Don’t look down.
When you’re fifteen feet off the ground and standing at the edge of a pirate ship plank, that’s a good lesson to learn.
“I don’t understand how this is supposed to help me think!” I yell to the others.
“It builds trust, and it’s fun,” Prue shouts from the crow’s nest, high above the already-high-up tree house. She’s watching the sky for any sign of trouble, but the real trouble is on the plank.
Whoever heard of jumping off a plank into thin air with no safety net?
“You’re not going to fall,” Prue promises. “Trust me!”
I’m not sure I trust anyone on this ship that I haven’t known for more than a few hours. Then again, I don’t think they trust us either. Which is how I wound up out here.
“You’re more tightly wound than a Pegasus flying through a lightning storm,” Tara says. She’s standing on a plank a few feet away from me. “I wouldn’t be out here if I thought it was dangerous.”
I look down again. (Why do I never learn?) “You and I have different ideas of ‘dangerous.’”
“I’ll take Devin’s place,” Heath volunteers.
“No,” Tara and I say at the same time.
“But thank you,” I add.
I’m the one who agreed to think through this Happily Ever After Scrolls plan with Tara, but I didn’t know we’d be doing it on an invisible trampoline. She started talking about an invisible trampoline Prue built off the side of the ship. “It’s invisible to the naked eye, just like the rest of the tree house,” she explained. Which sounded cool…until I got out onto this plank. I left Lily on the ship. I think the bouncing would make her seasick.
What if it’s a trick? What if I fall fifteen feet to the ground and become flatter than a gingerbread man?
“If you want to earn my trust, this is how to do it. Just let go,” Tara says. Then she steps off the deck into thin air.
Raina screams as Tara plummets to certain doom, her braids flying in the air as she falls. She looks completely calm, but I’m not. I frantically try to think of an animal that could save her from death. A Pegasus or a large bird, maybe? But that firebird incident proves my birdcalls are iffy at best.
Just as I fear Tara is about to hit the ground, she shoots straight up into the sky, past my plank with a smug smile on her face. Then she falls and bounces back up again. Just like we did in that cave yesterday.
She’s telling the truth.
“See? Safe!” she yells. “Try it! It’s fun!”
It’s my turn. I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and step off the plank. I feel myself falling, the wind whishing past my face and hands, and then I hit what I think is the ground and bounce straight back up again. Oh. My. Goblin.
I put my legs into it, pushing down and back up again, ride. Until Tara invades my personal space.
“See?” She bounces alongside me. “Told you you’d be fine out here.”
I bounce again. “Forgive me if I don’t believe everything you say.”
Tara bounces high above me. “The feeling is mutual.”
“And yet we have to work together.” I do a split in midair. I won’t admit it, but this is kind of fun.
“According to Red, yes,” Tara says with a sigh. “But if you think I’m going to risk all of our anonymity to help you publish a blog about Olivina, you’re as crazed as the Mad Hatter.”
“It’s the best way to get our story heard by as many people as possible—including our families.” I try falling on my back and bounce back up again.
“But the minute we leave this forest, Olivina can sense it.” Tara does a somersault. “This will put all our lives at risk. Staying here and doing things from the tree house keeps us safe.”
“How long have you all been stuck out here?” I ask. Tara bounces wordlessly. “If you want your situation—and ours—to change, then you have to change the way you do things. You can’t keep everything the same.” Tara bounces away from me. “Don’t you want to find a way to stop Olivina?”
“Of course I do!” Tara snaps, scaring a few birds flying by. “But it’s not as easy for me as it is for the rest of you!”
“Why is that?” I bounce over a stream beneath the invisible trampoline.
She stares at her feet as she bounces. “I told you. She said I was a chosen one. She may let the rest of you off the hook, but if she gets near me again, I’m not sure I’ll ever get away. She’s too powerful.”
Tara’s scared. I didn’t see that before now. “We won’t let her get you,” I say, the bounce deflating out of me. “We won’t leave you behind.”
Tara stops bouncing too. “Promise?” she asks softly.
“I promise.” Tara and I stare at each other.
“What’s going on down there?” Heath calls.
The softness on Tara’s face disappears. She bounces hard. “We’ll do it your way, but I’m reaching out to Red again to figure out the best way to get into the village. Whatever she says goes.”
“Fine.” I spring up, light as air.
“It should be fine.” Tara bristles. “I know a lot about living out here.”
“I didn’t say you didn’t.” I wonder if I could pull off a back handspring.
Tara gives me a look. “I have some tiny friends that we’ve used for recon before. They could be helpful as well, but…”
“But what?” I try to back handspring and land on my face. I quickly bounce back up.
“If it doesn’t work…” Tara’s voice trails off.
“It’s going to work,” I say. “We’ve got a hacker witch, a pirate wardrobe genius, a killer reporter, an animal whisperer, and a couple of quick-on-their-feet royals who want to get the job done. This blog will be printed, and we’ll all be free. You’ll see.”
“I wish that were true,” Tara sounds sad, but I won’t let her wallow.
“It’s going to be okay,” I say, like I would to any of my patients (even Chuck the groundhog, who gave me a huge scar on my arm when he bit down on me during treatment). I place my hand on her arm.
Tara shrugs it off and bounces harder, and I lose my balance. “I don’t care if there’s a fox in need of saving, even if you’ve known this particular fox since you were in diapers, Devin. We stick to the plan, and none of my friends get hurt. Got it?”
As Olivina could tell this girl, I don’t like taking orders. Particularly from people as ornery as a boar with an owie. But if my friend Fred the Fly taught me one thing, it’s that you attract more flies with honey than with vinegar. “Got it. If you ask nicely,” I say with faux sweetness. “Princess Rule 3: A princess—”
“Is always polite,” Tara repeats and jumps high enough to pull herself onto the plank again.
I stare up at this enigma of a girl. If there’s one thing I’m sure of, it’s that she’s not done surprising me.
[TOP SECRET!]
Miss,
I’m glad to hear you’re safe, warm, and dry! I understand why you can’t reveal your location, but I appreciate you letting me know you’ve found somewhere to hide till all this blows over. Hopefully, Demetris is able to find you again to deliver this letter!
Fairy Godmother Olivina does not seem to be handling your banishment well. We get daily—sometimes thrice daily—scrolls with new rules and updates on school protocol, like:
I think your bravery in standing up to Olivina is rubbing off on other students, miss. They’re starting to question the classes and Olivina being in charge of every decision about their futures. It fills me with hope!
And hope is something I need right now because I’ve been reassigned in your absence. I am now lady-in-waiting for Clarissa Hartwith. It’s not like me to talk ill of anyone, but she is an acquired taste and a bit demanding. Her last lady-in-waiting quit Royal Academy, so there was an opening. I can see why now. I’m trying to be strong and hold tight till you return. I hope it will be soon!
Your lady-in-waiting (not Clarissa’s!),
Brynn