Chapter 52

Mindy

“Rapunzel!” I screamed over the howling wind.

She waved her arms in a veritable dance, chanting in a foreign dialect. She weaved her energy through the sky as she drained magic from Ortharos. I repeated her name over and over, hoping to penetrate her glaze-eyed stare. I felt a bond growing between us and I hoped she would heed my pleas. We must stop her before every form of media in the Crescent City descended upon us. Mom, Harry, the prince, and Sir Reggie held fast to the chimney and each other, fighting the wind from pulling them off the roof. I turned to them when there was no noticeable response from ’Punzel, and threw my hands in the air. I had visions of helicopters, newscasters running from their vans, across the yard, and sniper units lining the bushes of Harry’s estate. I was not keen to have my head in the crosshairs of every ISMAT rifle.

“Any ideas?” I yelled back at the huddled group.

Harry shook his head ruefully, looking hangdog about asking ’Punzel to fix the phone lines. He had always been a science geek and worked mostly on theory and experimentation while head of ISMAT. His assistant, Gunther Rex, handled the business side during his time in office. I waved my hand at them, as if to say never mind, when Sir Reggie inched toward the fire princess. As he passed, clinging to the slippery shingles, I saw he held a small silver pen in his hand. Unsure of his motives, I ventured toward him to stop a possible attack. He stepped on the ledge above ’Punzel, bringing him eye to eye with the princess. He waved his hands before her, but she made no response. He brought the pen toward her face and when I feared he might stab her, he flashed a beam of light into her eyes. It was a miniature flashlight!

When ’Punzel paused, Sir Reggie spoke. Words flowed out like music from his melodic, baritone voice as he rocked the light to and fro. I could hear him murmur, breaking the sudden silence as he hypnotized her. Who would have thought a common magician’s trick would work and how did Sir Reginaldo know? I thought the little man had no powers of his own, but clearly we had underestimated him.

When we finally got off the roof and to the car, Mom peeled out of the drive as she turned onto the country highway. As we headed back into the city, Harry rode shotgun with the prince between him and Mom. ’Punzel, Reggie and I squished in the back and, though Reggie no longer needed his pen, he continued speaking in soothing tones to a wiped out ’Punzel. It was cute the way he stroked her hair, like she was a frightened new colt. I tried not to worry, as we headed back to the only safe house I knew, ISMAT. The plan was to stop by Max’s and pick up the walkie-talkies I saw on the desk in the TV room. We would then park a distance from headquarters and send Harry and Mom in for negotiations. Once the details were decided, he would radio.