For the first time since her mother and father had awoken, there were smiles on everyone’s faces. Sabrina reveled in the moment. It was just what she had wanted—just like it had been before her parents disappeared and all the craziness began.
But it was a short-lived celebration. A loud bell rang and the gates of the fort opened. Robin Hood and his men marched inside with a dozen of the hobgoblins Henry and Veronica had pummeled earlier that day. The brutes were tied together at the wrists and then linked by a single heavy chain. They grunted and complained as they were roughly shoved along. Charming appeared and ordered the men to lock all of the creatures in his cabin. He pulled Little John and Will Scarlet from the group and ordered them to have the prisoners guarded twenty-four hours a day. “We can’t have them escape before we question them.”
“You can forget interrogation,” one of the hobgoblins barked. “You won’t get anything out of us.”
Snow White, who had appeared in the courtyard for dinner, still in her fatigues, cracked her knuckles loudly. “We’ll just see about that.”
“Relda, you seem to have a knack for getting information. Could you help?” Charming asked.
“She’s not part of your war,” Henry said.
Granny stood up. “I’ll do what I can.”
Sabrina watched her father quietly seethe.
After dinner, the girls went on a walk to give their parents some privacy. It was clear another argument was brewing and Sabrina had had enough fighting. Puck followed them. Sabrina tried to ignore him, as he was being especially annoying and had already driven her to the brink of murder several times that day.
They wandered aimlessly around the fort, taking in the strange sights, until Daphne spotted Red Riding Hood sitting behind Charming’s cabin. Daphne rushed over and sat down next to her.
“Hey,” she said.
“Hey.” Red forced a smile on her face.
“Are you hiding back here?”
Red nodded. “I’m trying to stay out of the way. I don’t want to be any trouble.”
“I’m all about trouble,” Puck crowed.
Sabrina leaned against the cabin and pretended to be fascinated with a dusty stone near her foot. She did not want to have a conversation with Red and was surprised by Daphne’s acceptance of the demented child. Just a few days ago Red was locked up in an insane asylum for trying to kill Sabrina’s family, and now, with a little magical help, she was “cured” and living with the Grimms. It was obvious that this “new” Red needed some comfort, but why should Sabrina have to give it?
“You’re not trouble,” Daphne said. “Granny invited you to live with us so that makes you one of us. You don’t have to run off and hide.”
“Your grandmother is very kind,” Red said.
“My grandmother is gravy,” Daphne agreed. “You’ll be safe with her, and plus she’s an excellent cook—”
Sabrina laughed out loud and Daphne flashed her an angry look. “Well, you shouldn’t lie to her,” Sabrina said defensively.
Daphne turned back to Red Riding Hood. “Like I was saying … Granny’s a great cook and soon you will have your own room. Granny promised to build me one, too. Maybe you and I could have a secret door that leads into each other’s rooms—one only we know about.”
“I would like that,” Red said, grinning.
Sabrina bristled. The first time the girls had slept in separate beds had been the night before. Daphne had refused to share a bedroom after Sabrina had lied and stolen from her. Apparently, her sister’s desire to have her own room hadn’t gone away yet. Sabrina knew what she had done was wrong, but they were sisters! Wasn’t blood thicker than water, or whatever the saying was that meant you had to forgive your family’s mistakes?
Prince Charming’s booming voice exploded from a window directly above them.
“What’s going on?” Red asked.
“I think they’re questioning a hobgoblin,” Sabrina said as she got up on her tiptoes to get a peek in the window. The rest of the children did the same, elbowing one another for a good view. Inside, Sabrina saw a hobgoblin sitting on a chair. His hands were still bound and he looked exhausted. Charming and Snow hovered over him while Granny sat in a chair, patiently. Mr. Canis and Mr. Seven looked on.
“Does the Master know where our camp is?” Charming barked.
The hobgoblin smiled and dipped his head. “Not yet, Prince, but soon.”
Charming turned to Mr. Canis and they exchanged a worried look. Snow and Mr. Seven, who stood on the opposite side of the room, shared the same worried expression. Granny Relda, however, seemed relaxed.
“You speak of the Master as if you know him. Who is he?” Granny Relda asked.
Sabrina’s heart skipped a beat. She, too, had wondered who the Master was and why he had caused so much heartache for her family.
The hobgoblin snorted a laugh. “I have not earned the honor of sharing the presence of the Master. But one day I hope to meet him in person and kneel before his feet.”
“So you take orders from someone you have never met?” Snow asked.