"Fine," Charming said, rolling his eyes and picking Sabrina up out of her sister's hands. "I suppose you'll be registered voters eventually. Remember who did you a favor once."
He raised Sabrina's frog body to his face, closed his eyes, and planted a tiny peck on the top of her head. Sabrina felt the spell break immediately. There was a puff of smoke and when it was clear she looked down, saw that her feet and hands were normal, and almost started dancing with happiness.
The mayor, on the other hand, looked as if he might barf and quickly wiped his mouth with a handkerchief.
"Mayor, you're so cool," Daphne said, racing over to him and wrapping him in a big hug. He struggled to free himself but the little girl wouldn't let go. "I hope you win the election."
Charming smiled slightly and then managed to push away the affectionate little girl. "Well, you don't have to worry about that. The latest polls are in and I'm going to win by a landslide. If all goes well, I think our friend the Queen of Hearts is in for a very rude awakening." He stepped over and pinned "VOTE FOR CHARMING" buttons on everyone's coats. When he got to
Mr. Canis, he just set it in his hand. "Remember, vote early and vote often."
Mr. Canis squeezed the button hard and when he opened his hand the pin was crunched into the size of a dime. He dropped it on the floor without a word.
"Well, not that this wasn't fun, but it wasn't. You can find your own way out," the mayor said, sticking his face in the old man's. "Don't forget to take your dog with you."
Charming turned to Daphne and noticed Elvis at her side. "Both of them," he said. He ushered them out of his house a little bit more roughly than was polite, and slammed the door.
"Are you going to tell Granny what I did?" Sabrina asked Mr. Canis.
Mr. Canis scowled. "The disrespect you have for that woman is outrageous. Do you think she doesn't know every step you make? Every night you have left her house and disobeyed her she has known. I have followed you two children all over this town since the day you arrived. Your grandmother is not stupid."
The old man's eyes flared with anger and then he darted into the woods behind Charming's house.
Chapter 10
The family gathered at the dining room table with the three pieces of the sword. Without one of Spaulding's hints, they were stumped as to how to find the Blue Fairy.
"Maybe the witch tricked us," Sabrina said bitterly as she picked up the final piece and studied it closely. "Maybe this isn't the real blade."
Uncle Jake took the sword piece and flipped it over. His face suddenly grew red and he slammed the metal down on the table. "We've been on a wild goose chase!" he said. "We've been wasting our time all along!"
Sabrina was surprised by his outburst.
Granny picked up the broken sword piece. "It's not a fake. This is part of the Vorpal blade."
"Well, a lot of good it's going to do us!" Uncle Jake shouted. He jumped up from his chair and stormed out of the room. A moment later they heard the front door slam. Sabrina went to follow, but Granny took her arm. "It's the magic, Sabrina. His pockets were filled with all kinds of things. He's going to have a short temper until he gets over his addiction to it all."
Sabrina nodded. She went to the closet and put on her coat, then pulled an old blanket off the top shelf, and went outside.
Uncle Jake was pacing back and forth on the front porch. The sun was rising but its rays had little effect on the sharp, cold air.
"Are you OK?" she asked.
"I'm just frustrated, 'Brina. We were so close to fixing everything," Uncle Jake said. "Now we're back at a dead end and there's nothing I can do about it. I hate feeling helpless."
Sabrina handed him the old blanket. Without his overcoat he was shivering. He wrapped it around his shoulders. "Thanks," he said.
"This is about more than just saving my mom and dad, isn't it?" Sabrina asked. Uncle Jake nodded. "Mr. Canis was absolutely right. I was a problem to my parents from day one. I never listened to them. I snuck out. I got into all kinds of trouble. I was stubborn and thought I knew everything."
"You sound a lot like me," Sabrina admitted.
"But I was wrong, 'Brina, and my dad died because of it. The Jabberwocky killed him because I set it free. It was one stupid decision that happened twelve years ago but it's still destroying this family. Hank and Veronica are suffering. You girls are suffering. My mother is suffering, and it's because of me. If my dad were still around, every ounce of misery this family has experienced would never have happened. Saving Hank and Veronica and killing the Jabberwocky was the only way I knew to make things right. Maybe Mom would forgive me if I could make it right."
"She's your mother. She loves you."
Uncle Jake was quiet for a long time, then he stepped off the porch and started walking. "I just wanted to fix things," he said.
"Where are you going?" she asked, but he didn't answer.