When I opened my eyes, it took me a minute to remember why I was sprawled on the ground with a shining glass mountain towering over me, and why my body felt like someone had used it for batting practice. Then I tried to remember why Jasmine was kneeling next to me with a careful smile on her face and a buffalo-shaped yarn necklace around her neck. She hadn’t been there before, had she?
I struggled to sit up, but my head was throbbing and my body tingled like all my limbs had fallen asleep and were slowly waking up.
“Don’t try to move,” said Jasmine. “Once Anthony gets here, he’ll fix you up and take you home.”
“Home?” I whispered. “No. I have to finish the tasks.”
A pained expression spread across Jasmine’s face, and suddenly I realized the truth. There was no finishing the tasks. I’d attempted the third one, and I hadn’t even gotten halfway up the mountain.
“I failed.” The words came out weak and strangled. I’d let the Land of Tales down. I’d let little Jack and his brothers and everyone else down. All the promises I’d made had been for nothing.
Jasmine reached out and squeezed my hand. “It’s all right, Jenny. I saw how hard you tried.”
“What do you mean? You just got here.”
She shook her head. “I’ve been here all along,” she said. “I’ve been following you.”
“That was you?” All this time I’d thought Ilda had been stalking me, and Jasmine turned out to have been the one watching me from afar. “But why?”
“To deliver your elephant earrings?” she said with a weak smile that told me she was attempting a joke. Then her face grew serious. “The Committee members asked me to. That’s why they sent for me when I was at your house. They wanted me to keep an eye on you.”
“You mean they wanted you to spy on me.”
Jasmine started to object. Then she seemed to think better of it. “Well, I suppose that’s one way of looking at it. They were concerned, that’s all. This place is dangerous. They wanted to make certain you were safe.” Her smile faltered. “I’m afraid they won’t be too happy to hear about your fall. I should have acted sooner, done something to help you.”
“It wasn’t your fault. Besides, I’m fine. And I’ll be a whole lot better once I find a way to get rid of Ilda.” Slowly, I managed to get to my feet, trying not to wince as my muscles screamed.
Jasmine jumped up to help steady me. “That’s not your job anymore, Jenny.”
“Of course it is. I can’t let that witch keep messing up this land.”
“You made a promise, remember?” said Jasmine, finally letting go of my arm. “You told the people here that if you failed the tasks, you’d leave right away.”
I swallowed. Yes, I’d made that promise, but I’d also made one to Jack and to so many others.
“Princess Nartha contacted the Committee after you were at the palace and insisted that you leave her kingdom immediately if you failed,” Jasmine added.
“But why?”
“Because that’s what her people wanted and that’s what she promised them. There’s nothing else you can do.”
My insides felt like they were deflating. Maybe it really was over. I’d tried the tasks and I’d failed. I’d tried to find my parents and I’d failed. What more could I do?
An urgent Pop! rang out and Anthony appeared. For once he wasn’t holding any type of food, not even a diet snack. He just rushed over and pulled me into a hug.
“Are you okay?” he said.
“I’m fine.” I tried not to yelp as he squeezed me tight. It didn’t feel like I’d broken anything, but I probably resembled a bruised pear.
After Anthony let me go, there were actually tears shining in his eyes. “When I heard you were hurt…all I could think about was that day when your parents…” He wiped his eyes.
Just then, the most unwelcome sound I could imagine echoed above our heads: Skree! Skree!
The bird with a capital B was back.
“We need to get out of sight,” I said, glancing around for somewhere to hide.
“Let’s get you home,” said Jasmine.
“No! I can’t—”
Before I could even finish the sentence, Anthony grabbed my hand. With a Pop!, the Land of Tales faded around us. After a moment of psychedelic spinning, we were back in my bedroom.
Normally, I got a rush of comfort whenever I came home, but this time I felt empty. I stumbled across the room, pulled off my adventuring bag, and sank onto my bed.
“You need to rest up,” said Anthony. “After the fall you had, some sleep will do you good.”
“I don’t want to sleep.” The truth was, I didn’t want to do anything. I’d never felt like such a failure. I’d let an entire kingdom down. I’d let my parents down. I’d even let my friends down. Maybe the Committee had been right to doubt me.
“Here,” said Anthony, taking a pill out of his pouch of medicines. “Swallow this.”
“I’m fine.” I tried to push his hand away, but I was suddenly so exhausted that I could barely lift my arm.
“You’re not fine,” said Anthony.
I wanted to argue, but I felt woozy. Either that, or the smiley-face stickers on my ceiling could actually dance. Maybe closing my eyes for a second wouldn’t hurt…
Before I knew it, Anthony had slipped the pill onto my tongue. I tried to spit it out, but it had already started to melt. Surprisingly, it tasted like caramel.
“Trust me, Jenny,” I heard Jasmine say as everything started to fade. “You’ll feel better when you wake up.”
But I knew she was wrong. My bruises would heal, but I wouldn’t feel better. Not tomorrow, and probably not ever.