Ashes to Ashes

by M. J. Padgett

  I lifted myself onto my toes and kissed him, not much caring who was in the room until Hans proclaimed it was not allowed.

  “Ew, Papa! Don’t kiss Mama in my bedroom!”

  Ely chuckled and released me. “The little prince has spoken. As much as I am enjoying this time together, we probably need to plan that thing we were talking about with Henry.”

  My heart sank. If I could stay locked in that room for the rest of my life, I’d seriously consider it.

  “I suppose,” I said, “But, I promise there will be lots more dancing and fun games tomorrow, okay Hans?”

  “Yes, Mama. I’ll show you around the castle, and maybe you can ride my horse, Charlie,” he said. I’d never ridden a horse before, at least not in my current life, so I imagined how interesting that would be as Ely led me from the room.

  “I love you, Mama!”

  I paused in the doorway, frozen. Having never heard that phrase uttered to me before yet feeling as if I’d heard it a thousand times.

  “Go, Hans! Run as fast as you can until you see the castle behind the wall! Find Snow, she will help you!” I screamed, desperate for my son to escape while there was still a chance.

  “No, Mama, I won’t go without you!” He sobbed, clutching tightly to my dress.

  I bent down to meet him and brushed his dark locks from his face. Taking both cheeks in my palms, I kissed his forehead gently.

  “Mama needs you to be brave, my little prince. Can you be brave and run to Auntie Snow? You’re my only hope, darling. Can you help Mama?”

  “I’m scared. Why can’t you come with me?”

  “Because Mama must find Auntie Corrina, but I’ll be right behind you, I promise. Now run, Hans. Run until you reach the castle in Schwarzwald. Tell Auntie Snow that Ella has taken the family hostage and we need her help. Go, quickly my prince.”

  He turned to go but stopped. Glancing over his shoulder, he said, “I love you, Mama!”

  “Sierra!” Ely cried, shaking me slightly.

  My head was pounding, like an instant migraine. I clutched his shirt praying that Hans was not watching. I glanced toward the door, luckily closed behind us. I lay my head on Ely’s chest, tightly gripping handfuls of fabric to steady myself, to keep myself in this world and not another.

  “Sierra, darling, what happened?” he asked, nuzzling his face in the hair on top of my head. I felt his warm breath on my scalp, anchoring me. I counted his breaths until I was sure I was fully present again.

  “I think I need to sit for a moment,” I said, and he led me to a small bedroom down the hall. He eased me onto a chair and knelt in front of me.

  “I think that was a memory, but it was only one. I’ve been having dreams, but I wasn’t sure... I think... my memories are coming in fragments. Is there anything Ravenna can do?”

  “What did you remember?” he asked, not necessarily skeptical, but concerned.

  “I barely remember the fragments from the dreams, except the first one I had. It was us trying to run away, but guards found us in the forest. We were taking a break and eating bread, then the guards came and tore us apart.”

  He nodded, then said, “Yes, that happened. It was a few nights before my father was killed. We’d just discovered your pregnancy, as I said at the meeting. What was the flash you had just now?”

  “I think it was when I sent Hans away. I sent him here, to Snow. Why would I do that?” I asked, confused.

  “I’m betting it was a long time before anyone knew what Snow did. You probably still trusted her, even with the speculation that your father had us killed. I’m not sure if Ravenna can find a way to bring the rest of your memories forward. She couldn’t do it for us, but we can ask. Have you given any thought to whether or not you want her to do the wolf spell?”

  “Yes. Yes, I want the wolf back. I need to know I can protect my son, no question.”

  He wrapped his arms around my waist and lay his head on my lap.

  “I’m glad. You’re stronger with it inside, not that you aren’t without it, but...” He paused and glanced up at me. “I was very much looking forward to running in the forest with you again.”

  He wasn’t joking. That much was evident in his gaze. But it wasn’t the only thing clear in his eyes. I knew he loved me, and I knew I loved him, now, in this life. I wanted to explain to him just how much he meant to me, but I couldn’t figure out how to say it. There were no words strong enough to tell him how amazing I thought he was, how strong and heroic, not to mention a wonderful father.

  I ran my fingers through his hair, soft and thick. He sighed a contented sigh and relaxed. For a moment, I considered what it might be like to pretend Ella didn’t exist, to pretend a greater evil wasn’t out there somewhere pulling strings. I allowed myself a moment to feel normal, like a woman who was in love with a man who loved her back, so much so that he risked everything to save her. I imagined our happy family of three running around in the castle without a care in the world—then Henry came for us.

  He knocked on the open door rather than coming straight in.

  “Go away,” Ely said.

  “I wish I could, but if you’re coming along, we need to go. Night is falling, and I want to be safely behind castle walls before tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow?” I asked, more of a shout than a question.

  “He means midnight. These guys take their timing seriously,” Ely said, then stood reluctantly. His hair was messy, so he shook like a dog, and it went right back into place—sort of. I dug in my pocket and pulled out a hair tie, twisted my hair into a sloppy braid so it would stay out of my way, then followed them back to the central courtyard.

  Heidi and Felix waited patiently, a decent amount of space between them. My sister’s love life wasn’t the most important thing to be worried about, but I couldn’t help it. I was Cecily’s big sister twenty-four seven, so I couldn’t not look out for her. I felt there was nothing more between Heidi and Felix other than mutual respect and a strong friendship, but I still observed.

  The two joined us as we followed Henry out of the castle and into the quiet town square. It was dusk, and candles burned in all the windows. The castle had electricity, and I was sure I’d seen electric lights in the windows earlier in the day. It was probably bizarre to live in the past for fifteen-hundred-years, then suddenly fast-forward in a matter of five years. The candlelight was soothing, much lovelier than electric lighting.

  I investigated the little shops as we passed—a shoemaker, a seamstress shop, a baker—everything one would think a fairy tale village would have. I felt Ely take my hand, and I gave in to the warmth he offered. Even if I never regained my memories, I knew I would be forever connected to him. That knowledge made me feel a thousand times safer than I ever had. My whole life I’d been the one to be strong, the protector and guardian. Now I could relax. I was protected and guarded, not just my body but also my heart. I trusted Eliot Salien as much as I trusted my own sister and Jack.

  “I love you,” he whispered in my ear as we passed the main gate to the square.

  “I love you, too,” I said freely, creating a goofy smile on his face. He ducked his head sheepishly, then peered back up at me.

  “Mission accomplished,” he said, then leaned down to kiss my cheek.

  Henry stopped just outside the gate and turned to speak.

  “The plan is to—”

  Then he was gone. He just flew away, gone in an instant, and Felix chased after him screaming at us to get back behind the castle wall. Ely shoved me in, then joined Heidi in chasing after Felix. I stumbled, but another guard—Thaddeus—caught me. He helped me to my feet, then shouted for a group of guards by the main entrance to assemble.

  “Please, Princess Saskia, go inside and lock the doors. Alert the others there has been a troll attack!” Thaddeus shouted, then ran out the gate with the others. The gate slammed shut behind them, and a thick iron plate slid over the bars making it impenetrable.

  I had no idea what was goin
g on, but maybe the others would. I ran inside as fast as I could, followed by two guardsmen. I stopped in the main courtyard, looking around. I was already lost.

  “This way, your highness,” one guard yelled.

  I followed him down the long corridor and into the same dining hall I’d been in earlier. Marcus dropped the book he was looking at with concerned eyes. His wife, Ava, was by my side in a flash as the others gathered around.

  “What is it, Sierra?” Calla asked, gripping her husband’s hand tightly.

  “A troll? Thaddeus said a troll. Does that make any sense?” I panted, my lungs burning from the short run.

  “A troll? I hope that’s code for something that’s not a troll,” Jack said, and I realized we’d run into the study group, all of them huddled around Fiona’s texts looking for anything that could be of use.

  “I’m afraid not,” Marcus said. “This is the reason Caleb and Julianna went to Schattenland. The girl who came to us, she fears it’s being controlled by a witch there.”

  “If it’s this close to the castle, it’s possible. Where did you see it?” Jay asked.

  “It took Henry! One minute he was there, then... then he was just gone! The others ran after him, but I have no idea what’s going on,” I admitted.

  “Henry!” Calla shouted and shifted smoothly right there in the dining hall.

  I jumped back, not expecting her to do such a thing without warning.

  “Katharine! You can’t—”

  She didn’t wait for her husband’s reprimand. She was out the door in an instant. I looked back to Wil fearing the mother of my nephew was on a suicide mission. Wil only sighed and ran his hands through his hair, frustrated. I thought he was a bit relaxed for someone whose wife took chase after a troll, then I remembered she was invincible as a wolf.

  Brody passed me and offered a small smile, forced and uncomfortable before yelling something in German down the hall. I had no idea what he said, but apparently, it was a code word of sorts because two wolves came running down the corridor with Wil and Hans close behind. The only Salien who didn’t shift was Marcus, which made sense since he was the king.

  I turned toward Ravenna who was pacing the floor. My son and Little Wil stopped her when they ran to her, clinging to her legs.

  “Shh... It’s okay, you are safe my darlings,” Ravenna whispered.

  I needed to do something. I felt compelled to help the people who had selflessly taken my family in when we needed them. Cecily, who I hadn’t noticed by my side, spoke what I was thinking.

  “We have to help, Si.”

  I nodded my agreement. “Ravenna, can you—”

  I didn’t even finish my sentence before she waved her hand and uttered a few words I didn’t understand, convincing me I needed to learn other languages just as soon as possible. Hans and Wil stood in awe but smiled when Ravenna said, “That should have worked. Give it a try.”

  I let the fear of the moment wash over me, fueling my anger and frustration until I felt the tingling. Cecily shifted, much to Little Wil’s delight. The toddler giggled happily beside Hans who seemed happy enough. The shift finally came for me, thankfully, and Cecily and I bolted through the courtyard, howling as we went.

  The gates fell open, and we ran out, listening intently for the sounds of the other wolves in the distance. Cecily took up my right side, guarding my blind eye as usual. I finally heard Ely’s distinct howl in the distance, already halfway to the mountains. We ran hard, dodging trees and leaping over boulders—anything that got in our way.

  I’d never covered so much ground so fast in my life, and Cecily kept up without difficulty. Our speed brought us over the first ridge quickly, and I heard a scuffle in the distance. More howling, but different. It was sad, mournful. I pushed on, another half mile or so before finally breaking into a clearing to find Seline huddled over Henry. Ely sat beside her, his arm around his triplet.

  Felix caught sight of us and came to our side, a sad look on his face. He knelt to speak to us as the others watched over Seline.

  “I’m afraid...” His voice hitched, but he paused and composed himself. “I’m afraid we were too late. The troll... it bit him.”

  Cecily whined and took a step back. I assumed a troll bite was lethal but could not ask the specifics in my condition. Regardless, Cecily was in distress, so I needed to focus on my sister first. She whined again, but just as I turned to comfort her, she fell into Felix’s arms. He held her as tightly as a man could hold a full-grown wolf. He turned his head to meet my gaze with his, then offered his hand to me.

  I was at a crossroads. I wanted more than anything to comfort my sister, but I also wanted her to learn to stand on her own feet, to learn to make choices for herself. She chose Felix, and for whatever reason, she needed him at that moment more than she needed me. Strangely, I was okay with her choice. I nuzzled his hand then looked to my sister. He seemed to understand and gave his full attention back to her.

  I lifted my eyes to the scene in front of me. Ely hoisted Henry from the ground, limp and lifeless. A chill shot down my spine making me growl. I was angry. Henry was good. He tried to do what was right, and death at the fangs of a troll didn’t feel like an appropriate end to his story. I was so angry, so consumed with the emotion, that it bubbled to the surface in one long howl at the moon.

  Once I was finished, I noticed all eyes were on me—again. If Ella was directing the troll, she sent him for Cecily and me. Henry was a casualty of the war between my aunt and my family, not his. His death was on my hands just as sure as the villagers she’d killed that morning. As sure as Dannie’s. This attack was no accident, it was her taunting me.

  I turned on my rear feet and pushed off the soft dirt. The troll could be anywhere, but I didn’t care. I set my sights on the castle with the sole purpose of figuring out how to kill Ella as quickly as possible even if I had to die trying. I had no doubt she would come for my son, and I wouldn’t let that happen. I heard a rustling behind me and skidded to a stop, then turned abruptly, ready to attack.

  A large white wolf, Calla, dodged my teeth and ran right past me, howling as she did. Surprisingly, I understood her. She was angry, perhaps angrier than me. I pushed off and tailed her, following her until we reached the castle. The gates opened, and she ran in, stopping short just in front of her husband.

  Wil was diligently waiting for her. She shifted, and I was astounded that she was fully clothed. I tilted my head, then threw caution to the wind and shifted. I glanced down, pleasantly surprised to find my clothing intact. Ravenna’s trick was amazing in many ways, but it was time to see if she could heal a man with a troll bite.

  Calla rushed into the dining hall where Marcus was pacing in front of a large, stone fireplace.

  “It bit Henry. Did you find anything?” Calla asked, barely winded.

  “No... no, please don’t tell me...” Ravenna trailed off, then fell into her seat.

  The boys were no longer in the room, thankfully, and neither was Queen Ava. She must have taken them elsewhere.

  “Nothing? There’s nothing you can do?” Calla begged her mother.

  Ravenna stood again. “Perhaps I can try something. I’m not sure it will work, but... maybe the sleeping spell?”

  “He’s dead, mother! We’re past a sleeping spell!”

  “I don’t know, Katharine! I haven’t had much experience with trolls!” Ravenna shouted in return. Katharine growled, then turned to Fiona.

  “What about you? Anything in that wand of yours?” Calla spat.

  “I’m afraid not,” Fiona replied sadly.

  “So that’s it then? Seline’s husband, our general who has served our village faithfully for over fifteen-hundred years is just gone? Just like that?”

  “Katharine, darling,” Wil said, trying to reason with his wife. His voice seemed to soothe her immediately, and she broke down into sobs.

  “Can you preserve him?” I asked. “Is it possible to freeze him in this state until we can do more res
earch?”

  Ravenna considered my statement, as did Fiona, but it was Jemma who had a moment of clarity.

  “The Ice Queen’s spell!” she cried, then began tossing books around like they were convenience store paperbacks rather than priceless relics.

  “That could work!” Fiona yelled, then began sorting through the volumes much more carefully.

  “I’ve got it! Here!” Jemma shoved the book into Fiona’s hands.

  We rushed into the courtyard to meet the others just as they were entering the gates.

  “Hurry! Bring him to me!” Fiona shouted, then fell to the ground so she could chant over Henry’s body.

  The others didn’t question her but placed him gently on the ground beside her. Ely and Felix backed away from his body while Cecily stood by me in wolf form. The other girls had shifted, and even Ely was clothed. Ravenna bent to whisper in Cecily’s ear, and a moment later my sister shifted, fully clothed. I didn’t bother to question Ravenna’s methods, only appreciated them and turned my attention back to Henry and Fiona.

  Seline was inconsolable in Elizabeth’s arms. Jay Grimm, who I’d almost forgotten about after the eventful day, held both girls tightly in his embrace, holding them together as best he could under the circumstances.

  Henry’s lifeless body began to turn blue as Fiona chanted over him. Darker and darker he grew until frost began to form over his lip, his nose, and ears. Eventually, his entire body was frozen solid. Fiona fell onto her side, her energy spent.

  “Quickly, place him in a... well, I suppose we’ll use that glass casket Snow kept in her room?” Ravenna asked. I found it odd a former evil queen kept a glass casket in her bedroom, but if it suited our purposes, then I thanked her for not only being evil but also morbidly strange.

  Ely and Felix lifted Henry’s frozen body, nearly dropping him.

  “A little help,” Ely grunted. Wil and Jay sprang forward and helped the men transfer Henry to a glass casket somewhere inside the castle. Seline and Elizabeth followed. Ravenna, Heidi, and Jemma helped Fiona to her quarters, while Marcus went back to the hall to research. Calla and Cecily stood by me, still staring at the space where Henry had been only moments before.