The Everafter War (26 page)

Harry flashed a melancholy smile. “I’m sorry, little one. But I’m afraid that’s not part of my design. I can’t leave my mirror.”

“But if you don’t you’ll die!” Sabrina cried as a ripple of cracks rolled across the glass, distorting Harry’s face.

“It was fun, boss,” Harry said to the prince.

Charming nodded. “Indeed it was.”

A fiery-red handprint appeared at the center of the cracked mirror. It was identical to the one Sabrina had seen the Wicked Queen create when she had threatened to “fix” Mirror not long ago. It burned bright and then the reflection shattered. A million tiny pieces spilled to the floor. The Hotel of Wonders was gone forever; its guardian, the ever-smiling Harry, went with it.

Charming stared at the broken shards for a moment as he stuffed the black box into his suit jacket. His jaw was clenched, hard and cold.

“I’m sorry,” Sabrina said to him. “I know Harry was a friend.”

Charming shook his head. “Harry was not real. I can’t mourn him.”

“But—”

Charming walked away. Moments later she could hear him barking orders to his soldiers out in the hall as if nothing at all had happened.

“What about Puck?” Sabrina asked, but no one answered.

The crowd was on the verge of a panic. Many were wrapped in bandages Nurse Sprat had hurriedly applied. But there were too many injuries, even with Granny and Veronica’s combined help. Worse still, it was clear their numbers had dwindled again. More than a few had perished in the dragon attack.

Charming stepped forward. He raised his hand for attention and the crowd turned to him.

“Today we suffered,” he shouted. “But such is the nature of war. Battles are won. Battles are lost. But for the sake of those who fell we fight on. I know that as you look around you a feeling of discouragement wells up in your throats. But you need to spit that feeling out on the floor. Stomp on it with your feet. Smash it into dust. It has no place here. You will fight again and I will lead you and we will show the Master and his Hand how discouragement feels.”

The crowd did not look convinced. “We’ve heard enough of your pep talks, Charming,” Mr. Boarman cried. “People died today and a lot of pretty words aren’t going to make us feel better about it.”

“This was foolish,” Little Bo Peep said. “We cannot beat the Scarlet Hand.”

Charming tried to speak but he was booed into silence. It was then that Mr. Seven stepped forward.

“We are already beating them!” the little man shouted over the crowd. A grin came to his face. “You want to know why those dragons were sent after us? The Master is furious that we beat his army at the marina. He rages because we cut off his supply line and we did it all while a spy told him our every move.”

“A spy!” Rapunzel cried.

“Yes, we were all under surveillance by a member of the Scarlet Hand and we still managed to fool the Master. He sent dragons after us because we are a threat and he knows it. You see, people … we scared him. Listen to what I’m saying. We scared the Master. Even though we’re outnumbered, we struck a fear so powerful he sent his most vicious weapons to wipe us out. And they couldn’t get the job done. He took some of our friends but we took out four dragons, not to mention the two Jake Grimm killed earlier. Plus, I’m told Sabrina Grimm wiped out five hundred of his soldiers all by herself. That is astounding, people. We did what the Hand thought was impossible.”

The crowd roared. Many danced and sang; others hugged and kissed one another. Sabrina was stunned. Even her sister stood with her mouth open in surprise.

“Perhaps Mr. Seven is the charming one,” Granny Relda said.

“So, friends, are you going to quit now when we have the Master on the run?” Mr. Seven shouted.

The crowd shouted and shook swords, wands, and fists in the air. They snatched Seven off the ground and marched him around on their shoulders.

As they watched the celebration, Charming approached the Grimms.

“I’m told Geppetto’s boy was responsible for the sabotage.”

“Unfortunately, yes,” Granny replied. “Worse yet, he escaped. The last we saw of him was right before the attack. I fear he may have been killed by the dragons.”

Charming looked around at the huge impromptu celebration. “Or he’s hiding in this crowd. I’ll spread the word to the others. We’ll catch him eventually.”

Henry stepped forward. “You’ve got a bigger problem than that, Prince. Bringing the troops inside the Hall of Wonders might have saved their lives, but I’m afraid we’re all stuck in here unless you’re planning on rushing through one of those other mirrors we saw in the Room of Reflections.”

“I wouldn’t recommend it. There’s no telling where they might lead or who might be on the other side,” Granny Relda added.

“Not at all,” the prince replied. “I was thinking we’d march right out your front door.”

Henry shook his head. “If you can fight your way out you’re free to try. Last time we checked the house was surrounded by the Hand.”

“I’d be surprised if there were any of them still outside,” Snow White interrupted. “I think the Master threw everything he had at us today.”

Nurse Sprat appeared. “Excuse me, I don’t mean to interrupt, but I was hoping I could borrow Veronica and the girls.”

“Of course,” Veronica said, then turned to Henry. “We’ll be right back. Nurse Sprat needs some help with the wounded. Will you save me a dance?”

Henry kissed Veronica. “I’ll save them all for you.”

Veronica and the girls followed the nurse into the crowd and far from the ears of the rest of their family.

“I’m so excited,” Daphne said.

“I am, too,” Veronica said, then looked down at her belly. “Please be OK.”

Once they were safely out of earshot, Sprat turned to the group and took Veronica’s hands in her own. Her expression was serious and troubled. “I have to tell you something—”

“It’s the baby,” Veronica said, finishing the nurse’s sentence. Her voice trembled as she slid into a seat.

“You are not pregnant,” Nurse Sprat replied, leaning down to take Veronica’s hands. “Anymore.”

A tear rolled down Veronica’s cheek and she looked to Sabrina and then Daphne. “I’m sorry, girls.”

The girls hugged her tightly, as if squeezing her might prevent the tears from escaping.

“Oh, Veronica, you didn’t lose the baby,” the nurse said. “This is so confusing. That’s why I brought in some help.”

Morgan le Fay approached. “Sorry I’m late. I’ve had to turn down a dozen marriage proposals in the last fifteen minutes. I got here as quickly as I could.”

Nurse Sprat nodded. “Did you bring your magic?”

“Everywhere I go,” the witch said, waving her hands in the air. A blue mist materialized and swirled around Veronica’s belly.

“Mrs. Sprat, what is this all about?” Veronica said, startled.

“Just a moment,” the nurse replied. She watched the vapor as it changed colors from blue to red. Then it vanished into the breeze.

“Just as you suspected,” Morgan le Fay said. “Something magical happened.”

“Can someone let us in on this big secret?” Sabrina snapped. She was tired and impatient.

“Veronica, I have a theory, but it’s not good news if I’m right,” Nurse Sprat said.

“Just tell me,” Sabrina’s mom said, grabbing the armrest of the chair as if to brace herself.

“You were pregnant. The baby was healthy but when you and your husband were placed under the spell the baby was not affected. It continued to grow at a normal pace.”

“I’m not sure what you’re telling me,” Veronica said.

“Veronica, I found something unusual in your blood sample, a peculiar compound I’d never seen before, but it was clear it was magical. So I called in Ms. Le Fay for consultation. She’s got centuries of experience with herbs and roots.”

“What we found is called Donnoga Root,” Morgan said. “It was used back in the old country by women who were expecting difficult births—you know, human-giant infants, things like that. The Frog Prince and his wife used it when they had their daughter—as did Beauty and the Beast and Mrs. Arachnid and the Spider. It helps the impossible birth occur.”

“And this Nooganar Root was in my bloodstream?”

“Donnoga Root,” Nurse Sprat said. “And yes. I found a large sample of it in your blood.”

Daphne stepped forward. “My mom wasn’t having an impossible birth. She was having a normal baby.”

“A normal baby for sure,” Sprat explained, “but not a normal birth. Someone used this on your mother when she was asleep. See, when the baby was born your mother would have had to do certain things she couldn’t do if she was unconscious. Whoever gave you the root gave it to you while you were unconscious and we think—”

“They took my baby!” Veronica cried. Her voice shook with panic.

“Is that possible?” Daphne asked.

“Who would do this?” Sabrina said, but all of a sudden she knew. She had seen a crib in Red Riding Hood’s insane asylum. She had heard a child crying in the halls and seen a baby in Red’s hands. The little lunatic had called him her baby brother. The former Wizard of Oz had said her parents were giving birth to a new future. That little boy she had seen with Red. He was her brother and the Master had him! There had been hints and clues all along and she had never stopped to notice. Why had the Master taken the baby and where was he now? There was only one person that knew. “Where’s Red Riding Hood?”

“With Mr. Canis, I think,” Veronica said.

Sabrina ran back the way they had come and into the crowd of cheering Everafters. “Let me by!” she shouted. “I need to get past!”

Finally she spotted Mr. Canis and Red Riding Hood within the crowd. The little girl had a smile on her face and was enjoying the festivities. Sabrina ran to her and snatched her cloak in her hands.

“Where is the baby?” she demanded.

“What baby?” Red said feebly.

“Don’t play dumb with me. I know you had him,” Sabrina said. She had never been so angry and afraid in her whole life.

“I don’t remember any baby,” Red shouted.

“Sabrina, leave her be,” Mr. Canis demanded, but she ignored him.

“He’s somewhere in that head of yours,” Sabrina said. “You have to remember!”

Red pulled away. “I’m trying!”

“You’re not!”

“Sabrina, that’s enough,” Canis shouted.

Sabrina reeled on him. “You make her remember! Right now. She and the Master stole my baby brother. She knows where he is.”

“What are you talking about?” Mr. Canis said as Veronica and Daphne raced to join them.

“Sabrina, this is not the way,” Veronica said.

“She knows where he is,” Sabrina repeated.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I wasn’t myself,” Red said through streaming tears. Then there was a moment of clarity in her eyes as if something were rising to the surface.

“You remember something?” Sabrina said.

“A crib in a room filled with holes on the walls,” Red said. “Little holes that let him see the whole world. Little holes that let him see you wherever you are. He keeps the baby there and watches.”

“What does he look like, Red? Who is he?”

Red Riding Hood looked into Sabrina’s eyes. Sabrina could see the struggle on the child’s face. There was something important but Red could not get at it. She looked away.

Veronica rushed to Sabrina and scooped her into her arms. They held each other and cried. Daphne joined them. There was nothing else to do.

s. White’s assumption proved to be correct: When they took the trolley back to the house, they saw that the mob that had once surrounded it was gone. All that remained were hundreds of broken arrows on the lawn and an abandoned cannon. The house had not been harmed, though the front yard was a disaster.

Prince Charming took advantage of Mr. Seven’s heroic speech and newfound popularity and promoted him to general of Charming’s army. The little man marched the soldiers through the Hall of Wonders, which took the better part of a day. When they arrived at the portal they continued down the stairs and out the front door. The family watched strangers and friends file past. They wished them well and hoped to see them all again.

Buzzflower and Mallobarb smiled at Sabrina as they left. They thanked her and the family for their kindness after Sleeping Beauty’s death.