in its place was a brand-new building. The roof was complete but for a few shingles, the walls had been painted, and workers wearing bright-orange hard hats hustled from one place to the next, nailing the last details into place.
"It's impossible," Sabrina said as she opened her door and stepped out of the cab. How could they have built a brand-new school in such a short time? She knew the answer the second she spotted one of Mayor Charming's witches hoisting the American flag up a shiny new flagpole. Morgan le Fay was one of the Three, a group of witches that also included Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, and Frau Pfefferkuchenhaus, the witch from the Hansel and Gretel story. They worked for the mayor and made most of his problems disappear overnight.
The whole scene made Sabrina sick to her stomach. Mr. Canis was buried beneath the new school. He had died saving the children of Ferryport Landing and this is how the town repaid him. If Sabrina could have, she would have ripped the new school down with her bare hands rather than have her grandmother see it.
"We should go," Sabrina said as she turned to Granny Relda. She couldn't imagine how painful this must be for her grandmother. "This town is heartless."
"I'll be fine, liebling"
Granny said.
"Hello, Mrs. Grimm," Morgan le Fay said, sashaying over to the group. She was a beautiful woman and the construction workers ogled her every move. "Isn't it wonderful?"
"Yes, for a cemetery," Sabrina replied.
Morgan's smile disappeared. "Well, I won't keep you. It's cold out here," she said as she handed each of them a button with VOTE FOR CHARMING! printed on it in big purple letters.
Granny thanked the witch and turned back to the cab driver. "I'd appreciate you waiting. We're going to leave Elvis here with you.
"No way, lady!" Mr. van Winkle said as Elvis licked his face. "This thing is a menace on four legs."
"But just imagine the tip you'll get if you stick around," Granny said.
The driver scowled but nodded his head. "Make it quick, will ya?"
Granny Relda led the children into the building, where they found a series of paper signs pointing in the direction of the "Dedication Ceremony." The signs ended at two double doors. Granny pushed them open and they stepped inside the school's new gymnasium.
The sounds of celebration filled Sabrina's ears. Every Everafter she had met since arriving in Ferryport Landing, and a whole bunch she had never seen before, stood around talking. A round little robot man made entirely of copper stood nearby talking to a skinny man made of sticks with an enormous pumpkin for a head. A black panther and a huge gray bear talked politics in a corner. There were also ogres, witches, fairy godmothers, an occasional cyclops, an enormous snail smoking a hookah pipe, and dozens and dozens of handsome princes and beautiful princesses gathered in small clusters. A beautiful cocoa-skinned woman in a green dress smiled and waved at Granny Relda.
"It's nice to see you, Briar Rose," Granny called out to her. "Who's that?" Daphne asked.
"You know her better as Sleeping Beauty," the old woman said. Daphne opened her mouth, inserted her palm, and bit down.
"For the love of Pete, what are you doing here?" a voice said from behind them. Sabrina spun around and found a very small man in a black suit eyeing them disapprovingly. Mr. Seven, as he was known, was the mayor's assistant, limo driver, and personal whipping boy. He was also one of the seven dwarfs. He looked nervous, sweaty, and exhausted.
"Hello, Mr. Seven. Snow White invited us down to see the new school," Granny Relda said to the little man.
"Well, you've seen it. It's great, isn't it? Now why don't you leave? The boss is going to blow his top if he finds you here. He's in a foul mood today," the little man said, looking around nervously.
"You mean worse than his normal foul mood?" Sabrina said.
Just then a tall broad-shouldered man in a purple suit swaggered into the gym. He was impossibly handsome, with dazzling blue eyes, a strong jaw, and perfectly combed black hair. His face was one big smile, and he shook hands with everyone he encountered. He came over and grabbed Sabrina's good hand without even looking at her. He shook it vigorously then peered at her closely. He yanked the wool scarf from her face and groaned.
"Mr. Seven, what are the Grimms doing here?" Mayor Charming demanded. The little man fumbled for words but had no answer.