“Dad—”
“This isn’t up for discussion, Daphne,” Henry barked. “I should have sent you away the second I had a chance. I won’t make that mistake again.”
“But you heard them, Dad. If we don’t stop Mirror, he will take over the world. That’s like really bad,” Daphne said.
“The world will have to worry about itself.”
Daphne wouldn’t let it go. “Mom, can you—”
“Henry, I think Daphne has a point,” Veronica said.
Sabrina only caught snippets of the conversation around her. Her mind was back in the room, watching the Wicked Queen’s face as the mirrors predicted the future. Like the others, she’d been shocked, but there was something else in her eyes—acceptance of what the mirrors were saying and even—hope? Sabrina couldn’t be sure, but it didn’t matter now. None of it mattered. Mirror was going to have his way. Soon, her world would go through another upheaval. She needed to prepare for a life on the run.
They were almost to the drawbridge when the Wicked Queen came charging after them. “You can’t leave.”
Henry turned on her. “Watch us.”
“The girls are the keys to everything, Henry,” she said.
“Your mirrors are busted,” Henry said.
“I know all there is to know about wanting to save a child from tragedy and danger. But this is their destiny. The Council of Mirrors sees all possibilities and they have led us on our only path. I don’t like it any more than you do, but if they don’t carry this burden, then we will all suffer. Running is futile, Henry. When Mirror breaks through that barrier, he will unleash massive power on a world that believes magic only exists in children’s books. Their guns and bombs will be useless against him. Every person on this planet will suffer at his hand and he will hunt his enemies down one by one. There will be nowhere you can hide, and instead of standing up and fighting when you had the chance, you will doom us all. Do you understand me? Forget the world, Henry. Be practical. Think of your daughters first. The only way to save them is to let them fulfill their destiny.”
“No one can know that!” Henry cried.
Bunny snatched his arm before he could step away. “I wouldn’t be talking to you if that were true.”
Henry pulled away as if the queen’s hand were the jaws of a venomous serpent and continued for the gate.
“What about our stuff?” Daphne asked as they stormed past log cabins and half-built ramparts.
“We’ll buy new things in New York City,” Henry said.
“What is going on?” Red cried as she rushed to catch up with the family.
Suddenly, Puck dropped down from the sky and blocked their way.
“I never thought I’d see the day.”
“Ignore him,” Henry muttered.
“I guess you folks are chicken,” Puck said, spinning on his heels and morphing into a red rooster. He squawked obnoxiously and pecked at Henry’s shoes. “Forget saving the world. Are you really going to just give up on the old lady? After all that she’s done for you? The cooking, the cleaning, the bedtime stories, how she hosed you down at night.”
“She didn’t hose us down at night,” Sabrina said. “Just you.”
“And I’m not giving up. I’m getting my family to safety and then helping Mom,” Henry said.
The rooster spun around and Puck returned to normal. “The old lady would never run. Are you sure you’re actually related to her? I’d like to see some paperwork.”
“I have to protect my family.”
“If Sabrina and Daphne leave, no one will be safe,” Puck said.
But Henry ignored him and continued to march the family toward the stronghold’s iron gate despite the small crowd encircling them.
“You can’t just walk away!” Puck shouted.
“What do you want me to do? Let my kids die?”
“Your kids did just fine while you and Veronica were sound asleep,” Beauty said.
“Henry, let’s just stop and talk about this,” Veronica said.
“Now you want to argue with me, too?” he said, turning to face his wife.
Mr. Canis hobbled forward. “They will have all of us at their side.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t put my faith in an army of children, talking animals, and the elderly,” Henry said. He led his family across the fallen drawbridge and into the woods, leaving the castle and their friends behind. As the girls glanced back, the castle magically disappeared from view.
Henry marched with determination, seemingly undeterred by the lack of a path. The girls and their mother, carrying Basil, did their best to keep up with him. Puck followed from the air.
“Once you get into Grand Central,” Henry said, “head for Brooklyn. Dana and Steven will take you in.”