For a moment there was complete silence, and then, a broad, boyish grin sprang to Charming's face. The crowd burst into nervous laughter.
Suddenly, a woman pushed through the crowd. Her face was white with powder, as was the long wig she wore on her head. She had used a black pencil to accentuate her eyebrows and lips, and had drawn a large black mole on her left cheek. She wore a royal gown, decorated with large red hearts, and next to her stood two armed guards who, much to the girls' amazement, were playing cards.
"Prince, what are you doing about the giant?" the woman demanded.
The crowd grew silent but Charming merely smiled at her.
"Your majesty, it is such an honor to have the Queen of Hearts here at the gala," he said.
"You haven't answered my question," the queen snapped, eyeing the crowd to make sure all were paying attention. "I think the community deserves to know what you are doing to protect this town and if the money we give each year at this party of yours is well spent."
"Every Everafter can rest assured that my administration is on top of the problem," the prince said. "The sheriff and his deputies have been searching the forests and I have my best witches busy casting locator spells. And if that doesn't work, well, I'll just go lock up the next two-hundred-foot man I see."
The crowd chuckled at his joke.
"That's all fine and good, Charming," the queen replied. "But one must ask how a giant got loose in the first place. This kind of thing would never have happened in Wonderland. When I was ruler, people knew better than to try such shenanigans. You have to be firm with the criminal element."
Some of the crowd muttered in agreement, but Charming only smiled wider.
"Well, Queen, let's not go losing our heads over this," he said. The crowd roared with laughter, causing the Queen of Hearts to turn red with rage. "It's just one giant, and . . ."
"I've heard a rumor that you are actually controlling this giant," Sabrina said, hardly believing the words came from her mouth.
"Momma Bear, I never pegged you for a gossip," the prince replied. "Did this nasty little rumor you heard carry more information? For instance, why I would want a giant smashing up the town?"
"So you could buy the land back cheap and rebuild your kingdom," Sabrina replied.
Charming's face turned pale. "Nonsense," he muttered.
"What if the Grimms hear of this?" said the Queen of Hearts.
"Relda is already aware of it. The giant has carried her off," the prince informed her.
The crowd roared in shock.
"Relda Grimm is in the hands of a giant?" the queen cried.
"As is Mr. Canis," Charming added.
The crowd was silent and then a spattering of applause broke out. Many of the Everafters shook hands and patted one another on the back, while others looked worried and upset.
"Canis will finally get what's coming to him," a troll cheered.
"Take that back!" Daphne screamed. Sabrina tried to pinch her to be quiet, but her paws slid off her sister's tin body.
"People, unfortunately, this celebration is turning into a town hall meeting," Charming called above the noise. "If you have any further concerns I want you to know that my door is always open . . . between the hours of eight and eight fifteen every morning. Please call for an appointment. For now, let's dance, drink, be merry, and most of all, be ourselves, free of the disguises we all wear to fit into this pathetic, boring little town. The night is young, and by the grace of magic, so are we."
Charming's words were followed by another lively tune from the violinists and the festive mood soon returned.
The girls mingled in the crowd, barely able to contain themselves whenever they heard angry, threatening words about their family from the mouths of characters they had grown up loving. It seemed that the only topic of conversation tonight was how wonderful the world would be if the Grimm family dropped off the face of the Earth. When the clock struck 8:45, both girls had heard enough. It was high time they made their move.
"I have to get upstairs," Sabrina said to Daphne. "If we stick around here any longer we're going to change back, and these people will probably kill us. Find somewhere out of the way and warn me on the walkie-talkie if Charming is coming."
"Good luck," Daphne said, wrapping her hard metal arms around Sabrina and hugging her.
Sabrina navigated through the crowd. As she approached the steps, she thought she'd finally found her opportunity. That was until Sheriff Hamstead stepped in her way.
"Young lady, you are under arrest," Hamstead said.
Sabrina wondered what she should do. She could probably knock the sheriff down with one swing of her big bear paw, but everyone would see. Running away didn't seem like an option, either.
"For being the prettiest lady at the ball," the sheriff continued.
"Uh, thank you," she stammered, somewhat confused.
"Wonderful party, don't you think?" said Hamstead as he transformed to his true pig self.
"Yes," she said. "Could you excuse me? I have to visit the ladies' room."
Hamstead apologized and let her pass. Sabrina lumbered up the stairs until she reached the top. She walked past the violinists and down a long hallway. Once she was out of sight of the crowd, she made sure no one was following, then reached into her purse and pulled out the walkie-talkie, awkwardly switching it on with her big paws.
"Jack, I'm upstairs," she said.
"Good job, duck. His office is the last one—" Jack said, his voice popping and crackling.
"I can barely hear you. Say again," Sabrina said.
"It's the last one on the right!" Jack repeated, still sounding distant.
Sabrina walked down the hallway. When she got to the end, she found the door Jack had spoken of. She opened it, and standing before her was another seven-foot grizzly bear ready to pounce. Sabrina screamed, but the bear did nothing. In fact, it didn't even twitch. Sabrina realized it was stuffed.
The room was dedicated to Prince Charming's hunting trophies. Several mounted deer heads, a stuffed fox, and a wild boar overlooked Charming's immense desk. A rattlesnake sat on top of it, poised and ready to strike. What portions of the walls weren't covered in dead animals were hung with portraits of the prince done in various artistic styles. There was even an abstract portrait in which his nose was on his forehead.
"Creepy," Sabrina whispered to herself. She reached for her walkie-talkie and pushed the button again. "I'm in."
"The coast is clear down here," Daphne’s voice said. "Charming is busy talking to a raccoon in a tuxedo. That's so crazy!"
"Look for a map or something like that," Jack's voice squawked through the box. "Charming keeps records of everything."
Dozens of files and reports littered the top of the mayors desk, including an unfolded map of the town. Someone had circled areas in red and written "reported sightings" next to them.
"Jack, are you there?" Sabrina said into the walkie-talkie.
"Yes," his voice crackled.
"I found a map with some circles on it, but there's nothing that says the exact time or location of a meeting. In fact, to me it looks like Charming's trying to track the giant as well."
"I doubt it. . . that. . . homes . . . too." Jack's voice broke up.
"Jack, I can't hear you. Try to get closer," Sabrina said, but there was no response.
"Daphne, I've lost Jack somehow. I'm going to take the map. What is Charming doing?" Sabrina asked.
But there was no response from her sister, either. Sabrina looked around the room. In the corner was a television. Hooked to the back by wires was a video camera, and on the television's screen was a frozen image of the Applebee farm. Sabrina crossed the room and found the remote control. She picked it up awkwardly and after several difficult seconds managed to get her giant paw to press the Play button.
The screen came to life with the most amazing scene. A giant beanstalk was exploding upward from the ground, soaring high into the sky and disappearing off the
top edge of the TV. Within seconds, an enormous body came crawling down it and the sight sent shivers through Sabrina. It was the giant she had met the day before. It stomped down on the little Applebee farmhouse just as Mr. Applebee leaped out the door. Granny had been right. The lens cap did mean someone—Charming— had taped the whole violent episode!
"Daphne, I found a tape in Charming's office that shows the giant destroying the farmhouse. Now we have proof that he and the giant are working together," Sabrina said.
But before she could finish her sentence, the door burst open and the Tin Woodsman was pushed inside. Behind her was Charming, looking murderous. He slammed the door and took a crossbow from the wall, where it was hanging like a piece of art.
"I'm sorry," Daphne apologized. "He snuck up on me before I could warn you."
"Who are you?" he demanded.
"I'm Momma Bear," Sabrina lied.
"Is that so?" Charming sneered. "That would be interesting, since it's almost December and you should be three weeks into your hibernation by now."
"I didn't want to miss such a lovely party," Sabrina stammered.
Next to the door sat a quill of arrows. Charming selected one, inserted it in the crossbow, and pulled the bowstring back. Then he aimed it at Sabrina's heart.
"I'm going to give you until the count of five to tell me who you are or your head is going to join the others on my wall," he threatened coolly.
Chapter 10
'm not playing any more games with you people," Charming said. "I've told you already I'm not interested in joining the Scarlet Hand. Your revolution is not for me."
"We don't know what you're talking about," Daphne cried.
"One," Charming began counting.
Sabrina looked over at the clock. There were only seconds left before the magic would wear off, but more than the five Charming had promised them.
"We're Relda Grimm's granddaughters," she blurted out desperately.
“Two.”
"We used a magic wand to change our shape so we could sneak into your house," Daphne cried. Oily tears leaked from her eyes.
“Three.
"We're not part of any revolution!" Sabrina begged. "We just want our grandmother back!"
“Four.”
"We're not lying to you!" Daphne sobbed.
“Five.”
Sabrina closed her eyes tightly and awaited her death, wondering if she would be stuffed like the other bear in Charming's office or if her body would change back after her heart had stopped beating. But when nothing happened, after a few more moments, Sabrina bravely opened her eyes. She and her sister had magically transformed back into their normal states. The only evidence of their disguises was the oily smears on Daphne's cheeks.
"Ladies, I could toss you into jail and throw away the key for what you've done," Charming said, removing the arrow from his crossbow. "You've used a magical item to help a known criminal escape from jail, infiltrated an Everafters party without an invitation, impersonated Everafters, committed espionage against a government official, broken into my home, put the Ferryport Landing Ball in serious jeopardy, and ruined two pairs of Sheriff Hamstead's pants."
"We didn't ruin your stupid party," Sabrina argued.
"If that crowd downstairs sees the two of you here, the top of this house will fly off," Charming replied. "The only way we're going to prevent a mob is to have Hamstead toss you in some old sacks and carry you out the servants' entrance. He can take you down to the jailhouse and let you cool off in a cell."
Sabrina lunged for the video camera. The wires came with it and the image of the giant faded from the television screen.
"We're not going anywhere without our grandmother and Mr. Canis," Sabrina said. "This tape is all the evidence we'll need. How do you think those people downstairs are going to feel knowing you intend to buy up this town and smash anyone that gets in your way?"
Sabrina expected Charming to fight for the tape, but instead he only laughed.
"You are just like your parents." Charming chuckled. "Henry was always shooting his mouth off before his brain could catch up and Veronica was the suspicious one. What an unsettling combination you are."
Suddenly, something moved in the window. Sabrina turned her head, but nothing was there. "Did you see that?"
"See what?" Charming asked as a giant, puss-filled eye peered into the house.
"ENGLISHMAN!" a booming voice growled, shaking the windows in their frames.
"That!" the girls shouted.
Charming calmly picked up the phone on his desk and dialed a number. "Mr. Seven, are you aware that there is a giant outside?" he said into the receiver, as if he were informing a waiter that there was a hair in his soup. "Oh, you didn't know. Well, now you do . . . No, this isn't some kind of emergency drill . . . Well, I agree, we should do something about it before the guests panic. Maybe you should send the witches out to put a protection spell on the house . . . Well, of course it's a good idea!"
Charming slammed the phone down, crossed the room, and dragged both girls roughly out of the office and down the hall.
"Where are you taking us?" Sabrina demanded.
"Keep your heads down and don't say a word," the prince sneered. "I'm taking you outside."
An acidy fear rose up in Sabrina's throat as they stumbled out of his office and into the second-floor hallway. "You can't take us out there with that thing!" Sabrina cried, pulling at Charming's vise-like grasp.
"You wanted to find your grandmother. Well, her ride just showed up," he said.
"HELP!" Sabrina cried as they turned a corner and headed down a long hall toward the back of the house. Daphne took her sister's cue and called for help as well, causing many of the guests to look up and see what was happening.
"Those are the Grimm children!" an orangutan shouted angrily.
"No need to let it ruin your evening," said Charming, with his toothy smile. "I have the situation under control."
"They're spying on us!" the Queen of Hearts gasped. "Off with their ..."
"They aren't spies, my friends," the prince said as he changed course and pulled the girls down the stairs with him into the angry crowd. "Please, go back to the celebration."
But before he could get the words out of his mouth a horrible crunching sound filled the room. The partygoers looked to the ceiling, only to see it ripped away right before their eyes. Pieces of plaster fell down around everyone and a collective scream erupted among the Everafters.
"The sky is falling! The sky is falling!" a chicken cried as it raced for the door, only to get caught in a stampede of terror when the hole in the roof was replaced by the giant's horrible, gnarled face, breathing its rancid, rotten-egg breath down on the crowd.
The Queen of Hearts ran to a nearby window, threw open the curtains, and tried to climb out. Her playing card attendants rushed over in time to catch her from falling over. The rest of the crowd ran in all directions, and the panic gave Sabrina and Daphne a chance to break Charming's grip. They rushed into the crowd and ducked between legs and feathers as all sorts of unusual creatures rushed around them.
"Where is the murderer?" the giant bellowed.
"He's not here, big boy. The murderer is not here," Charming shouted as he turned to face the monster.
"Liars! You protect him," the giant growled. "I smell his murderous blood. He released me only in hopes of killing me but my fate will not be like that of my brothers and sisters. He is here and I will have him."
Charming looked up the staircase to the violinists, who were scattered in fear. "I didn't tell you to stop playing," he said, snapping his fingers at them. Bewildered, the musicians went back to their overturned chairs, set them upright, and began playing music as if a giant wasn't staring down at them.
"Fe, fi, fo, fum, I smell the blood of an . . ."
"I think we've all had enough of your temper tantrum," Charming interrupted. Suddenly, three figures fluttered into the air and hovered around the giant's head. One of the
m was an ugly old woman darting through the air on a broom; the second was a strikingly exotic beauty dressed all in black, who levitated off the ground; and the third was a blond lady inside a silver bubble. As she floated by, Sabrina recognized her as Glinda from the hospital. All three had magic wands that they waved threateningly at the giant. The monster swatted at the witches, but they weaved and bobbed out of the way of his massive hand. The ugly witch waved her wand and a rocket of flame shot out of it and exploded on the giant's chest, searing his shirt and causing him to scream in agony.
"Stop!" Daphne cried. "Our family is in his pocket!" The little girl broke away from her sister and ran outside. Sabrina, followed by Charming, rushed after her.
The witches had flown out of the hole in the roof and now continued their assault.
"Leave while you can, Giant!" Charming shouted.
The second witch raised her wand and a stream of lightning fired out of it, hitting the giant in his face. The giant roared with pain and raised his hands to block the bolt. A charred, black smear was added to the other ugly features on his grizzled face.
Glinda waved her wand and a spray of ice froze the giant's backside and continued to cover the rest of his body. Within seconds, the massive man was encased in an ice tomb, but soon cracks appeared and, with flexing muscles and a powerful roar, the giant broke free. Enormous chunks of ice rained down on the parking lot, flattening an unlucky car.
The doors of the mansion were thrown wide and a dozen men rushed out past the girls. Each was in a purple tunic embroidered with a red lion on the chest. Swinging their swords wildly in the air, they roared a war cry as they rushed toward the giant. At the front of the attack was a man Sabrina instinctively knew to be King Arthur. The knights charged the giant's feet, and together they whacked angrily at an exposed big toe. The giant roared at the assault and stomped his feet angrily, trying to squash his attackers. Each of the men was lightning quick and dodged the giant's blows, managing to strike at his exposed ankle in the process. Shrieking in pain, the giant quickly turned and fled.
The Fairy-Tale Detectives (The Sisters Grimm, Book 1) Page 15
