An ill-worded wish is worse than a curse, the old adage whispered in my mind.
Not helping, I thought back. It would be okay. I’d just take it back. That’s how these things worked. I closed my eyes and gave it a try. When I reopened them, my world was still in pieces.
Maybe the dumb thing needed more juice. I squeezed the star and allowed the jagged part to cut my skin again. Then I shook it for good measure. That always helped when my spellphone was on the fritz. “I wish to unwish it.”
Nothing happened.
Hunched over in high-pitched, off-key laughter, Griz fell back and collapsed on my mother’s throne. “Oh, you are just too precious. You can’t take it back. You’ve already ripped the fabric of magic. The threads of fate are unraveling as we speak. Even if I were so inclined, I’d have no idea where to begin stitching it back together.” She wiped tears of mirth from the corners of her eyes.
My heart broke. Add it to the list of things that couldn’t be stitched back together.
Glancing around for some means of escape, I could see that the room was mostly cleared. None of the other guests who had stuck around seemed inclined to help me. Beauty looked ready to eat me herself.
Griz stood up again and smoothed her dress before advancing on me. Making a dramatic show of large, circular movements with her arms, she gathered a mercuric ball of lightning. “Finally, it is time for the House of Emerald to fall.”
“Why?” I said, stalling for more time, stepping slowly in reverse. It was a dumb question, but the bad guy always takes time to explain their whole wicked plan, giving the hero a chance to save the day.
Apparently, that rule of story had disappeared as well.
“Nothing to worry your pretty little head over. You won’t have it long enough,” she said and hurled the stormball.
My life flashed before my eyes, and sadly it looked a lot like an infomercial, since my existence had been mostly filled with things—jewelry, shoes, dresses, shoes. Very few people. Mom, Dad, Verte… “Kato!”
I tripped over the little fur ball, and my feet went flying. As I landed on my royal derriere, the stormball sailed harmlessly overhead.
Well, harmless to me. Not so much for the north wall. It was toast.
Looking annoyed but still deathly determined, Griz raised her arms again to gather the silver lightning.
Her lightning wouldn’t miss twice, meaning my time was up. Kato knew it too. He let out a high-pitched whine and scratched my hand with his paw.
“Sorry,” I said. It was inadequate, but it’s all I had. I closed my eyes and waited for oblivion to claim us.
It didn’t. Griz gave a frustrated wail.
Opening one eye tentatively, I saw a shimmering green film forming a wall between me and Griz. The silver storm glob trickled down it.
“Well, don’t just sit there, pup. Get. It’s not like I can hold off the Gray Witch all day.”
Verte stood behind me with her emerald staff held out in front of her, a bead of sweat forming on her slightly mustached upper lip. Whatever magic she was doing was difficult and probably wouldn’t last long.
I stood up and ran over to her, about to burst with questions. Griz flung balls and sharpened lightning bolts more quickly now, trying to break the shield. Verte flinched with each blow. I tried to help steady her, but she shook me off.
“Why are you still here? Run. Leave the palace,” Verte said irritably.
My body jerked like I’d been slapped. Leave the palace? The idea of actually being ordered to do so was inconceivable. “What about the curse? Where will I go?”
“Your only hope is the spring over the rainbow.” Verte nodded over her shoulder, toward the hallway. “Rexi will help get you there. Then wait someplace safe nearby it and I’ll find you.”
I hadn’t seen the girl standing in the hall. Short, blond hair poked out every which way but down. My escape guide didn’t look too excited about her new job. She stuffed her fists into her trousers, eyes narrowed and jaw set. But then she nodded in agreement and motioned for me to join her.
For so long I had pined for freedom from these walls, but now I was hesitant to take it.
Of course, the crack forming in Verte’s green wall made me a little less hesitant.
Making sure not to trip over the broken debris, Kato and I ran toward the girl and away from Griz.
From behind me, Verte yelled a few final words of advice. “Stay away from fire. Use your head. And for Grimm’s sake, don’t lose your shoes.”
That stopped me in my tracks. I loved my shoes, but come on. Priorities. I was about to say something when another of Griz’s stormballs smashed through Verte’s shield, causing part of the ceiling to collapse.
Right. Priorities. Escape now. Questions later.
From the hallway, I heard Griz scream, “I’ll get you, my princess. And your little fur ball too.”
“Rule #74: When escaping into the wilderness, be sure to pack your magical bag with clean undergarments. And bread crumbs.”
—Definitive Fairy-Tale Survival Guide, Volume 3: Enchanted Forests
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