This afternoon I reported to Alex everything that happened on my trip to the Enchanted Realm. She was both excited and horrified.
“We’ve got to do something soon,” she said. “There are only a few days left for Dad to get his job back. If we can’t break the curse before that time runs out, my family is in big trouble.”
“Well, how are we to do that? We would have to return what’s been lost to the queen, and we can’t do that because we don’t have it!”
“What, exactly, has been lost?” Alex asked. “Get out the curse again. Let’s read it carefully.”
I did as she asked. When we were done studying it, she groaned and said, “If I’m right, what was lost is the queen’s daughter.”
“Aye. And we’ve no idea where she is, or even if she’s still alive. And even if we did, it wouldn’t do any good for me to take her back. It would have to be your brother or your father.”
Alex laughed at this.
“What’s so funny?” I asked.
“I was just thinking of Dad going to the Enchanted Realm.”
I smiled at that, but it was not enough to lift me out of the glums. Though I didn’t want to come here, these Carharts are good people and I’ve grown fond of them, even Bennett the lout. I wanted to do as I ought, and keep their house trim and fair.
Instead I have brought shame and ruin upon them.