And yet, barely a week, maybe two, and she had already wrapped me around her finger.
She was more than Sadie Skaarsgard ever could be. And I hated myself for it because I saw myself in Sadie; I saw someone else, an outcast, someone who burned for power and approval. She understood me in a way I thought no one ever could.
And then I met Alice and everything changed.
But I could not let this crone know this. I could not let anyone know. Sadie was still out there. I still longed to find her, to ensure she was safe. If the Never Glass was cracked, it meant she was getting weaker and weaker.
I needed to find her before she perished completely.
“The whispers from the forest say a lot of things,” I returned. “I would not believe everything I hear.”
“Perhaps not.” Her lips twisted into a small smile and she looked away before I could get a good read of her face. “You realize what a conundrum the Seeker has put us in, do you not? She has risked everything just to get justice for a dead woman no one remembers as anything other than being the Mad Mage’s first victim.”
“Oh, please.” I wrinkled my nose and gave her a long look. “Considering you are not a Fae and somehow possess ShadowMagic, let’s not pretend you’re concerned about upsetting the balance within Wonderland. It’s not like you entered into any kind of deal with Sabrina Charming and I doubt you’re looking for the Mad Mage in order to steal his magic.” I tilted my head to the side. “Though…maybe you are. Maybe you are trying to find him. Maybe you do want his magic.”
“And why would I want his magic?” she asked snidely.
“So, you can stop stealing The Weaver’s.” My voice dropped even though there were only two of us in the room. I could not risk anyone overheating our conversation, especially not Lupine. “So, you can regain the youthfulness you sacrificed in order to steal magic that never belonged to you in the first place.” I took a step forward, squaring my shoulders. “Did you know that we Fae take the theft of our magic so seriously, we would consider it an act of war?”
MaryBeth stilled completely. She had yet to turn and face me completely. From my position, it was difficult to make her profile out so I still could not read her face. But I continued to stare, knowing she could feel the glare upon her wrinkled skin.
“The Red Queen is looking for the Mad Mage to take his magic,” I said, “especially now that the truth has come out about his innocence. Lying about our kind is also an act of war. And a band of thieves living in the Blood Forest managed to crack the Never Glass - another act of war.”
“The Never Glass has been cracked?” She turned to me, and suddenly, I could see the youth that she had given up.
There was something about her, something familiar.
“Yes.” I nodded once. “Why are you concerned with the Never Glass? Most do not know it exists in the first place. They believe in nothing more than their little town; no threats like nonmagicked humans, the Fae, the wolves…They are fools.”
“I heard Never Glass was unbreakable,” she said. “I heard someone used magic strong enough that not even the Mad Mage himself could penetrate it.”
“Well, something did penetrate it, it was just not the Mad Mage,” I said. I pulled off what I thought was lint on the collar of my shirt but it turned out to be nothing. “The dominoes are starting to fall into place, crone. Tell me, where do you think you’ll wind up?”
“What do you want, Imp?” she asked. “Why have you come to me?”
“Because I know what you are doing,” I said. “I recognize The Weaver’s magic. I would have recognized it but Alice did not come to me in regards to Ella Byrne. She went to the Dwarf, who sent her to you. If she had come to me, I would have been able to recognize the footage on the security footage of the Charming party was a hoax, and, in doing so, I would have recognized that Tom Charming’s magic did not belong to him. He was given ShadowMagic.”
The crone reacted by pressing her puckered lips together, but that was it. There was nothing else. Either she had no idea what I was referring to or she was an expert at deception. I liked to think it was the latter. In fact, I was gambling on that.
Because, if it was the former, I would be revealing my hand, and I did not want to risk that until I knew the board was set and the players were all in place. Right now, I had to figure out where to place MaryBeth.
“Was he?” she finally asked.
“He was,” I said. “And you wouldn’t happen to know who gave that to him, would you?”
“Why would I know that?” she asked. “I am a little old lady.”
I snorted, shaking my head. It was something I did not do often, and I realized Alice and her human charm were rubbing off on me. It made me smile, knowing she was becoming a part of my essence. It could only make me better than I was.
“You? An old lady?” I moved into the main aisle that led directly to the counter. “I doubt that very much. You steal magic, magic steals your youth. You are not an old crone, though I cannot say who you truly are, only that I know you gave Tom Charming ShadowMagic. And not only him, but Geoffrey Hunter. And Jack Lauine.”
The old woman chuckled, a dark sound that held little humor in it. “You dare accuse me of such things?” she asked. She shifted her shoulder so her jacket slid off her shoulder before quickly adjusting herself.
“It is not an accusation if it is the truth,” I said. “I had an old friend run the trace magic found in each one of them. They all match. They all stem from you. I saw it when I watched you train Alice. I recognized it as The Weaver’s. Her magic is potent, so terribly specific to her heritage.” I took a step towards her. “She is Fae and what you are doing will start a war.”
“Isn’t that what your family wants? Isn’t that why they dethroned the Mad Mage? You know, he is coming for his throne, don’t you? Your family is not safe. No one is. Not even that missing sister of yours. Tell me, have you found her yet? You’ve concerned yourself so much of Anna Skaarsgard, have you made it a point to search for your sister? Or is she as forgotten as the crown of thorns you forget sits upon your head?”
“You let me worry about my throne, why don’t you?” I tinkered with a cuff link before turning my attention back to MaryBeth. “Tell me where The Weaver is. I know it’s her magic you’ve stolen. I also know you’ve ferreted out to Geoffrey Hunter, to Tom Charming.”
“You know, Rum, do you remember that sunset we watched together?” MaryBeth looked at me, her words hanging between us. Her words paralyzing me in place. “It was four years, four years before I left Wonderland behind. Four years when I realized I would never be good enough for you or your family. Four years when your mother slithered out of the Fae realm and told me she would rather slit her wrists than see me on the throne. Four years since you turned my heart to ash.”
I swallowed.
“I’ve looked you in the eyes time and time again, and still you fail to recognize me,” she continued. “It didn’t matter that I was strong enough to put the boundary up, protecting Wonderland. It didn’t matter that I helped infuse the Never Glass that protected your family. I would never be good enough for you. So, I left, hoping you would come after me. Hoping you would tell me you loved me.” Her eyes watered but not one tear fell. “I was a fool, wasn’t I? Tell me, how can you love her? How did she earn your love? How did I fail?” She swallowed. “I thought perhaps if I could be more powerful, I could win your heart. But it took me years to find The Weaver. And when I did…” She stepped from around the counter and slowly made her way to me. “Look at me, Rum. Look at me. Don’t you know who I am?”
I opened my mouth. Shut it. Looked away.
I couldn’t say it.
“What’s this?” the crone asked, her lips curving up. “Your tongue has lost its ire? I thought that was impossible.”
And I recognized her.
God, I knew who she was behind the wrinkles, the sagging skin.
She leaned forward, inches from my face. Her eyes dropped to m
y lips and she lifted a finger, slowly tracing my bottom lip.
I was a fool to come here. I wanted The Weaver’s location.
Not this.
“Say my name,” she demanded in a harsh whisper. “You owe me that much, Rum. Say my name.”
I didn’t want to.
I didn’t have a choice.
I looked up. Pulled my head back so she dropped her hand. Locked eyes with her.
And then, in a voice just above a whisper, I said, “Sadie.”
Alice and Rumple return in The Seeker’s Return, out December 2021! Preorder on all major retailers!
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Acknowledgments
First and foremost, to my readers.
Lea, for your amazing edits and making this story the best it can be. Thank you for pushing me to make this better.
Rebecca Frank, for your beautiful, eye catching covers. I cannot stop staring.
My beta readers - Amber, Ali, Sue, and Theresa. Your comments mean the absolute world. This story wouldn’t be what it is without you.
My family - Frank, Kylee, Madisyn, Ely, Jacob, and Josh. Your love is the best thing that ever happened to me.
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