The Real Folktale Blues (Beyond Ever After #1)

by Random Jordan

  I was just about to break down into begging that they were okay when I heard the sound of an axe chopping into wood.

  Then it came again.

  I ran about the ship frantically, the feeling in my feet completely gone, trying to find the source of the sound as more chops continued. Finally I followed the noise to the bow of the ship and leaned over to see faint movement in the darkness.

  A glint of silver appeared before another chop resounded.

  “Ashe? Roberts?” I cried over the railing. All I could hear back was the splashing of waves and another chop.

  Someone was definitely there. But there was no response. It could have been anyone, especially someone that didn’t want to give themselves away.

  I had to take the chance though.

  My leg wrapped around the wooden railing as I leaned over the side of the ship and spread my fingers and hand out toward the person in the darkness.

  The energy gathered between my fingers before pushing out toward the individual like tendrils reaching down. The iridescent hue of colors flickered in and out as they reached into the darkness.

  Then they started to pull back up to me. They weren’t reaching. The problem wasn’t the spell though. I yanked my hand back and rubbed my fingers together before slamming my fist in to the railing. I couldn’t feel them.

  The combination of performing such a massive spell to freeze all those Ondine along with the cold causing my body to shut down left me with very little magical power to access. I probably couldn’t even perform a simple color changing spell at this point.

  So I vaulted over the railing completely and wrapped my cloak around at the base of it, tying it off. I couldn’t live with myself if this was Ashe and I just left her to die while clinging to the ship’s hull.

  I tore clumsily at the dress fabric, trying at least four times before I managed to actually get a tear in it, then tied it off to my cloak and leaned down off the side of the ship to draw in closer to the person in the darkness.

  “Ashe? Roberts?” I called again before the numbness would be taking my lips from me as well. I wrapped the cloth from the dress around my freezing limb and lowered down further, walking down the side of the ship. I reached my other hand out toward the moving shadow.

  An axe swung through the spaces between my fingers and dug into the side of the ship. I could make out a hand clinging to it, even though my vision was starting to blur as well.

  “Ashe?” I cried as I reached my hand as low as possible, touching the axe. Another hatchet crashed into the side of the ship just below that one before the gloved hand from the hatchet shot up to grasp my frozen fingers.

  I pulled with all my strength left in me, even pushing what magical energy I could into my arms and legs, slowly stepping back up the ship.

  Finally as I pulled on the arm, I realized there was even more weight than I’d been expecting. I heard a splash hit the waves before a voice broke over the crashing water. “Gnidori? Is that you?”

  My heart was pounding fiercely and I felt a heat burn through me as I heard Ashe’s voice. The heat got stuck in my throat and I choked tears out as my body shook with trying to hold on to her. “Yes. Yes, It is. You climbed all the way up?”

  As I made one more step up the side of the ship I could start to make out Ashe’s face and arm through the blurriness filling my eyes. She was smiling softly, her brunette hair with a slight twinge of red clung to her face everywhere.

  “Yes” she said just barely over the waves as the red faded from her hair completely.

  That moment made my heart sink worse than I’d ever imagined. It must have reached midnight.

  I tightened my grip around the gloved hand I held, feeling my legs shrink and my body adjust to my old form. I felt our weight shift all at once, as the spell energy helping me to keep moving up the side of the ship had vacated me completely. I was stuck still too far to reach for the railing, and I had to adjust my hand again to grip Ashe better, as I realized her smaller hands were slipping through my gloves.

  “Gnidori, I can’t hold on.” She cried as her hand slipped from the glove completely and I reached out to snatch at her again, but missed.

  So I did the most ridiculous thing possible. I let go of the cloth and jumped after her head first. I snagged her hand as I realized she had been holding on to Roberts with her other hand.

  Just as I thought we were going to descend together in the dark depths, my body and face slammed into the side of the ship hard. I shook my head and glanced up to see Bonny holding both of my feet.

  “Pull!” She yelled with her booming voice, though I wasn’t sure if she was talking to me. Instantly I felt my body scrape against the hull of the Siren’s Song as we were dragged up.

  I tried to form a smile as I glanced down to Ashe, but my lips wouldn’t move. I could hardly even see anything either with the darkness and blurriness in my eyes.

  The only thing I could really feel was the sting of the tears in my eyes as we were dragged back up to the top of the ship by my feet.

  And all I could focus on was making sure I had a firm grip on Ashe. I wasn’t going to lose her.

  Even when I was almost sure I overheard Bonny complaining under her breath. “You almost ruined everything.”

  Twenty-Three

  Dog Days

  The rest of the night had gone better. After being rushed inside to warm areas, our ill-fitting clothes thrown off and blankets tossed on us, we finally managed to settle down.

  At least Ashe, Roberts, Bonny and I were settling down in the captain’s cabin. The rest of the pirates were pushing the ice cubes on the deck out into the water before they could thaw. No one wanted more Ondine.

  When I was warm enough and could feel my body and magic again, I had fallen asleep leaning against Ashe.

  Briefly.

  She shook me awake sometime past daylight. “Gnidori, have you seen Reynard at all? I’ve been looking for the past hour but I can’t find him.”

  I jumped up instantly and rubbed my eyes, realizing I had been put back into my cot, probably by Ashe. I hope, anyway.

  I had completely forgotten about Reynard. The conversation I overheard then the Ondine had caused the fox to slip my mind completely.

  How could I let that happen?

  My head fell low with disappointment in myself and Ashe sat down next to me. “I completely forgot about him. That was why I had come out in the first place. He was gone from my bed last night.”

  She laid a hand on my knee. “It’s okay. Even if he was out when that wave hit, he could still be on the ship somewhere.”

  I gave my former charge an askew glance and noticed her slit skirt with green tights and green top. She must have noticed me looking because she pulled her hand from my knee and shifted her eyes away before saying, “Goldie let me use them since they didn’t change back to her pants after midnight.”

  “Another slipper incident. Well, at least I like them on you.” I nodded before grinding my teeth. Here I was talking about what Ashe wore while a poor four-day old fox was probably swimming in the ocean depths by now. I’m such an idiot sometimes.

  I jumped up from my spot and glanced back to Ashe, holding out my hand for her. “Come on, we have a fox to find.”

  The brunette, with her bangs pinned out of her eyes, smiled up at me and hesitated for a moment before taking up my hand rather than placing hers in it. She stood up next to me and held my hand tight as she said, “Thank you.”

  A nervous laugh escaped me. “For last night? You did that yourself. Saving Roberts and using your mouth to hold another axe so you could crawl up the side of the ship? That was amazing.”

  Ashe beamed brilliantly with a soft touch of red to her dimples as she dragged me to walk. “Yes, but no. Thank you for so much more.”

  She wouldn’t say anything past that, but I had an idea of what she was talking about. Maybe she knew I was listening in last night. In the end, it doesn’t really matter.

  She was
right. That’s what mattered.

  We must have spent the entire rest of the way to the Sleeping Kingdom scouring the boat. We had to be fetched twice for food before it was all gone. Even Goldie and Roberts helped look for a while before convincing Ashe to come train some more while she could.

  I let her go, because that was more important than a pointless quest to search for a fox that either didn’t want to be found or really was gone.

  It just didn’t make sense. There were two Reynards in the future; he should have survived. But why were there two? A time spell had been on me, not him. He hadn’t gone through time like I had. When I got back with my magic, the fox I had didn’t have the wound on his paw.

  Which meant the Reynard with Ashe and Goldie in the future wasn’t him, since he’s gone now. The only person it could have been was me then, right? I hadn’t been there with Ashe and Goldie, and I wouldn’t have wanted to startle my past self.

  This meant I would have to tell them the truth. That Ashe and Goldie would be meeting a younger me, that didn’t know what we were going through.

  I sighed.

  “Pull it together, Gnidori. We’re hitting land. The sooner I get you off my ship the better. You are nothing but more work for me.” Captain Bonny roared which jarred me from my thoughts.

  I smiled and said under my breath, “Just wait until you see me again.”

  “What was that?” She yelled back while rushing to pull the sails down with some of her crew.

  “Nothing, Nothing. Just too deep in my thoughts.” I waved her off and headed toward the cabin where I’d seen Ashe and Goldie go to probably pack things up.

  “Well get out of your thought hole and get your stuff so I don’t have to deal with you being in my way.” She continued between grunts as she yanked on a cable line.

  “I’ll miss you too, Bonny.” I mused before pulling the cabin door open.

  “Yeah, I want her to know but I’m happy right now.” I heard Ashe say before Goldie pointed behind her. I smiled and waved when my traveling companion turned around. Her face went as red as a ripe raspberry.

  “How’s the packing going?” I asked, trying to ignore the comment Ashe had made, since I could only guess what it was about. Me?

  Luckily Goldie chimed in as my roommate turned away and rushed over to pick up some remaining blankets on the floor from the previous cold-inducing night. “We have unspoiled food, sleeping bags that Bonny had extras of, and some of the crew even gave us extra rags that I figured you could magick into useful clothing.”

  “Good.” I nodded. “Ready to go then?”

  “Almost. We just need time to pick up. Why don’t you go help Bonny or something, dearie?” Goldie glanced at me and raised her eyebrows. I knew any time she started using ‘dearie’ it meant stay the hell away from her.

  I took the subtle hint and turned around to leave, just as the golden haired thief stood up and walked to Ashe. When had they gotten so friendly?

  “But…” I started.

  Goldie sighed heavily, “We need some girl time, okay?”

  “And what am I? A faerie-flipping dog?” I spat toward her.

  She looked back at me with a scary smile. “Something like that, dearie. Now leave.”

  She ran up to the door and pushed me out before shutting it. I stumbled into Roberts just as he had been passing by the cabin door.

  “I swear I am in everyone’s way today.” I cursed and Roberts smiled.

  “You… weren’t in my way. You were more to my side.”

  “Ha-ha.” I fake laughed, then took a deep breath to just let my annoyance with Goldie leave me for now. I guess I wouldn’t be telling them about the past me, for now.

  I glanced to Roberts still standing in front of me and realized at least I had something to say to him. “Look, I’m sorry I wasn’t that respectful at the crime site. I was assuming a lot and well…” I began but Roberts put his hand up.

  “I knew you overhead us, after I saw you yelling. It was my fault. I just couldn’t come to correct you properly at the time. You just never know with people and I didn’t have the mind to deal with what you might say. I feel better about it after talking with Ashe.” He smiled softly back to me before his eyes went wide. “Oh man, I bet Ashe was mad you heard us.”

  “No…” I shook my head. “I think she was more embarrassed.”

  He laughed. “I would be too if the person I—“ He threw his hand over his mouth to silence himself. “Sorry,” he continued, pulling his hand away, “I shouldn’t say more. Why don’t we go help Bonny finish docking?”

  I knew he was trying to change the subject but I welcomed it. It was probably better I didn’t think about what he was going to say.

  I didn’t fare much better with this attempt at helping either though. I kept constantly running into other pirates or tangling a line. Eventually Bonny yanked me away and set me on the floor far away from everyone and everything.

  “Stay.” She barked.

  “I am not a dog!” I growled and stood back up before shooting past Bonny and ripping open the cabin door. I glared at Ashe and Goldie and said, “We’re leaving now. Grab the stuff.”

  I strode off immediately to the front of the ship and looked over the short expanse of water between the shore and us.

  I could do this.

  It wasn’t like I’d be lifting the ship up that much; just giving it a push.

  Ashe slid up behind me. “Gnidori, we aren’t there—“

  I put my hands out in front of me and dropped them on the bow of the ship before inhaling deeply.

  Magic is all about breathing. Most people don’t realize that. The simple act of breathing provides them with the inkling of magic. That’s because you can’t live without breathing, and you can’t perform magic if you aren’t alive.

  A pulse of energy shot through me and ran along my fingers before rushing into the ship as I exhaled.

  The whole craft lurched to a stop and slowly was covered in a gentle iridescent glow. Then it erupted forward, just above the water, speeding to the shoreline while everyone steadied themselves or fell over.

  Just as the bank of the shore appeared, I ripped my hands away and the ship plopped into the watery sand. I turned around and smiled to Ashe and Bonny. “Let’s go.”

  I mock-saluted the pirate king and reached over to take the bag Ashe held, then jumped off the boat and rolled along the sand.

  A few minutes later Goldie and Ashe were on the sand with me while I wiped off my cloak. My companions waved before I gave the Siren’s Song a magical shove, far away from me, and out into the sea again.

  My roommate sighed as we directed our attention to the forest just beyond the beach. Ashe had always been the long goodbye type, and now I knew why too; she was a worrier.

  My features softened as I pulled my hood down. “Don’t worry, you’ll see them again. Soon in fact. You can say goodbye then.”

  “I don’t say goodbye, Gnidori. I always plan to see everyone again. Why’d we leave so soon?” Ashe asked while grabbing my arm from behind. I spun around and pulled away.

  “Because I need to explain something that they can’t hear and I need to do it before Hue’s ship lands.”

  “Hue? What?” Goldie intruded.

  I growled. “Yes, Hue. He followed me from his territory. I know because he will tell me, or he did tell me.” I sighed; I needed to add time travel to the list of things that gave me a headache. “Which brings me to my point. About two days from now we will meet Bonny again and they will be bringing Ettie, Han and me.”

  “What?” Goldie interjected again.

  “I think you need to rest, Gnidori.” Ashe concluded and reached her hand out to touch me again. I ripped away from her and stepped back.

  “No. Well, yes I do, but that’s not the point. You can’t tell me anything about what happened to us here, the other me. Just tell them my cloak was stolen by a faerie. Nothing else.” I continued to explain.

  “Gnidori, I thi
nk the cold made you sick. Just let me feel your head to make sure.” Ashe pressed on.

  “No!” I exclaimed as I took up both of Ashe’s hands just so she wouldn’t keep moving forward on me. I stared into her hazel eyes and saw the worry etched heavily on her face. I sighed and tenderly held her hands instead of squeezing them till they turned purple.

  “No… I’m fine. Really. I was sent forward in time, it was how I knew about the assassin Charming hired.” I turned a glance to Goldie. “The assassin who happens to be your uncle, Fioravante, also known as Bluebeard. We enter his tower because my cloak was taken there, since back then or later on I won’t know about the further deal I made with Charming about Goldie.”

  “You’re serious?” Goldie laughed in disbelief.

  My eyes fell to Ashe in plead. “How do you think I got my magic back? There’s only one way and I told you what it was.”

  Ashe used her teeth to pull at her bottom lip as she looked away briefly. “Ettie’s magic has to enter your body.”

  “Yes!” I smiled. “And that will happen in Bluebeard’s tower. Now this is the problem. I can’t be me until that me disappears or whatever happens after my magic is unlocked. So when we meet the others, I’ll be Reynard. The other me won’t have a problem believing there are two Reynards because it was a theory I had originally. Got it?”

  “Hardly.” Goldie chimed in.

  “Y-yes.” Ashe attempted a nervous smile back at me. “This means Reynard is alright? The real one?”

  I leaned in and pulled Ashe into a tight hug. It was just like her to be worried about an animal. She squeaked gently and giggled before I pulled back from her.

  “I think so. He should be lying with me right now in a tower. If I’m right, whoever put me in the time spell sent Reynard away too. But the only magic I could smell on the ship was from the Ondine. So I think a faerie is putting this all together: the time spell, my cloak, unlocking my magic so I would be hunted, even the confusion with Hue giving me Goldie, all of it. Not just any faerie either; one in particular.”

  “The blue bitch.” Goldie finally said something useful.