by Casey Lane
One of the twins spoke. “Thank you for saving us. It's been so long since we've been able to return to this form."
Cinderella stammered. “So long– what do you– you aren't really little girls are you?"
The first girl held out her hand. “I'm Aymee, and this is my sister Tressa. Don't worry, we'll explain everything."
Cinderella took her hand, and Tressa took the other one. The twins stood on either side of her and started to lead the way out of the cave.
The thief and the two young girls walked through the cave between the groaning, injured men. She was surprised that none of them got back up after she'd fought them, but when she noticed a glowing gold above the heads of the fallen, she realized that magic was at work.
"I have a feeling I'm not going to understand much of what happens from here on out."
The girls squeezed her hands in unison and the one named Aymee spoke. “You know more than you realize. You followed the signs and you have the jewel. Now all you need is the truth."
Cinderella held her breath. Somehow she knew that these girls were about to fill the gap in her knowledge that the Godmother had intentionally left for so many years.
"You know the Godmother. She never spoke of you."
Tressa, who the thief could only distinguish by the fact that she was on her opposite side, made a little laugh. “We know more than we let on. It's surprising how much a prisoner can hear. Especially when a human watching over her doesn't think she's very smart."
Cinderella nodded. “Men are idiots sometimes. How about you start by telling me what the heck you are?"
The girls giggled again, which made Cinderella feel brighter as they walked through the dark cavern.
Aymee cleared her throat. “We're changers. We can switch our form whenever we want, unless someone takes measures to block it. We've been trapped in our bird form for quite some time.
"We also make dresses. Kinda like the ones we're wearing."
Cinderella sighed. “Everybody needs a hobby, I guess. Who captured you?"
"The former queen of our land. She was exiled, but she did a lot of damage on the way out. When we tried to find out where she was, she captured us."
Aymee picked up where her sister left off. “She was an awful, terrible woman who used magic to bend people to her will instead of helping them."
"If Aymee hadn't escaped, we would have no way to warn you of what's coming."
Cinderella sensed the moonlight as they got closer to the cave's entrance. “What can this queen do, exactly? Is she the one that's been building herself up like a demon? Is that her?"
The twins both took part in a pointed pause before Aymee spoke. “Cinderella, you might want to sit down for this."
"I'm fine standing. Just tell me everything."
The girls released Cinderella's hands and stood before her, silhouetted in the light from the stars and moon.
"Anyone who opposed the queen met a terrible fate."
"She would have their loved ones tortured in front of them."
"As soon as they felt pain in their heart, the queen could touch them and suck everything out."
"All the good. All the bad. And then soon as she was finished, it was like they had nothing left. Their hearts had been sucked dry."
The thief's pulse quickened. The realization of 10 years fell on her all at once. “My father was one of the first victims in this village, wasn't he?"
The twins nodded in unison.
Cinderella let out a slow-metered breath. “He never stopped loving me. He just had his heart pulled out of him."
The twins nodded in unison.
"And Armenia was the queen. You're telling me Armenia was the queen, right?"
The twins paused before affirming her question.
Cinderella wanted to tear the entire world apart. The anger took hold of every cell in her body. Her screams echoed through the chamber as she thrashed her arms every which way. She would have smashed her hands into the stone walls of the cave if she didn't know deep down that she would soon have to use them again.
Cinderella covered her face before letting her fingers stream through her blonde hair. “That's why Kiyara's charm was there. Armenia isn't the demon. She turns my stepsisters into… whatever they are. I am such an idiot."
Aymee stepped forward. “It's okay. You were just a girl, and you didn't realize that–"
"That the woman who destroyed my life was also the one who killed my mother. And who knows how many others."
Aymee's lip quivered. “We're sorry. But one of the reasons we saved you so many years ago was that we knew you had the strength to defeat her."
Cinderella let the rage settle and exit through her body. A few deep breaths had her almost back to normal. “Part of me has always wished I died in that fire. That I died with my mother's arms wrapped around me.” She cracked her knuckles. “I guess life just isn't that simple. How about you tell me how I kill this horrible creature?"
Tressa rubbed her hands together. “On that front, we have some good news."
Aymee smiled. “When our kingdom needed to expel the queen, our mages devised a gem that can resist her power. We called it the Heartstone."
The thief pulled out her sword, which glistened red in the moonlight. “That's why the sword put out the fire. That's why the Godmother and Tristan both thought it was so important."
The twins agreed. “It's the only weapon against her. You're the best chance of stopping the queen from taking over another kingdom."
Cinderella held the jewel of the weapon to her forehead. She could feel the magical energy emanating from the stone.
She took one more deep breath and placed the weapon back in its scabbard. “Tonight, we plan. Tomorrow, it's time for revenge."
Chapter 30
A day had gone by since Kiyara had seen any trace of her stepsister. Her mother had raised a fuss for about fifteen minutes before outright wishing that Cinderella had died in an alleyway over the course of the night. Kiyara couldn't help but think of her favorite sister as she stood in front of a mirror in her bedroom and stared at herself in the green ballgown. It would not be long before she and her sister flaunted their curves and danced circles around the prince in an effort to do things the easy way. But when Kiyara saw her reflection, all she saw was the demon her mother had turned her into.
She wasn't sure what magic or mental blocks had kept her from processing years of unconscious murder and kidnapping, but whatever she had used to block these thoughts was completely gone. The previous two days had been nothing but a barrage of images, most of them soaked in blood and devastating to her fragile mind.
It took every ounce of self-control not to cry after her mother's new servant had applied a fresh coat of makeup. Her breathing was so quick that she thought she might pass out at any moment.
I have to tell someone what we are. I need somebody to believe what we truly are.... who I am.
As Kiyara looked herself up and down, she thought of Cinderella. She wondered what would happen if the only person in the world who seemed to love her knew the truth about who she was.
"She would have to kill me on the spot, right? It's the only logical thing to do when you find yourself with a monster. You kill it, because otherwise it might murder you and countless others.” The tears welled up in her eyes. “And I am a monster."
"You aren't a monster."
Kiyara turned to see her mother at the doorway. She too was dressed in a beautiful gown that enhanced every one of her features. And yet, no matter what her mother wore, she always seemed to be missing something that she had back when they were the rulers of an entire kingdom. It wasn't the crown itself, but Armenia never seemed completely satisfied unless they were the ones on top.
Her mother sat upon her bed and gestured for Kiyara to join her. The young woman hesitated, but eventually she sat.
Armenia sighed. “At first, I didn't realize what I was doing. I thought that by touching you and your sister...
by hugging you after I'd sucked out the hearts of men, I assumed I was just making myself feel better. But nothing is ever that simple with magic."
Kiyara had never heard such straight talk from her mother. She leaned in closer to soak up every word.
"The pain and fear allows me entry, but it's the bravery, the valor, the joy that feeds me. It gives me my power, Kiyara. But all the darkness inside of them is too much for me to handle. It's always been too much."
Kiyara sniffled. “So, you didn't mean to turn us into… something horrible?"
Armenia put her hand on her daughter's thigh. “Of course not. I tried everything else to rid myself of the darkness, but the only way to keep it from eating me alive was to share it."
Kiyara let loose a trembling breath. “If you can give it, can you take it all away? Maybe give it all to Malina and let me go back to normal?"
Her mother looked deep into her eyes. A sad smile crept along her lips. “I'm afraid I can't do that, my child."
Kiyara stood up and backed away from her mother. “You're not here to help me. You're here to help yourself."
"I've always given your sister more of the darkness. Much more. I thought you couldn't take the pain, the hate, and the remorse. I thought I was protecting you, but now I know that I was only protecting myself."
Kiyara shook her head and looked toward the room's exit. Her sister stood there like a sentinel.
Kiyara couldn't help it; the tears began to ruin her makeup. “Please, Mother. I can't take any more."
Armenia stood and began to approach. “To stay who you are, you're probably right. But I need to make sure you're on board with the plan. We've decided that this is the only way."
The petrified girl met one of the walls with her back. There was no place else for her to go.
"You're going to lose. The prince won't love me or Malina. We don't deserve another kingdom."
Armenia smirked. “At long last, she displays a backbone. It's too bad you're on the wrong side."
Kiyara could hear her sister laugh as Armenia took the final step and laid her hands on Kiyara's chest. With a wave of energy that rocked her body, she felt the darkness enter. Pain. Hatred. Regret. Anything the woman had left in her body from taking all the feelings of her victims entered into Kiyara's heart.
She cried and cried as she sensed the positivity and goodness being crowded out within her. The waterworks slowed to a trickle as a smile took hold. The blackness coursed through her veins and Kiyara stood up straighter than she had in years.
With the dab of her fingers she wiped away her tears and stepped away from Armenia's touch. She took long, cat-like strides toward the mirror. The girl blew her reflection a kiss and adjusted her dress to emphasize her bosom.
Kiyara turned toward her family. “How on Earth is the prince supposed to resist this?"
Armenia laughed. “Now this is the Kiyara I've always dreamed of having. Welcome."
Malina was in awe, and Kiyara felt herself wanting to slap her sister for the dumbfounded look. She only barely restrained herself.
"I feel better than ever, Mother.” She hitched the dress up one more inch. “This kingdom will be ripe for the taking, once you've sucked the prince's grieving heart dry."
Part IV
Chapter 31
Cinderella stood atop one of the highest rooftops in the entire village as the evening crept in. It was the only vantage point that gave her a view of her stepmother's house. She'd spent the entire day working the plan over in her mind, but more often than she liked, the thoughts of what her life had truly been crept throughout her consciousness. She stared into her stepmother's window and wondered how much longer she could've not realized the true horrors of her stepmother's misdeeds.
"I know why the Godmother never told me.” She clenched and unclenched one of her fists. “I would've had a knife at her throat at the age of ten. But she would've killed me."
The thief let her eyes wander to Malina's window. Not only had the stepsister attempted to torture her every moment they shared in the house, but she was also murdering for Armenia. She had taken part in countless attacks that destroyed families and killed children.
"Not a huge surprise there, but there's a difference between being mean and worshiping evil.” The thief let out a heavy breath as her eyes moved to Kiyara's window.
She was the only person in the house who seemed to care for her. Kiyara acted like a true sister, playing with her in the small moments when Armenia turned her back. She was the only one the thief could trust to share the truth with.
"Then why did she hide the truth from me?"
The revelation of her stepmother and Malina being evil did not surprise her all that much. But learning that Kiyara was somehow a part of it all made Cinderella question everything. How long would it be until Kiyara shared all of her secrets with her mother? How long would it be until the girl she considered her true sister killed someone near and dear to the thief?
"I can't hesitate. If I see her, the only right thing to do is to kill her."
Cinderella couldn't bring herself to even think about how she'd raise a sword to Kiyara's neck, but it might be the only way to stop the trio from taking over another kingdom.
She let the carousel of thoughts spin in her head until the carriage pulled around the front of the house. Her stepmother and stepsisters looked incredibly elegant in their gowns. She saw them take the long walk from the door to the carriage, all the while wondering if tonight would be the night she ended their lives. Her eyes focused not on Armenia, who she'd happily dispatch in a moment, but on Kiyara. Her stepsister looked happy as she and Malina held hands. Cinderella could very well attack the carriage now before it made any progress toward the castle, but there was something she still needed to do. As the horses pulled the carriage away, Cinderella's eyes moved up to one last window of the house.
Safely inside, Cinderella paused with her fingers on the doorknob. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been inside this room. Fighting a dozen burly guards didn't make her heart beat as fast as it did in this very moment. She breathed in deeply and turned the handle.
Cinderella stepped into the musty, dry room. It felt like a place where old, unused items were put away in storage, never to be heard from again. She thought the room completely lifeless until she heard a light cough from the bed. Grayer and with more wrinkles than she remembered, her father lay beneath the sheets, his unfeeling eyes fixed upon her.
Every step she took toward the bed felt as if she had heavily weighted shackles on each leg. Snippets of memories from before her mother's death danced across her mind. Nobody would believe it now, but this motionless man beneath the sheets used to play with her. He used to tell her that he loved her. And for so long, Cinderella thought that she had done something unforgivable. That she had somehow caused this man to break and no longer care about her. How many tears had she shed over this painful explanation she'd created for herself?
It took half an age in her mind, but the thief finally reached her father's bedside. The whole time she walked across the room, the man's eyes were locked on her. His face, however, remained otherwise motionless.
She took his weathered hand in hers. “Hello, Father. I don't expect you to listen or love me, but I needed to say something to you before… before Armenia probably kills me too."
A force greater than she'd ever experienced pressed down upon her. It was difficult to breathe. “I know– I know this isn't your fault.” She bit her lip to keep the tears at bay. “Damn it. Now I'm going to cry. I'm sure your second wife will really get a kick out of that."
Her father had no reaction to any of the words she said.
She pressed on anyway. “I just had to tell you something.” She took in a deep impossible breath. “I don't care what you feel or if you could ever feel something again, but I love you. I love you in this moment, and no magic or evil power can take that away from me. Right now, I love you, Father."
Her father's breat
h caught for half a moment. Cinderella froze. She leaned in toward him and wondered if there was any chance that he might reciprocate.
But it was just a momentary glitch, and he returned to his steady, motionless, consistent breathing.
She let out the air in her lungs and pressed her lips to his hand. “Goodbye. If I make it, I promise to come back to you and visit your room every single day."
She reluctantly let his hand go and backed toward the door. She let all the pain and insecurity of the last ten years fall away from her and tumble to the ground. It would have to stay here for now.
She took one last look at her father. “I have a job to do."
Chapter 32
Prince Braedon couldn't stop his mind from racing down a million different paths. Through his window, he could see all the carriages arriving in the moonlight. He wondered how many women and young girls had bet all their hopes on this night. How many women wanted him to pick them up and transform their lives through his love, his wealth, and his power?
This is a game that has no winners.
He sipped on a small glass of water, which would've been a much stronger drink if his mother had let the quintet of guards in front of his door give him even a sip of booze. He straightened the lapels of his jacket and smoothed the fabric down. There was nothing more he wanted than to rip this outfit from his body, put on a fighting tunic, and dash across the rooftops with Cinderella. With the two of them combined, he knew they could stop this menace once and for all. He pictured the thief's face for a moment before a disruption from the hallway cleared the thoughts from his head. He turned to see a scuffle as someone was trying to enter his chambers.
"What is the meaning of this? I am a knight of the queen's castle and I wish to speak to the prince immediately."
Braedon rolled his eyes. “Let him pass. He means me no harm. Well, not much harm anyway."
Stumbling backward into the room and barely avoiding impaling himself on a lamp, Falstone was dressed in finery that may have fit him properly about five to ten years ago. The seams were stretched so tight, the knight was poised to tear his shirt apart with any movement.
