Dragon Games

by Stacia Deutsch

  Having finished her speech, Snow White leaned over to one of her bodyguard dwarves standing beneath the sculpture. “Get my merchandising team working on this.”

  When no one was looking at her, the Evil Queen quickly zapped the muddy puddle. She smiled as a frog, the real Rumpelstiltskin, levitated from the puddle and landed in her pocket.

  Time for a breaking-news story via MirrorCast.

  “And there you have it, subscrollers.” Blondie Lockes smiled for her audience. “Dragon Games are back! Hex yeah!”

  CHAPTER 9

  Snow and Apple got into the royal pumpkin stretch carriage. The instant the dwarf chauffeur closed the door, Apple blurted out, “A pardon? Why?”

  “Don’t fret, Applesauce!” Snow said. There were refreshments in the carriage. Next to a tower of pastries was a bowl of walnuts. She cracked one and ate it. “Why would anyone allow evil to roam free? That is, without a backup plan…”

  “Um, sure… I knew that.” Apple felt better knowing her mom had a plan.

  “I have a secret weapon: Behold the Booking Glass,” Snow told Apple. She held up an ornate mirror, the handle encrusted with jewels that doubled as buttons. “This has magic that can return the Evil Queen to the mirror prison forever after.” She glanced at her own reflection in the Booking Glass.

  Snow pressed one long, manicured finger on a ruby-red jewel, activating the magic mirror. It glowed around the rim with light magic.

  Snow pointed the mirror at the bowl of walnuts and commanded, “Capture walnuts!”

  “Capturing walnuts,” Mirrie said with a series of beeps before it sucked the bowl of walnuts up and into the glass.

  “Fairy good, Mirrie! Technology is so hexciting these days.” Snow grinned at Apple. “So… if the Evil Queen is truly reformed—yeah, unlikely—my pardon makes me look just and pure.”

  Apple asked, “And if she is still evil?”

  “I’ll use this to recapture her.” Snow raised the mirror and looked at herself in the glass. “I’ll be a heroine! More glory for me. It’s a win-win, Apple strudel.”

  At the new dragon stables, Daring was making sure that his hair was perfect, that his teeth sparkled white, and that his eyes didn’t look too tired, while Holly and Poppy looked after the dragons. He stared in his handheld mirror. The jewels on the handle glittered in the daylight as he turned to the left to check his own profile image.

  Wham. One of the dragons he was training lost control during his first flight. His tail wildly smacked the mirror out of Daring’s hand. Daring rushed forward and cradled his precious mirror gently. The glass was cracked.

  Setting aside the broken mirror, Daring flipped back his perfect hair. He said, “Hey, little guy, that’s seven years’ bad luck—which I guess isn’t long in dragon years. Lucky for me, mirrors are cheap, and I buy in bulk.” He grabbed a new one from his pack, leaving behind about ten more spares.

  They were all identical to Snow’s Booking Glass.…

  CHAPTER 10

  Raven was at her locker when Ashlynn asked her, “Are you going to join the team tomorrow?”

  “No,” Raven replied, grabbing her books for class. “My mother is up to something, Ashlynn. I just can’t believe that this isn’t part of some evil plan. I don’t want to get involved.”

  A few lockers down, Faybelle silently watched the exchange. Fluttering her wings, she rose from the ground and disappeared around the corner—the opposite way Raven was headed.

  The Dragon Games Center was not just amazing new stables and glittering stands; there was a gorgeous office center, too. The interior of the building was like a fancy skybox: Glass windows faced the field far below. Golden balls sat on racks against the wall. Whiteboards for the coaches showed x’s and o’s in complicated Dragon Games play patterns.

  Shelves were heavy with old trophies of various shapes and heights, and along the walls were faded pictures showing team photos of the past. Beyond the hall of memories were large columns supporting a viewing balcony. The center had everything a Dragon Games coach could ever want, and more.

  The Evil Queen settled into her office and arranged her desk to have a full view of the arena. She set a large glass jar on the shelf. Inside was the frog version of Professor Rumpelstiltskin. On another shelf was a small, stylized terrarium that held other creatures: newts, salamanders, spiders, snails.

  The queen was at her desk when Faybelle knocked on the door. “Enter if you dare.…” Raising her head slightly, the Evil Queen looked sternly at the newcomer. “Faybelle Thorn. To what do I owe the honor of a visit from the Dark Fairy’s daughter?”

  Faybelle fluttered forward. “You are, like, a legend! So wicked!” She spoke with a mix of genuine hero worship and fawning.

  “I’ve changed.… Didn’t you hear?” the queen assured her.

  Faybelle leaned in and studied the queen’s face. “Yeah, riiiight. Anyway. A girl could learn a lot from someone as intelligent, beautiful, smart, powerful…” She piled on the compliments.

  “Got it. What do you want? Spit it out. The truth.” With a zap from the Evil Queen’s finger, a spell touched Faybelle’s lips.

  Overcome by magic, she blurted out her story. “The truth: Nobody pays enough attention to me. I want popularity, power, and respect! I want to be like you!” She seemed surprised that she was saying all this. “Make me your Dragon Games captain. I was listening to Raven, and she said that there is no way she’s going to be on your team.”

  The queen put a hand over her heart. “Raven said that?”

  Faybelle nodded, then told the queen, “I would do anything—anything—to be like you.”

  “Anything? Hmm, okay, I believe you may be of use to me.” A quick wave of her hand, and Faybelle snapped out of the spell. The Evil Queen moved toward her shelf of critters. She tapped on the jar containing Frog Rumpelstiltskin, tipping the lid to allow his croaks to bust out.

  It took only a second for Faybelle to understand.

  “Let me share a bit of my dark magic with you. There are many teachers here who do not trust me,” the queen whispered. “Here is what you need to do.…” As she spoke, Faybelle’s eyes turned dark, and her lips curled into an evil grin.

  That evening, Raven went down to the stables with Nevermore. “Now, Nevermore, it’s time for you to sleep in the stables with the other dragons. Don’t worry. I’ll be back in the morning.”

  While getting Nevermore ready for sleep, Raven looked around the new space.

  Baby dragons, light and dark, were separated into two different sleeping areas. Holly, Poppy, and Briar were snoozing on cushiony piles of hay, completely passed out after an exhausting day. Dragons were scattered around them, sleeping in awkward poses, some snoring loudly.

  “A lot of hexcitement around here, huh, girl?” Raven asked her dragon. “Might be pretty strange for a while, you know, while my mom is here.” She rubbed Nevermore’s belly and scratched her neck.

  From the shadows behind a pillar, the Evil Queen made a magical gesture, causing Nevermore to yawn and immediately fall fast asleep. Raven yawned, too. She closed her eyes, muttering, “My mom never apologizes or is sweet. Who is that woman?” She could barely keep her eyes open. “So tired! Maybe I’ll just sleep out here with you tonight.” She looped an arm over Nevermore and relaxed into the hay.

  The shadow of the Evil Queen loomed over the stables. Her eyes gleamed in the darkness as she walked slowly toward the school.

  CHAPTER 11

  Raven was awoken by the call of a rooster. She stretched and sat up, only to discover it wasn’t really a rooster, but rather one of the baby dragons crowing. She reached out to the hay beside her. “Good morning, Nevermore.…” Her dragon wasn’t there. “Nevermore? Where are you?”

  Raven checked in the stable stall where Holly and Poppy kept the babies. Nevermore wasn’t there. “Nevermore!” Something was wrong.… She dashed out of the stables and into the school. “Nevermore?”

  Raven searched the library. “Neve
rmore? Here, dragon, dragon!” No dragon, but Raven was getting an idea of where to look. “Oh, I bet she has you!” she told herself.

  The Evil Step-Librarians gave her a warning. “Huuuuu-sshhhhhhhh!”

  Raven didn’t hang around. She hurried out of the library and didn’t see that, immediately after she left, Faybelle appeared from behind a bookshelf with an empty jar in one hand. She used the Evil Queen’s magic to turn the Evil Step-Librarians into snails and exchange them with real snails in librarian form.

  Faybelle smiled at the real Evil Step-Librarians through the glass before sealing the lid tightly and warning them, “Shhhhh.”

  At the Dragon Games Arena, Snow White stood next to the Evil Queen. In front of them was a line of students. Twin corrals, to the left and right of the bleachers, contained all the young dragons. Dark dragons were on one side and light dragons on the other. Some babies were sleeping; others were playing. None of them were ready to fly, but a few were fluttering around, desperately trying.

  “First will be the choosing of the two teams and captains,” Headmaster Milton Grimm announced to the gathered students. “Following that, since your dragons are not fledged—”

  “It will be many a patient month before they are full-sized,” his brother Giles interrupted.

  “Ah yes, months,” Milton echoed what his brother was saying. “Today you will merely walk your young dragons through their paces.”

  The students were disappointed.

  Giles told them, “But no fear! The Evil Queen will today offer a master-class demonstration of dragon riding.”

  Before turning over the microphone to the Evil Queen, Milton warned, “Now, this can be a very dangerous sport, and it is of vital importance that you understand and follow all the rules.”

  Most of the students nodded in agreement. In the last row of the bleachers, Faybelle Thorn booed.

  Giles held up a coin, black on one side and white on the other. He flipped it without seeing the purple spark that hit the coin before it reached the ground.

  “Dark wins,” he said. “Your Majesty, you may choose first.”

  The Evil Queen grinned. “I choose Apple White as my dark captain.”

  “What?” Apple protested. “But I should be on Team Light, my mom’s team.…”

  “I object!” Snow moved quickly in from the side of the light dragon sculpture. From behind her back, she began to pull out the Booking Glass mirror.

  The Evil Queen said, “Oh, Snow, bending the rules? Tsk-tsk. We have not even begun to play the real game.”

  Snow hesitated, lowering the Booking Glass slightly.

  Feeling trapped and unsure what to do, Apple stood between the queens.

  “Apple, be a sport.” The Evil Queen reached out and took Apple’s hand. “Join the dark.” She lowered her voice and whispered, “Let me tell you a little story: When I was released from my mirror prison, I could only—”

  “No!” Apple shrieked, fearful that the Evil Queen was going to tell the secret of who had released her. She groaned sadly. “I mean, yes, I’ll be on your team.” Turning to her mom, Apple said, “It’s just a game, right? Let’s mix it up. Your turn, Mom!” With another groan, she stepped behind the Evil Queen and took her place on Team Dark.

  Snow reined in her emotions, smiling as she said, “I choose Darling Charming as captain of the Light Team.”

  Milton Grimm then announced, “Captains, choose your teams! You may each select three players.”

  Apple considered the options. “I choose…” She paused. The Evil Queen told her whom to pick. “Ashlynn Ella, Melody Piper, and Madeline Hatter,” Apple said loudly.

  Maddie wasn’t in the stands. She was with her cotton-candy-blowing dragon in the corral. The dragon blew pink cotton candy onto Maddie’s head, making a fancy bouffant wig. Maddie adjusted it, then said, “Ready!”

  As the Dark Team gathered, the Evil Queen called Faybelle over and gave her instructions. Faybelle nodded, flying up toward the school tower.

  Darling selected Team Light. “I choose Poppy O’Hair, Holly O’Hair, and Raven Queen.”

  The crowd gasped, then cheered. Raven walked up the stairs, where she could easily see down into the dragon corrals. Her eyes scanned for Nevermore. Where was she?

  Raven told Darling, “Whoa. I’m not here to join up.” She pinned her eyes on her mother. “Mom, did you take Nevermore?”

  “She is fine.” The Evil Queen glanced up at the tower above the school before telling Raven, “Mummy has taken care of everything. Now, we have one more pick.”

  “If not Raven… Lizzie Hearts,” Darling said.

  Over the shouts from the crowd, Raven demanded, “Mom! Where is Nevermore?”

  The Evil Queen gave Raven an evil smile and said, “Dragons are meant to be ridden.”

  In the highest turret above the school, Nevermore was chained to the railing. She roared, thrashed, and pulled at the chains, desperate to escape.

  The noise brought attention from the stands.

  Raven looked at her dragon, then glared at her mom. “What the hex?”

  In the tower, Faybelle saddled Nevermore and climbed on, just as she’d been told.

  The instant she removed the chains, the dragon took off, dragging Faybelle through the air. She could barely hold on. They zigged and zagged above the bleachers as Nevermore tried to toss off Faybelle and return to Raven.

  “Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!” Faybelle screamed.

  The Evil Queen acted as if this was all quite boring.

  The queen did a presto chango, revealing riding pants underneath her dress. It was a fabulous moment, and the queen took in the applause as she leaped into Nevermore’s saddle. Before taking off, she told Faybelle, “This is all a distraction. Fetch me Snow’s magic mirror. I need that Booking Glass!”

  “Right! Spella good idea!” Faybelle said.

  “Hyah!” The Evil Queen gave Nevermore a kick, and the dragon rose into the air. She did a few tricks, a spiral, and a loop to rally the crowd.

  Snow White was annoyed, but she used the opportunity. She spoke into the microphone, her voice booming through the arena. “Ahem. Focus! Students, Dragon Games are very beautiful and very fun, but they can also be very dangerous. Let’s fly through the rules.” She enjoyed a good pun.

  “The game is played in two periods.” The Evil Queen soared by the hourglasses by each dragon statue on Nevermore, pointing out where to look while Snow said, “As you can see, the hourglasses keep the time. The Dark and Light Teams will take turns attempting to score.”

  The big screen at one end of the arena lit up and showed old videos of the game.

  Snow White went on. “There are three players on the field for each team. Six dragon riders total. Each team has one defensive player, one offensive. The third teammate can travel anywhere on the field but cannot score. The ball is lobbed into play, and the dragon rider must catch the ball and fly it through a hooped goalpost to score.”

  The Evil Queen zoomed from a light goal hoop on one side to a dark one on the other.

  “The goalposts normally would be high in the air, but because these dragons are just hatchlings, they’ve been lowered to ground level.” That was it. “Any questions?”

  All future riders raised their hands.

  Snow pointed at Poppy first. “If you’re playing the fore-wand position, can you pass the orb to your swooper?”

  Holly jumped in with, “Can you score on both nesters or only the opposing team’s?”

  The Evil Queen flew down near Snow. She winked and said, “Perhaps it would be clearer if you joined me?”

  Snow turned to face the crowd, offering a small smile and mild protest. “Now? Oh, I couldn’t. It’s been ages.” She pretended to resist for a beat while the crowd called her name, louder and louder, until finally she gave in. “Well, if you insist. Got to give the people what they want!”

  Snow pulled off her outer skirt, revealing her own dragon-riding gear. A loud whistle summoned Le
gend to her. She flew into the arena. No one was surprised to see her wearing a saddle.

  Blondie Lockes was immediately on the air, reporting the news.

  “Ooh, this is fairy hexciting! Dragon Games are happening, people! Spread the word.…”

  CHAPTER 12

  Launchers set up giant, holographic gemstone curtains into the air. Among the diamonds was a ruby, worth many more points. The goal was to touch a golden ball to the gems and change the ball’s value. Points were only given when that golden ball made it through the goalpost hoops at either side of the majestic arena.

  A whistle blew and the golden ball shot up over the arena.

  The two queens raced for it.

  Snow maneuvered early and caught the ball first. She was flying toward the glowing ruby when she was sidechecked by the Evil Queen. The ball was knocked out of her hands and fell toward the ground.

  Both riders zoomed in, and the Evil Queen caught it on a rebound. She spun Nevermore around and headed back toward the opposite goal.

  Snow blocked her. “You’ve kept fit in mirror prison,” she said. “I’m impressed.”

  The Evil Queen moved left, then right. “It’s nice to see you on a dragon for once, instead of your high horse.”

  The pair zoomed past the crowd. Students filmed the air show on their MirrorPhones and MirrorPads.

  Faybelle sneaked up behind the dwarf standing guard over Snow White’s purse. He was distracted, looking up at the game. She started to pickpocket the Booking Glass from the slightly open bag, but she was interrupted by Daring Charming. Acting innocent, she sat abruptly on the bench next to Snow’s purse.

  Daring put his backpack down and joined her. The two bags were side by side on the ground, sitting between Daring and Faybelle.