by Linsey Hall
“I really wish you could make a portal,” I muttered to Lachlan.
“Not to a magical realm I’ve never been to before,” he said. “Sorry.”
I sighed. “I’ve got this.”
The wolf rubbed his hands together. “Right, then. Hold on tight to the stems of the leaves, and don’t look up my dress.”
I cracked a smile, and the wolf grinned at me. He gripped a couple of the leaf stems and began to climb. They looked sturdy enough.
The cats took one look at the beanstalk and shook their heads in unison.
We’ll see you later. Muffin disappeared.
“Wimps,” I muttered, though secretly, I thought they were pretty danged smart.
“You first,” Lachlan said. “If you fall, I’ll catch you.”
I liked the idea, but… “I won’t fall.”
I’d gotten myself through worse stuff before, and I’d do it again. I gripped the leaves and hauled myself up. Hand over hand, I climbed the stalk. I didn’t look up or down, just stared straight at the beanstalk and the next handhold.
“You’re doing great,” Lachlan said.
Though part of me bristled at the idea that I needed encouragement, I also liked the words.
As we climbed, the stalk waved in the breeze, swaying back and forth gently. It was attached to a cloud at the top, but that still left plenty of space in the middle for it to sway. My stomach pitched with every motion as I climbed, but I focused on the task at hand.
My muscles burned and my head spun, but I kept going. Hand over hand.
By the time I reached the clouds above, I was shaking. They were cool against my skin as I climbed through, finally reaching solid ground at the top. The wolf reached down and grabbed my arm, hauling me up behind him.
I scrambled onto the grass and collapsed, panting. I lay face down, cheek pressed against the soft green blades. I was learning to face my fears—heights—and master my magic.
Not bad, in all.
By the time I stood, my muscles weren’t shaking nearly so badly anymore. Lachlan looked bright and chipper, not winded at all.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“Fine.” I turned and inspected our surroundings. We stood in another enormous field. A huge castle sat in the distance. “The giant’s place?”
“The very same. I’ll tell him what you did for him.” The wolf pointed in the opposite direction. “But we’re headed that way. Fairy Tale City is only an hour’s walk.”
“As long as it’s on flat ground,” I said.
The wolf grinned. “You’re in luck.”
He led us across the grass.
We’d only gone a few steps when my comms charm blared to life. Lachlan and the wolf kept walking, giving me a bit of privacy.
“Um, Ana?” Rowan’s voice sounded unsure.
“Yeah, what’s up? Everything okay?”
“Um, yeah, well, you see—”
“Ana?” Jude’s voice cut off Rowan’s, as if she’d grabbed the comms charm. “What are you doing?”
Ooooh, fates. I was in trouble.
I swallowed hard, trying to sound casual and confident. “Following a lead.”
Yeah, I did not sound that casual and confident. Even though I was certain this was the right thing to do.
“Judgment is everything. Orders are everything,” Jude snapped. “I gave you an order for a good reason. And you disobeyed it.”
“Jude, I really think we’re onto something.”
“It’s not safe like this, Ana. You need to finish your training. Without it, missions are too dangerous. You need control of your magic, and you don’t have it.”
My cheeks heated. Not only had I run off, but I’d just blasted Lavender on her ass with my out-of-control power. I was zero for two lately on being a good member of the Academy.
“You know I can fight, Jude. That I can handle myself. And Lachlan has been helping me with my magic. I’m getting control of it.”
“You’d better be, because the other department heads won’t approve of this. Arach won’t approve. It’s too dangerous, and there are rules for a reason. We need to protect those who work for us, and we can’t do that if you go running off untrained. It’s because I care about you that I’m getting on you, and I don’t want you to get kicked out of the Academy.”
I swallowed hard. Hearing her say it made it real. And if that happened, my sisters would come with me.
I’d ruin their lives.
The Protectorate was the only place we wanted to be. We couldn’t get kicked out.
“I understand, Jude. But we’re going to find information that helps.”
“For your sake, I hope so.” She paused. “Be careful, Ana. Really.”
“I will.” But she was already gone.
Bree’s voice popped in. “Ana?”
“Yeah, I’m here.”
“Try to find something, okay? Because Caro, Ali, and Haris got back, and they just struck out. You’re our last hope.”
Well, that felt like the weight of a semi-truck pressing down on me. “How’s Florian and Arach?”
“Worse. He’s fading more every hour. And so are the Pugs of Destruction.”
My skin chilled. The pugs! “Oh no. That’s…”
Shit.
We had to find answers.
“Take care of them, okay?” I asked. “I’ve got to go. We need to get a move on.”
“Yeah. Good luck, okay?”
“Thanks.” We were definitely going to need it, because failure was not an option.
I cut off the comms charm and hurried to catch up with Lachlan and the wolf, who were about forty feet ahead, waiting for me.
“Everything all right?” Lachlan asked.
“Not exactly.” I told him about Florian, and the pugs, leaving out the part where I got yelled at and threatened with expulsion. That was bad enough without airing it to the world. “So we’ve really got to find answers.”
“Aye, we do.”
“Well, good for you, the town is just up there.” The wolf pointed.
I squinted into the distance, catching sight of a low-hanging cloud. It was dark and ominous, crouching over the ground like a dragon.
“Let’s go, then.” I picked up the pace, nearly running.
We were about a hundred yards away when the wolf stopped near a cluster of large boulders. “Give me a moment.”
I stopped next to Lachlan, my breath coming quickly.
The wolf stripped out of his bonnet and dress and stashed them in the crevice of the rock. At first, it was strange seeing him in only his fur. He wasn’t technically naked, but after the clothes, it was a bit weird.
“Have to put on my game face.” The wolf bared his fangs and growled.
“They don’t like wolves who wear dresses in the city?” I asked.
“Oh, they don’t mind. But it’s hard to scare someone when you’re wearing a bonnet, no matter who you are.”
Yeah, I could see how that was true.
The wolf led us closer to the city, which seemed to be surrounded by the dark gray cloud. It hung low, turning the air cool and damp. As we neared, I realized that the city was built into a dark forest. Tall trees twisted toward the sky, with structures built between them and sometimes even into them. Purple and green smoke wafted from most chimneys, and the scent of dark magic rolled toward me.
I breathed shallowly, trying to avoid the stench of rotten eggs and old socks.
“You can see why I said you’d want a guide?” the wolf said. “It’s not a nice place, this city.”
“Clearly not. All the fairy tale villains live here?” I asked.
“Most. And those that don’t live here visit often.” He straightened his shoulders, as if trying to make himself look bigger. “Stick close to me.”
We stepped between the first two trees, entering the city at what was clearly a side street. The road was cobbled with dark stones, and two-story buildings ran along the left side of the street. On the r
ight side, an enormous iron fence blocked off a huge estate.
“Is this the suburbs?” I asked.
“Fairy-tale style.” The wolf pointed inside the fence. “The Queen of Hearts has a city home here.”
My gaze traveled over the massive lawn that fronted the mansion. Heart-shaped bushes lined the drive, and the distinctive red roses sat in front of the house.
“Let’s avoid her,” I said. “I’m quite fond of my head.”
“She’s a nasty piece of work, all right,” the wolf said.
We walked deeper into the city, moving past the mansions on the outskirts and reaching the more heavily populated area in the center, where larger buildings crouched between the trees. Most of the building fronts were dark gray, as if they’d been streaked with soot. I swiped my finger across a stone, wondering if it would wipe off.
“Dark magic,” the wolf said.
He led us through the winding streets. They were largely empty, though I caught sight of people through glowing orange windows. It was so dark in here that it appeared to be night, the forest canopy shading against the sun.
We passed an old wizard who sat on his stoop. He smoked a pipe that smelled like rotten weeds, and grinned toothlessly at us.
The next alley held a woman in a dark cloak. She clutched a shiny red apple and grinned evilly at me.
“Don’t look at her,” the wolf said. “You’re pretty. She won’t like you.”
“Snow White’s Queen?” I asked.
“Yes. She’s always lurking about with that apple. Weirdo.” The wolf shook his head. “We’re nearly there.”
I was damned glad I wasn’t trying to navigate this myself, that was for sure. The city was huge, though it had an ancient feel. Dozens of winding streets, hundreds of buildings. It would have taken us ages.
A scuffle sounded from an alley up ahead, and when we passed by, I caught sight of two large ferrets looming over a mouse wearing a leather jacket and a green scarf. In true fairy-tale style, they were all dressed in medieval-looking clothing and standing on their hind legs.
The ferrets were nearly as tall as I was, though the mouse was about normal size.
“Give us your gold or we’ll eat you,” growled one ferret.
“Well, that’s not very original, now is it?” the mouse squeaked.
Oh boy. That mouse did not stand a chance against these ferrets. They were about forty times his size.
The ferret in the blue cap stepped forward, raising his claws.
“Hey!” I stepped into the alley. “Pick on someone your own size.”
The ferret’s beady gaze darted to mine. “Like you?”
Before I could respond, he hurled a blast of stinking magic at me. I dived left, drawing one of my daggers from the ether. I flung the dagger, but the ferret was fast, dodging right and avoiding my steel.
Lachlan’s magic swelled on the air, and he diverted the water from a drain pipe right at the ferrets. It plowed into them, bowling them over. Their caps went flying as they crashed to the ground. They were only down for half a second before they leapt up and sprinted away, back down the alley in the opposite direction.
The little mouse turned to us and looked up. “You helped me, but you don’t know me.”
“Don’t need to know you to help you.” I rubbed my shoulder where I’d slammed into the wall.
“Hhmmm.” The mouse grinned. “I guess you’re right. I’ll follow you.”
“Okay.” The least we could do was watch his back until we got out of the city. Then he could return to his family in the forest, or wherever he lived.
The four of us trooped down the street, the little mouse faster than I’d expected him to be.
“What’s your name?” I asked him.
“Robin,” he squeaked.
“Like the bird?”
“Sort of.”
“We’re here.” The wolf stopped by a dark green door. An acid green gem gleamed in the middle of the wood, and the windows glowed with a similar light. The whole place stank of burning tires and rotten fish.
I wrinkled my nose, desperate to get out of this stinky city and breathe some fresh air.
The wolf knocked loudly on the door. “Torlock the Dark! It’s the wolf, here to buy some potions.”
The gem on the door flared a bright blue, and I had to guess that it was some kind of magical peephole. A second later, a scratchy voice sounded. “Go away! You’re not welcome here.”
“Come on! I’ve been a good customer before!” the wolf said.
“Go away!”
The wolf frowned and looked at us. “I’m embarrassed to say that this was the only plan I had.”
“Knocking on the door?” I asked.
He nodded. “I’m not much of a fighter. I can growl at people, and they usually don’t bother me. But making the first move…”
“No problem,” Lachlan said. “We’ll figure something out.”
“I’ve got this,” the mouse squeaked.
I looked down. Way down. “You?”
He looked up and nodded. “Under control, milady. Just step back and let ol’ Robin take care of the witch.”
I stepped back, not wanting to offend the little mouse. When glittery green magic swirled around him and he grew five feet, I was damned glad I had.
The little mouse had become a giant mouse, with long fangs and even longer claws. The sword at his back was wickedly sharp. The green scarf at his neck wasn’t a scarf at all. It was a hood peeking out of the back of his leather jacket.
Robin.
Hood.
“Hey, you’re not just any mouse,” I said. “You’re Robin Hood.”
The mouse grinned, his white fangs gleaming, and tilted his head. “The very same.”
“No one ever said you were a mouse,” I said.
“No one wants to admit to being robbed by a mouse,” he countered. “And those I help keep my secret.”
“You actually had the upper hand with the ferrets,” Lachlan said.
“Most likely.” Robin nodded. “But I appreciated the help. Now I’ll return the favor.”
He stepped up to the door and banged hard, sticking his eye right up against the green gem. “Witch! Open up!”
I shivered. His voice was downright intimidating. The squeak was long gone, and this was a mouse who took care of business.
“Go away!”
“You owe me, Torlock! Don’t forget it.” He gave a low growl. “And I always collect on my debts.”
There was a shuffling sound, and a few curses, then the door swung open. A woman with a wild cloud of dark hair peered out, her black eyes gleaming brightly. The rest of her body seemed to be made of shadow. Her name was not ironic, then. She really was Torlock the Dark.
“Robin.” She spit. “What do you want?”
“My friends want something from you.” He turned. “I never asked what you wanted.”
“Answers to some questions,” Lachlan said.
Robin Hood grinned, and it was really quite charming. He turned back to Torlock. “Just questions. That’s not so bad, is it?”
She scowled, her dark magic flaring. Unable to help myself, I pressed a hand to my nose and mouth to block the stench of old fish.
“Wiiiitch,” Robin cajoled. “You know you want to answer the questions.” He stroked his sword, and I’d never been so afraid of a mouse before.
She nodded sharply, then turned and entered the house.
Robin led the way, and we followed.
“I’ll just wait out here,” the wolf said.
When I got all the way into the house, I had to agree that waiting outside was a pretty good idea. This place was gross. Every surface seemed to be covered in dark grime. Several cauldrons sat on the floor, smoking with dark magic that gleamed green and purple. The hearth flickered with yellow flame, and a large lizard warmed its belly in front of the fire. A long green tongue flicked out as it glared at me with beady eyes.
This was nothing like Lachlan’s
organized potion workshop. This was pure dark magic.
“What do you want?” Torlock hissed.
I turned to her, taken aback by how she seemed to melt into the wall behind her, becoming one with the creepy workshop.
“We found a Sylthian potion at the site of a crime,” Lachlan said. “We know that you’re one of the few people to make them, and we want to know who you sell to.”
She grimaced, clearly not wanting to divulge her information.
Robin stepped forward, glaring. “You owe me, Torlock. Answer the questions, and our debt is settled.”
She hissed. A few seconds passed.
Come on, creepy lady.
“Fine,” she spat. “Only one customer wanted Sylthian potion. About two weeks ago, a demon from Magic’s Bend came here, asking about it. Said he needed it for a big job. Just in case he ran into trouble.”
The whole of the Protectorate counted as trouble, so it made sense he’d be worried about running into some of us while robbing the castle.
“Magic’s Bend?” Lachlan asked, his eyes gleaming with interest. “You’re sure?”
“Of course I’m sure. I’m no idiot.”
“Never said you were.” Robin’s voice was soothing. “What else do you know?”
She frowned.
Hmmm. Clearly she knew something else, but didn’t want to share. She was a shit actress.
“What can you tell us about him?” Lachlan asked. “His name? What did he look like?”
“Fine. He was a more human-looking demon, with pale skin and sawed-off horns. Blond hair and a slick red coat.” She walked to a dirty table. It was so dark and grimy I hadn’t even noticed it was there. It pretty much blended in with every other gross thing here.
She pulled a little object off the table and returned to us, holding out the shining gold coin so that we could see. “He paid with this.”
I squinted at it, making out the unfamiliar symbol. It looked like some kind of old-fashioned money. “What is it?”
“A coin from Grimaldi’s, you moron,” Torlock hissed.
“What is Grimaldi’s?”
“Gambling den. The demon looked real twitchy, like he was just dying to get back to the tables.”