by Mari Mancusi
Sophie felt her forehead break out in a cold sweat. She was afraid they were going to ask something like that. What were they supposed to say? They couldn’t name-drop Merlin, or they’d never get an audience with the queen. But who else? Who did they know that the fairy queen would recognize? The Companions? Sophie’s mom? But no, the Companions might not be friends of the fairies. They couldn’t take that risk.
Then it hit her with the force of a ten-ton truck.
“Morgana!” she cried. Stu and Ashley gaped at her in horror, but she ignored them, pushing on. “The queen’s cousin. She was the one who opened the portal for us. And gave us the gift to offer to your queen. She told us we must deliver it in person, too.” She shot the guard a knowing look. “Trust me, I’d much rather just drop it off and be on my way! But you know how Morgana can be.”
The guards exchanged glances. Sophie held her breath, praying this would work. At last, to her relief, the fairies nodded.
“Very well,” the lead guard replied. “Come with us.”
One might assume that, since it was located inside a giant tree, a fairy castle would be earthy on the inside, with low ceilings and small cozy rooms, hollowed out from wood. It turned out, however, to be the exact opposite. In fact, the throne room was a cavernous space, with vaulted ceilings dripping with crystal chandeliers. The floors appeared to be made of some sort of glass-like material and were partially covered by colorful throw rugs and pillows. Elaborately dressed fairies lounged here and there, eating delicacies off low tables piled high with food and drink.
At the very end of the long hall there was a small stage. On it sat a magnificent throne, also made out of glass. On the top of the throne were several spires, capped by multicolored gems: emeralds, rubies, sapphires. The lights from the chandeliers hit these gems just right, casting prismatic rainbows across the room.
As they walked down the hall, escorted by the guards, they could feel the court fairies staring at them curiously. But no one said anything or tried to stop them. Finally, they reached the stage. They glanced at one another, then at the empty throne. Now what?
Suddenly trumpets sounded. Everyone in the place stood up. A male fairy with long blond hair pulled back into a ponytail flew out onto the stage. He cleared his throat. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he called out, his voice echoing through the chamber. “May I present to you, Her Royal Majesty, the greatest queen of our time, maker of all things good, the moonbeam maven, whisperer of the butterflies, defender of all things fluffy…”
He kept going. Evidently the fairy queen had a lot of titles to her name. And as her list of rather odd accomplishments stretched on and on, Sophie started to get a little nervous again. What if the queen refused the gift? What if she didn’t buy their story of working for Morgana? What if she just took the skin-care products and didn’t give them the Agrimony they needed in return?
What if, after all this work, they failed?
“…exhuberant hugger of baby goats, dignified defender of mud pies, tireless troubadour for tarantulas…”
She shook her head. No. She couldn’t think like that. She was a Companion. Her mother had endowed her with this title, and she would prove herself worthy. She would not let her mother down. Or the rest of the world, for that matter. They’d gotten this far. They would see this through.
“…slayer of chocolate cake, queen of afternoon naps, glitterer of the glamourati—your queen, ladies and gentlefairies, Morgan le Fay!”
The assembled guests gave a round of rowdy applause, though it wasn’t entirely clear whether the courtiers were cheering for their queen or were just happy to have the announcer finally stop speaking. In any case, the trumpets sounded again and there was a large poof of smoke. When it cleared, Queen Morgan le Fay stood in front of the throne, as if she’d appeared out of thin air.
Titles aside, Sophie thought, the lady sure knew how to make an entrance.
Morgan le Fay definitely resembled her cousin. She had the same long black hair and violet-colored eyes. But whereas Morgana always had her mouth turned down in a frown, le Fay was smiling widely and had a sparkle of excitement in her eyes as she lowered herself onto her throne.
She wore a simple tunic dress with no jewelry, and if it wasn’t for the crown of woven branches on her head, she could have been mistaken for a peasant rather than a queen. A far cry from Morgana’s elaborate purple gowns. She also had wings, of course, tucked daintily behind her.
The queen smiled at her subjects, waving genially into the great hall. For a moment, it didn’t appear she’d even noticed the outsiders. But when their escort cleared his throat, she stopped waving. Her gaze locked on Sophie and her friends.
“And who might you be?” she exclaimed in a high-pitched voice that tinkled like Christmas bells. “For I’m sure I’ve not seen you before. I’m certain if I had I would remember your charming faces.” She smiled sweetly at them and then gave them an expectant look.
“They say they are messengers from your cousin,” one of the guards explained before Sophie could open her mouth. “Here to present you with a gift.”
The queen’s smile faltered a bit at the mention of Morgana. Sophie’s heart pounded. Was she wrong to have name-dropped her? Did the cousins not exactly…get along?
She dropped to her knees in a respectful bow, yanking Stu and Ashley down with her.
“Your Majesty,” she said, keeping her head bowed, “it is so good to meet you at last. I am Sophie and these are my companions, Stuart and Ashley.”
“Rise,” the queen instructed. “And tell me why you have come here. You say my cousin sent you?” Sophie heard something skeptical in her tone.
She scrambled to her feet. “Yes,” she stammered. “You see, she needs a special ingredient for a spell she’s working on and—”
“And she cannot come and ask for it herself?” the queen interjected, sounding a little hurt. “She sends mortal children instead? Doesn’t she know how dangerous Faerie can be for mortals? I mean, the goblins alone!”
“Yeah, we know all about them,” Stu muttered.
“Then you are lucky to be alive,” the queen replied somberly. Sophie saw the nods of the others around her, agreeing. A shiver tripped down her spine and her legs ached as they remembered the endless dancing.
“Morgana totally wanted to come,” she assured the queen. “But she’s super busy trying to get the Holy Grail back from that nasty Merlin guy.” She rolled her eyes. “You know how he is….”
The queen’s mouth dipped into a frown at the mention of Merlin. She leaned back in her throne. “That wizard.” She cursed under her breath. “Always trifling in matters that do not concern him. Why I ought to—”
“Open your gift?” Ashley suggested. She stepped forward, reaching into her backpack. “Spoiler: It’s an amazing new skin-care line from Dr. Brandt. Cleanser, toner, a mask.” She squinted down at the mask. “No, wait. Not this one. You don’t want the iron one.” She rummaged through her bag again. “Aha! The best night cream ever. Use this for a month and you’ll feel like a new fairy.”
The queen eyed the products greedily. She poked her guard, demanding he go retrieve them for her. He did so, then placed the goods in her hands. She examined each one carefully, a delighted look on her face.
“I remember this brand,” she exclaimed, holding up a bottle. “The last time I time traveled with Merlin we went to this amazing store. Sephora, I think they called it.”
“Oh my gosh, I know! Sephora is to die for,” Ashley agreed. “And trust me—I bought out half the store for you.” She pulled another bottle from her bag. “Like this great exfoliator. It’ll totally slough away all those dead skin cells. And a blemish zapper. No one wants a fairy queen with zits, am I right?”
Stu snorted. Sophie shot him a warning look.
But the queen only rubbed her hands together with glee. “This is wonderful!” she cried. “I cannot wait to try all of these amazing products you have brought for me.”
“
And you can!” Sophie broke in quickly. “All we need in exchange is a teeny, tiny bouquet of Agrimony. I’m sure that won’t be a problem, right?”
To her surpise, the queen froze. She turned to Sophie, cocking her head. “Agrimony? Why would my cousin want Agrimony?”
“Uh, for a spell she’s trying to do?” Sophie tried, worry rising inside her all over again. Why was the queen looking at her so strangely?
“But what about her garden?” the queen pressed. “The one in the courtyard of her castle? Does Agrimony not grow there? I planted it myself, the last time I visited.”
Uh-oh.
Sophie shot a look at Stu. He winced, giving her a helpless half shrug.
Thankfully, Ashley stepped in. “Oh! You know Morgana!” she groaned. “Worst green thumb ever. Am I right?”
The queen looked baffled. “Green thumb? But she is not a goblin! Only goblins have green—”
“She means she’s not a good gardener,” Sophie corrected quickly.
“Oh. Right.” To Sophie’s relief, the fairy queen chuckled. “She gets that from her mortal side.” The courtiers around her laughed. Her eyes leveled on Sophie. “Do not tell me she already killed those plants.”
“Half the garden is gone, Your Majesty,” Sophie replied soberly. She was starting to get the hang of this now. “It’s a travesty. Really.”
The queen sat a little straighter on her throne. “Well, then,” she said. “Though I would definitely love to teach my cousin a lesson, I’m sure her spell is important. I’m happy to help. Especially after such fine gifts!” She turned to the serving woman on her left. “Violet! Will you escort these children into the royal garden? Let them take whatever they need!”
Sophie’s shoulders slumped in relief. They’d done it! Somehow they’d done it! They’d talked the fairy queen into giving them what they needed. Now they just had to gather it up and drink the potion and get back to Merlin. This was almost too good to be true!
The serving woman stepped down off the stage, heading in their direction. “Come, children,” she instructed. “And I will get you—”
But she never got to finish that sentence. Because at that moment, the back door to the fairy court flew open and a new voice rang through the hall.
“There they are! You wretched beasts! You will not escape me this time!”
With shaking hands, Sophie turned slowly. There, standing silhouetted in the doorway, stood none other than Morgana herself.
Stu watched as the fairy queen rose from her throne to greet her new visitor. Her face was a mask of confusion. “Cousin?” she queried. “What are you doing here? I thought you were chasing Merlin down. These children said—”
“Do not trust these children, cousin,” Morgana spit out, stomping toward them with heavy steps. She must have done a bit of shopping while in Vegas, and now wore a pair of patterned leggings and a blinged-out T-shirt that read, What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas.
If only that were true.
The fairy queen crossed her arms over her chest. “But they said they were working for you. To help you take down Merlin!”
Morgana tsked. “You poor naive creature. Do you not know that mortals lie? They are not working to take down Merlin! They are friends of Merlin’s!”
The queen gasped. She stared at Sophie, Stu, and Ashley, a look of horror clouding her face. “Is this true?” she demanded. “Are you working for that…that…horrible man?”
“He’s really a good guy!” Ashley tried. “I know he kind of left you hanging. But he had a really good reason and—”
“Silence!” Morgana’s voice sliced through the air like a knife. She grabbed Sophie by the chin, tilting her head up until Sophie was forced to meet the evil villainess’s eyes with her own. “Now, where is the Grail?”
“You’re too late,” Sophie rasped, her voice strangled by Morgana’s grip. “Merlin’s taken it to Arthur.”
Good save, Stu thought. Until Morgana started laughing. A cold, dark laugh that made his skin crawl. “Merlin?” she cackled. “Please. Your dear Merlin is not taking anything to Arthur. He’s trapped in a block of ice back in Avalon. Guarded by my own knights.”
“Oh no!” Sophie’s face went white. “I knew something was wrong! That’s what I couldn’t remember earlier! Those knights were coming for us just before I went through the portal!”
“Don’t feel bad,” Morgana cooed. “The land of Faerie can play tricks on your memories. It’s one of its many charms, really. You stay here long enough, you’ll soon forget you ever lived anywhere else. That’s why I only visit twice a year.” Her grip tightened on Sophie’s neck. “Now. Where. Is. My. Grail? I’m running out of patience here.”
Stu watched, helpless, as Sophie’s face started to turn purple. He turned to Ashley, hoping for more of her quick wit.
But to his surprise, Ashley was no longer standing beside him. Had they grabbed her and taken her away when he wasn’t looking? But if so, wouldn’t he have heard her scream? Maybe she’d slipped away on her own somehow. She had the go-home potion in her bag, after all. He hoped she’d hidden herself somewhere so she could drink it and go for help.
In the meantime, it was up to him.
He stepped forward, locking his gaze on Morgana. “Why do you want the Grail so badly, anyway?” he demanded. “You’re not sick, are you? What else is it good for, other than curing illnesses?”
The sorceress’s eyes narrowed into slits. She shoved Sophie away and stalked over to him. Sophie crumpled to the ground, hands on her neck. But at least she was still breathing.
His breathing days, on the other hand, might be numbered, judging from the furious look in Morgana’s eyes. “You again!” she cried. “Why, I should strike you down where you stand.”
Stu forced a bored groan from his lips. “Are we really back to this again? Like I said at the tournament, if you kill me, I can’t tell you where the Grail is.” He met her eyes with his own steely gaze. “Now. Why do you want it, again?”
Morgana’s face twisted in frustration. “To make Arthur pay for all he has done, of course.”
“Right.” Stu tapped his forehead. “You mean like that whole pesky ‘bring peace to the land’ thing? That was brutal. Oh, and the ‘feeding hungry people’ mission?” He shook his head. “That jerk. And let’s not forget that whole ‘everyone deserves health care’ decree.” He beamed at the sorceress. “That was my idea, by the way.”
Morgana turned and began stalking down the fairy hall. “Peace?” she spit out. “Peace? He’s a Pendragon! They know nothing of peace.” She whirled back to face Stu. “Did you know his father murdered my father so he could marry my mother? Then forced my mother to banish me from the only home I ever knew?” Stu was surprised to hear her voice cracking on the last part. As if it still upset her.
He walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Dude, I get it. That’s rough,” he said kindly. “But you can’t blame Arthur for that, can you? I mean, parents do messed-up things all the time. You should have seen my parents’ divorce. Not pretty. And now my mom thinks it’s a good idea to drag me all the way across the country to California. Which is basically just like banishing me from the only home I ever knew. Not to mention my best friend.”
He could feel Sophie’s eyes on him, but refused to look in her direction. His hands were shaking as he watched Morgana’s face. She seemed to be listening, at least. And she wasn’t actively trying to kill them, so there was that.
“Anyway,” he stumbled on, “you can’t judge a dude by his parents. And sometimes things are out of control. Arthur was just a baby when all this happened. He had nothing to do with any of it. Maybe he deserves a second chance?”
Morgana was silent. Her eyes roved the fairy court—everyone was still as stone statues, waiting for her response. Stu held his breath, not daring to move. Would his words reach her somehow? Would she have a change of heart? It seemed crazy. But maybe—
“Ahhhhh!”
Morgana�
�s scream rang out through the chamber. She clutched her face in her hands, tears streaming down her cheeks. She was clearly in pain—but from what, Stu couldn’t figure out. No one was touching her. No one was anywhere near her!
“Get it off me!” Morgana begged, clawing at her face. “It burns!”
The throne room erupted in chaos. Guards drew their swords, circling their queen. Others tried to grab Sophie and Stu. But Stu whirled around, shoving his attacker square in the chest. The fairy stumbled back, tripping over a low table, sending food and drinks flying. Stu dove on top of him, grabbing his sword from his hand.
He ran to Sophie, who was fighting her own guard. The fairy had an arm around her neck and was choking her from behind. Stu raised his sword, desperate for an opening. He didn’t want to cut Sophie by accident. His mind raced. What should he do?
Suddenly the guard screamed. As loud as Morgana had. He dropped Sophie like a hot potato, hands to his face. Stu watched in horror as smoke started pluming off his skin, as if acid were burning his flesh. Sophie scrambled away from him, running to Stu. Her face was pale and frantic.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
Stu shook his head. “I have no idea.”
“Psst!” A voice from behind caused them to whirl around. But to Stu’s confusion, no one was there. Just a weird tub of face cream, seeming to hover in midair.
A tub of face cream…and a really stuffed pink backpack.
“Are you guys just going to stand there?” Ashley demanded. “Or are we going to make our grand escape?”
Stu’s jaw dropped. “What? Where—?”
“I’m invisible, you idiot!”
“Invisible?”
“Yes! Don’t you remember? I took a picture of Sophie’s spell book back at the hotel? I was going to use it to spy on the Celts’ cheer team before regionals, but this seemed a much better time to try it.”