I'm Not Cinderella (The Princess Chronicles)

by Montgomery, Tarrah

  I was too stunned to respond.

  Dennan moved to stand beside me. “Are you all right?”

  “Yes. He thinks I’m his daughter.”

  I put my arms around the older man. I never had a father to hug, and it felt nice, even if he was only Gabby’s father.

  I looked at Dennan. “It’s all right. Go take care of Lady Catherine.”

  “I’ll be right back,” he said, but he didn’t budge.

  “I promise I’ll be fine. Go.”

  He took Lady Catherine to the carriage first and then returned for her two henchmen. Dennan tied all three of them in the carriage so they couldn’t escape.

  When he came back for me, I told him I didn’t want to leave Gabby’s father.

  Dennan stood by me and placed a hand on the older man’s shoulder. “Sir, we’ll be back with people who can help you.”

  The man looked up and said feebly, “Take care of her.”

  Is he talking about me or Gabby?

  “Don’t worry,” Dennan said. “I’ll take her home.”

  “Home,” the man mumbled. He looked off in the distance, probably forgetting where home was.

  “We’ll be back,” I told him. “I promise.”

  He looked at me with those bright hazel eyes. He reached out to touch my cheek. “So much like your mother.”

  He misses Gabby’s mother. So sweet.

  “Stay here,” I told the man.

  Dennan helped me up. Before we left the room, I looked back at Gabby’s father one more time. He seemed to be thinking of a place far away, and he had a small smile on his lips.

  I need to find Gabriella, I thought. He needs his daughter.

  “Will he be okay?” I asked as Dennan helped me onto his horse.

  “We’ll send help as soon as we can. Right now I must get you home. Your safety and well-being take precedence over any other matter.”

  Home. Now that the mystery was solved, would I be able to go home?

  With that thought, I left the mysterious house in the woods. It was like walking out of a nightmare.

  Chapter 26

  Magic Doors

  When I was younger, my grandmother often told me stories about secret doors. They always sounded so magical. I dreamed of entering them and visiting places that only existed in storybooks.

  In one story Nana told me, a boy walked through a magic door, leaving breadcrumbs to mark his trail. He got lost and entered another realm. He had to adapt to his new environment, but along the way he found love.

  The story was enchanting. I especially loved how Nana told it, as if it were real. I always wondered if the boy ever made it back home, or if he stayed in that world forever.

  Day 20 (continued . . . again)

  What did Lady Catherine mean about other secret doors in the manor? Were there more than the one in the kitchen and the one that led to the tower? Sherwood Manor was crawling with mystery.

  Dennan tied a piece of his white shirt to a tree on the main road to mark the secret path. Then, we hurried back to Sherwood Manor on his horse. I rode in front and leaned my head back on Dennan’s chest, my injured neck throbbing with every bounce.

  As we galloped onto the path behind Sherwood Manor, Krys was leaving the stables.

  “Young man!” Dennan shouted.

  Clearly alarmed at our haggard condition, the servant backed away from our approach.

  “I am in need of your assistance, by order of the prince of Fenmore Falls,” Dennan explained.

  Krys must’ve suddenly recognized Dennan, because he bowed his head and said, “Yes, Your Highness.”

  Dennan stopped his horse in front of the servant. “Please make your way quickly to the castle and tell my father that I apprehended the people who were conspiring to corrupt the kingdom. There is also a sick man in need of assistance. Just off the main road, a white shirt tied to a tree marks a secret path. Tell my father to have his men follow that path, where they will find the ill man in a rundown building. They will also find the conspirators tied in a carriage out front.”

  Krys nodded. “Yes, Your Highness.” He turned in the direction of the stables.

  Dennan hopped off his horse and reached for me. I painfully slid into his arms and let him carry me to the kitchen door.

  Once we stepped inside the kitchen, Miss Brenda shrieked and dropped the bowl she held in her hands. She’d never been to the castle and didn’t know Dennan was the prince. I’d probably shriek too if I saw a shirtless man walk into my house carrying a girl.

  Katie, who was also in the kitchen, quickly approached us. “What has happened?” she asked.

  “Brinlee is hurt,” Dennan explained. “Can you bring some water and bandages up to her bedroom?”

  Katie nodded and quickly began to acquire the necessary items.

  “What is going on, and who is this?” Miss Brenda asked with authority.

  Katie tugged on Miss Brenda’s arm. “This is Prince Channing,” she said.

  The woman’s mouth fell open, but no words came out.

  Dennan didn’t wait for an official introduction. He made way to the hall and climbed the stairs to my bedroom, where he carefully lowered me onto my bed.

  “Don’t go,” I pled as he released me. “I need you to hold me.”

  He sat on the bed, and I nestled in the shelter of his embrace.

  My mom would freak if she saw this—me sitting on my bed with a shirtless boy.

  “Your arms are my castle,” I whispered as I raised my head from Dennan’s chest and peered up at him. “You’re everything I ever dreamed of.” Even more.

  I was getting sappy. It was the shock talking.

  Dennan smoothed my hair. “And, how long have you been dreaming of me? Because I can’t stop thinking about you, even when I’m awake.”

  “I’ve had you in my head since I was ten years old,” I said quietly. It was the complete and honest truth. “I’ve been in love with you and your life for almost eight years. My heart has your name written all over it.”

  This was it! It was now or never. Dennan needed to know the truth—the whole crazy truth.

  “You are half of the best love story ever told,” I continued. “You are the superstar of this enchanted fairy tale. You are Prince Charming.”

  Dennan’s brow furrowed. “I don’t understand. I’m Prince Channing.”

  “I don’t even understand it anymore,” I said. “Everything has turned upside down.”

  I sat up and moved the pillows on my bed, then held up the Cinderella book that had traveled with me to this fairy-tale land.

  “This will explain everything. This is Gabriella.” I tapped on the book. “Well, it’s Cinderella, but Gabriella’s stepsisters call her Cinderella because of the cinder that is always on her dress from her work in the kitchen.”

  Dennan stared dumbfounded at the book.

  I turned to the first page. “Read the story, and then you’ll see.”

  He gave me a strange look and began to read:

  Once upon a time there was a very good and pretty girl named Ella, who lived with her stepmother. This woman had two daughters of her own, and neither she nor the daughters had any love for poor Ella. They were proud and selfish, and were jealous of her because she was so pretty, and had sweet, gentle ways which made a strong contrast with their coarse, ill-bred manners.

  Dennan looked up at me, I knew he didn’t understand, and I didn’t blame him.

  “Don’t you see that it’s talking about Gabby and her evil stepmother and stepsisters?” I asked.

  “It’s just a story,” he muttered.

  I turned a couple of pages. “Read this.”

  The king’s son waited for her at the door, at least three-quarters o
f an hour, and when she arrived, he again led her into the ballroom. He danced with her every time, and kept by her side the whole evening. When the first stroke of midnight sounded, she stopped dancing, at once left the side of the King’s son, rushed across the room, and flew downstairs. The King’s son ran after her, but was too late. The only trace of her was a glass slipper.

  “This is you.” I pointed at the book. “You’re Prince Charming.”

  “Where did you get this?” he asked.

  “It’s a story about you,” I said. “Your story lives on every bookshelf and in every heart in the human world.” I stopped, allowing my words to sink in.

  After several seconds of silence, Dennan said, “I don’t know what you mean, Brinlee.”

  “There’s something else,” I said softly.

  He looked up from the book.

  I dropped my next bombshell. “I’m not from here.”

  “I know you’re not from here. You already told me you’re only a visitor at Sherwood Manor.”

  “That’s not exactly what I meant.” I paused. “Yes, I don’t live here or anywhere near here. The truth is, I don’t actually even live in this time period.”

  He only stared at me.

  “Dennan, I’m not from this world. I’m from a future world that only dreams about your world. I don’t know how I got here, but I’m caught in the middle of something I’m not.”

  When he didn’t respond, I continued to explain. “One day Gabby brought me through some kind of magical door, and I entered your world. At first, I thought it was a dream, but when I didn’t wake up from the dream, I realized I was actually in a different dimension. I’ve been living this fantasy ever since.”

  I grasped his hands, which still clutched the book. “I don’t expect you to understand or even believe me. The only thing that matters right now is that I find a way to get back home so I can find Gabby. She needs to know that her father is alive.”

  Dennan still didn’t move or speak. I couldn’t imagine what he must be thinking, but I was positive he had classified me as crazy.

  “Maybe someday you’ll understand,” I said. “It may not be tomorrow or the next day, but someday it will make sense. And now I have to leave.” I felt as if my heart was being ripped from my chest. “I have to find Gabby.”

  Dennan moved his head slowly to meet my eyes.

  “Thank you, Dennan—for everything. You’ll always live in my dreams.”

  I turned and raced out the bedroom door. In the hallway, I bumped into Katie, who carried several rags and a bowl of water.

  “Miss Brinlee, where are you going?”

  “I have to go home to find Gabby.”

  “Are you leaving?” she asked. “When Miss Gabriella left, she never returned, and now you are leaving?”

  “I think I found Gabby’s father.”

  Katie’s eyes widened.

  “I know it’s crazy,” I went on, “but Lady Catherine has been hiding him in an abandoned house a little ways from here.”

  Katie shook her head. “No. Miss Gabby’s father is dead.”

  I touched Katie’s arm. “That’s why I need to find Gabby, so she can find out.” Down deep, I felt my conscience burning. “I need to help her come back to see her father.” It was my destiny.

  I gave Katie a quick hug and whispered goodbye. Just like with Dennan, time would help her understand why I had to leave.

  I dashed to the kitchen and toward the magic door. Fred lay on the floor near the hearth, and I stopped to pet my faithful friend one last time. “I’m sure going to miss you.”

  Lady Catherine’s haunting words replayed in my mind. There are many secret doors in Sherwood Manor, Miss Brinlee.

  “I hope this works.” I mimicked how I saw Lady Catherine hold her hands on the wall, one hand up and slightly to the right, and the other one straight to the side. My right fingers grazed the top of the doorframe, while my left hand touched the wooden hearth. I felt a raised bump on the doorframe and one on the hearth. When I pushed both buttons simultaneously, I heard the click of a deadbolt opening.

  I turned the doorknob and pushed the door ajar. I could see into my attic bedroom. It worked!

  After one last glance at Fred, I swung the door wide open and stepped into my room.

  Back in Idaho. Back home.

  Chapter 27

  Secret Kingdom

  My mother never talked about when my father left. Did it feel like her heart had been ripped out? Is that why she never wanted to talk about it—because she didn’t want to relive it?

  Sometimes I heard her crying in her room at night. Her sadness brought back a memory of my father singing to me when I was sad. It was a wistful song about a secret kingdom. I would watch his eyes, which were so much like mine, grow wet as he sang.

  When I was ten and received a DVD of The Slipper and the Rose, I finally found the song. It was called “Secret Kingdom.”

  In that secret kingdom that you see

  Should the make believe become reality?

  With no scepter in your hand

  No dominion to command

  Could you be content with only me?

  (Image Entertainment, 1976)

  Idaho

  I didn’t even think about propping the door open, and it closed behind me. I raced into my grandmother’s farmhouse to find Gabby. I took the stairs two at a time from my attic bedroom down to the kitchen. As I skidded into the room, the two people sitting at the table looked startled.

  I hurried over to Cassidy and gathered her into my arms.

  Her eyes were wide. “Brinlee?”

  I squeezed her tighter, holding fast to the idea that I was really home.

  “Ow,”’ Cass complained. I loosened my grip.

  “What happened?” She pointed to my bandaged shoulder. “Are you all right?”

  “It’s just a scratch. I’m fine.”

  I looked at the other person sitting at the table. It was Gabby, whose life I had swapped. The girl who left me on the wrong side of the door. The girl who was the cause of all my hazards. The girl who allowed me to have the most magical experience of my life.

  I smiled at her, and she smiled back. A wave of understanding passed between us. “You come from a very strange world, Gabby.”

  Her grin widened. “I could say the same to you.”

  I noted her modern, casual attire—jeans and a T-shirt. Her hair was in a ponytail, and her nails were polished a bright pink.

  “Oh, Brinlee, I’m so glad you’re back.” Cass grabbed my hands and jumped up excitedly.

  My attention shifted back to my beautiful sister. My heart ached with how much I had missed her.

  “Gabby and I have had so much fun,” she said. “When she told me that you two decided to exchange places, kind of like a foreign-exchange summer thing, I was more than thrilled to guide her around. We’ve been everywhere.”

  Cass’s rambling, which reminded me of how I could ramble, made me extra glad to be home. I took a deep breath and listened to her report of Gabby’s introduction to Idaho.

  “She’s even met Shane and his friends,” Cass continued. “He asked about you, of course, along with calling every day to see if you were back. But one of his friends, Lyle, likes Gabby, so we went to the movies with them. Gabby enjoys every little thing in this little town. It has been fun to see her so excited about such small things. In fact, just yesterday . . .”

  Cassidy’s words trailed off. She stood with her mouth open. Her eyes, along with Gabby’s, were transfixed at something behind me.

  I turned to see what they were staring at. There, standing in the kitchen of my grandmother’s farmhouse in Idaho, was Dennan—still shirtless, and looking every bit like a lost puppy. Oh my!

 
“Dennan?!” I exclaimed.

  “Brinlee.”

  “You followed me,” I said, though it was obvious.

  He stepped forward so he was directly in front of me. “You left.”

  “I had to.”

  Is he really standing here? In my grandmother’s kitchen? Right now? Somebody pinch me.

  He frowned. “Why did you leave?”

  “I had to find Gabby.”

  As soon as her name was spoken, the girl stood and said, “You must be Prince Channing. I saw you one time when I visited the castle with my stepsisters.”

  Everything seemed to move in slow motion as I watched Dennan look at beautiful Gabriella for the first time. I could see the recognition in his eyes and something else, perhaps appreciation or attraction.

  Fine, I’ll admit it—I’m jealous.

  He was looking at the woman who would eventually be his wife. They would live happily ever after, and everything would be perfect.

  Except, I would fade away miserable and alone.

  Now look who is being the love glum.

  “Yes, and you must be Miss Gabriella.” Dennan bowed politely.

  She dipped into a perfect curtsy and elegantly swished her gorgeous ponytail back behind her shoulder. “It is an honor to meet you, Your Highness.”

  It’s an honor to meet you, Your Highness, I mimicked in my mind with a nasal voice.

  Gabby was beautiful and perfect, and Dennan was charming and wonderful. I knew the two main characters of the world’s greatest love story had to meet, but all I could feel was pain, jealousy, and rage. I wished the prince and Cinderella could have met somewhere other than right in front of me.