They both smiled, but Mina realized with a start that he’d never answered her question.
“So about the Grimoire,” Jared continued. “It was initially a token bestowed upon the brothers by a sprite. She didn’t agree with the Fae running amok in the human world—not all of us do, you know. So instead of impeding the brothers like so many other Fae, she became their ally. She stole the Story when it was new in power and split it in an attempt to limit the damage. She essentially made its doppelganger and gave it to the Grimm brothers as a guidebook. The problem with that is, when you split a powerful object, the lines of good versus evil aren’t separated equally. There are always side effects.”
“Let me get this straight. You’re saying that the Grimoire is like the Good Witch of the East, here on the human plane—here to help me and guide me. While the Story is the same Wicked Witch of the West, only more powerful and evil, and it essentially wants to kill me?”
“More or less. That about sums it up.”
“Yikes. I really am doomed.”
“I wouldn’t say it wants to kill you. It wants you to complete the tales. Remember, the more you complete, the stronger it becomes. I just don’t think it wants you to complete all of them.”
“So how do I know how to complete the tales?”
“Some of it is based on intuition. The Grimms were always a smart bunch, or so they say. And through years of participating in the story, Grimm descendants seem to have their own kind of magic. You’ll pick up on things, notice coincidences. A coincidence is often a sign that something in the Fae world is interacting on this plane.”
Mina thought about showing up at the Carmichaels’, and Brody running over her bike. Coincidence, or was it more likely the Fae meddling in her affairs? After a few moments, Jared got to his feet and changed the wooden sword into a small knife, and began explaining different ways to hold the knife and how to use the forearm to block downward thrusts. He ran her through some exercises and then asked her to attack him.
“I can’t,” Mina whined.
“Yes, you can.”
“No, I don’t think I can anymore. I’m cold, tired, and don’t want to hurt you.”
“Mina, you have to. Your life depends on it.” Jared was getting angry.
“I told you, I can’t.”
“Do it for your brother. Do it for Charlie!” he yelled. “Do it for your father!”
That was what made Mina step back and blink in surprise. What was his connection to her father? Was this some sort of sick joke? Mina gripped the stupid knife and felt herself tense in preparation to attack. He was lying to her, or, as he said, manipulating the truth. He knew more than he was telling.
“What do you know about my father?” Mina yelled angrily, hot tears burning in her eyes.
“I know that he was full of himself. James didn’t think he needed help and wouldn’t take it when offered. He tried to face the Story on his own terms, unprepared, and paid the ultimate price for his stubbornness. And you’re going to end up just like him if you don’t prepare yourself,” Jared called. Mina felt her body tighten like a tightly wound spring. “You’re weak,” Jared continued. “If you don’t get stronger, you’re going to doom your mother to mourning not one child, but two.”
That was the final straw; Mina grabbed her wooden knife and jumped at Jared, trying to push him more than hit him.
Jared pushed her back easily until she stumbled in the sand. “Come on, you can do this. Fight me.”
Mina hung her head in shame, her heart pounding frantically in her chest. She wanted to protect her family, her brother, but Jared’s boot camp encouragement had the opposite effect. She didn’t want to watch her mother suffer again. Perhaps her mom was right—they should leave, and get as far away from here from possible. They should try to outrun the Story.
Mina tossed the enchanted knife as hard as she could, watching as it created spirals in the lake after it disappeared into the dark depths. She wiped her eyes with the cuff of her jacket and walked away from Jared toward the road.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
“Away, far away.” Mina kept walking toward the main road. It seemed really far, and her calves were burning from walking in the sand.
“You can’t escape the Story,” Jared called, hoping to spur her back to fighting.
“No, I can’t. But I can run.”
Jogging to catch up with her, Jared tried to grab her shoulder and turn her to look at him, but she started pushing and hitting him.