“Gravy,” Daphne said. “Can I take it?”
Before Sabrina could strangle Puck, Prince Charming stormed into the mess tent demanding that someone do something about Goldilocks.
“She’s running around here moving things.”
The blond beauty followed close behind. “Things are very out of balance in this fort. You can’t have the catapult near the water tower. Water has a calming effect on people. You should put the catapult somewhere that people have their blood up—like the fire pit.”
“See, she talks nonsense!”
“It’s feng shui! It’s thousands of years old,” Goldilocks said.
“And I would presume painfully annoying for every year!” Charming shouted. “This is a military complex. It’s not supposed to flow harmoniously.”
“You asked me for my help,” the blond woman said stubbornly.
“This is not what I had in mind, Goldilocks. I need fighters, especially ones with unique abilities. You can command an animal army, but instead you’re moving the ammunition and the horses so they are one with the universe. Woman, we’re launching an attack tonight!”
“Launching an attack!” Henry cried as he leaped from his seat. “What are you talking about?”
Charming looked Sabrina up and down. “You are a strange child,” he said, then turned his attention back to Henry. “The Merry Men only managed to track down one of the hobgoblins you let get away. That one has most assuredly returned to the Hand to report where we are located. We’ll be under attack any day now. I have no intention of sitting and waiting for it to happen. We’re going to strike first and let them know we mean business. It may be our only opportunity to surprise them.”
When Charming strolled off Goldilocks sighed. “I’m just trying to be useful.”
“You have other talents,” Henry reminded her.
She walked away, frowning.
When they were finished with breakfast, Uncle Jake retrieved the toadie egg antidote and gave it to Sabrina. It was a little glass vial with a cork stopper. Inside was a strange yellow liquid. She stared at the bottle uncertainly.
“A tail, huh?”
Uncle Jake nodded. “A really long one.”
Sabrina shook her head. “No way. I am not going to have a monkey tail.”
“It will disappear after a day or two, but without this antidote you’re going to be green for a very long time.”
Sabrina sighed. She wouldn’t be able to hide green skin. She’d look like a blond-haired crocodile. She could at least hide a tail. She took the top off the bottle and drank the liquid. It tasted like soda pop and cabbage.
“How long before it takes effect?” Sabrina asked.
“Your skin is changing back to normal now. The tail, who knows? It could happen any minute or it could take a couple days.”
Henry shook his head in disgust. “Magic,” he muttered. “There’s always a side effect.”
Sabrina knew if she sat and worried about when the tail might appear she would go crazy, so she plunged into training to keep herself occupied. It was a busy day as everyone prepared for the battle ahead. Each minute that ticked by caused tension to grow amongst the soldiers. Their eyes changed from those of eager students to those of an animal who knows the zookeeper is unlocking its cage. They were loud and full of bravado. Raucous versions of ancient Irish war songs filled the fortress. Whether their bravery was real or manufactured had yet to be seen.
But beside the hunger for confrontation, many of the Everafters were going through a rather different phenomenon that surprised everyone who witnessed it—the Everafters couldn’t help but be honest with one another. Maybe with so much on the line, people were giving their lives a second look. But the floodgates of truth swung open and Everafters rushed about confessing their undying love for one another. Ms. White and Morgan le Fay were nearly mobbed.
Still, there were some that were panicked. Snow gathered them together and gave them a pep talk. Sabrina watched her speak and how the recruits reacted to her. Perhaps it was Ms. White’s many years as a teacher, or perhaps she was just a natural leader, but she had a command over the crowd that amazed Sabrina. It was hard for Sabrina to believe this was the same woman who expressed so much self-doubt just days before. Snow told the troops that the battle would be dangerous, but it was well planned. She told them that people might be injured, but everyone was well trained. She told them that it was understood that fighting back was a tremendous risk, but that their names would be synonymous with the word hero and they would be celebrated wherever Everafters lived, either in Ferryport Landing or beyond. Sabrina watched their nervous faces harden and their frightened eyes transform into fire. When Snow walked away the group was demanding to be launched at the Scarlet Hand. They couldn’t wait to fight.
“She’s impressive,” a voice said behind Sabrina. Prince Charming stood behind her watching his former girlfriend.