Danielle kicked the weapon away before I could grab it.
“Say good-bye, Norah.”
Using all her energy, Danielle swung the axe over her head, aiming at the nape of my neck. At the last second, I rolled over and grabbed her ankle. The axe landed beside me and she fell onto the stairs. Seizing my leg, she brought me with her. The cement tore apart my flesh as we rolled down the stairs.
For a second, we lay at the bottom, panting for air. The water, as cold as ice, beat down on us like tiny daggers. Refusing to wait for her attack, I rolled over and tackled Danielle, using all my weight to pin her to the ground. I punched her once, twice, counting my blessings until something rammed into my side, knocking me off her.
Sprite-like eyes flashed in the dark and Claire stood above me, measuring in at the size of a pinky. Damn her stealth. Before I could move, she kicked me hard in the ribs and something cracked. Pain seared through me, causing me to scream and wince as she kicked me again. Stupid pixie bitch. On the ground, weakness overtook me. Blood seeped into my mouth, and opening my eyes took more effort than I had left.
There was no way I’d let her punk ass take me down. I hauled myself to my feet and pushed the pain away. They had me surrounded, but I aimed for the easiest target. With a swift roundhouse kick my dad would’ve been hella proud of, I nailed the pixie slut in the stomach, sending her flying back into the tree.
Then a sound, more frightening than my own death boomed in the air like thunder. Kate’s bloodcurdling scream. With a renewed energy, I punched Danielle in the face and did a beautiful side kick, sending her to the ground.
I took the stairs two at a time, limping and aching, but I had to help Kate. A hand clamped around my ankle, yanking me down. My chin bashed against the cement and bite down on my tongue. More blood.
“Let go of me, you psycho bitch!” I jerked my foot into her face and together we fought as I climbed the stairs and she tried to pull me back down to the ground.
Kate screamed again and I dragged myself onto the landing. I scrambled to my feet but froze at the sight ahead of me. So did Danielle.
Chains wrapped around Kate’s neck. Desiree held them as if they were reins. And in that exact moment, James barreled his sword into Desiree, nailing her right below her ribs. She made no sound, unlike Kate, who screamed once more. A scream that stopped everyone on the balcony except Wolf. One punch, then two, and Wolf knocked Al and Finn out by bashing their heads together. Their bodies slumped on the ground.
We watched in horror as James retracted the sword and Desiree fell to the ground, twitching and shaking. Blood pooled below her, spreading slowly with the rain. I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t move. All I could do was stare.
The clock chimed three times, each one louder than the next.
Ding. Ding. Ding.
Ding. Ding. Ding.
Ding. Ding. Ding.
Ding. Ding. Ding.
It was officially midnight.
The rain stopped, the lightning and thunder ceased and pumpkin-Pearl returned to her normal form. Scanning the scene quickly, Pearl ran down the stairs. And James, he glanced around, running his hand through his wet hair, confusion riddled over his features. The sword clanked against the ground as he knelt down beside Kate, staring deep into her eyes as if he’d been awakened after years of sleeping. After years of being blind to everything he held dear.
He removed the chains from her neck. “Kate.” His thumb traced the scar on the side of her face. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
“You remember?” Kate’s voice swelled and cracked. Her brows pulled in and I wasn’t sure if she was going to smile or burst into tears.
“I remember.” And then, he leaned in and kissed her slowly and passionately, only giving me enough to know everything I did was worth it. Fighting with Danielle, befriending Kate, even losing Desiree. It was worth it to see the love in his gaze, how she, in an instant, became his entire world.
Ignoring the looming threats I hurried to Wolf’s side. His arms swept around me, pulling me in so tight, I winced from the pain in my ribs, but I didn’t care. Large hands cupped my face and he kissed me as if we were both about to die. Exhaling, his forehead pressed against mine. “You’re pretty bad ass. Has anyone ever told you that?” His voice was tight and strained.
I nodded. “Once or twice.”
“No!” Danielle’s scream sent shivers down my spine. She stomped toward Kate and James, grabbed Kate by her hair and dragged her away like a doll. I ran for Kate but Wolf stopped me. “You can’t love her, that’s not how the story ends!”
“That’s how my story ends!” James’ face reddened as he got to his feet and in Danielle’s face. “You have no right to mess with my mind. It’s my own. And to manipulate my thoughts using dark magic is unforgiveable. Once the council hears about this, you’re gone.”
Tears swarmed Danielle’s eyes. “I did it to save us. To save our story. So you and I could live happily ever after. We are the story everyone wishes for.”
“They wish for it because they are blind to the truth.” James snorted. “I am, and always will, be in love with Kate. No force of evil could stop me from loving her. Understand?”
I smiled. Go James. A part of me wished I could fist pump him for standing up to bitchzilla. Wolf tightened his fingers around mine.
“You will be mine and I will be queen!” Danielle screamed.
“Or what? You’ll go back to a life of scrubbing floors?” I asked.
She and I had a staring contest. I dared her to mess with me now that all her people were knocked out.
The doors to the castle burst open and Madrina barreled outside with four guards. “Arrest them all!” Wolf positioned his body in front of mine. Panic rose within. Great. There was no safety net. No way out. In a matter of minutes, I’d be back where I was before.
“Actually, I have different plans,” a voice said from behind Madrina.
A woman with sleek chestnut hair and skin smooth and creamy, like a porcelain doll, stepped outside. Her long black gown touched the ground, and she held herself tall and proud like a queen. Madrina fell to the ground, bowing her head graciously.
“Guards, please take Danielle and her fairy godmother into custody,” the woman said. “Council’s orders.”
“What?” Danielle shrieked, backing away as the guards advanced toward her. “No. You can’t do that! I was just trying to keep my story sacred. It’s her fault. Arrest her. She’s the one you want.” Danielle pointed at me. “She came here and ruined everything.” Danielle froze, her pale eyes caught mine. “You ruined everything. You ruined everything. You. Ruined. Everything.”
My throat tensed as I broke away from Wolf and hobbled toward Danielle.
“No, I didn’t. You did. You screwed yourself.”
And like a flash of lightning in the sky, Danielle pulled a pistol from her boot and shot me, twice. I staggered backward, staring in disgust and confusion.
She cheated.
Guns weren’t part of the plan.
My body ached worse than if I’d been in a stampede. Not worse per se, but still, waking up in a hospital bed hooked up to all kinds of machines pretty much blew. At least I was alive, breathing, walking. I had the same nurse as before.
“We’re going to release you today,” the nurse said. For the life of me I couldn’t remember her name. “The council has arranged for you to have private care in the school, so a nurse will visit every few hours to make sure you’re resting.”
And not running around the school causing trouble, is what I knew she wanted to say. After a few days in the hospital, everyone knew Danielle had been “suspended” and Madrina was no longer the headmaster. At least that’s what Kate had said yesterday when she came to visit. Her injuries weren’t as bad as mine. Then again, she wasn’t shot in the shoulder, twice. Good thing princess bitch didn’t know how to aim a gun. After all, there was no class for target practice.
According to Kate, the new headmaster was a ma
n and a member of the council. I wondered how different the school would be without the guidance of an evil fairy godmother.
“You have a visitor,” the nurse said. She bowed, and the same woman from the other night entered. Like then, her hair was straight along her back and she wore a tight-in-the-bodice black dress.
The nurse shut the door behind her as she left. The woman stood as straight as an arrow, her attention lingering on the machines. Finally, after what felt like minutes, she greeted me beside the bed.
“When I heard of your arrival to the school, I hoped to meet you. Not under such harsh circumstances of course. Nevertheless, I’m not as impressed as I thought I’d be.”
What the hell did that mean? “Who are you?”
She rolled her shoulders back, there was something haunting and familiar about her face, but I couldn’t place it. “My name is Nyssah. I am a member of the council, and someone who has taken a particular interest in your case.”
The name stood out immediately. She was the leader. The one some people considered the queen.
My nose wrinkled. She made it sound so weird. “Why me?”
“There are many interested in knowing the girl who took ‘Cinderella’ down, though my reasons are personal.” A grim smile twisted her dark, painted lips. “We arranged transportation back to the school. The papers are being filed as we speak. As for the truth, we’d appreciate if you and your friends kept it to yourselves. We don’t need the school knowing you turned people into mice and pumpkins and killed a fellow student. That would severely damage our reputation as enforcers of the rules.”
She strode to the end of the bed and stared out the window. A blanket of snow covered the garden, masking any imperfections. “There’s still the issue of your classification. After the last snow fall, you will have your hearing and a fate will be decided. Until then, I’d appreciate if you kept a low profile. I believe a suspension and death should pleasure your troubled appetite for a few months, aye?”
“And when the quill denies me, what will you do then?” I asked.
Nyssah smiled coldly and held herself tall, and again something rang familiar about her. “Don’t worry, Norah, you will be classified. I’d bet my life on it.”
The door rattled shut behind her and chills ran up my arm. A hearing. They were still going to try and classify me despite the quill’s inability to do so. The merman popped into my mind, reminding me of the fate he foresaw. None of which I wanted. Not. One. Bit. The idea of the council “interested” in me was a bit frightening too. If they deemed me a princess I had a sinking feeling they’d do everything in their power to tear Wolf and I apart.
One of the nurses took me to the castle in a carriage. Kate waited outside, bursting with joy as I limped down the three small steps. Her long blonde locks were shinier than ever, so was her smile. Like the version of a girl I always knew existed.
We walked through the castle toward my dorm. Everyone was out in the halls watching me, whispering as I passed by. But this time was different. I didn’t get the same vibe as the whole sex rumor but something more powerful, something that created a shift.
It wasn’t until I walked past the lunch room that I noticed the change. People sat at different tables, mingling with those outside their cliques. Sure there were some, like Finn, Pearl, Jen, Al, Claire, and other royals who stuck to their kind, but for the most part, the segregation had ended. Pirates and Heroes swapped stories. Fairies flirted with Sidekicks. People were happy and laughing.
“It’s amazing what happens when Danielle isn’t in charge,” Kate said.
“You think I did this?”
Kate shrugged. “You’re dating a villain, I’m dating a prince. The school doesn’t know why Danielle is missing, but you can believe they are digging the idea of change.”
There it was again, change caused by yours truly.
Finally we reached my room. The nurse instructed me to call her if I had any pains or problems.
“I never got a chance to thank you for what you did,” Kate said. “You really are the greatest friend a girl could ask for.”
“You too.” I smiled.
Kate didn’t stay long. After she disappeared, I sat in bed and stared at the ceiling, wondering what my next move should be. Warning flags went off in my mind remembering what Nyssah said. The council was interested in the girl who took down Cinderella and her wicked fairy godmother.
Life seemed like one big blurry mess. Pains shot down my shoulder when I sat forward and riffled through my box to find the letter from my mom. The words were like a broken record, one that matched the words of so many others. The one who brings change, and not when it came to light bulbs, though I still had hope for that.
Danielle was gone, people were mingling with other people and the council had noticed. And Nyssah said her reasons were personal. What could be personal between us? I’d never met the woman.
A knock jolted me. The door creaked open and Wolf entered, a wide, wolfish grin plastered over his face. I let out the breath I didn’t realize I held and smiled back. Warmth surged through me just at the sight of him.
“They said you were back. I had to see it to believe it.”
I pursed my lips and frowned. “What else did they say?”
Wolf sat beside me on the bed, gentle not to hurt me as he traced the bandage over my arm. The smallest touch made my heart surge.
“They didn’t say you were sexy.” He leaned over, closing the space between us. His lips hovered above mine. “Or irresistible.”
I giggled despite myself. “And you think I am?”
“Hell yes,” he laughed. “I still can’t believe you broke the curse on James and restored his memory.”
Yes. How had I forgotten to ask about that? “What happened exactly, you know with the curse, how’d it break?”
“All the magic Desiree cast died with her, thus ending the spell on James. He remembers it all too—the spell being cast, his time with Danielle, everything. It’s still hazy, but he’s working through it.”
I sat back, pleased that Kate was finally happy after years of exile and aching over a lost love. It seemed all I ever needed was Wolf and Kate. The two people I loved and cherished more than anyone. The two people who’d risked their lives for me.
Wolf reached forward and twisted a lock of my hair with his finger. “When she shot you, I almost killed her. I thought I lost you.”
“I know.” I nodded. “But you didn’t. I’m still here.”
He lifted his head and stared at me, seeing through me and into my soul as he always had. I ran my hand over his face, rubbing the tip of my fingers in his scruffy facial hair. His eyes shut and he moaned softly.
“I can’t lose you,” he murmured. “Now that I have you, I just…I can’t. But I also can’t ignore the nagging feeling in my chest that says something horrible is about to happen.”
My throat tightened, because despite being alive, despite everything that happened, the feeling was mutual. “I know,” I whispered. “But we can’t worry about the future. All we can do is be in the present. Together.”
“You’re right.” He brushed the hair from my eyes and smiled, his eyes crinkled in a way I adored. “I love you, little princess.”
“I love you too, Wolf boy.”
Our lips molded together, igniting a desire within me I hadn’t felt in days. Ignoring the pain, I rested my elbows on Wolf’s shoulder and deepened the kiss. The future didn’t matter, I told myself, as we lay back on the bed, kissing and memorizing every inch of each other. One day I’d run away from here or maybe, I had nothing to worry about. The council noticed me. No big deal. Nothing was impossible. Change happened every day.
Our bodies tangled together, binding us like the pages of a book, like our own story being written. Because real stories? They didn’t end. Real life continued forever, as we would.
Acknowledgements
First, I want to thank my husband, who never once lost faith in me. Who let me run
off at random hours of the day/night to write and never complained—well, mostly never. When everyone called me crazy and doubted me, you stood proudly by my side. You are my real life Prince Charming and the love of my life. You make me sure that true love will always prevail.
To my mother, Joanne, who has supported me, even when it means marching to the beat of a different drum. Thank you for hugging me when I’m down and wiping tears when I cried. You are an angel in disguise and I am positive I don’t deserve you, but I am so glad I get to keep you anyway. Lastly, thank you taking time out of your busy and nonexistent days off to babysit while I write. I love you so very much.
To my son, Mason, for giving me more joy than I ever thought possible. You are my sunshine.
To Jill DiFrancesco, Amber Buss, Jessie Hettinger, and Sarah Findley for reading this book a million and one times and cheering me on along the way. For falling in love with these characters the way I had, and never letting me lose sight of my dream. Without your support, I don’t know where I’d be. You are one of the reasons this book is getting published. A special thanks to Jill, my brilliant cousin, who helped make this book really shine!
To Tamara Mataya for not only for your amazing, snarky comments, but for pushing me to be better, and for helping me to see flaws I couldn’t find myself. You’ve been a shoulder to lean on and I admire you so much, not only as a writer, but as a person and a great friend.
To my lovely “Mistresses” who helped me make Wolf the man he is today—Tristina Wright, Elizabeth Otto, Amber Tuscan-Clites, Carrie Bastyr, Tamara “Feaky” Mataya and H.e. Griffin. Thank you for being there with encouragement and support from beginning to end. I miss our group so much!
To WrAHMers– I’m not sure how I got so lucky to be a part of this elite group of fabulous women. You ladies have been there with words of encouragement, sexy memes and threats to take down whoever hurts us. Thank you, Gen, for creating such an extraordinary group with some of the best women I’ve ever “met”.
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