fell forward into the darkness. It was another glamour.


    She followed a stone staircase heading to the top, and her dress kept snagging along the steps. She picked up the silk flounces and continued upward. She could feel it in her bones, the urgency. She was running out of time. For every step she took, ten more steps magically appeared, as if she were running up the wrong escalator. The further she ran, the more lightheaded she began to feel.


    Captain Plaith¡¯s warning came to her about the maze changing people, but as quickly as it came the memory was lost.


    She stopped ascending, and she was standing in a large room surrounded by glass. Night had fallen, and the stars lit the sky. She needed to do something, but what? Something clouded her thoughts.


    Someone else was in the room, sitting in a large chair. The darkness and a hooded cloak hid his face.


    ¡°You came?¡± the voice said in disbelief. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d come.¡±


    ¡°Of course I came,¡± her voice answered the shadow. ¡°I need you¡­¡± but she couldn¡¯t, for the life of her, remember why.


    The shadow moved and Mina saw a hand extend toward her. She placed her own in it and let the person move her to stand at his side, gazing out at the darkness visible through the glass.


    ¡°This could be yours.¡± He gestured to the vast empty space. ¡°If you wanted it, I would give it to you. If you would just promise to stay with me forever.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve no interest in kingdoms,¡± her voice was raspy, but she didn¡¯t know why. All of a sudden, time seemed to slow.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ve waited to hear those words.¡± He sighed and removed his hood so she could see his face. Jared¡¯s glorious gray eyes stared back at her and her heart swelled with love.


    She missed him so much! She tried to speak, but her voice caught.


    He reached for her and pulled her into his arms. ¡°You¡¯re unlike anyone I¡¯ve ever met.¡± His hands moved up and down her face as if he were trying to commit her to memory. He brushed the tears on her face. ¡°Are you crying? Have I done something to upset you?¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯ve done nothing wrong.¡± She couldn¡¯t help it. She reached up for him, standing on her toes. He responded by leaning down.


    Their lips met in a kiss. It started out soft and gentle, but progressed into so much more. She could feel his desire to deepen the kiss, so she ran her hands up the base of his neck. He stooped down and lifted her into the air, spinning her and pulling her close into his arms.


    She squealed as he spun her.


    As soon as her feet touched the floor, he lifted her chin to give her a few more pecks across her lips. ¡°I¡¯ve waited centuries for you to come. Will you stay? Will you stay with me?¡±


    Everything felt so real. He was here, in her dream again. She could feel his physical breath on her face.


    Guilt flooded her, because she was the reason he was gone. If she could change it, she would. She decided right then, that at least here, if she couldn¡¯t have Jared in her world, she would have part of him here in his. It may be the only way she could ever see him again.


    ¡°Yes, Jared, I will.¡±


    ¡°Jared? Again with this Jared?¡± His grip moved to her arms and tightened painfully. ¡°You betray me already?¡± Teague shoved her away.


    ¡°I do everything for you. I kept the others at bay with the hedge maze so you could get here first. But you couldn¡¯t get past a simple hedge glamour. I even ignored the fact that you stole from me, ran away, and killed one of my Reapers. The mercy I¡¯ve shown you has been astounding. I thought perhaps we were destined for each other because of the dreams. I could even have believed we had a chance at love.¡±


    ¡°Wait, I didn¡¯t mean to say his name,¡± Mina called out, but Teague shrugged her off, hurt.


    ¡°There¡¯ve been so many questions you¡¯ve avoided since the beginning. Everyone warned me from you. But you are unlike anyone I¡¯ve ever met. Your attitude, the way you talk. It was all so refreshing, so different.¡±

 Page 53

    He kept blinking his eyes. Mina realized that there was something in the air still clouding her thoughts. Was it affecting Teague too? She moved to the window and pushed it open. A rush of cold air flowed in, making it easier to breathe.


    ¡°But it was all an act, wasn¡¯t it? You¡¯ve been lying to me from the beginning. Haven¡¯t you? We¡¯ve asked and no one has heard of you. Who are you? Is Elle Cinder even your name?¡±


    A shadow sprang from darkened stairwell and Ferah emerged, running up to Teague from behind. He turned to her in surprise, but his reaction was slowed by the drugged mist she had released into the room.


    Mina cried out as Ferah stabbed Teague in the heart with a knife.


    ¡°Noooo!¡± Mina wailed, rushing at Ferah. ¡°What are you doing?¡± She gripped Ferah by the shoulders and yanked her off of the prince. It was happening all over again. Just as she was helpless to save Jared, she was helpless to save Teague.


    His face was filled with pain and he looked between the two girls. ¡°Betrayed. From the beginning.¡± He reached forward and pulled the knife out of his chest, letting it clatter to the floor. Seconds later, he fell to the ground.


    What was she supposed to do? Mina pressed her hands into his wounds and tried to stop the blood. Her hands were shaking, but she continued to apply pressure until she felt heat penetrating through her hands. A bright light formed from the center of his chest and grew brighter and brighter until the whole room was a ball of intense light, and it shot out of the tower into the night.


    In the distance, trumpets sounded, as the Fae mistook the light and celebrated the choosing of their new princess. Explosive balls of light she assumed to be fireworks exploded in the sky, casting a sadly beautiful array of colors over the dying Teague.


    Except whatever she was doing was working.


    The bleeding stopped, and the wound slowly reknitted itself, leaving only a small pink scar dangerously close to his heart. But it beat beneath her hands.


    ¡°Teague?¡± She cupped the side of his face. His deep blue eyes flickered open in pain, and he started to scream.


    Chapter 29


    It was a soul-shattering scream that wouldn¡¯t end.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± Snatching the knife from the floor, Mina cast an accusing glare at Ferah. She brandished the knife, threatening at the elf.


    The blade wasn¡¯t whole. A piece was missing from the tip.


    Ferah¡¯s blue eyes widened when she saw the piece missing. She fearfully turned to watch Teague as his screams subsided. He grasped his stomach in pain.


    ¡°What? What have you done? You¡¯d better explain quick.¡± Mina snarled, moving closer to the girl.


    Ferah shrugged. ¡°I was sent here to kill him because of the prophecy. He will be the destruction of the Fae. But the Royals are so strong that only a weapon made from dark magic would work. Or so we thought.¡±


    Mina glanced at the knife in her hand.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t work.¡± Ferah stared at Mina with awe. ¡°You healed him somehow, though the tip of Erjad blade is still in him.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s happening to him?¡±


    ¡°This is bad. This is very bad. The blade is made of pure hate. I can only assume it nicked his heart and a piece is still there. It¡¯s changing him.¡±


    ¡°Stop it.¡± Mina screamed at her.


    Ferah shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t. I don¡¯t know how.¡± She pulled another blade from her belt. ¡°Accept that now I have to finish the job. Otherwise he will kill us all.¡±


    Mina pulled the Grimoire from her skirt and stood in front of Teague. ¡°I will not let that happen.¡±


    Ferah smiled ruefully. ¡°Have it your way, human.¡±


    Mina was only slightly taken aback. ¡°You know who I am?¡±


    ¡°Of course I know. I told you there¡¯s a prophecy, and I¡¯m here to stop it from ever taking root.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m here to tell you that I¡¯ve seen the future. I¡¯m a Grimm, and the dark prince, Teague¡ªhe is my problem now,¡± Mina snapped. She held the book in front of her as it changed into a long bow. The knife in her hand shifted into a deadly golden arrow. Mina pulled back the string with the arrow nocked and ready to release. ¡°I dare you. Dodge this if you can.¡±


    Ferah backed away. ¡°Okay. But don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you.¡± She nodded toward Teague, who had rolled over and was gripping his stomach and moaning uncontrollably. ¡°We will be expecting you to handle the dark prince. If you do need help, you can call on us.¡± Ferah continued to move away from Mina.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Mina kept her sight set on the girl.


    ¡°We are a collection of Fae, dedicated to the preservat¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop!¡± Mina cut her off, her mind seriously spinning. ¡°I know who you are. You¡¯re the Godmothers.¡±


    Ferah smiled wryly. ¡°So you¡¯ve heard of us? As a farewell gift, and to show you I bear you no ill will, I¡¯ll see to your friend the pixie.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll get no thanks from me.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect it. Not when you are the one who will suffer more than any for your choice you made today.¡± She turned and disappeared down the stairwell.


    Mina waited and watched. When Ferah didn¡¯t return, she released the bow. It shifted back into the Grimoire. She picked up the knife and ran over to Teague to try to figure out what to do. Maybe she could use the knife to cut the wound back open and extract the tip. She looked at the tip that was missing. There couldn¡¯t be more than a quarter inch still inside of him.


    Could she use Fae magic to wish it out? She closed her eyes. With everything in her, she focused on the words. ¡°Please. Come out of Teague.¡±


    Nothing. Her own heart clenched in pain.


    She tried to hold Teague still as he continued to thrash and scream. Desperate, she lifted the knife above his chest and prepared to re-open the scar. Teague chose that moment to open his eyes.


    What she saw in them terrified her to her very core.


    His eyes flashed from blue to gray to blue again. Dark veins ran across his face and chest. Hate radiated out from him. His hand shot up and gripped her wrist, squeezing hard. He pushed her away, and she fell backwards onto the floor.


    Teague pushed himself up from the floor and stood over her. He exuded power from every pore. She could feel it flowing from him, and it made her shake in her glass slippers. She tried to crawl backwards, away from him, but he stretched out one hand toward her. By magic, she was lifted into the air. She panicked as he moved her in front of the glass windows.


    ¡°You are a liar and a deceiver. Every last one of your kind will be punished for trying to kill me.¡±


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. I saved you!¡± Mina explained, but Teague was having none of it.


    ¡°You saved the elf. I saw you in the forest. You did it so she could come and kill me. You were the bait. Very effective and pretty bait, I do have to admit.¡±


    The tower lit up as another crackle of fireworks lit the sky, creating a mirror ball effect of colors in the room.


    ¡°Teague, listen to me. You¡¯ve been poisoned. Ferah stabbed you with an enchanted knife and a piece is still inside you. Its dark magic is turning you evil.¡±


    ¡°Evil? I¡¯ve never felt better or more powerful! Watch!¡± Still holding her suspended in the air, Teague blinked. Every window in the towers shattered, blasting outward and raining shards of glass on the maze below.

 Page 54

    ¡°And now you will pay for your betrayal. An assassination attempt on me is considered treason. But I¡¯ve seen how you handle our Reapers. So how about the rest of your family? Hmm? I will hunt them down, toy with them like play things, and make them pay for your sins.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± she gasped out. ¡°Please, they¡¯ve done nothing wrong. I was only trying to save you. To help you, because I care about you.¡± She continued to struggle. Through the broken window, she could see guards racing from the palace to the tower. The King and Queen followed closely behind them. It seemed the exploding windows were evidence enough that something was not right.


    ¡°Then who¡¯s Jared?¡± he snarled.


    ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± she cried out. Tears poured out of her eyes as she realized she wasn¡¯t getting through to him. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m not who you think I am. Elle is not my name. It¡¯s just the name of a girl in a story, a fairy tale. But I did come here to save my family.¡±


    His eyes bored into hers searching for the truth, but he must¡¯ve believed all he saw were lies. His face came within inches of hers, and he reached up to touch a strand of her hair. ¡°Instead, you¡¯ve doomed them.¡±


    She was running out of time. Mina reached into her pocket for the Grimoire but her hand wrapped around something different. Something cold and cylindrical in shape.


    ¡°I will stop you,¡± Mina threatened, as the cold air brushed against her neck. Teague was slowly turning her in mid-air. He stood in the middle of the tower, and she glanced back over her shoulder to see that he had moved her through a jagged opening where a window had been.


    It was a very long drop down. She wouldn¡¯t survive.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see you try.¡± He laughed cruelly and, with a flick of his wrist, sent her flying out of the tower.


    She gasped and tried to claw at the windowsill as she flew past, but she sliced her hands on glass. As she fell, she gripped the seam ripper within her bleeding hands and prayed. She stared into the night sky, alit with fireworks for her betrothal to Teague, and her heart broke. As much as she tried, she couldn¡¯t change the past.


    It always had to come to this.


    She wasn¡¯t scared, because she knew she¡¯d done this before and lived. Calmly, she pushed the gem on the seam ripper. A great beam of light engulfed her, making an arc as she fell. Teague leaned over the ledge, an expression of utter disbelief on his face, as she fell through the portal¡ªmere inches before the ground.


    As she passed through he screamed in rage¡ªswearing that he would find her.


    Chapter 30


    Mina landed with a painful thud on a cold stone floor. Her eyes were blinded with specks of light and she had to blink a few times before she could see. She rolled over and saw that the gate to the Fae plane was still open. It seemed to be closing¡­although very slowly. She looked around the room¡ªa crucifix hung above a small cot beside a chamber pot and a simple table. She heard a rattling cough nearby.


    ¡°Were ist da?¡± a fearful voice called out from above her. She¡¯d learned that much in German class her freshman year. Who¡¯s there?


    ¡°Me,¡± Mina groaned and pushed herself slowly off of the floor to address the man lying in the cot.


    He looked pale and sickly. His hair was slightly curly and damp from sweat. ¡°Sind Sie ein Engel?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Mina had to pause and listen to his thick German accent. Was she an Angel?


    ¡°Nicht,¡± she said, slightly proud that she remembered.


    The man sat up. ¡°Wie hei?en Sie?¡± What is your name?


    ¡°Wilhelmina Grimm.¡±


    His pale face went even paler. Rubbing his hand against his chest, he stated excitedly, ¡°Wilhelm. Wilhelm Grimm.¡±


    This time it was Mina¡¯s turn to be shocked. She was in the room meeting her great-great-great-grandfather.


    Wilhelm started to laugh, but his laugh quickly turned into a coughing fit. The door opened and she immediately recognized Jacob from sketches of the brothers she¡¯d seen from history books.


    He rushed in and quickly tried to calm his brother to stop the coughing. Lifting a wooden cup to Wilhelm¡¯s lips, he gave him something to drink and then had Wilhelm lie back down. Jacob adjusted the covers around his brother and pulled the wooden chair up beside his cot.


    Wilhelm gestured to her and began to whisper excitedly to Jacob, who turned and apparently noticed her for the first time.


    He looked angry, and his tone of voice conveyed it well. ¡°Warum sind Sie in das Zimmer meines Bruders? Sie geh?ren nicht hierher. Zu verlassen!¡±


    Mina couldn¡¯t catch all of it, and she kept stumbling in her reply. Finally, she just gave up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m not good at German.¡±


    ¡°English then?¡± Jacob¡¯s eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms. ¡°My brother insists you are his guardian angel.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not his guardian angel. I¡¯m his granddaughter.¡±


    ¡°False. Wilhelm has no children.¡± He smiled in triumph, believing he caught her in a lie.


    ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t have any children yet.¡± She sighed and worried about how to explain what was happening. She was about to point out the portal to the Fae plane hanging in the air that he had walked right under, but Jacob was distracted by Wilhelm¡¯s coughing again. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡±


    Jacob ran his hands through his hair in defeat. ¡°I bring him to Halle to see treatment for his¡­,¡± he moved his hand to his chest, ¡°¡­heart and chest. He is sick and does not get well. I fear to lose him.¡±


    Mina felt her breath catch in her throat. This was it. It was Wilhelm. If he died, then his lines of descendants would never be born. Her father. Herself. This was why some Grimms were disappearing. Somehow, through it all, she had come to where she needed to be.


    But could she save him? She wasn¡¯t sure, but she had to try. Mina stepped forward and very slowly placed her hand on Wilhelm¡¯s chest. Just the touch of her hand made him sigh, and he reached up and placed his other hand on top of hers. She was misty-eyed. How many people got to travel back and see their ancestors? None.


    Jacob watched her like a hawk, and it was okay. She let him.


    The power didn¡¯t come as easily to her as it did on the Fae plane. In fact, it wasn¡¯t coming at all. It was impossible to find. And then she sensed it. It was just out of reach¡­so close¡­on the other side of the gate¡­that hadn¡¯t quite closed yet. So she did the undoable. She pulled from the Fae plane and the magic came, making her hands glow with power. She pushed it into Wilhelm¡¯s chest.


    He gasped and sat straight up.


    Jacob grabbed her from behind and tried to yank her away.


    ¡°No! Not yet.¡± Wilhelm cried out and his other hand reached out and grabbed hers, keeping them pressed against his chest. A few seconds more, and he took a deep breath and smiled. ¡°I can breathe. The pain¡¯s gone,¡± he said in heavy accent. ¡°You are angel.¡±


    Mina smiled and reached out to give him a very special hug. ¡°No, you¡¯re my angel. I¡¯ve so much to tell you, but there¡¯s so little time.¡±


    A loud noise came from the gate. Mina looked over in horror as a long black robed hand stretched through the glowing hole reaching out as if testing what was on the other side.


    ¡°A Reaper!¡± Mina grabbed the chair Jacob had just vacated and hurled it at the hand and through the gate. The hand disappeared, but the hole still remained open.

 Page 55

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. This is my fault. I pulled power from the Fae plane to help you and I think it¡¯s linked the two worlds. The gate is not closing.¡±


    ¡°What is coming through?¡± Jacob asked. She would have thought he would be terrified by what he was seeing. Instead he looked eager. Wilhelm crawled from the bed, invigorated, and stood before the portal in his pajamas. He picked up an umbrella and held it in front of him like a sword.


    ¡°Fae,¡± Mina answered.


    ¡°Fae? Like in the stories?¡± Wilhelm looked over to his brother and his face mirrored Jacob¡¯s. Excitement.


    ¡°Yes, just like the stories.¡± The room filled with glowing, moving fireflies and Mina realized that they weren¡¯t little bugs at all. The shoes were sparkling. Her darned slippers chose this moment to send her home. ¡°No, not yet.¡± She grabbed a pitcher of water and smashed it over the next monstrous hand that tried to crawl through the portal. It looked like a troll¡¯s. The hand quickly jerked back into the gate.


    ¡°Wilhelm. Jacob. Listen. There are good and bad Fae on the other side, and Teague will continue to send Reapers here to the human plane to hunt me down. But not only me¡ªall of the Grimms and our kind for future generations.¡±


    Jacob looked to his brother and nodded before he turned to Mina and asked, ¡°What will we need to do?¡±


    ¡°Stop them.¡± The flickering was coming faster, and they were all retreating into the hospital hallway. ¡°Here, you¡¯ll need this.¡± Mina pulled the Grimoire from her dress pocket and gave it to Wilhelm. ¡°Use it to capture the Fae within the book.¡±


    ¡°What happens to you?¡± Wilhelm asked. He tried to reach for her, but she backed away.


    ¡°I told you. I¡¯m your granddaughter. I must go home now. But you can help me¡ªby living. Survive today and all of the rest just like this one. Don¡¯t give up.¡±


    Jacob wrapped his hand around his brother¡¯s shoulders and gave him a reassuring hug. ¡°We won¡¯t. We have waited for this adventure for a lifetime. This is after all, a librarian¡¯s dream.¡±


    She didn¡¯t get a chance to tell them how to use the Grimoire before she saw both brothers rush back into the hospital room to battle the Fae that were coming through.


    There was only a bright flash of light as she felt herself pulled away¡­into a bright tunnel.


    Chapter 31


    Mina¡¯s body was on fire, her joints and every nerve in her zinging with pain. She was back in the parlor where she had left Brody, but the lights were off. The room was empty.


    She stood but felt the crunching of glass as the slippers crumbled beneath her feet.


    ¡°Ouch,¡± she cried. She hobbled back over to sit on the sofa to pick the pieces of glass out of her bare feet. The pain only intensified as guilt finally assailed her.


    It was her. It had always been her.


    Something pressed against her hip and she felt through the dress and pulled out the knife. In the light of the moon, she could see the word Erjad engraved into the blade itself. Erjad¡ªJared.


    The door opened, and she quickly hid the knife in the folds of her dress.


    ¡°Mina, is that you?¡± Brody called into the darkened room.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me,¡± she whispered softly.


    ¡°Oh, thank God.¡± He left the door open and rushed in. He wrapped his arms around her, fell onto the sofa, and pulled her onto his lap. He noticed her bleeding feet. ¡°What happened?¡±


    She sniffed. ¡°My shoes did that.¡±


    ¡°Your shoes? I¡¯ll never understand women and what they¡¯ll do for fashion.¡±


    Mina laughed. ¡°Believe me, this is not a fashion statement. More like an understatement.¡±


    He looked her over and frowned in confusion. ¡°You changed?¡±


    She glanced down at the dress she was wearing. It was still lavender in color and still had floral petals, but instead of Fae-made it looked man-made. She wasn¡¯t upset. After all, she arrived in one piece and wasn¡¯t covered in blood. ¡°In more ways than one.¡±


    She sighed and wrapped her arms around him, seeking a long hug from him, which he obliged. She held on and silently cry her heart out.


    When her soft hiccups stopped, Brody pulled away from her and said, ¡°Come on. The night is almost over, and I don¡¯t want to see you sad.¡± He lifted her up in his arms and carried her through the door and into the ballroom.


    Her bare feet touched the floor, and she only winced once from the pain in her foot. The rest was quickly forgotten, as she was safe and sound, home, and in Brody¡¯s arms.


    Safe. What a thought. How she¡¯d taken that for granted for so long. Would she ever feel completely safe from Teague again? The familiar song came to an end, and Brody told her to wait right there. He¡¯d be right back.


    She stood in the middle of the dance floor, barefoot and alone. The Dead Prince Society had already been playing for a while. The clock on the wall said it was quarter ¡¯til midnight.


    The band took a quick break as they prepared their next set. Mina was sad she¡¯d missed their introduction. Naga, with his black and white-striped mohawk, set his guitar down and rolled his shoulders. Burly Magnus set down his drumsticks and grabbed a bag of Cheetos from the floor beside him. Long white-blond haired Constantine adjusted the strap of his bass guitar and said something to the lead singer and Brody¡¯s cousin Valdemar. He put down his bottle and approached the mic again. She was glad she¡¯d pushed for the band to play here. And glad that the stupid dance cards ended at eleven and she could have Brody to herself now.


    The stage lights danced across the floor, creating beautiful patterns. The whole thing felt like a dream.


    Valdemar began to sing a soft ballad, and warm hands wrapped around her waist turning her in a full circle. She smiled up at her partner, expecting Brody¡¯s adoring face.


    But she was inches from Teague.


    Her smile dropped and her heart pounded loudly. She tried to pull away, but he held on to her tightly.


    ¡°Na, ah, ah. I believe you owe me a dance.¡± His words were like ice.


    She pushed against his chest trying to escape, but his hand covered hers, trapping it there.


    He gasped. She was touching the spot¡ªthe exact spot where the tip of the Erjad knife had broken off.


    ¡°So, Mina. Are you happy to see me? Or should I say Elle? Mina suits you much better.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m never happy to see you,¡± she muttered, looking over his shoulder at the blank faces of the couples dancing around them.


    ¡°Do you have what I want?¡± He turned her in a circle, making her head spin.


    ¡°No,¡± she lied.


    ¡°I told you, don¡¯t lie to me.¡± His grip tightened around her waist. ¡°The gate never fully closed, you know. It¡¯s faded over time, and I¡¯ve created others. I never could believe that you came from the future. I¡¯ve searched for you for over a hundred years. The Grimm brothers finally gathered the courage to cross over to my world one of your human years later, to try and stop the Reapers. They spoke of you. Even described you down to the dress you were wearing the day you fell from my tower.¡±


    ¡°Was thrown,¡± she corrected heatedly.


    ¡°Thrown¡ªfell. The ending was the same. You disappeared into another world. The brothers said you appeared there, but only for a short time before you vanished into a ball of light. We could only assume you went to the future¡­and here you are.¡±

 Page 56

    She swallowed nervously. ¡°What happened after I left?¡±


    His eyes darkened and he refused to speak for a full three measures of music. ¡°I became more powerful than anyone in the Fae world. More powerful than the Fates themselves. They were scared. They betrayed me and split my power, my very essence, in two.¡± He smiled wryly and raised an eyebrow. ¡°I can¡¯t blame them. They saw their opportunity with the Grimm brothers, and they took it. But I will make them pay for their betrayal.¡±


    A guitar riff picked up and Teague looked up in interest. Naga played on, his head bobbing with each strum of the guitar. Teague turned his focus back to her and stared deep into her eyes. ¡°Well, you know what happened next. They bound part of my soul to my journal on the Fae plane and the other half into the book the brothers carried. And wouldn¡¯t you know it? It¡¯s the same book I gave you. How do you think the brothers got that book, Mina?¡±


    She didn¡¯t say anything, just waited.


    Eventually Teague continued his story. ¡°The Fates sent them back to the human world, hoping the two books would never find each other again. But we know that¡¯s not what happened. Thanks to you, my weaker side, Jared, is gone.¡± He pulled away from her and gestured to himself from head to toe. ¡°I¡¯ve never felt more alive and powerful. And now my Cinderella has finished her quest to the past and retrieved my knife. I¡¯d like it back.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have it. I lost it,¡± It surprised her how quickly the lies formed on her tongue.


    Teague gave an exaggerated sigh. ¡°Why must you lie so? If you had only told me the truth from the beginning, you could have been part of my reign of destruction. Instead, you will be crushed under my boot.¡±


    ¡°Everyone has an Achilles heel.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± he asked. She had piqued his interest. ¡°Another fairy tale?¡±


    ¡°Greek Mythology.¡± She held on as he spun her. Something he saw bothered him, because his face became ugly.


    ¡°Ah, I see that the human is coming back to whisk you away for the fireworks display. But I leave you with one warning. At midnight I have a surprise of my own for you.¡± He lifted her hand and placed a kiss on her knuckles. ¡°I¡¯ll let you wait until after you¡¯ve seen my present. You may be more agreeable to my wishes in the morning. Until midnight, Mina. May the next few moments leave you in terror.¡± He bowed and disappeared into the crowd.


    She tried to go after him, but she ran into a gray mist and knew that he was gone.


    Brody appeared by her side and grabbed her hand, pulling her up the stairs to the second floor of the hall. She passed a grandfather clock and saw that it was only two minutes to midnight. Brody opened a door and led her into a secretarial office with a mahogany wood desk and matching bookcases. Behind the desk was a glass-paned double door that opened onto a balcony.


    Mina stepped onto the cold balcony and shivered¡ªfrom both the chill in the air and the worry creeping up her spine.


    Something bad was going to happen. Even if Teague hadn¡¯t threatened the impending doom, she¡¯d have felt it coming.


    Brody saw her shiver and wrapped his hands around her. He pointed out across the golf course. They could see the town and, to the right, the river. Down below, couples had gathered on the grass to watch the fireworks display. Even from the second floor she could recognize Daphne and Lara huddled together and pointing up at the sky. Mina craned her neck to look at the watch on Brody¡¯s wrist and wished for the second hand to stop moving.


    Thirty seconds left. She couldn¡¯t take it anymore. She turned to pull away from him, just as he reached into his pocket and pulled something out.


    ¡°Mina, I know things have been kind of crazy. And this has moved very fast between us, but I want you to know that I¡¯ll be there for you. Through all the crazy. Through whatever curse tries to hunt you down. I want to be your knight in shining armor. And although this tradition is a bit old fashioned, I find that¡¯s the kind of guy I am.¡±


    She had no idea what he was talking about. Her heart was pounding, and she felt like any moment she was going to fall down an elevator shaft.


    She couldn¡¯t focus on Brody. She was consumed with Teague. Why hadn¡¯t she just given him the stupid knife?


    At the stroke of midnight, the fireworks lit up the night sky. The first boom made Mina jump back in surprise. She gave a little cry of alarm before laughing it off.


    Another one exploded in the sky, followed by a cascade of more colorful bursts. She watched for a full minute and then felt the tension release from her body. It was midnight. Everything was okay. She sighed and turned to look at Brody and the object he was holding in front of her. It was his gold class ring with a ruby red stone.


    All thoughts fled her mind, and she stood there staring in shock. Around them, the sky was on fire with color, and right in front of her was a boy that seemed to care about her. He was offering her something she¡¯d never thought to get. True, she hardly ever saw anyone wearing rings in school anymore. They just posted their relationship on the Internet. But here in this moment it felt so right. So perfect.


    ¡°Brody, I¡­I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Booooom!¡± The explosion came from over two miles away, but Mina felt the quake beneath her. She stumbled and Brody caught her, dropping the class ring onto the balcony. She watched as it rolled off the ledge into the row of bushes two stories below. A second blast followed the first, and another ball of fire erupted over by the river. Down below, people started screaming and running. Others pulled out their cell phones and started taking pictures as the dark sky filled with orange fire.


    Teague¡¯s warning came back to her and she could barely speak. ¡°Wh-what was that?¡± She had to ask, but deep down she already knew.


    Brody squinted into the night and she could see that he was looking for landmarks and estimating distances. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Everything¡¯s fine. There¡¯s nothing to worry about. It¡¯s just an abandoned building that¡¯s nowhere near us.¡±


    ¡°Brody! What building is that?¡± She grabbed ahold of the lapels on his suit and stared at the burning orange sky.


    ¡°Mina, it¡¯s fine. You¡¯re safe. No one was hurt. It¡¯s the Old Green Mill Recycling Center. It¡¯s been abandoned for years.¡±


    She cried out as her feet gave way beneath her and she crumpled to the ground in a desperate heap. She stared through the metal slates on the balcony railings and wanted to die.


    ¡°Noo!¡± She screamed into the night. Her cries mingled with and echoed those of the people below. Teague had finally gotten his revenge. He had tried before to take them out but was unsuccessful. This time, his blow struck home.


    Mina couldn¡¯t pull her eyes away as she watched the Fae Godmother¡¯s Guild go up in flames.


    Chapter 32


    It took some convincing, but Brody finally drove her to the recycling plant. Firefighters were already on site, fighting back the blaze and dousing the building with water. Mina jumped out of the car and ran to the edge of the caution tape. She didn¡¯t see anyone coming out of the building.


    But there was no way the building was empty.


    Maybe the fire hadn¡¯t reached the Fae living below the recycling center. The firemen would have been evacuating the wreckage. Many of the Fae could mask themselves as human, but there were still quite a few that couldn¡¯t. They¡¯d have to be hiding somewhere.

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    She heard a wailing sound come from the edge of the woods and ran toward the trees fifty yards away. Brody was right on her heels. She crashed through the underbrush and passed through the illusion that was hiding the real damage. Fae were dragging and carrying the dead and wounded from the underground tunnel in the middle of the river. She saw a familiar girl with short black hair, struggling to help an injured man out of the tunnel.


    ¡°Brody, help them!¡± Mina cried out. She ran to help Ever carry Ken Wong out of the river bed to the embankment. She could see clear as daylight the fire and the firemen and policemen by the parking lot and building, but they couldn¡¯t see past the glamour. Which was good. The remaining Fae were using all of their last resources to cloak their escape from their headquarters.


    ¡°You missed the party,¡± Ever grunted as she kneeled to get Ken to lie down. There was a large bruise on his face and a bloody cut across his stomach. Most of his hands were covered with second-degree burns. He was conscious and kept trying to get back up to head into the tunnels. Two other Fae came and picked Ken up to move him into a large truck. It seemed like they were doing a quick evacuation of the survivors.


    ¡°Ever, where¡¯s Nix?¡± Mina scanned the crowd of scared and injured Fae.


    ¡°He¡¯s fine. He went back in to search for survivors. We were able to contain the fire using wards and push it back to the above floors. But there are still people trapped down there.¡± She coughed and used her shirt to wipe the soot away from her face. She looked tired and sweaty but determined. ¡°He came back Mina. He brought trolls, giants, and ogres and attacked the compound. Most of the Fae were sleeping, and he slaughtered them. I got up, because I couldn¡¯t sleep since it was a new place and all. I saw them rip through the wards, no problem.¡± Tears fell, leaving streaks in the soot on her face. ¡°I was able to sound an alarm, but it was too late to stop it. There were too many already in the facility.¡±


    Mina wrapped her hands around Ever as the girl cried, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably. Her grief was intense. ¡°Shhh, it¡¯s okay. We¡¯re here to help.¡±


    Ever pulled back, sniffed, and straightened her shoulders. Her eyes went wide when she saw the dress Mina was wearing. ¡°I knew it was you. There was a part of me that wanted to deny it, but there was so much that didn¡¯t add up about Elle, and then she disappeared. Still, it was so long ago. I just thought you had to be her doppelganger, and all this time, you just disappeared into the human plane.¡±


    ¡°Ever, I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t know. It wasn¡¯t just the human plane; it was a different time altogether. I wish I could have changed the outcome. I didn¡¯t want it to happen. I never meant for Teague to be poisoned by a cursed dagger.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s been looking for you, I mean Elle, for over a century. He wants his revenge. But I don¡¯t understand why he attacked the Guild. They seemed like nice Fae. They even accepted me easily, and I know I¡¯m a tough pill to swallow.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because it was the Godmothers that tried to assassinate Teague during that first test. Ferah was a Godmother. I happened to save her the night before, and she came back and made it to the tower. She was the one who stabbed him with the cursed knife. The tip of the knife broke off and is still inside of him. It¡¯s what poisoned his heart and increased his power. I was trying to save him, but he blames me. He wants to punish not only me, but the Guild for trying to assassinate him.¡± Mina looked around for Mei.


    Brody and Nix were carrying a female Fae out of the tunnel. Nix shot Mina worried looks as they carried her¡ªnot over to the trucks with the survivors¡ªbut down by the waterfront, where the rows of the dead lay.


    ¡°That¡¯s not¡ª?¡± Mina didn¡¯t finish, because she jumped up and dashed after Nix. Ever called out after her. ¡°Don¡¯t go down there.¡±


    Mina didn¡¯t listen. She recognized the dark hair, saw her beautiful brown skin and her lifeless eyes. ¡°Mei!¡± She rushed down to the waterfront.


    Nix ran up to meet her and blocked her from heading down to the shore. ¡°No, Mina. Don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Mei. Let me go. That¡¯s my Godmother!¡±


    Nix looked pained, but he yelled at Brody to help hold her back. Brody pulled her out of Nix¡¯s arms and tried to lead her back up the hill.


    ¡°Mei,¡± Mina cried, scratching and kicking at Brody so that he would let her go.


    He gripped her wrists and held on. ¡°Mina. She¡¯s gone. There¡¯s nothing you can do.¡± Just then, another rumble started from deep in the earth and everyone scattered as the Green Mill Recycling Center collapsed in upon itself. It was as if the earth opened up and swallowed every inch of the place in a giant sinkhole.


    The Fae who were coming out of the escape tunnel ran for their life. Cries rose up around her as others screamed for loved ones that hadn¡¯t surfaced yet. But the collapse triggered the water, and it rushed back down into the middle of the river, filling the escape tunnel and cutting off the last refugees.


    She couldn¡¯t breathe. It was impossible to inhale, and it burned as she tried to gasp for air. Finally, her lungs expanded and she started to sob. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. It¡¯s because of me that this happened.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not your fault.¡± A feminine voice spoke up from behind her. ¡°It¡¯s mine.¡±


    Through her tears, Mina looked into the face of Ferah. Like Ever, the girl hadn¡¯t aged much since she last saw her running away in the tower. Her hair was still a wild red, her eyes a deep blue.


    Mina filled with rage at the sight of the girl. She lunged for her. Ferah stepped back in surprise and Brody held her back.


    ¡°Y-you,¡± Mina snarled. ¡°It¡¯s because of you this happened.¡±


    ¡°But I would have finished the job, Mina. I would have been able to kill the prince if you hadn¡¯t interfered,¡± Ferah added.


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t tried to assassinate him with a cursed knife, he wouldn¡¯t have turned evil and destroyed hundreds of innocent Fae.¡± She pointed at the bodies lining the beach. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t have died. Mei would still be alive. My father would still be alive.¡±


    Ferah had her own tears rolling down her face. ¡°Blame me all you want, but if you hadn¡¯t fallen out of the tower and used the seam ripper at that place in time to go to Halle, you wouldn¡¯t have saved Wilhelm. You would never have been born.¡±


    ¡°But why?¡± Mina sobbed, finally wrenching free from Brody.


    ¡°I did what I had to do to try and prevent this from happening. Prophecies aren¡¯t fool proof. Ask Constance. I¡¯d do it again.¡±


    ¡°I hate you.¡± Mina hissed.


    ¡°Yeah, well, get in line,¡± Ferah laughed. ¡°Behind me.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯d like to join the I Hate Ferah club as well.¡± Ever grumbled.


    Ferah turned and looked at Ever. ¡°Oh look, if it isn¡¯t the oh-so-shy Ever Farindale. Looks like you got over the shy bit and grew up into a big girl.¡±


    ¡°Almost being killed in a maze will do that to you,¡± she shot back.


    Ferah looked over the Goth pixie and smirked at her footwear. ¡°Nice boots.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the better to kick your little elf¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey, I helped you that night.¡± Ferah cut Ever off. She thrust a thumb out at Mina. ¡°She would have forgotten about you, if it wasn¡¯t for me.¡±

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    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make us friends,¡± Ever snapped. ¡°I¡¯ll have to agree with Mina on this one. It¡¯s all your fault.¡±


    ¡°What do you two not understand? I was just following orders.¡± The elf girl flung out her hands and pointed back to the burning building. ¡°I was trying to prevent this. This is what the Guild does. Help Fae.¡±


    ¡°I want to know whose orders.¡± Nix spoke up. ¡°If everyone is going to start throwing blame on the powers that be, they¡¯d better have a name.¡±


    Ferah¡¯s lips pressed closed and she avoided eye contact. Not willing to share that information.


    ¡°Oh don¡¯t get all secretive on us now,¡± Ever lashed out. ¡°There¡¯s no time like the middle of a life or death situation to hash things out.¡±


    ¡°She was following my orders.¡± Constance came up from down by the waterfront. Her white hair was filled with soot, and her dress was burned along the side. She looked like she¡¯d been in a battle.


    ¡°We knew this day would come, and this is not the first or final battle. Teague attacked the Guild first because we are the strongest of the Fae. We¡¯re a collective, a mini army, whereas the rest of the Fae are scattered across the world. We were the only ones that could stand in his way of destroying your world. It¡¯s why he attacked all of the other Guilds twenty years ago. But then, he wasn¡¯t strong enough to destroy ours.¡± Constance looked toward the river.


    ¡°This time, he was. He ripped right through our wards, and the giants and trolls made quick work of bringing the building down on us. Knocking out the gas lines. A lot of Fae gave their lives to help create a protective shield to hold them back while others escaped. But they couldn¡¯t hold it back, and when the shield fell, the gas line blew.¡±


    ¡°What now?¡± Ever asked, wiping her eyes with the corner of her black jacket.


    ¡°We get the injured to safety. We have to hide all evidence of us ever being here. A few will stay behind to keep this area cloaked as well as trying to keep us hidden from the police. Also, someone will have to fix this.¡± She gestured to Brody, and Mina gasped.


    ¡°No. You can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mina. But we have too. He¡¯s seen too much.¡±


    ¡°He helped. He was saving lives.¡± She tried to champion Brody¡¯s cause, but he just gave her arm a squeeze.


    ¡°We told you, you could have one.¡± Constance answered.


    ¡°Yeah, well, your rules suck. And I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to follow them anymore.¡± Mina grabbed Brody¡¯s arm and tried to lead him away as fast as she could.


    But Ferah walked up to Brody and, in a split second, placed her hand on his forehead. A slight glow appeared around him, then dissipated.


    ¡°No!¡± Mina swatted her hand away and looked to Brody. He eyes weren¡¯t focusing. ¡°Brody! Brody, answer me. It¡¯s me. Mina.¡±


    He didn¡¯t say a word.


    Constance motioned to someone down by the waterfront, and a woman started softly singing. She must have been another muse, like Constance, for when she sang, fire sprang up. In seconds, the dead were engulfed in flames, and Mina cried out.


    Her Godmother was no more. It hurt. To not be able to say good-bye. Mei had done so much for her and her family. Protecting her, watching out for her, and causing a bit of mischief at the same time. How was she going to tell her mom about this?


    Constance turned to Ferah and Nix. ¡°Get the last of the Fae loaded up. We need to get to our backup location before the dark prince comes back for us.¡±


    Nix nodded and ran over to one of the Fae loading trucks. He jumped up onto the back of the truck bed and began getting the people settled in as comfortably as he could.


    ¡°Where are you going? Where are you taking Nix?¡± Mina asked, feeling like she was being abandoned.


    ¡°We have to get to a safe house. I have to protect our people. I¡¯m sorry, Mina. But right now, they are my first priority.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re abandoning me? You are the one to start all of this and now you¡¯re walking away.¡±


    ¡°Look at the truck and tell me what you see.¡±


    She scanned the back and saw Nix sitting down, pulling a small child into his lap. ¡°Children. I see a lot of women and children.¡±


    Constance nodded her head. ¡°They ran while the men fought off Teague¡¯s army and tried to keep the building from collapsing. I have to get them to safety. I can¡¯t let Teague hurt them.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Mina whispered. Her heart ached for all of the children that lost a loved one or a parent.


    Constance was about to head up to the trucks but turned to give her a warning. ¡°Mina, there¡¯s something else you should know.¡±


    She was exhausted and hurting, and she didn¡¯t really want to hear any more news from the GM¡¯s.


    ¡°Teague¡¯s goal wasn¡¯t just to attack us. He took something.¡±


    ¡°What was it?¡± Mina began to chew on her lip in worry. She didn¡¯t need her most dangerous ally to have another huge weapon.


    ¡°He stole one of the mirrors from the hall.¡±


    ¡°You mean one of the Grimm mirrors? Whose mirror?¡±


    Constance pushed her glasses up on her nose and gave her a worried look. ¡°Yours.¡±


    Chapter 33


    ¡°What?¡± It was worse than she thought. If Teague had her mirror, there was no way for her to ever surprise him. He could watch her every second of every day. Her stomach rolled, and she turned and slipped her hand into Brody¡¯s unresponsive one. He was still in a memory funk.


    In a matter of minutes, the rest of the Fae had cleared the site and were pulling away in the loaded the trucks. Ever, Mina, and Brody watched as five trucks filed in line and drove down an old service road. On their way to who knows where. Nix¡¯s truck was the last to pull out, and he watched them solemnly. When they were about to turn a corner and pass out of sight, Nix stood up and waved goodbye.


    Brody snapped out of his coma to raise his arm and salute his best friend. Mina turned and gave him an odd stare. Ever just grinned and rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± Mina asked, waving her hand in front of Brody¡¯s face.


    ¡°Of course I do.¡± Brody made an amused face and gently pushed her hand down.


    ¡°What do you remember?¡± She tested him.


    ¡°Everything.¡±


    ¡°Everything, everything or just¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mina.¡± Brody reached into his pocket and pulled out a little charm. It was identical to the one Nan had. ¡°I remember everything.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± She almost started crying in relief.


    ¡°Nix slipped it into my pocket in the tunnel and told me to not lose it. And if anything weird happened to just play dumb.¡±


    ¡°But where did Nix get this charm?¡± Mina asked.


    ¡°Why, he stole it.¡± Ever chimed in. ¡°I watched him swipe it right out of Pandora¡¯s box. You know Nixies have a thing for pretty little baubles. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he stole a whole bunch of other stuff from the GMs while he was here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so thankful he did,¡± Mina cried and gave Brody a hug. Then she turned to Ever. ¡°So what are you going to do now? Why didn¡¯t you go with them, and go into hiding?¡±


    Ever snorted. ¡°Hiding¡¯s not really my thing. And we can¡¯t let Teague get away with this.¡±

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    ¡°No, no we can¡¯t,¡± Mina agreed.


    ¡°Plus, I happen to have gotten to know him quite well¡ªor at least Jared pretty well¡ªover the last few years. So if someone has an inside scoop on how he thinks, it¡¯s probably me.¡±


    ¡°Ever, thank you.¡± Mina reached out and gave her a hug, which Ever tried to get out of as fast as possible.


    ¡°Yeah, well I¡¯ve seen you in action and you really need all the help you can get. Good looks aren¡¯t going to be enough.¡± She pointed at Brody, who just shook his head and gave her a wry smile. ¡°Plus someone has to jump in and be your temporary Godmother, while the world is ending. I mean a Grimm can¡¯t be without a Fae Godmother. And all the qualified ones just left.¡±


    Mina couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. ¡°Ever, are you serious?¡±


    ¡°About most things in life¡­No. About this¡­I¡¯m dead serious.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be honored to have you be my Godmother.¡±


    ¡°Great! It¡¯s a deal. Just don¡¯t tell Nan. That¡¯s really not the image I want everyone to associate with me, you know.¡±


    ¡°Pixie promise,¡± Mina answered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know it,¡± Ever said solemnly.


    Ever, Mina, and Brody were standing on the shore when the glamour hiding them dropped. Suddenly there was a whole parking lot filled with police, firemen, and what looked like a bomb squad who might be able to see them.


    ¡°So what do we do next?¡± Brody asked while they stared at the flashing lights and sirens going off. It was unbelievable how much had been muffled by the glamour. Even the heat was ten times more intense now than before.


    ¡°He¡¯s not finished.¡± Ever announced. Her wings started to flap quickly, pushing more hot air toward Mina. ¡°This is just the beginning of what he¡¯s going to do.¡±


    ¡°Teague¡¯s got an army, so I think we need an army,¡± Mina answered.


    ¡°And where do you think we¡¯re going to find an army strong enough to take down one of the strongest Fae in both planes?¡± Ever asked.


    Mina pulled out the seam ripper. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I think we can come up with something. I won¡¯t give up. Mei wouldn¡¯t want that.¡±


    ¡°Together?¡± she reached out and put her hand out palm down.


    Ever and Brody smiled and spoke at the same time. ¡°Together.¡±


    The End