The Fairy-Tale Detectives (The Sisters Grimm, Book 1)

"And what do you think you're going to do with that, duck?" Jack scoffed as he stepped toward her. "Grimms aren't killers. You don't have it in you!"

 

"Well, we're kind of new at this job. If we break a couple of rules, that just goes with the learning process," Sabrina said with as much bravery as she could muster. Her courage was short-lived. As Jack got closer, she noticed something painted on his shirt. It was a red hand, just like the one the police had found in her parent's abandoned car. It sent a chill through her body.

 

"You took my parents," Sabrina said.

 

Jack looked down at the red hand and smiled. "No, girl, I didn't, but I know who did. The Scarlet Hand has plans for them."

 

"Where are they?" Daphne cried.

 

He laughed.

 

"You know, I grew up reading about you," Sabrina said, trying to keep him busy. "You had a very exciting story. You climbed the beanstalk, killed the giant, and captured the treasure. Lots of kids think of you as a hero."

 

"But not you?"

 

"Once, but not now. Now that I've met you—the real Jack— I see what a rotten person you are. That's what you're famous for now, Jack. Not being a giant killer, but being scum."

 

"Give me the sword, girl, so I can cut your tongue out with it," he threatened.

 

"Daphne, I want you to run away and get some help," Sabrina said. She knew she couldn't deflect Jack's arrow and didn't want her sister to see her die.

 

"I won't do it," Daphne insisted.

 

Jack pulled his bowstring back further and, just as he was about to fire his arrow, the giant's foot came down on top of him, giving the man only a split second to leap out of the way.

 

Daphne grabbed her sister's hand and together they raced into the forest, dodging trees and branches. Jack followed closely behind, and worse, the giant strode after him. Its first step landed several yards behind them.

 

An arrow whizzed by and impaled itself into a nearby tree.

 

"That was a warning shot, ladies," the young man shouted as he loaded another arrow. "I'm quite good with this thing."

 

Suddenly, the two girls were slipping down the side of a hill and into an ice-cold creek. Another arrow splashed in the water at Sabrina's feet as they pulled themselves out of the stream and continued to run. With now-frozen feet, they did their best to avoid the jagged rocks that littered the forest floor, but soon Sabrina took a tumble and fell end-over-end across the ground. She tried to stand up and quickly realized she was missing something—her left shoe—Dorothy's left slipper—lay glistening in the moonlight behind her. It had fallen off.

 

"C'mon," Daphne begged as she tried to help her big sister to her feet, but Sabrina crawled desperately toward the shoe. It was their only chance of finding their parents. She used her arms to pull herself along the ground, knowing that Jack would fall upon her at any second. But before she could reach it, the giant's foot came down hard on top of the slipper. The vibrations shook the girls and sent them tumbling. When the giant lifted his foot, the shoe was gone; the only thing remaining was a piece of glistening fabric that turned to dust in Sabrina's outstretched hands.

 

Heartbroken, Sabrina pulled her sister behind a huge oak tree and the two of them rested.

 

"Don't worry, I'll think of something," she said, squeezing her sister's hand.

 

But the sound of a monstrous crash drowned Sabrina's answer and flooded the forest. Splintering wood and damp soil rained from the sky as the tree they stood next to was violently uprooted.

 

The two girls looked up into the face of death towering above them and felt its hot, pungent breath blow their hair back from their scalps. What's happened to our lives? Sabrina wondered.

 

The giant tossed the tree aside and then reached down with his grubby hand to pick them up, but just as he did, Sabrina thrust Excalibur into the air. The giant's hand plunged into its blade, and suddenly his eyes lit up in surprise.

 

"What was that?" he asked softly. He stood up as if he was in a daze, unsure even of where he was. The anger in his face melted away, replaced by a sort of calm curiosity, and he began to wobble on his feet. Unable to keep his balance, he sailed backward, landing flat on his back and crushing an acre of forest beneath him. A thick cloud of dust rose above his body and settled down all around them. Half a pound of soil landed in Sabrina's blond hair.

 

And then, all was still.

 

"I didn't mean for that to happen," Sabrina said, looking in horror at the sword still clutched in her hand.

 

"Granny Relda and Mr. Canis?" Daphne whispered as tears filled her eyes.

 

Jack rushed through the brush and saw the giant, lying dead on the ground.

 

"You've killed him," he said angrily, "I was going to kill him!"

 

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