effects of age, and today was the first time in years that Roudette had been uncertain how a battle would play out. She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt so alive. But Snow and her fairy had stolen Roudette’s victory.
She picked up the ruined remains of her bow. She had dropped it when she dodged Snow’s attack, and it had been burned by the magic of the fairy ring. The blackened wood splintered in her fist. She flung the pieces away.
Her wolves couldn’t pierce illusion, nor could they have known of the fairy wizard Snow carried in her pouch. The failure was Roudette’s alone, for trusting a tool provided by a fairy. “Duchess. Duchess. Duchess.”
Her wolves jumped back as the earth at Roudette’s feet crumbled, opening a round pit into darkness. A pale, round face framed in wisps of white hair looked up at her. A jade and platinum circlet sat on the Duchess’ brow.
“Roudette,” said the Duchess. “I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon.”
“You could be hearing from me again very soon indeed,” Roudette said. “You lied to me, lady. Talia was here, and Charlotte did nothing .”
One slender eyebrow rose ever so slightly. “Interesting. I take it from your impotent fury they escaped?”
“For the moment,” Roudette said. “You promised—”
“I have no bargain with you, human.” The Duchess smiled. “I agreed to help you as a favor. I did precisely as I said I would, loosing Charlotte into Fairytown for you, carrying the spell I was given.”
“A spell that failed.”
The Duchess shook her head. “Charlotte was never as skilled in the arts of magic as her dearly departed sister, but desperation can be a powerful teacher. Perhaps she’s finally begun to learn the use of power.”
“A pitiful wreck of a human, yet she can overcome your fairy magic.” Roudette realized she was smiling. She nudged a stone into the pit, watching as it passed through the Duchess’ image. “How delightful.”
“Hope.” The Duchess waved a hand, and the stone shot back upward.
Roudette dodged it with ease. “What do you mean?”
“Princess Danielle came to save her, did she not?” She smiled. “They rescued her from your grasp. Hope brings strength, even to one such as Charlotte. Strength enough to fight. At least for a while.”
Roudette froze. “How long?”
The Duchess took her time in responding, her enjoyment obvious. “For a skilled witch, a day. Perhaps two. In Charlotte’s case, I imagine her strength will fail before the sun sets.”
Roudette circled the pit. She never would have worked with fairies had there been any other way, but some prizes were worth the price. “If I lose Talia because of your failed magic, I will come for you next.”
The Duchess feigned a yawn. “Shouldn’t you be off chasing after your quarry, little wolfling?”
Roudette’s smile grew. Perhaps she would return to Fairytown regardless. She preferred not to kill without a contract, but there were exceptions to every rule.
Unfortunately, the Duchess was right. Roudette spun away, reversing her cape and allowing the magic of the wolfskin to flow through her flesh. She couldn’t track the fairy’s magic, but there was only one place they would have gone.
If hope had given Charlotte the strength to fight, then Roudette would have to remove that hope.
Moments later, she was bounding through the woods toward Whiteshore Palace.
Danielle stood with Armand in the courtyard beneath the shade of a cherry tree. A short distance away, Jakob was playing with some of the younger children they had rescued from Rumpelstilzchen. She counted fourteen, most of them gathered around the fountain. Three of the biggest children had climbed into the wide bowl of the fountain. They linked hands around the central pedestal, giggling madly as the water sprayed down on them.
Jakob stood clutching the edge of the fountain with both hands, jumping in place as fast as his stubby legs allowed and squealing
She picked up the ruined remains of her bow. She had dropped it when she dodged Snow’s attack, and it had been burned by the magic of the fairy ring. The blackened wood splintered in her fist. She flung the pieces away.
Her wolves couldn’t pierce illusion, nor could they have known of the fairy wizard Snow carried in her pouch. The failure was Roudette’s alone, for trusting a tool provided by a fairy. “Duchess. Duchess. Duchess.”
Her wolves jumped back as the earth at Roudette’s feet crumbled, opening a round pit into darkness. A pale, round face framed in wisps of white hair looked up at her. A jade and platinum circlet sat on the Duchess’ brow.
“Roudette,” said the Duchess. “I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon.”
“You could be hearing from me again very soon indeed,” Roudette said. “You lied to me, lady. Talia was here, and Charlotte did nothing .”
One slender eyebrow rose ever so slightly. “Interesting. I take it from your impotent fury they escaped?”
“For the moment,” Roudette said. “You promised—”
“I have no bargain with you, human.” The Duchess smiled. “I agreed to help you as a favor. I did precisely as I said I would, loosing Charlotte into Fairytown for you, carrying the spell I was given.”
“A spell that failed.”
The Duchess shook her head. “Charlotte was never as skilled in the arts of magic as her dearly departed sister, but desperation can be a powerful teacher. Perhaps she’s finally begun to learn the use of power.”
“A pitiful wreck of a human, yet she can overcome your fairy magic.” Roudette realized she was smiling. She nudged a stone into the pit, watching as it passed through the Duchess’ image. “How delightful.”
“Hope.” The Duchess waved a hand, and the stone shot back upward.
Roudette dodged it with ease. “What do you mean?”
“Princess Danielle came to save her, did she not?” She smiled. “They rescued her from your grasp. Hope brings strength, even to one such as Charlotte. Strength enough to fight. At least for a while.”
Roudette froze. “How long?”
The Duchess took her time in responding, her enjoyment obvious. “For a skilled witch, a day. Perhaps two. In Charlotte’s case, I imagine her strength will fail before the sun sets.”
Roudette circled the pit. She never would have worked with fairies had there been any other way, but some prizes were worth the price. “If I lose Talia because of your failed magic, I will come for you next.”
The Duchess feigned a yawn. “Shouldn’t you be off chasing after your quarry, little wolfling?”
Roudette’s smile grew. Perhaps she would return to Fairytown regardless. She preferred not to kill without a contract, but there were exceptions to every rule.
Unfortunately, the Duchess was right. Roudette spun away, reversing her cape and allowing the magic of the wolfskin to flow through her flesh. She couldn’t track the fairy’s magic, but there was only one place they would have gone.
If hope had given Charlotte the strength to fight, then Roudette would have to remove that hope.
Moments later, she was bounding through the woods toward Whiteshore Palace.
Danielle stood with Armand in the courtyard beneath the shade of a cherry tree. A short distance away, Jakob was playing with some of the younger children they had rescued from Rumpelstilzchen. She counted fourteen, most of them gathered around the fountain. Three of the biggest children had climbed into the wide bowl of the fountain. They linked hands around the central pedestal, giggling madly as the water sprayed down on them.
Jakob stood clutching the edge of the fountain with both hands, jumping in place as fast as his stubby legs allowed and squealing
Similar Books
