ctober 20
So the army leaves for the first attack tonight. The plan is fairly simple. The soldiers are going to encircle the town. When they’re in place, Robin Hood will command Baba Yaga’s chicken house to run toward town square. The noise and shock of seeing that house will get the attention of the Master’s thugs, who will run to it, and as they do, my army will surround and capture them. My father has demanded that no lives are taken. I’m just hoping that’s possible. Everyone who is taken prisoner will be tied up with the help of Mallobarb and Buzzflower and then brought back here to be locked in the Hall of Wonders.
Mr. Canis was preparing to go until Robin Hood told him to stay behind. He’s not happy. I just don’t know what to tell him. I know he wants to help, but I don’t want him to get killed, either. Red and Wendell are sticking around as well.
As I write this I’m sitting in the courtyard watching the preparations. I’m super-worried about this plan. Pinocchio’s words still ring in my ears, as do Puck’s. I don’t know what to do and because I don’t know, I think that putting the decision in more experienced hands is the right thing to do. My family and I are going to watch it unfold in the mirror room. I just hope that all these people—who have become my friends—return here when the battle is over.
Baba Yaga’s house arrived in the town square as planned, and as predicted, word spread fast. The Hand raced to confront it, shelling it with rocks, sticks, clubs, and magic. Sabrina and her family cheered as they watched through the mirrors. They saw Baba Yaga and the Wicked Queen sweep away dozens with the magical assaults, they saw Robin Hood’s men rain arrows down from atop buildings, they saw the Pied Piper and Beauty lull beasties away from the fight and watched Goldi command her bears to stomp through approaching villains. Even Puck transformed into an African elephant and used his pearly tusks to swat aside anyone foolish enough to charge him. For a brief moment it appeared that Arthur and Robin’s plan was going to work, but then a flood of red-handprinted Everafters swept into Main Street like a deadly tsunami, destroying everything in its path. There were too many trolls and goblins and ghouls. There were too many knights and princes and witches. There must have been nearly three thousand members of Mirror’s army, and when her own feeble forces attacked, they were quickly overrun. Within minutes Sabrina’s entire army had scattered with members of the Hand chasing them down.
And people died. Sir Kay was struck with a hammer wielded by an enormous piglike creature wearing studded armor. Mallobarb was brought down by an arrow. Tik-Tok was chased through the streets until his key unwound. He fell over and a mob stomped and smashed him until there was nothing left but springs and sprockets.
Veronica took Daphne, Basil, Red, and Wendell out of the room. Mr. Canis stood trembling as he watched the nightmare unfold. He placed a reassuring hand on Sabrina’s shoulder as if to tell her it wasn’t her fault, but she shook it off. This was her fault.
“I should prepare the infirmary for injuries,” Nurse Sprat said, then shuffled out of the room. Gepetto offered his help and followed her through the door. Henry gave Sabrina a hug and told her he should probably help as well. Even Mr. Canis drifted away. That left Sabrina alone with her uncle Jake and Pinocchio.
“They intimidated you,” Pinocchio said. “They knew you were unsure of what to do, and they took advantage of you. You can’t let them steamroll you again.”
“Again?” Sabrina said. “There won’t be an ‘again.’ You saw what happened. We can’t win this.”
“Maybe not, but I’ll tell you one thing,” the little boy said on his way to the door. “You’re not going to do it marching into town.”
Sabrina turned to her uncle. “Any advice?”
“I wish I had some for you, ’Brina. This was a disaster, and I think we can forget about any more new recruits now. I have to find another way to get—” Uncle Jake stopped himself.
“What are you trying to do?” Sabrina asked, suspicious of Jake’s sudden silence.
Uncle Jake shook his head. “I’m just tired. I should go help prepare.”
When he was gone, Sabrina watched the chaos for a while longer. In the crowd she saw Chicken Little talking with a troll. She could have spit. He was a traitor. He must have warned the Hand about the attack.
The images of town in the mirrors dissolved and the guardians within reappeared. They watched her with pitying eyes, even the more unfriendly ones.
“Why?”
The mirrors lifted their eyes to her. “Excuse me?” the fish-faced guardian gurgled. His name was Namoren, and the inside of his mirror was an undersea kingdom.
“Why am I the only one who can lead this army?” she asked.
“It’s impossible to explain,” Namoren said.
“There are so many variables,” Donovan said.
“Did you know this would happen?” Sabrina said. “Did you know people would die?”
“Child, you are trying to save the world. Of course some will die,” Titan said.
Sabrina fell to her knees and sobbed. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Oh, Sabrina, we’re sorry, but that is forbidden,” Harry said from within his Hotel of Wonders. “We can only tell you the future, not how you get there.”
Sabrina leaped up and lunged at Harry. “You have to tell me what to do!” The guardian disappeared.
She ran to Namoren and shook his frame. “You have to give me something to work with!”
She pounded on Arden’s frame. “People are dying. What do I do?”
“What you have always done,” Reggie said.
And then the faces faded and she saw something she did not expect: herself. Each of the twenty-four mirrors showed different moments in her life. In one mirror, she was helping Daphne out of the second-floor bedroom window of Granny’s house and leaping to the ground. In another, she was locking Mrs. Robinson in the closet so that they could escape her foster home. She saw herself racing through subterranean tunnels hunting for her family with nothing but a shovel and a broken arm. She saw herself accidentally kill a giant. She saw herself snatching on to Oz’s hot-air balloon as it dragged her off the observation deck of the Empire State Building. She saw herself helping everyone break Mr. Canis out of the town jail, destroying the bank with the Horn of the North Wind, fooling the Headless Horseman with his own head, sneaking past Ichabod Crane as they tried to free Jack the Giant Killer, kicking Mr. Hamstead in the shins, then escaping into a cornfield, and shoving Puck into a swimming pool. She even saw herself tiptoeing past Ms. Smirt’s office at the orphanage.
“Why are you showing me this?” Sabrina demanded.
“THIS IS THE GIRL THAT SAVES THE WORLD,” the mirrors answered as one. “SABRINA GRIMM, QUEEN OF THE—”
“Sneaks,” she said, finishing their sentence. “You’re saying this is what makes me special? Being sneaky is what will help me save my grandmother and stop Mirror?”
The faces returned and Sabrina locked eyes with Reggie, who was smiling from ear to ear. “We’re not allowed to say, but if I was a betting man, I’d put my money on ‘yes.’”
“In your life you’ve mastered the great art of deception—the ability to pull the wool over anyone’s eyes,” Titan added. “Yours is the ability to make a person regret taking you for granted: the ability to do the unexpected—to take your opponents by surprise. You’ve used it a million times to keep your sister safe. That is the gift that sets you apart from others.”
Sabrina wiped hot tears on her shirt and blinked at the mirrors.
“And your heart,” Fanny said. “You don’t let a lot of people visit it, but once they are inside, you love them with all that you are. Those two things are what will win this war and rescue your grandmother.”
“It’s time to get your mojo back, sister,” Donovan said.
• • •
When the wounded were taken care of, Sabrina brought shovels to Robin Hood and King Arthur. They attempted to bury the fallen near Seven’s and Briar’s graves, but she told them it was better to bury them outside the castle walls. They argued, but she promised them it would make sense in time. When they continued, she turned her back and walked away. She wasn’t going to let them bully her any longer. So as the sun’s orange glow lit the horizon, Sabrina’s army said good-bye to the brave and fallen: Mallobarb, Tik-Tok, Sir Kay, Sir Gawain, the Silver Pigeon, and Will Scarlet. When they left the grave sites and assembled in the castle yard, Sabrina called for their attention. She had spent hours planning what she would say, but when she saw their exhausted faces, she hesitated. What Sabrina was about to tell them might push them over the edge. But she knew she was right.
“When the mirrors told us that I would lead you, I admit I was afraid. I haven’t fought in any wars, so I put my faith in the hands of a few well-meaning people. They wanted me to throw a party to cheer you up, then reach out to the Scarlet Hand for help, then train for battle in front of you, then attack at the heart of our enemies. Those people were wrong. But I don’t blame them. They were doing what they thought was right. Unfortunately, the prophecy is not about them. It’s about my sister and me. I shouldn’t have tried to put that responsibility on others. Last night happened because of me—my doubts and fears. It’s ironic, because ever since my sister and I showed up in this town, I’ve complained that no one takes me seriously.”
“I can vouch for that,” Daphne said.
“Now that you are listening, it’s scary. I mean, I’m still just a kid. So I had to ask myself, what’s so special about me and Daphne? What do we do that is so different from the brains, muscles, and magic that you all have?
“Well, once upon a time, before any of you met the sisters Grimm, we had a reputation as very successful juvenile delinquents. We were good at moving quietly, good at running and hiding, and good with keys and locks. We were good at getting each other out of tough situations and very good at tricking people into doing things we wanted them to do.”
“What my sister is saying is, it’s time for shenanigans,” Daphne said.
The Cowardly Lion growled. “What do you have in mind?”
“Pack your things. Pack everything you can carry. We’re abandoning the castle,” Sabrina said.
“Abandoning the castle? That’s crazy,” the Widow said. “This is the only safe place we have.”
“Not anymore. If the Hand isn’t on their way, they soon will be, and they will find this castle because we have a traitor in our midst,” Sabrina said, turning to Chicken Little.
The hen stepped forward and Sabrina bent over to face her eye to eye. “You are the traitor.”
“What?” the chicken squawked.
“You told your old friends in the Hand what we were planning,” she said.
Uncle Jake snatched her by the neck and lifted her off the ground. “What you did cost us some dear friends.”
“I had to!” the bird cried. “They forced me.”
And then Uncle Jake tossed Chicken Little through the iron gates, where she landed with a thud on the drawbridge. She dusted herself off and walked indignantly back into the woods.
The crowd broke into worried chatter, but Sabrina called for their attention. “We have to prepare to go. We leave for the forest as soon as possible.”
“And what are we going to do in the woods?” Goldilocks asked.
Sabrina smiled. “We’re going to lay traps, build cages, and create every obstacle we can to make the Hand’s lives miserable. We’ll attack in small groups, capturing one or two of them at a time; then we’ll slink back into the trees and disappear.”
Pinocchio nodded respectfully.
“But there are thousands of them,” Little John said. “We’ll never catch them all.”
“There won’t be thousands of them soon,” Sabrina said. “Where are the birds?”
“On patrol,” the Scarecrow said.
“When they get back, I want them to deliver a message, and Scarecrow, I want you to write it,” Sabrina said.
“I’d be honored. What would you like it to say?”
“It’s a final offer to the rest of the Hand to join us. Let them know this is the final time we will reach out, and after this there won’t be a third chance.”
“Do you think any of them will listen?” Beauty asked. She was obviously still holding out hope for her husband and daughter.
“If they don’t, they’re going to regret it.”
Henry eyed Sabrina curiously. “What are you two planning?”
“We’re going to save the world,” Daphne crowed.
As the hours slipped away, the small, tired army packed. Sabrina instructed everyone to keep weapons both magical and normal on their bodies, no matter how cumbersome. Carrying food was also encouraged.
Sabrina sat with her sister and watched as the army limped off to bed. It had been a long day, and tomorrow promised to be even harder.
“Can you get your coven to pull it off?”
Daphne rolled her eyes. “Daphne’s Fabulous Ladies of Magic can do anything. I just need to get the spell from Uncle Jake. Apparently, you have to hold it in your hand to make it work.”
“We can’t screw this up,” Sabrina said.
“You worry too much,” Daphne said. “My girls got the right stuff. They put the pow in powerful.”
• • •
That night Sabrina waited up for hours for the Widow to return from delivering her message. The more time that passed, the more nervous she got. At around midnight, Henry drifted out of the castle and joined her at a picnic table in the yard.
“Responsibility is hard,” her father said.
Sabrina nodded. “I don’t know how you do it. You must go out of your mind worrying about us.”
Henry nodded. “That’s probably the best way to describe it. There are times I’ve been so angry I wanted to pull my hair out, and other times so scared I’ve had to go somewhere and cry.”
“We haven’t made it easy.”
Henry laughed. “That’s the understatement of the year.”
“I’ll do better,” Sabrina said.
“You’re doing fine. Just do me a favor and every once in a while remind yourself that your mother and father love you.”
Sabrina nodded. “You do the same. Oh, here she comes.”
The Widow flapped into the courtyard and landed on the picnic table. “Well, I spread the word, but it doesn’t look good. Most of them laughed. They like to remind me that they are winning the war.”
“What did you say?” Henry asked.
“I reminded them that they’re fighting the Grimms. That gave them something to think about. Unfortunately, I don’t think we’re going to get too many takers this round. They’re pretty confident. Want to tell me what you plan to do?”
“Not yet, Your Majesty, but soon,” Sabrina said. “Why don’t you go and get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day.”
The Widow hopped off the table and wobbled toward the castle, only to stop for a moment to look back at Sabrina. “Hey, kid. We’re all behind you.”
Just then, Daphne raced toward Sabrina eyeing her father warily.
“Uh, Sabrina, I need to talk to you,” the little girl said.
“About?”
“It’s . . . um . . . about our messy room,” Daphne said.
“Huh? Daphne, this is important stuff we’re doing. If our room is a mess, then just clean it up.”
Daphne yanked her out of her seat. “No, this is a huge mess. Sorry, Dad. Sabrina’s a slob and I’m sick of it.”
The little girl dragged her halfway across the yard before Sabrina could get her to stop.
“What is this about?” she said.
Daphne frowned. “Someone got into our room again. They threw everything everywhere. The bed is broken and our stuff is everywhere. But that’s not the worst part. Whoever did it took the Book of Everafter again!”
“This is the strangest crime spree I’ve ever seen. Whoever is taking the book brings it back, then steals it again. Who would do that?”
“Maybe they aren’t stealing it. Maybe they are borrowing it,” Daphne mused.
“But why?”
• • •
In the morning, Sabrina took a bath knowing it might be the last one she would get for a long time. She washed her hair and face, brushed her teeth, and flossed. She dressed in a set of clean clothes and pulled on her sneakers.
When she stepped out of the castle, she found the rest of her family helping the Everafters load the last of the carts. As their belongings rolled through the gate of the fortress, Buzzflower hovered overhead, zapping them with a purple dust from her wand. It would cloak them in the same magic that hid the castle, allowing them to travel through the woods undetected.
“There’s too much stuff,” Robin Hood complained. “We need to travel light.”
“We aren’t bringing this with us,” Sabrina said. “We’re hiding it. When the birds did their flyover, they found a cave near the base of the mountain. It’s well hidden and deep enough to keep everyone’s things safe. We’re sending all the young children and elderly there until this is over. We’re going to keep our magic mirror there too.”
Daphne approached. “There’s no sign of the book,” she whispered.
“Keep looking.”
Daphne raced away.
Snow White approached. “I just don’t understand the plan.”
“It’s better that you don’t,” Sabrina replied. “Just keep your bo-staff ready.”
“Are you going to blow this place up?” Mr. Boarman asked. “Seems like a waste.”
“Just remind everyone that when they hear the signal, it’s time to go. They will only have five minutes to exit, and if they don’t, they’re in for a world of trouble.”
Red and Canis rushed forward. “What can we do?”
“Go with the kids,” Sabrina said, though before she finished she could already feel Canis’s disappointment. “Listen, I know you’re used to being in the action, but I need someone I can trust to keep things calm. I will never ask you to babysit again. I promise.”
Canis sighed, and his backpack fell from his shoulder. A glass jar rolled out onto the ground. Inside it a terrible black shape snapped and scratched. Sabrina felt sweat form on her brow as she eyed it. The Big Bad Wolf was in that jar. Canis scooped it up and put it back in his bag. Then he turned to Red. “Gather the little ones, child, and any animals that are slow-moving.”
Red smiled and ran off to complete her task.
“You’re good for her,” Sabrina said. “You’re like the father she never had. It would be sad for her to lose you.”
The old man lowered his eyes and hobbled off after Red, picking his way carefully with his cane.
By mid-afternoon, the birds reported that the supplies and children were safe in the woods. The army was checking the castle one last time for any useful weapons or supplies. Most of the cabins had been torn down for firewood, so it was easy work. Sabrina poked her head into the blacksmith tent and found a hammer that might be helpful, so she shoved it into her belt loop. The kitchen was empty, as was the medical tent. Her people had done an excellent job. She took a quick peek at the cemetery and found her uncle and Morgan standing over the graves of the ones they loved.
Morgan noticed Sabrina standing behind her. “I see the necessity of this and I support your plan, but . . . it’s more than I can . . . It’s just so wrong,” she said.
“I’m sorry,” Sabrina said. “I knew you two would suffer the most from what we’re going to do.”
“I feel like I’m abandoning her,” Jake whispered as if he were afraid Briar Rose might hear.
He leaned down and took a rose off of his love’s grave and slid it into one of his shirt pockets. He closed his eyes tight, as if preparing to jump out of a plane. “OK, I’m ready. Let’s do this before I change my mind.”
Sabrina took his hand. “I couldn’t do this without you. I think she would be proud.”
“Just be careful,” he said. “If that piece of paper lands in the wrong hands, things are going to go from terrible to nightmarish in Ferryport Landing.”
Uncle Jake and Morgan headed for the castle yard and Sabrina followed. As they turned the corner, she took a look back at the little graveyard and remembered those who lay there. She said a quiet prayer for their eternal peace, then ran to the yard where her army was gathered. Many of them had never held a sword or a bow in their hands before. More than a few had never been in a fistfight, but they were the bravest people she had ever met.
“Your mother and Basil are safe,” Henry said as she approached.
Relieved, Sabrina turned to the assembled crowd. “Thank you all for being so patient. I know you’re all a little freaked out because I’ve kept what we’re doing a secret, but you can’t be sneaky if everyone knows what you’re up to. So let me explain. We’re going to lure the Hand into this castle—as many as we can. You’re going to fight until you hear the signal. Then you’re going to run! Get out of the castle. We’ll meet at the gathering site, and that’s when our war will really begin. I wish you all luck. Daphne, are the witches ready?”
“They are,” Daphne said.
“All right, Buzzflower, drop the cloaking spell,” Sabrina said.
“Are you sure about this?” the fairy godmother asked.
Sabrina nodded, and Buzzflower waved her wand into the air. Suddenly, the sky went from blue to sparkly purple. Tiny crystals drifted down from above like snow and blanketed the ground, then vanished.
“Here we go,” Henry said.
Sabrina took her sister’s hand. “Any luck with the book?”
Daphne shook her head. “We can’t leave it here.”
“I’m not worried about that. I’m sure whoever took it has got it with them,” Sabrina said, scanning her army and feeling sad to know one of them was a thief. “Don’t worry. It’s too important to leave behind.”
“Open the gates,” Sabrina ordered.
“Wait? Really?” the Frog Prince croaked.
“Yep,” Sabrina said.
“Have you lost your mind?” the Cheshire Cat cried.
“She knows what she’s doing!” Snow White said. “Now stop with the blubbering and get ready. They’ll be here any second.”
And Snow was right. Sabrina could already feel the rumbling of feet and the clanking of swords. The first attackers rushed through the door and were met by Arthur and Robin Hood’s men. Steel crashed against steel, shield slammed against shield, and a mighty roar filled the air. While they fought, Henry, Uncle Jake, Sabrina, and Daphne crouched beneath a hay cart and prepared for the next part of the plan.
The next onslaught from the Hand came courtesy of the Ice Queen, standing in the open gate. The temperature of the air dropped wildly, prickling Sabrina’s skin. The Ice Queen waved her hand at a few of Arthur’s knights and they were immediately encased in solid blocks of ice. Luckily, Mordred cast a spell to warm them rapidly. They were soggy, but at least they were alive.
The third wave of attackers was a motley crew of monsters in all shapes and sizes. They swung clubs and hammers with vicious intent. Two of King Arthur’s knights were killed within moments, and dozens more creatures piled through the doorway every second.
“Widow, how many more are coming?” Sabrina shouted.
The Widow flew up into the air and circled the battle. A moment later she returned. If a bird could look worried, the Widow was troubled. “At least a thousand, with more on the way.”
Puck was in the middle of the action, and Sabrina kept a close eye on him. The boy was arrogant—too confident in his abilities. He fought like war was play, and though he slashed and poked and leaped about, his opponents meant to kill him. She cringed to watch him, but she reminded herself that Puck had been alive nearly four thousand years. He knew how to take care of himself.
Her attention was torn away as another massive wave of fighters stormed into the castle. In this group, there were wizards and witches and mechanical men. They roared as they raced across the drawbridge like they had already won the battle. Sabrina couldn’t help but smile. It was exactly what she wanted them to think. Keep coming, she thought to herself. Every last one of you.
Magical animals followed. Sabrina saw the Swan Brothers and Hans My Hedgehog. Shere Khan and the Ugly Duckling. Large bearlike creatures with the faces of cats leaped into the fighting with merciless ferocity.
And finally a sixth wave stormed into the yard. Strange Everafters she had never seen before. There was a woman who carried her head in her hands, a cat who appeared to be made of glass, a girl made from patchwork quilts, a giant serpent, a stampede of intelligent horses, and a fleet of forks that leaped about, stabbing at anyone close enough to feel their tines.
It was time for the signal. She turned to Daphne, and the little girl nodded.
“Retreat!” Sabrina shouted.
“Sabrina, what are you up to?” Henry asked.
“You don’t want to know yet, Hank,” Jake said.
Sabrina grabbed her father and her sister by the hands and they darted from their hiding place and raced for the drawbridge. Uncle Jake led the way, delivering punches to anyone that got too close. Bunny, Morgan, and Baba Yaga followed, unleashing spells that hit the charging army like a tidal wave. The Old Mother’s house brought up the rear, charging through the crowd and sending bodies flying in all directions.
They ran past the Cowardly Lion, who was mauling a troll.
“Time to go,” Sabrina said.
The lion leaped off his victim and followed them. Along the way, Boarman, Swineheart, and the Pied Piper joined them. Goldilocks and her bears were next, trailed by Rapunzel and the Scarecrow, shedding his straw.
And then Uncle Jake came to an abrupt stop. On the ground in front of him lay Mayor Heart, injured. He looked down at her, initially in disgust, but then reached down and helped her to her feet.
“I won’t—I won’t go quietly,” Heart stammered.
“You’re not a prisoner, but I suggest you come with us. We’re your only hope,” Jake said.
“Jacob, what are you up to?” Henry said. “She can’t be trusted!”
Jake ignored him and turned back to Heart. “It’s your last chance. Are you coming, Your Majesty?”
“Absolutely not!”
“Come with me or I will turn the lion on you.”
The Cowardly Lion roared and Heart shrieked. She nodded to Jake, and then joined those escaping into the woods. They charged through the iron gate and across the drawbridge.
Once outside, Daphne took a folded piece of yellowing paper from her pocket. “Wilhelm’s barrier spell,” Daphne said, marveling at the ancient paper.
“Let’s get this started,” Sabrina said.
Daphne signaled the coven, shoving Uncle Jake’s spell into Morgan’s hands. “OK, girls, as we discussed, Morgan does the reading, Bunny handles the stones, and Baba puts on the light show.”
More of Sabrina’s fighters darted across the bridge. Robin Hood and Little John helped Friar Tuck, who had a deep gash on his leg.
The Cheshire Cat was next across the drawbridge. “I think they got the Scarecrow. I can’t be sure but—”
The Scarecrow was the next out the door. The Frog Prince followed with his wife and daughter in tow.
“My husband won’t listen!” Beauty cried as she raced into the woods. Tears were streaming down her face. “I begged him.”
“I’m sorry!” Sabrina said.
More and more members of Sabrina’s army came through until nearly their whole group had escaped. When they saw Sabrina’s ragtag group retreat, the Hand roared from behind the castle walls. As Sabrina had hoped, their enemies wanted to demoralize her army by celebrating their conquest of the castle. Little did the Hand know the castle was a gift.
“Close the gates,” Henry shouted. “We’re all here!”
“Wait! Where’s Puck?” Sabrina asked. Panicked, she searched the crowd, desperate for a sight of his filthy green hoodie or his unruly mop of hair, but he wasn’t there. She searched the sky, but he wasn’t there, either. She ran for the gates.
“Sabrina, no!” Henry cried after her.
“I can’t leave him,” she shouted. “Daphne, don’t you stop that spell!”
“I’m going with you!” Beauty shouted, and chased behind the girl.
The two found themselves in the midst of a celebration, and so they were able to slip by unnoticed. They pushed through the rowdy crowd, weaving in and out of monsters, until they found Puck. He was still fighting and completely outmatched. His opponent, a disgusting-looking creature with a pig snout and huge tusks, had his foot on the boy and would not let go.
“Oh, hey ugly,” Puck said when he saw Sabrina. “Sorry, I’m a little busy.”
“Is this yours?” the creature snorted.
“Yes,” Sabrina said.
“Then fight me for him,” he grunted.
Sabrina looked up into his face. He stood several feet above her, but as she was trembling she noticed the creature’s leaky pale eyeball. He was going blind on his right side. What had her father said? Look for weaknesses?
“Fine, piggy, let’s fight!”
The creature swung at her, but she darted to his right, where he couldn’t see her. She noticed a nasty red wound on his rib cage, fresh and bleeding. She leaped and kicked the spot, and the monster bellowed in pain. None of the other villains noticed the fight, as they were too busy ransacking what was left of the castle. When the creature bent over, Sabrina noticed the green ooze coming from his furry ear. It was infected, and she did as she was trained. She punched it as hard as she could, and the monster fell over, shrieking and sobbing. As he did so, he set Puck loose.
“You saved my life,” Puck said, standing. “Well, that’s a change of pace.”
“Fly us out of here,” she commanded. “Wait, where’s Beauty?”
Sabrina once again scanned the crowd but for only a moment, as she was soon airborne. Puck had her by the waist and the two were flying skyward, narrowly dodging the spears and arrows flung at them from below.
“Do you see her?” Sabrina said. “We can’t leave her.”
“There!” Puck shouted, pointing toward the castle gate. Beauty and the Beast were arguing and Beast had his wife’s arm clenched tight in his hairy claw. She was sobbing.
“How could you turn your back on us?” the Beast said.
“Please come with me! I’m begging you! The Master lied to you. He lied to all of us.”
Sabrina frowned but knew she had to do something. “Set us down, Puck.”
“Um, isn’t your sister about to—”
“Just do it.”
When they hit the ground, Sabrina stepped between Beauty and the Beast.
“Listen, pal, she loves you. Despite your stupid furry face and the fangs and the crappy attitude and the fact that you might be evil, she loves you and she’s trying to save you. Since you’re not listening, I’m going to lay this out for you. You have thirty seconds to decide.”
Stunned, the Beast could do nothing but listen.
“We didn’t lose this castle. We gave it away. And now, Baba Yaga, the Wicked Queen, and Morgan are outside reproducing the magic spell that put a barrier on this little town. Except we’re putting the barrier over this fortress, locking up as many of the Hand as we can. So you can stay if you want, but if you think it stunk to be trapped in a little town before, wait until you face eternity in a castle infested with trolls, goblins, witches, and monsters—and no indoor plumbing.”
The Beast reeled.
“Twenty seconds,” Sabrina said.
“Please, James,” Beauty begged.
Suddenly, Mr. Canis appeared near the drawbridge. “Sabrina! You have to get out of there now!”
“You’re supposed to be with the children,” Sabrina said, startled not only by his presence but by the panic in his voice.
The Beast turned toward his cohorts. “It’s a trap! Everyone, out of the castle, now!”
“Puck! Get Sabrina out of there!” Canis shouted.
Before Sabrina could say anything, Puck had her and Beauty in his arms and they were flying over the wall. They landed with the waiting army.
“Cast the spell now!” Mr. Canis shouted. “They know the plan.”
“What are you doing?” Robin Hood demanded.
“We’re putting the Hand in time-out,” Daphne said, and Morgan began to read from the magic spell. The words were ancient and not in English, but Morgan handled them with ease. Bunny Lancaster tossed a handful of stones into the air and they stayed suspended before her eyes. She moved them around, as if working some elaborate puzzle only she could understand, switching their places, tilting them, and flipping them over. Baba Yaga raised her hands and squatted down like an angry monkey. She shrieked and bellowed as if demanding the spell to work. All the while, members of the Hand spilled out of the gates.
The Beast was first, then the Swan Brothers, Shere Khan, and the entire nation of Lilliputians. The glass cat, Bungle, and Humpty Dumpty were next, followed by a couple of trolls and goblins. Then Mowgli, Baloo, and Jack Pumpkinhead.
The sky began to lighten, and above the castle Sabrina could see the beginnings of a concrete dome. It looked as if it were being assembled, stone by stone, by an invisible workforce. The faster Morgan read, and the more the Wicked Queen adjusted her rocks, the faster the dome materialized. Nearly a dozen more members of the Hand were able to escape, but soon the last rock was in place. There was a loud booming noise much like the echo of a heavy door shutting and then the stones were gone.
The next person to cross the drawbridge was the Ice Queen, but she tumbled backward halfway across. She stood up and placed a hand out, pushing, but it was clear there was something blocking her way. The Ice Queen raged and blasted it with hail, but her magic had no effect whatsoever.
“What have you done?” the glass cat asked.
“I think they call this winning a battle,” Henry said, beaming with pride at his daughters.
Nottingham was one of those who had escaped. He pushed through the crowd and confronted the mayor. “What are you doing with these traitors?”
“They saved me,” Heart said. She seemed confused and disoriented.
“Saved you?” Nottingham bellowed.
Uncle Jake stood between them. “Relax, Sheriff, the lady is injured.”
“You have betrayed me!” Nottingham shouted at her.
“I have not!” the queen roared back. She hardly needed her megaphone. “The Grimms saved my life against my will!”
“What kind of fool do you take me for?” Nottingham said. He reached into his long leather jacket and removed his deadly dagger.
“So, what do we do with them?” Arthur said, raising his sword to Nottingham’s chin.
That quickly silenced the argument.
“We let them go,” Sabrina said, turning to the Beast. “Get lost and tell Mirror that two little girls beat his big old army.”
The Beast turned to his wife, defeated. When she didn’t say anything, he slinked into the woods with his daughter. The other escaped members of the Hand followed him, with Nottingham bringing up the rear. Just before he disappeared into the trees, he turned and flashed an angry look at the Queen of Hearts, who glared indignantly back.
“Oh, no! Mom!” Mordred cried, rushing to the barrier.
Sabrina searched for what had gotten the warlock so upset. Inside the barrier, trapped with the Hand, was Morgan. Despite the chaos around her she smiled softly.
“We’ll get you out!” Mordred cried. “Don’t worry. I’ll make the other witches break the spell.”
“I couldn’t leave Seven,” Morgan said. “I couldn’t bear to think he was in here with them, all alone.”
Uncle Jake’s shoulders slumped and he stared at the ground.
“Mom, you can’t stay in there. That castle is filled with maniacs,” Mordred said.
“Honey, I’m a pretty powerful witch. I’ll have no trouble getting everyone in line. Don’t worry about me.”
Mordred looked at Sabrina, then back at his mother, and then stepped through the barrier to join her.
“Mordred, they need you!” Morgan cried.
“I’m not leaving my mother,” he said, and then turned back to the others. “I’m sorry. You’ve got all the magic you’ll need.”
Sabrina nodded. “Take care of your mother. Is there anything we can get you?”
Mordred nodded. “I need my video games.”
Sabrina laughed. “As soon as we get a chance, I’ll deliver them myself.”
“We should go. Your mother and the others will be worried,” Henry said.
Daphne said her good-byes as well and the victorious army headed into the woods. Sabrina took one last look at the castle before it disappeared from view.
