Autumn Awakens

by M. J. Padgett

  “Is everyone here who wants to be here?” Ravenna asked. I spied Fiona in the corner, but Rebecca was nowhere to be found. That was another story that would need explanation.

  “How would we know if they aren’t here to say so?” Ely asked, then said, “Just get on with it.”

  “Wait,” I said. “What about Isla and Kirsten? With Rose dead, it stands to reason they are no longer controlled, right? I think they are important for the future fight and should have some say in how we move forward.”

  “True. What are you thinking?” Ravenna asked.

  “I think you were right before; they are Protectors. I think they serve a greater purpose,” I admitted.

  “Yeah,” Jordan piped up, “and Parker’s family line are the protectors of the Protectors—okay, that sounds weird, but it’s true.”

  “Indeed,” Snow said. “Everything will come together as it should.”

  Ely rolled his eyes, then motioned for Snow to sit and begin. I nodded at Ethan, assuming it was agreed his sisters should join the discussion.

  Snow sat in the middle seat at the long table. She seemed so small and meek, hardly the horrible person everyone made her out to be, but I was also sure the Salien family wouldn’t lie about her. I didn’t know enough to trust her, but I also didn’t know enough not to trust her. The detective in me kicked in as she began her story.

  “When I was a child, my mother was so sweet and kind, then one day we came upon an old woman in the forest. She offered my mother a bit of sweet cake and carried a short conversation with her before we went our separate ways. The very next day, my mother began acting strangely. She’d snap at me, which was highly irregular for her. Once, she even struck me. Each day she grew more distant and colder until one day I saw her reflection in her mirror. She was horrific. Her skin sagged and peeled from her face. Bits of her skull could be seen through the holes in the skin, yet the face peering into the mirror appeared normal. I didn’t understand at the time, but as days passed, I began hearing voices.”

  “Whoa, hang on. This isn’t going to be one of those ‘the voices made me do it’ arguments is it?” Ely snapped. Hayden cut her eyes at him but kept her mouth shut.

  Snow shrugged slightly. “In a sense, I suppose it is. The voices encouraged me to search my mother’s journals for answers. So, I read them, and what I found was terrifying. She had lost her mind entirely. She plotted to kill our father and me, to take over the kingdom for herself, then invade the neighboring kingdoms. But it wasn’t her, not really. Whatever that old woman gave her infected her. I loved my mother,” Snow said. Her words caught, and a few tears slid down her cheeks. She quickly wiped them away and continued. “Anyway, I knew I had to kill her. It was the only way to set her free. So, I poisoned her apples with—”

  “Figures,” Ely spat, but Snow ignored him.

  “I poisoned them. That night, she passed away. My problems truly began that night. I had no idea the evil had seeped from my mother into me, much like it did to Hayden.”

  “How did you know that?” Ravenna asked. “No one told you what happened to Hayden.”

  “I know things. I don’t know how or why. I just know things.” Snow’s eyes narrowed as if in deep thought, then she said, “When I came back, the knowledge was already there. I just knew.”

  “When did you come back?” Wil asked, his hand still clutching his wife’s.

  “What time is it now?” Snow asked.

  “Quarter past two in the morning,” Wil responded.

  “About two hours ago,” Snow responded. “It takes longer when cremated and spread all over the kingdom. May I continue?” I shivered as I wondered how that worked.

  Wil nodded, and Snow resumed her story. “When I discovered I’d been infected, I tried to fix it but...” Snow shrugged. “There was nothing that could be done. It was like I had two people living inside this one body. When I killed... When I killed our father, I was out of my mind. When I cursed my family...” she faded, losing her composure. She sucked in a ragged breath and tried again.

  “I had times of clarity, times when I was in control. During those times, I plotted and planned against the evil one. When Cinderella took over Goldene Stadt, and Hans ran to me, I fought harder to stay in control. There were times I couldn’t, so I sent him to a shack on the edge of the village near the border with Goldene Stadt.”

  “Ulrich?” Ely asked.

  “Yes, though he began going by Joseph Hines to protect his identity and Hans’ until you returned for your son. I tried Ely. When I felt the darkness creeping in, I’d send him to Ulrich’s cabin. Sometimes he stayed for days, other times weeks or months. All the while, we plotted and planned. Our hope was to bring you all together at once, a last-ditch effort to enact the prophecy of the Seven Sworn the fairies had begun.”

  “Begun?” Nikola asked. I hadn’t even noticed they were present, hiding behind Fiona.

  “Yes,” Snow agreed. “Their work went a long way toward where we are today, but the final spells were never enacted. Some went missing before they were complete. I completed them, though I didn’t realize at the time just how large the American east coast is. I hadn’t intended for you to be so spread apart.”

  “Are you trying to say it was you who completed our ancestor’s work?” Petra asked.

  “I did, yes.”

  “You were burned to ash, how are you alive and sitting before me?” Calla asked, her tone still accusatory.

  Snow’s demeanor changed a little when she addressed Calla. She grew even more meek and mild than she had been, then said, “Death cannot hold back what is meant to live. The universe has its ways.”

  “Of course, it does,” Ely snapped. “The universe should be more transparent, then maybe we would be more inclined to go along with its nonsense.” Everyone ignored him and focused on Snow.

  “So why did you stop fighting the darkness? You were pretty evil when I...” Elizabeth faded out, but Snow got the point.

  “I remember it was you who killed me, but only because the memory was there when I woke. I can’t pinpoint the exact moment it happened, only that at some point it grew stronger than me. I couldn’t fight anymore. Once Wil found you again, I knew it would only be a matter of time before you came for me, but I am glad you did. I had to die just like my mother did. It was the only way to get it out of me.”

  “What, the darkness?” Elizabeth asked.

  “Yes, and now that it’s gone—”

  “How do we know it’s truly gone?” Nikola asked a fair question. “And... I’m not sure how to ask this without seeming rude, but how do we know it didn’t infect Elizabeth if she was the one who killed you?”

  Elizabeth shot up from her chair and clutched her chest. “I... I don’t feel evil. But what if...”

  Snow shook her head. “No, I do not think so. It would have manifested by now. The evil, it is not patient. If your thoughts are pure, then I am sure you are not infected. Besides, Ella probably spelled me.”

  “What do you mean?” Calla asked.

  “Ella was power hungry. She often spoke of killing me and taking my share of the power. I’d bet my last breath she siphoned it the second I died,” Snow said.

  “That makes sense, but it also means... Wow, it means Ella could have been watching us that night. She could have killed us all and we wouldn’t even have known who she was,” Elizabeth said.

  Snow nodded, then said, “I know I cannot ask you to trust me, but I’m afraid you must. Would it help if I perform an act of goodwill? Or several? I can even decipher the song for you. The prophecy is clear in the song, written by Jeanine herself when she was one of the fairies of Weisserwald.”

  “An act of goodwill?” Ravenna asked.

  “Yes, I could help Marcus. Take me to him, and I will heal him,” Snow said. “I’ll fix them all. Marcus, Jeanine, the Royal Guard. I know what Rose did, and I can fix it. I can even help the dragons.”

  “You can?” Ethan asked. He had returned with his sister
s who huddled together beside him, lost and confused. “Will they be able to control themselves now? Since Rose is dead, will they be okay?”

  Snow nodded. “Indeed. I can help you control your urge to shift and improve your ability to communicate. You’ll need to work closely with Parker to develop a bond rooted in trust, but you needn’t worry about harming the child. Annabell is safe. Incidentally, you don’t need to concern yourself with Larkin’s well-being. Ulrich will help her.”

  “Build a bond with Parker? And who is Ulrich?” Ethan asked, confused.

  “Yes. Parker’s destiny is to lead the dragons to protect them as they protect the items we will use to defeat evil. You can hear Parker when you are in dragon form, correct?” Snow asked. Ethan nodded. “Trust him. It’s meant to be that way between the dragons and their chosen line of defenders.”

  “I don’t—I’m sorry, I’m so confused,” Ethan said. So was I, but I kept my mouth shut so Snow could explain.

  Jordan chuckled. “There’s a book. We’ll talk later,” he said, seeming to put Ethan at ease—slightly.

  “I’m sorry, I find it difficult to believe this was your grand plan all along. It feels a bit too convenient,” Ely said.

  “There is nothing else I can do or say. I’m afraid you’ll have to take my word for it. If not mine, then Annabell’s,” Snow said, reminding us all that the girl was certain Snow was an integral part of winning the long-game. “If you want more information, you can consult Jeanine’s diary. Everything is in there.”

  “Isn’t it lucky for you we lost it?” Petra snapped.

  “What about Larkin? Who is Ulrich?” Ethan snapped.

  “I don’t care about that. I want to know what happened to Marcus and how it can be fixed,” Calla said, then the entire room erupted into a feeding frenzy, each person finding a different topic of more importance than the last.

  Snow was bombarded by questions left and right, barely able to keep up with the angry accusations slung at her. She quickly grew overwhelmed, and that’s when I saw it. Chris might have been the better interrogator, but I was always better at picking apart a story just by watching, observing the smaller details like eye movement and facial expression. Snow began to lose control of herself, she begged them to stop arguing with each other but never once snapped back or lashed out in defense of herself. Her eyes darted from one face to another, her forehead wrinkled with worry creases and her eyes pleading. She loved them, yet she caused them pain.

  “Stop!” I yelled. “Everyone just stop! We will never get the answers we want this way. There are too many questions and only one person with all the answers.” The commotion stopped immediately as everyone looked at me. It was deathly quiet until Ravenna exhaled.

  Ely grumbled, his grouchy personality shining through. “He’s right. I mean, I hate to admit it, but he’s right.”

  “I will tell you all everything I know, but please don’t argue amongst yourselves. I did this, so please let me try to fix it? Ethan,” Snow said, turning to him. “Ulrich will help Larkin. He is already in America and will soon contact her.”

  “Who is he? Why is he helping?” Ethan asked.

  “Because he loves her. He was in love with her long before he met Princess Saskia, but their love was forbidden. Both Ulrich and Saskia, sorry, Sierra, were left with few options. Now that Ely has returned, Ulrich chose to let Sierra return to her first love. He knew Sierra’s heart always belonged to Eliot. He accepted it and focused on ensuring Hans was safely returned to his parents when the time came. When Ely returned to Schwarzwald, Ulrich went to America.”

  “Oh,” Ely said, seeming to put a few details together in his mind.

  Snow smiled sheepishly. “Is it possible to see him?”

  “Hans?” Ely asked. Snow’s lips parted again, but no sound escaped.

  Ely looked to Ravenna. “Can she hurt him?”

  “No. The binding spell is strong. She hasn’t tried anything sketchy,” Ravenna assured. “However, I would like to see those acts of goodwill performed first before I allow my grandson anywhere near you.”

  “Of course,” Snow said. “However, you would need to lift the bind—”

  “Auntie Snow!”

  “Get back here, you little—” Sierra chased her son into the room as if he’d heard his name. It was perfect timing, though it didn’t seem Ely thought the same.

  “Hans!” Snow cried, accepting the boy’s hug. “Oh, I missed you so. How are you? Let me see how much you’ve grown?”

  “I’m double-digits now!” he said proudly.

  “I see, and have you been good?” Snow asked.

  “I try to be good, but the others get me into trouble,” Hans said.

  Snow chuckled. “Somehow I think that might be a bit of a stretch. Can you do me a favor? Would you listen to your Mama, and I’ll talk to you later?”

  “Promise?” he begged.

  “I promise,” Snow replied, and the boy reluctantly followed Sierra back out of the room. The remaining people in the hall were nearly stupefied.

  “I suppose we should get on with the healings? I’ll lift the binding spell, but if you try anything, I swear I will have my own revenge against you,” Ravenna said.

  Snow nodded, then allowed Ravenna to lead the way. First, she took her to the field filled with frozen Royal Guardsmen. When they arrived, Ravenna lifted the bind. Snow raised her hands and moved them about in a flurry of hasty motions, then the men and women of the Royal Guard woke from their slumber and began carrying out their drills as if nothing had changed—until one of them spied Snow.

  “Snow White!” he screamed, and everyone turned to look at her.

  “Stand down!” Henry yelled from a high balcony. “Do not engage.” They all looked confused but obeyed their orders.

  “Now, help Jeanine,” I said, wanting to hear my mother’s voice again now that I had fond memories of her.

  “There is no need to move me about the castle. I can do it all from here,” Snow said.

  Snow lifted her hands again, fluttered this way and that, then the magic began. It started as a soft glow, then grew into a twinkle of colorful lights. The lights swirled around the castle walls, sealing cracks and brightening the balconies with fresh topiaries and fall floral garlands. The crystal chandeliers began to glow. Snow walked back to the courtyard, decorating as she went. Soon, the entire courtyard and surrounding area were prepared for a royal ball.

  She raised her hands even higher, pointed toward the upper stories of the castle. The pastel rainbow of swirling, glittering magic made its way upward, darting in and out of windows, flowing along the balcony railings, and dancing along the buttresses and battlements until the entire castle glowed from the inside out. Caleb appeared on one of the balconies, watching with amused eyes as the colors bounced from the balcony to the stone archway behind him. It was like a sparkling Aurora Borealis had engulfed the entire castle.

  “Jeanine’s awake!” Caleb yelled. “She’s completely fine!”

  Soon my mother joined Caleb at the archway, a bright smile on her face as she watched the show with him. Then King Marcellus, alive and well, emerged beside her holding his wife’s hand tightly.

  Calla gasped beside me and took off inside.

  A man I had not yet met stepped onto the balcony as well, then gazed over the railing. He was an imposing man of great size and stature, but his face seemed kind as he took in the people below. When his eyes landed on Snow White, his jaw dropped.

  “Snow!” he yelled, then darted back inside.

  Snow wrapped up her dazzling display with a few more decorations, then turned to Ravenna. “You can bind me again if you wish.”

  Ravenna stood in awe. “Your magic... It’s so... It’s light.”

  “Mmm, yes, it always was before... Well, before it was dark.” Snow waited patiently for the binding spell, but Ravenna shook her head.

  “I hope I will not regret this, but I will give you a chance. I neither see nor feel darkness in your
work, Snow. However, I hold to my previous statement. I will kill you if you try anything stupid.”

  Snow nodded, but she barely had the chance before the man from the balcony rushed out into the courtyard and whisked her up.

  “Is it really you? Are you... Are you, you? Are you my darling Snow?” he asked.

  She chuckled. “Yes, Benjamin. It’s really me. Just me, your Snow.”

  “Say what?” Ely asked.

  The man I now knew was King Benjamin Bastian of Schattenland, turned with Snow in his arms. “It’s her! It’s the Snow I knew as a child! She’s really back.”

  “A child? I thought you were betrothed and—”

  “We were, Ely, but we knew each other as children, too.” Snow said. “Don’t believe any of the horrible things I said about him. I always loved him, and it made the darkness angry.” Snow looked deep into Ben’s eyes. “I think it always knew you were my reason for holding on so tightly. That said, you married a crazy person, Ben.”

  “I had to. It wasn’t my fault. Technically, it was Hayden’s but she didn’t know any better,” he said.

  “I know that, too. None of it matters now. Now is the time for planning. We haven’t much time, love. If I am alive, the Seven Sworn will soon be marked. We must begin training them for battle as soon as possible.”

  “At the risk of sounding like a complete moron,” Wil said, “How will we know who to train?”

  “Easy,” she said. “Those who bear the mark are those who must train.”

  Wil wrinkled his forehead and pursed his lips. Jack spoke up. “Okay, we’ve heard that from Annabell before, but no one has any sort of distinguishable marking.”

  An ear-piercing scream shattered the relative calmness of the conversation. I marveled at how everything that happened seemed to be in perfect timing, but even my thought was interrupted by another scream. It was two women, both in excruciating pain. Moments later, Snow did the same and writhed in Ben’s arms.

  “Snow? Darling, what is happening?” he begged as he tried to hold her still. Tears fell from her eyes as they darted around the courtyard, then we heard Annabell scream.