Cinderella Complex

by Rebekah L. Purdy

  “There’s food on the tables over there and drinks out back on the sun-porch.” Grandma hugged me again. “Don’t run off too far, I want to talk to you in a few minutes.” She leaned down to touch my face. “Got lots I want to tell you.” With that, she hurried off to greet more guests.

  Jackson wasn’t kidding when he mentioned the number of females here. It seemed odd that Grandma knew them all from selling pharmaceuticals.

  I grabbed a cup of punch and stood in a corner by the window. Shadows darted across the backyard, peeling away from the trees outside. I shivered.

  What the heck?

  Setting my drink down, I went outside and wound my way back toward the tire swing.

  It groaned as the wind spun it around. I heard a rustle in the bushes.

  “Hello?” I moved toward the sound. A shadowy form elongated from the bushes near my feet. I stopped. Shadows were supposed to move away, not toward a person. The air around me buzzed and grew colder. Was that wings flapping?

  Whoosh! Something raced across the sky. It blocked out the moon as it flew overhead.

  “Maggie!” Grandma hollered. “You get in here now.”

  I hurried back to the house. Her face looked white. “Grandma, are you okay?”

  She stumbled as she dragged me back into the house. “I’m fine—you just need to be more careful, is all.”

  “Grandma—”

  “Hush, child,” she said, leading the way upstairs. “I need to talk to you.” She held tight to my arm and kept peeking over her shoulder as if she expected someone to jump out of a dark corner. We walked down the long hallway to her bedroom. Once there, she tugged the drapes shut and scooted me to her large walk-in closet.

  I stiffened. Either Grandma had lost her mind or she really thought someone was after her.

  “Um—shouldn’t you be downstairs greeting your guests?” I planted my feet so she couldn’t drag me any closer to the closet.

  “They can wait. What I need to talk to you about is more pressing.” Grandma stepped into her closet.

  “Can’t we talk out here?”

  Popping her head out of the closet, Grandma chuckled. “I know this seems odd, but will you trust me?”

  Her eyes begged me. With a sigh, I let her take my hand and pull me into the huge walk-in. Light shimmered near the back where another door stood, hidden behind hangers of clothes. Where’d it come from? I knew, from years of hide-and-go-seek games there’d never been a door back there, or else I would’ve found it.

  “What’s going on?”

  She shut us in, turned, and clasped my hands. “The time has come for me to retire, Maggie. I’ve been doing this job for so long. And downstairs is the proof of my success. Generations of happiness.” She smiled wistfully. “But now, Maggie, I want to hand the legacy over to you.”

  Great, how was I supposed to tell her I wasn’t interested in pharmaceuticals? “Grandma, it’s not that I don’t appreciate this, but I kind of had bigger plans. Not like there’s anything wrong with medicines and junk. But it’s not my thing.”

  Grandma’s laughter filled the space. “Heavens no, child. I don’t want you to follow in those footsteps.” She squeezed my hands. “I suppose I ought to be more clear. Maggie, I want you to take over my position as Fairy Godmother.”

  My mouth dropped open. I stared at Grandma. Oh great, she’d gone senile. What would I tell Mom? Maybe she’d have to come live with us. Or what if Mom wanted to put her in an old-folks home?

  “Maggie, are you listening to me?”

  “Grandma, I’m sorry, but this is insane. We should call a doctor.” I pulled my hands from hers and backed away.

  “Look at me.” Grandma took my face in her hands and gazed into my eyes. Light enveloped the closet. The air thrummed around us. Glitter fell from the ceiling, and I gasped as wings unfolded behind her.

  No flippin’ way!

  “Grandma?” Holy crap, holy crap, holy crap. She had wings and a gown. “You just… you’re a Fairy Godmother?”

  She nodded. “Not just any Fairy Godmother. The Fairy Godmother. As in Cinderella and pumpkins and happily-ever-after.”

  I gripped a fur coat to keep from toppling over. My blood pounded in my ears. Maybe someone spiked the punch.

  Taking a deep breath, I fought to stay composed. “So this means you’re not sixty-seven?”

  “Heaven’s no. I’m ancient, dear, but the magic kept me young.”

  “How old were you when you had Mom?”

  She chuckled. “Well, let’s say over a couple hundred.”

  I gazed at her until I thought my eyeballs would roll right out of the sockets. “You got pregnant after hundreds of years?” Okay, that sounded kind of gross.

  “I told you, magic has kept me younger.” Grandma patted my hand.

  “Then all those women and girls downstairs…”

  “Are people I’ve helped into their happily-ever-afters. That’s what we’re here for, Maggie. To make sure fate turns out the way it’s supposed to.”

  “But how did you get this way?” I gestured to her wings.

  “It’s in our blood. We hand it down through the generations.”

  “How come Mom isn’t next in line?”

  “Because I’ve chosen you as my successor. You’ll understand someday.”

  This wasn’t happening. “But I’m only sixteen.”

  “Maggie, you’re ready for this. If you weren’t, then I wouldn’t be able to retire.” Grandma touched my cheek. “The magic is humming to be released from these old bones. And you’re the rightful heir.”

  “But I don’t know what to do. I mean, how does it work? And how would I know who to help?” Panic swelled as questions filled my brain. “Is there, like, a term limit?”

  “Take a breath, Maggie.”

  Easy for her to say. This wasn’t like she made me a butt-ugly sweater as a gift. This was worse. Dangerous, even. And what about the wings? Totally creepy. I pictured my brother chasing me around with a fly swatter. Not to mention all the things that might go wrong. Like granting a person the wrong wish, or my wings freezing up on me while flying. I could see me plummeting to my death.

  “All you have to do is accept the gift from me.”

  “How do you know I’ll be able to handle this? I don’t have any experience.” Part of me was thrilled she trusted me with such a huge responsibility, but the rational side thought she might be making a big mistake. Or better yet, I’d dreamed the whole thing.

  “Because you’re a good girl. And I can feel the magic’s pulse in your blood. The call being answered.” Grandma smiled. “This will allow you to make a difference in people’s lives, to help them find themselves, and to make their dreams come true.”

  I bit my bottom lip. “It sounds like a lot of responsibility.”

  “It is. Sometimes it means leaving behind those you love in order to keep the secret. Other times it means fighting off the Grimms to ensure the happy ending. You’re harnessing a lot of power, which isn’t anything to take lightly.”

  “Grimms?” I didn’t like the sound of that.

  “They’re our mortal enemy.”

  Mortal enemies? Power? This was unreal. It sounded scary, but at the same time, pretty awesome. Granting wishes, happy endings… maybe the wings wouldn’t be so horrible. At least if Jack forgot me again I’d be able to fly home. It couldn’t be that bad, right? Then why did it feel like a large lump had settled in the pit of my stomach?

  I closed my eyes. This wasn’t a decision to make on the spur of the moment. When I opened them again I said, “Can I have time to think it over?”

  Grandma paled, her eyes tired. “There is no time. I’m getting old, Maggie. I’ve harnessed the power for too long as is.”

  “What if I say no?”

  “I’ll have to wait for the next heir to come of age. And I don’t have that much time.”

  Alarm coiled through me. “Are you sick?”

  Grandma flashed me a weak smile. “No
. Just old. The magic is dying in me. I have to pass it on.”

  “What happens if you don’t hand the Godmother duty off?”

  “Imagine if the world’s happy endings died with me. Darkness would consume everything. There’d be nothing to look forward to. All that is great would cease to exist. Including me.”

  Well it certainly didn’t leave me much choice. “Why did you ask me if you knew there really wasn’t a choice?”

  Grandma stared at me with unseeing eyes. “There’s always a choice, Maggie. But every choice has consequences. This Godmother power was bestowed upon our bloodline to help keep order in the world. We must protect it and use it to better humanity. Without us, there’s little hope.”

  “If I decide to do this, will you train me or something?”

  Grandma’s smile faltered. “I can give you basic information, history, and guidance, but much of this will be a learn-as-you-go process. However, you will have this.” With a flick of her wrist, a wand appeared and she gave it a wave.

  Poof. A huge, leather-bound book the size of a toddler dropped to the floor at my feet.

  “What is it?” I bent down to examine the dusty cover.

  “The Fairy Godmother Handbook.” She grinned.

  “Handbook? You need a forklift to pick it up.” I brushed it off then attempted to open it. The cover didn’t budge.

  “You must be a Godmother first, before you can read it. Can’t let everyone know how our magic works.”

  “Does this thing come in an e-book version? You know, something less noticeable.”

  “No. This is the only copy. It cannot be duplicated.” She stared at me for a moment, her eyes intent. She tapped the book with her wand and it disappeared. “I know this is a lot of pressure, Maggie, but I need your answer.”

  I kneaded my hands together and attempted to make a mental pros-and-cons list. Pros: granting wishes, getting to fly, magic at my fingertips, and I’d age slowly. Cons: I had no idea what in the world to do, and well, that should be reason enough not to do it. But if I didn’t accept, Grandma might not survive. No pressure there.

  Sucking in a lungful of air, I squeezed my eyes shut. I must be insane. “Fine, I’ll do it.”

  “You’ll make a wonderful Godmother, Maggie.” She bent forward and kissed my forehead. “Now comes the hard part.”

  From under her dress sleeve, she once more produced a glowing wand. Made from white oak, it had a crescent moon on the top with intricate carvings along the handle.

  “What do I need to do?”

  “When you take the wand from me the power will be yours. But I’d better warn you. There will be some pain at first. And once I give you the magic, I can’t take it back.”

  The not-giving-it-back part didn’t seem too bad, but the pain? It didn’t sound too promising.

  Grandma held the wand out to me. “Maggie Winters, I bequeath you all the power, knowledge, and honor of a Fairy Godmother. May the wind warm your wings and the night air caress your skin. Know that happiness and fate are intertwined. And the darkness must never be allowed to destroy.” Grandma paused. “Now, repeat after me. I, Maggie Winters.”

  “I, Maggie Winters.”

  “Accept the power and claim my place as the next Fairy Godmother.”

  “Accept the power and claim my place as the next Fairy Godmother.” My voice trembled as she released the wand. It touched my fingers. Heat scorched my skin, flowing through my veins like lava. White spots blurred my vision. Crack. The sounds of bones breaking in my back echoed off the walls. Pain overwhelmed me, and I fell to my knees. A scream lodged in my throat. What was happening?

  “It’s okay, Maggie. Just give yourself to the power.”

  I arched my back, trying to escape the agony. “My back—”

  “Shh. The wings are coming in. It’s almost over.” Grandma’s voice sounded far away.

  My head throbbed like it might explode. Every inch of my skin crawled and pulsed. The pain coursed through my system until I screamed. What had I agreed to? I wanted to tell Grandma to take it back. That she had to stop. But I fell into blackness, tumbling over and over, trapped beneath a great set of waves.

  Chapter Four

  Something cold and wet touched my cheek. I groaned. It felt like someone had tried to shove me down a toilet, only I wouldn’t fit and they’d used a plunger to get me out. I opened my eyes and saw Grandma hunched over me with a damp cloth.

  “What happened?” I sat up.

  “You absorbed a lot of power, Maggie. Your body needs a few moments to adjust.”

  Music from downstairs drifted under the door and I cringed. Right, we were at the retirement party. I focused on the clothes hanging in the closet and the light pouring through the open door behind us. The hidden door.

  I nodded toward the light. “Please tell me that isn’t Narnia.”

  Grandma grinned then stood up. “Oh, heaven’s no, that was just a wardrobe. This is the Godmother Room. Which reminds me. Once you leave here tonight, this door will be at the back of your closet.”

  “You’re kidding?”

  Grandma shook her head as she helped me to my feet. “It’s a package deal. The room is used to store magical items and wishes.”

  I peered over my shoulder. “What happened to my wings?”

  Grandma walked to the Godmother Room. “They shift away when you don’t need them.”

  “So, how do I get them back?”

  “You command them with your mind, same as your arms and legs.” She pushed into the room at the rear of the closet.

  Bright light spilled over us as we stepped into the secret room. I trailed my fingers along the stone walls, gazing with wonder at the scenic paintings. At the center of the room sat a long, mahogany table with bench-style seats. Behind the table loomed a fireplace made of river rock. A cast-iron cauldron hung over dancing orange and yellow flames.

  My gaze focused on the shelves lining both sides of the fireplace, which displayed leather-bound books and empty cages of all shapes and sizes. I’d stepped into a fairytale cottage. The only thing missing? A witch stirring up a potion. Then I noticed the wooden paddle making circles in the cauldron. It sloshed up liquid as it clanged against the sides. Unbelievable. It stirred itself.

  Grandma led me to the corner where an ornate oversized trunk sat.

  “This is where the dream spheres are kept.” The lid groaned as she tugged it open and revealed what looked like bubbles. But after a closer glance, I realized they were crystal globes. I reached down to pick one up. It fit perfectly in my hand, kind of like a glass apple.

  Turning to her, I asked, “What are these used for?”

  “These, my child, are how you get your assignments. When someone needs a happy ending or a dream come true, one of these spheres will appear in your hand. You need only look into it to see who the person is. Once you’ve met them, it’ll show you what their happily-ever-after should be.”

  “What happens once I’ve completed the mission or whatever?”

  “The sphere disappears and becomes a star in the sky. And then you move on to the next assignment.”

  I set the globe back down and Grandma shut the trunk. A tinkling of laughter drifted through the open door of the closet.

  “Shouldn’t you get back to your party?” I walked across the room and took a book from the shelf. The History of Romance. Just what I needed.

  “The party is only a cover.” Grandma smiled as she sat at the table. She patted the spot next to her and I sat beside her. “With this many people and happy endings swirling around, it’d be hard for anyone to sense me handing the power over to you. We don’t want Grimms catching wind of this until you’ve gotten some experience under your belt.”

  A shiver crawled through me. My throat went dry.

  “Grimms?” My voice squeaked. For the second time, I shivered at the mention of the word.

  “They’re the essence of darkness. They stand in the way of our happy endings. Our failure gives them p
ower.” Grandma folded her hands in her lap, the humor gone from her face and eyes.

  “You mean, like Grimm’s fairytales?” I focused my attention on the wood-grain in the table. Anything to avoid looking at Grandma.

  “Worse. They will destroy you. Sometimes it’s hard to recognize them. Most of them will show themselves as shadows, but others are human in form, with wings and power. Some of the Grimms can even take the shape of our worst nightmares.” She reached for my hand, her cold fingers trembling. “They become the monsters we envision in the dark. They’re dangerous. And pure evil.”

  The Fairy Godmother thing suddenly sounded like a bad idea. “How do we stop them?”

  “By not letting them destroy the happy endings. And by using your power. They hate light magic.”

  Grandma held up her wand and tried to hand it to me.

  I drew back from her. “I’m not sure I’m ready for this. I mean, I have no idea what I’m doing.”

  “You’ll learn, just like I had to. Like my great-grandmother before me and hers before her.” With her free hand, she grasped my wrist. “Your wand must stay on you at all times. When you’re not using it, it will soak right into your skin, like this.”

  She tapped the wand tip on my wrist. It wound around my skin like a snake, then sank in. It was as if someone had laid a hot washcloth across my arm. Strange loops and symbols appeared on my skin, like I’d gotten a bracelet tattoo. Beneath the surface, tingles surged through my blood. An electric current stirred inside me.

  “How do I get it out?” I gawked at my wrist.

  “When you need it, just call for it.”

  “Wand,” I whispered and, like a snake uncoiling, it pulled from my body and appeared in my hand.This was freakin’ crazy. My fingers trembled as I tapped it against my wrist once more and watched it absorb back into my skin.

  Grandma chuckled. “All of this will take some getting used to, but I promise, the reward of making people happy makes everything worthwhile.” She rose and walked to the fireplace where she put another log on the flames. “Maggie, you must know that Fate is in your hands now. You must ensure the people you’re helping get their ending. If, for some reason, you fail in any of your missions, it can have a domino effect.”