A Fairy Tale

by Shanna Swendson

  He felt like he was leaving his heart behind as they moved away from the palace.

  Fifty-six

  Outside the Palace

  Minutes Later

  They walked along a great terrace overlooking the river. Below, on the other shore, the battle had stopped and the soldiers were dispersing. A few stayed and knelt, somehow recognizing their new ruler, even without her crown. Emily wanted to crack a joke about Sophie finally getting the treatment she’d always felt she’d deserved, but this was so far beyond a small-town queen bee scenario that the joke wouldn’t be all that funny.

  She kept an eye on Michael as he walked leaning heavily on Sophie. She wasn’t sure how he remained vertical after all he’d done in his condition. Maybe the Realm’s magic had given him a boost. Or Sophie had. He seemed to be a little stronger since Sophie had put her arm around him. Emily didn’t want to speculate on what he might be going through emotionally. Somehow she doubted this was the closure he’d been looking for.

  “Wow, it’s really changed since we were inside,” he said. “It’s all Technicolor now. I feel like the Munchkins are going to come out and greet us with a song-and-dance routine.”

  “It’s always like this,” Emily said.

  “Not when I came in here, it wasn’t. It was like winter, everything dead and dry.”

  “So Sophie really did bring the place back to life.” It was slowly dawning on Emily that her sister was a big deal here—and merited it.

  “I merely facilitated it,” Sophie said primly.

  Emily asked, “How long have I been gone?”

  “It was Saturday afternoon when I entered the Realm.”

  “That long? It only felt like about a day to me. I don’t suppose there’s any chance we could return last Wednesday.”

  “That would require time travel for me, and I don’t think I can do that. But your mysterious disappearance has been great for publicity, so I doubt you’ll be recast. They even had a candlelight vigil.”

  “That’s what Eamon said. Did it make the news?”

  “I’m not sure. There was a news crew there, but I didn’t watch.”

  “Sophie! You should have recorded it.”

  “I was busy.”

  Even as they bantered, Emily’s dread grew. She’d have to tell Sophie she’d disobeyed the rules and taken a drink. The fairy world was lovely and had its own delights, but Emily really and truly wanted to go home, back to her usual life. She hoped Sophie would know what to do.

  Sophie stepped off the walkway onto the grass, released Michael, and waved her hands in a sweeping arc, leaving a shimmering space in the shape of a broad doorway. With the gateway formed, Emily knew this was her last chance to come clean. She blurted, “Um, well, there is something we need to talk about before we can go home.” She hesitated, then plunged ahead before Sophie could ask her what was wrong. “I took a drink. I know I wasn’t supposed to, but I was trying to buy time by singing every song I knew for Maeve, to string her along while she waited for the right one, and I hadn’t had anything to drink in ages. I couldn’t sing anymore without some water, and when I stopped singing she talked about sending gangs into the city to kidnap you, so I had to sing the first verse to stop her, and I took a drink—just a couple of sips, but I could tell it did something to me.” When the words stopped tumbling out of her, she felt as breathless as if she’d just done a tap number while singing. If she hadn’t been panting, she’d have held her breath, waiting for Sophie to respond.

  “What does this mean? Is she trapped here, like Jen?” Michael asked.

  Sophie shook her head. “I don’t know. Most of my information is folklore. I do know that eating or drinking within the Realm makes it harder to leave, but I don’t know what the threshold is. A couple of sips may not be enough to make a difference, and you do have some fairy blood. That may matter.”

  Emily swallowed the lump in her throat. “Okay, worst-case scenario, what happens?”

  “You’re stuck here for seven years.”

  “Seven years? That will kill my career.”

  “Then again, I am queen of the Realm, so you’d think I have some pull, so long as you want to go back.”

  “I do, believe me, I do.”

  “Well, since I’m queen, that means I represent the Realm. If you’re with me—if you’re attached to me—then maybe that counts as being in the Realm even if you’re outside.”

  “And by attached, you mean …?”

  Sophie turned a little pink and glanced down at her shoes before saying, “You’d have to swear fealty, more or less that you belong to me.”

  Emily put a hand on her hip and glared at her sister. “You have got to be kidding.”

  “It’s just a formality. It’s not like it means anything.”

  “What do I have to do?”

  “Start by kneeling.”

  “You’re enjoying this way too much,” Emily muttered as she knelt in front of her sister. She started to think that this was just formalizing the way things had always been, but then it occurred to her that though Sophie was bossy, she was usually the one doing things for others. She was never the one being waited upon. “I swear to serve you for seven years, your majesty,” she said, then added as she stood, “And you’d better not take advantage of me.”

  “I told you, it was merely a formality.”

  “So I’m okay now?”

  Sophie pulled off her sweater and handed it to Emily. “Here, put this on.”

  Emily held it distastefully at arm’s length. “It’s covered in blood.”

  “I know, but giving the captive an article of your own clothing to wear is another way of getting someone out of the Realm. I don’t want to take any chances.” As Emily reluctantly struggled into the too-small sweater, Sophie turned to Eamon and asked, “Do you have any other ideas?”

  “She is likely to pine, with or without having drunk.” He clasped Emily’s hand in his and added, “But perhaps if I go with her, she will feel the loss less.”

  “That could work,” Sophie said with a nod. “Like fairy methadone, a little bit of the Realm to help overcome the addiction to the Realm itself. Okay, then, everyone, hold hands. I think I need to be connected to all of you to get you through the gateway.”

  Sophie and Eamon stood to either side of Emily, so she was flanked by the two strongest in fairy magic. If they couldn’t get her home, Emily didn’t think anyone could. Athena held Eamon’s other hand, with Amelia on her other side, holding Beau’s leash. Sophie put her arm around Michael, and Emily thought those two looked awfully comfortable like that.

  That thought distracted her so that she barely noticed when Sophie stepped forward. The next thing she knew, she was in a world that was dull and flat. She fought to go back, but then Eamon touched her cheek, and she looked into the swirling colors of his mercury eyes. He, at least, had color in this drab place. As long as she focused on him, she was okay. She looked to her other side and saw that her sister was as bright as ever—brighter, even—with her strawberry blond hair standing out against a muted landscape.

  “Okay, this isn’t so bad,” she said with a sigh of relief. Then the worst pain she’d ever felt struck, and she felt like her limbs were being ripped out of their sockets.

  Fifty-seven

  Central Park

  Saturday, 8:30 p.m.

  Michael had just allowed himself a sigh of relief at being back in the real world when Sophie abruptly jerked away from him, like something had pulled her. He turned to see her throwing her arms around a snarling beast. “Help me hold her, and whatever you do, don’t let go,” Sophie shouted. He might have asked why or how, but the queen in her came out in her tone, and it wasn’t the sort of order one disobeyed.

  Michael got his good arm around the beast, and only then did he notice that Emily wasn’t with them. “Didn’t Emily make it?” he asked.

  “This is Emily,” Sophie said as the beast turned into a bear. “It’s a spell. Hold her!” Amelia and At
hena joined in, but Eamon stood back. Emily changed from snarling lion to hissing snake to fire-breathing dragon and just about every other creature in the menagerie. At last, she turned back into Emily and sagged against Sophie. Michael lent his support, and the two of them held Emily upright

  “What happened?” Michael asked, breathless from the exertion.

  “I’ve read about this sort of thing, but I thought it came from longer captivity,” Sophie said, sounding a little breathless, herself.

  “It’s the Realm’s way of keeping its captives,” Amelia said, stroking Emily’s back. “One last test for the rescuers. You must be truly devoted to hold on to someone through all that. If you fail that test of devotion, you lose your loved one for good.”

  “Was that because she drank?” Michael asked.

  Sophie shook her head. “I don’t know. Maeve may have enchanted her to keep her from escaping. If she knew what I am, then she might have thought Emily could have the same power to leave the Realm.”

  Michael didn’t want to ask the next question, but he had to know. “If we get Jen out of the palace and get her through a gateway, will this happen to her?”

  “Almost certainly,” Athena said with a sorrowful nod. “And it will be worse if she isn’t going willingly. Emily didn’t try to escape from our grasp. Imagine holding on to the beasts while they’re trying to get away.”

  “So, we will need to bring sturdy gloves on that rescue mission,” Sophie said briskly.

  “Is it over?” Emily asked, still clinging to her sister.

  “Yes, sweetie, I believe it is. Now, let’s get you home.”

  Emily tried to move out of Michael and Sophie’s grasp and nearly fell. Eamon stepped in to support her. Michael couldn’t tell if her glassy look was because of what she’d just gone through or because she wasn’t adapting well to the real world. They bustled her home and up the stairs to Michael’s apartment, where Eamon eased her onto the sofa. She seemed oblivious to her surroundings, just staring vaguely into the middle distance.

  As usual, Sophie took charge. “Water first, then she needs some food—preferably as strong a flavor as we can find.”

  “My partner’s mother sent me some enchiladas,” Michael suggested.

  Eamon had to coax water between Emily’s lips, and then Sophie fed her the first few forkfuls of reheated enchiladas like she was feeding a child. Emily’s color gradually returned, and her eyes regained some focus as she took the fork from Sophie and fed herself. She still didn’t look like her usual self, but when Sophie let out a long, slow breath, Michael got the impression that the worst might have passed.

  Now that the immediate life-or-death matters had been handled, he realized they had other problems. “What about Tanaka?” he asked. “This is a missing person case. How do we explain where she’s been and the condition she’s in?”

  “Obviously we can’t tell the truth,” Athena said.

  “We could tell a version of it,” Sophie suggested. “She was kidnapped, then escaped, but she’s fine.”

  “That could bring up a host of other problems,” Michael said, shaking his head. “Tank would have to investigate and try to track down these nonexistent kidnappers.”

  “They exist,” Sophie said, quirking an eyebrow. “And he doesn’t stand a chance of finding them. But I think I can make it a little less drastic for him.”

  “Are you sure you’re up to it?” Amelia asked.

  “It shouldn’t take much more than a nudge, since I’m not sure how valid a case he ever thought this was.”

  “I think he’s already a little scared of her,” Michael put in.

  Amelia and Athena looked at each other and seemed to come to an agreement. “Very well. We’d better leave before the police arrive,” Amelia said. To Sophie, she added, “And I presume you will be working with us now?”

  Sophie rubbed a weary hand across her forehead. “I don’t see why you need me. Your job is keeping the throne empty, and I’ve got that taken care of for the rest of my lifetime. I need to get back home before my mother has a nervous breakdown.”

  Amelia and Athena exchanged another look, but they didn’t argue. Athena just said, “I do hope you’ll stop by before you leave, and let us know if you need help with Emily.”

  The two china dealers/enchantresses/whatever said their good-byes and left. “You’d probably best not be here, either,” Michael said to Eamon. “It’s your description that’s been circulating as the prime suspect.”

  “I can change my appearance,” Eamon said.

  “No, Michael’s right,” Sophie said. “The fewer oddities around here, the better it will work.”

  Eamon gave Emily’s hand a squeeze, and she turned to look at him. For the first time since her return, she seemed to notice another person. “You’ll come back, won’t you?” she asked, pleading.

  “I will come back,” he assured her, dropping a light kiss on her forehead. She reluctantly released his hand as he moved away.

  When he was gone, Michael said to Sophie, “You’ll have to make the call. I’ve already cried wolf once today, and I’m not sure Tank will believe me if I call again.”

  Sophie got out her cell phone and punched in the number Michael gave her. When she got an answer, she put on her most honeyed drawl to say, “I’m so sorry to call you on a weekend, but Detective Murray assured me you wouldn’t want me to wait, under the circumstances.” She took a deep breath, then blurted, “Emily’s back. She just came home. She seems to be okay, just a few scratches and bruises, and she’s tired and hungry.” She bit her lip while listening, then said, “No, I’m afraid she’s not clear on that.” Another pause. “Are you sure that’s absolutely necessary? It could wait.” She winced while she listened, then said, “Okay then, if you insist, we’re at Detective Murray’s apartment. Thank you so much.”

  She ended the call and said, “He’s on his way over.”

  Michael frowned at Sophie. “Might I suggest that you change clothes before the cops get here? You being covered in blood is going to bring up questions.”

  Sophie glanced down at her dress and groaned. “You’re right. I’ll be back in a moment. Don’t let her go anywhere.”

  Emily turned to watch Sophie go, then said, “You know, this explains so much about my childhood. I should have known she had magical powers.”

  Fifty-eight

  Emily’s Apartment

  Saturday, 9:00 p.m.

  Sophie was glad of the excuse to go downstairs and be on her own for a moment. She still hadn’t processed everything that had happened, and she suspected that would take a while. Once she’d washed off the blood on her arm, she was surprised to find no trace of the knife wound. It had healed itself—or perhaps she’d healed it unconsciously. She peeled off her bloody clothes and put on a clean dress before heading back upstairs.

  “Are you all set?” she asked Michael and Emily.

  Emily gave her a mock salute. “Yes, your highness. We have discussed the cover story.”

  Her sister’s words were slightly slurred, but at least she was talking and showing signs of life. “You sound like you’re drunk. Are you okay?”

  “I’m exhausted. I haven’t had much sleep. Maybe if I act weary, the cops will leave me alone.”

  There was a knock on the door, and Emily muttered, “Places, everyone!” Sophie gave her a quick glare before going to open the door.

  “Detective Tanaka,” she said, ushering him inside. “Thank you for coming so quickly.”

  “Not a problem. I love it when a case resolves itself.” He went to the sofa, bent over Emily and said, “And I take it this is Miss Emily Drake? It’s good to have you back with us. I’m Detective Tanaka, and I need to ask you a few questions.”

  Emily grinned up at him with the smile that had audiences eating out of her hands. “Wow, Detective Tanaka was on my case?” She turned to Sophie. “He’s like Michael’s Yoda.”

  Tanaka visibly fought a grin, but lost. “I thought I was more
of an Obi-Wan.”

  He sat in the chair facing the sofa, and Sophie sat next to her sister, with Michael to her other side. The questions were along the lines of what Sophie had expected, but she concentrated on getting into Tanaka’s mind instead of on listening to the conversation. It was a little more difficult than working with Michael. Tanaka was more guarded and didn’t have the residue of painkillers or extreme emotional turmoil, but finally she found the way in. She nudged him to accept all of Emily’s answers and to be satisfied with the outcome. In no time at all, he wrapped up his questions and stood to go.

  Sophie walked him to the door, pausing to say, “I appreciate all you’ve done for us.”

  “I have to confess, I was mostly worried about Michael.”

  “I understand. This has been very difficult for him.”

  “It’s too bad that the connection with Jen’s case didn’t pan out. He had such high hopes.”

  “Yes, that is a shame,” she agreed. When the door was safely shut behind him, she leaned back against it and let out a long breath.

  “Way to go, Soph!” Emily said. “Oh wait, do you do that all the time, to everyone?”

  “I don’t think she can help it,” Michael said, but he was smiling a little, almost fondly. Sophie couldn’t hold back her own smile in response.

  “Well, I don’t know about you two, but I am dead. I could use an epic nap,” Emily said, stretching and yawning.

  “You can use my bedroom,” Michael said.

  “That way we can keep an eye on you,” Sophie added.

  “Maybe you should also lock the door,” Emily suggested with a grimace.

  Acknowledging that she was struggling was a bad sign, and it worried Sophie. “Michael, do you have your handcuffs?” she asked, trying to keep her tone light.