“With Mr. Canis, I think,” Veronica said.
Sabrina ran back the way they had come and into the crowd of cheering Everafters. “Let me by!” she shouted. “I need to get past!”
Finally she spotted Mr. Canis and Red Riding Hood within the crowd. The little girl had a smile on her face and was enjoying the festivities. Sabrina ran to her and snatched her cloak in her hands.
“Where is the baby?” she demanded.
“What baby?” Red said feebly.
“Don’t play dumb with me. I know you had him,” Sabrina said. She had never been so angry and afraid in her whole life.
“I don’t remember any baby,” Red shouted.
“Sabrina, leave her be,” Mr. Canis demanded, but she ignored him.
“He’s somewhere in that head of yours,” Sabrina said. “You have to remember!”
Red pulled away. “I’m trying!”
“You’re not!”
“Sabrina, that’s enough,” Canis shouted.
Sabrina reeled on him. “You make her remember! Right now. She and the Master stole my baby brother. She knows where he is.”
“What are you talking about?” Mr. Canis said as Veronica and Daphne raced to join them.
“Sabrina, this is not the way,” Veronica said.
“She knows where he is,” Sabrina repeated.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I wasn’t myself,” Red said through streaming tears. Then there was a moment of clarity in her eyes as if something were rising to the surface.
“You remember something?” Sabrina said.
“A crib in a room filled with holes on the walls,” Red said. “Little holes that let him see the whole world. Little holes that let him see you wherever you are. He keeps the baby there and watches.”
“What does he look like, Red? Who is he?”
Red Riding Hood looked into Sabrina’s eyes. Sabrina could see the struggle on the child’s face. There was something important but Red could not get at it. She looked away.
Veronica rushed to Sabrina and scooped her into her arms. They held each other and cried. Daphne joined them. There was nothing else to do.
s. White’s assumption proved to be correct: When they took the trolley back to the house, they saw that the mob that had once surrounded it was gone. All that remained were hundreds of broken arrows on the lawn and an abandoned cannon. The house had not been harmed, though the front yard was a disaster.
Prince Charming took advantage of Mr. Seven’s heroic speech and newfound popularity and promoted him to general of Charming’s army. The little man marched the soldiers through the Hall of Wonders, which took the better part of a day. When they arrived at the portal they continued down the stairs and out the front door. The family watched strangers and friends file past. They wished them well and hoped to see them all again.
Buzzflower and Mallobarb smiled at Sabrina as they left. They thanked her and the family for their kindness after Sleeping Beauty’s death.
“Where are you headed?”
“Well, we’re told the plan is to take Town Hall but I can’t be sure that’s where we are truly headed,” Buzzflower said.
“Sergeant White says all we need to know is how to fight, not where it’s going to happen,” Mallobarb added.
Uncle Jake rushed to their side. “Ready, ladies?”
“You can’t go. It’s too dangerous,” Granny cried.
“We’ll look after him,” Mallobarb said. “He didn’t make much of an impression on us at first but he’s grown on us.”
Uncle Jake grinned.
“This isn’t your war,” Mr. Canis said as Uncle Jake marched ahead.
“Yes it is,” Henry said. “He’s a Grimm. This is what we do.”
“We might never see him again,” Veronica said, fighting back tears.
“We’ll see him again,” Daphne said. “He’s Uncle Jake. He’s gravy.”
Goldilocks and the three bears were the next ones to file out the door.
“Goldi, are you sure about this?” Granny asked. “There’s plenty of room here and the fighting is going to get worse.”
Goldilocks shook her head. “I’m done avoiding my responsibilities, Relda. I’m back in Ferryport Landing. It’s time to plant some roots and see what sprouts.”
Veronica stepped forward. “Goldi, if you’re doing this to avoid me and my family … you can’t risk your life and limb because you might feel uncomfortable here!”