"Who are you?" Nottingham asked. A ray of moonlight caught the silver dagger he held in his hand.
Charming moved the girls through the room, careful to stay away from any light that might reveal their identities while also avoiding Nottingham's blade. It wasn't easy. The sheriff was fast and nimble. He lunged forward, slashing the air, and they leaped back.
"Whoever you are, you're either brave or stupid," Nottingham seethed. "Not many would break into the Queen of Hearts's
home. I'll give you credit for being clever, too. Crawling down the chimney was brilliant. I'll have to post a guard on the roof from now on."
Nottingham lunged again. This time Charming threw a punch that caught the sheriff in the face. While he was recovering from the blow, Charming ushered the girls to another part of the room.
Nottingham roared with indignation. Sabrina guessed his pride was hurt more than his face. He leaped at them, swinging his deadly blade in every direction. The girls stumbled backward, avoiding the sheriff the best they could. Unfortunately, the dagger clipped Charming's arm. There was a tearing sound and the prince let out a little groan.
"Aha!" Nottingham cried. He chased Charming around the room, knocking over tables and lamps. Glass crashed to the floor, furniture was overturned, and in the mad, savage assault, the sheriff caught his boot on an upturned rug. He stumbled forward, falling on top of Daphne and knocking her to the ground. Without hesitation, Sabrina leaped on top of him, kicking and punching as she tried to free her little sister. Nottingham, however, seemed undisturbed by Sabrina's attack and held his shiny dagger up to Daphne's face. She cried out, terrified.
"Why, you're just a child," Nottingham said. "Perhaps I should leave you with something to remember me by."
He raised the dagger high over his head, but before its blade could scar Daphne's face, Charming kicked the sheriff in the ribs. The blade flew out of Nottingham's hand and skidded across the floor. As the sheriff clambered to his feet, Charming landed another painful punch to the sheriff's face. Sabrina heard a bone crack, and the villain bellowed in pain, then fell over a chair and hit his head on the floor. After that, he was silent.
"That's for Daphne Grimm," Charming said, standing over the fallen villain, "present and future."
Chapter 8
"Well, we've already changed a number of things about the future," Charming said when Mr. Seven dropped them off outside of Granny Relda's house. "For one, I have my mirror back and two, Daphne has the magic detector earlier."
"And three, I fought with Nottingham and didn't get a scratch," Daphne said, flashing a smile. "Look at me, I'm still mucho hot-o!"
"I am sorry to have to put you into danger, but--"
"Children, go inside," a voice said from behind them. Sabrina looked up and found Mr. Canis waiting on the porch. "I need to have a word with the prince."
Sabrina could see the anger in the old man's face. "Mr. Canis, we were--"
"Children, go inside," Canis roared.
Sabrina and Daphne started to do as they were told, but the argument began before they were through the door.
"You had no right to take them from the house," Canis said.
"I got them back safely," Charming argued.
"You dare to stand there and be flippant," Canis said. "You snuck them out without permission."
"I did what I had to do, Canis."
"And what exactly was that?"
"I can't tell you."
Canis seethed.
"You're just going to have to trust me," the prince continued. "Trust you!" Canis said. "Who are you to deserve anyone's trust?
"That coming from a man who is slowly turning into a killer," Charming bellowed. "Listen, mutt, you want something to trust? Then trust this! I will always work in my own interests, and right now it is in my interest to protect those girls. It is not because I care for them, or have deluded myself into believing that I am part of their family, like you! It's because their well-being serves my current interests."
"Take them from this home one more time and I swear I will kill you," Canis said.
Charming marched up the porch stairs and into the house. "Do you wish to explain?" Canis asked the girls. They looked at each other. They had promised not to tell. "I'm sorry," Daphne said.
"I suspected as much." Canis snapped. He turned and crossed the lawn, disappearing into the woods.
*
The next morning, Sabrina woke to the loud thumping of people rushing up and down the steps. She shook her sister awake and pulled her out of bed. When they threw open their door, they found Uncle Jake and Mr. Canis moving furniture out of their grandmother's room and down the stairs.
"What's going on?" she said.