Electricity filled the Evil Queen’s palm and morphed the apple into a fresh Red Delicious, shiny and crisp.
Apple looked at it fearfully. “But I can’t choose my enchanted sleep… can I? It has to be Raven who gives me the poisoned apple!”
The Evil Queen shrugged. “If it leads to the happy ending you want, what does it matter how you get there? Think of this as my parting gift. Take it or leave it. But you are leaving my school.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Apple protested, refusing the apple.
“Your usefulness has ended! Consider yourself hexpelled.” With a blast of magic, the Evil Queen tossed Apple out the window. Apple fell a story, but then her ankle caught on Jillian’s dangling beanstalk vine.
“Whoaaaaa! Oof! Ugh! Whew! I’m okay!”
Apple used them like climbing ropes and began her descent.
From the principal’s office window, Faybelle watched Apple descend the stalk. “You hexpelled Apple right out the window? She could’ve been applesauce!”
“Nothing happens by accident in my domain. Don’t you know that yet? I made the vines catch her,” the queen explained. “Apple just needed a push to go find my daughter.”
“Oh, very impressive, Your Rottenness. How can I help?” Faybelle asked.
“You follow her, you foolish fairy!” The queen pointed at the large, thick trees. “Report back to me. She will lead us to Raven’s hideout, and then we will capture her.”
“Aaaah. And what about Apple?” Faybelle turned to the queen.
“Here, take this.…” The Evil Queen reached into her satchel and handed Faybelle the poisoned apple. She arched that one high brow. “End of story.”
Apple dropped from the beanstalk and ran toward the stables, where she found her dragon tied to a post. She untied him and gave him a huge hug. After she put on her armor, she said, “Time to turn the page. I’ve got to find Raven, apologize, and get her to help me reimprison the Evil Queen. Talk about a twist! Hi-yah!”
Apple’s dragon took off low through the stables, past the dark dragons in their pens and into the sky—flying away toward the Enchanted Forest. She swooped over Faybelle’s head, not noticing her there.
Faybelle flew after Apple—flapping her fairy wings furiously. She was breathing hard. “I knew I should’ve taken a dragon.”
CHAPTER 18
Apple searched the Enchanted Forest, uncertain where to find her friends. Luckily, the pixies found her. They motioned for Apple to follow them.
“Well, that seems like a sign.…” Apple said.
As the pixies led Apple deeper into the woods, Faybelle began to follow, flitting from tree to tree. “Ugh, pixies,” she muttered. “Wannabe fairies!”
Faybelle nearly got caught a few times, but managed to stay hidden. She watched as Apple disappeared behind a sparkling waterfall and entered the pixies’ hidden woodland village, where Raven and her friends were hiding.
It was time to call the queen.
The pixies’ village was amazing. There were doors carved into trees, balconies made of braided flowers and vines, hammock bunk beds, a stone fire pit, and in the center of it all—Raven.
Apple rushed forward. “I’m sorry. I was selfish.”
“Go on,” Raven said, curious.
“Your mom hasn’t changed,” Apple told her. “I had. And now I want to change again—for the better, for good. I’ve learned that a little White lie can lead to great evil. I know I can’t turn back the pages, but I believe we can all have our Happily Ever After. But…” Apple looked at Raven hopefully. “But not until we stop your mom.”
Apple showed Raven a picture on her MirrorPhone. There was the school, black, hovering above the earth, and covered with vines.
“And we will, my friend.” Raven agreed to help.
Faybelle called the Evil Queen on her MirrorPhone. “The Raven has landed. Repeat: The Raven has landed. Initiate Operation: Roasted Marshmallow.”
“Okay,” the Evil Queen said. “No need to speak in code. Plant the poisoned apple. I’ll send in the dark dragons.”
With an evil grin, Faybelle flitted into the pixies’ village.…
When it was dark, Nevermore blew fire to create a roaring campfire. The girls sat around it, their Dragon Games armor flickering in the light. The pixies served bowls of nuts, berries, and a platter of fruit.
“Thank you, Featherly.” Ashlynn told the others, “The pixies said if we plan to face the Evil Queen, we need to nourish ourselves.”
Faybelle took the poisoned apple from her bag and slipped it onto the tray of fruit that Harelow was serving.
All the girls started eating—except Apple and Raven.
Apple said, “This is going to be fairy, fairy dangerous. The Evil Queen has turned half our friends and all the staff into creatures! The place is, like, a mile high off the ground and surrounded by dark dragons!”
“Then we need our strength. Here—eat up.…” Raven tossed Apple the poisoned apple from the tray.
When Apple took a bite, it instantly turned black. She coughed and choked.
“Are you okay?” Poppy asked.
Holly gasped. “What kind of apple turns black?”
Raven knew immediately what had happened. “Where did that come from?” She leaped to her feet and whirled around, shouting into the dark while Apple fainted backward to the ground. Everyone rushed to help.
“Mother! I know you’re out there!” Raven shouted into the forest.
Faybelle watched as Raven knelt beside Apple. “Apple, stay awake. Do you hear me?”
Apple coughed, her eyelids grew heavy. She grabbed her throat, gasping for air.
“Can you understand what she’s saying?” Holly asked Ashlynn.
Ashlynn listened for a long moment. “She said how this fairytale ends is up to you now, Raven.”
Darling checked Apple’s pulse, then pulled Daring’s mirror from her pocket and put it close to Apple’s mouth.
“What the hex is that for?” Maddie asked. “Apple can’t check her hair when she’s—” She started crying.
“Quiet, please!” Darling said. “If there is fog on the mirror, it proves that she’s breathing.”
The forest went completely silent as Darling checked the mirror. It was fogged. And Apple began to snore.
“She’s breathing, all right,” Poppy said, relieved for the moment.
Suddenly, the sky was filled with dark dragons approaching, and at the front of the group, Faybelle was riding the largest one.
“Get Raven Queen!” Faybelle shrieked, pointing the way.
The pixies ran around in terror while the students leaped onto their dragons. Poppy’s and Holly’s sweet dragons were no match for the dark dragons. The girls got scratched and singed as the dark dragons pursued Raven.
Raven and Darling led the defense of the pixies’ village. Raven drove back the dark dragons with a huge wall of purple smoke. She cast a spell.
“Dark dragons that attack by night,
I cast you back till morning light!”
The dark dragons retreated. Faybelle was dragged back to the school by a frightened dragon. “No! Heel! What are you, dragons or chickens?” She shouted back over her shoulder, “We’re coming for you, Raveeeeeeeeennnn!”
When it was quiet again, the pixies handed Holly and Poppy leaves to help with the dragon burns. Ashlynn, Darling, and Raven looked down at Apple, who still snored.
“Do you think she’ll snore for years and years and years and years?” Maddie asked.
Raven shrugged sadly.
A rustle in the forest got her attention. Four dwarves came out of the leaves, carrying a glass coffin on their shoulders. They lowered the box beside Apple and opened the lid. Raven shot purple magic from her fingertips, and Apple levitated into the box, where she could rest comfortably.
Apple’s dragon sat at the foot of the box, to watch over her and keep her safe.
“Oh, I can’t bear to see Apple like this!” Ashlynn moa
ned.
“She’s not gone. She’s just waiting for her Happily Ever After,” Darling said.
“But it could be hundreds of years before she wakes up!” Holly worried.
“I wonder what she’s dreaming about!” Maddie asked. “I bet enchanted sleep dreams are wonderlandiful!”
“Where is Daring when we need him?” Poppy said.
“He’s the prince who has to save Apple with the awakening kiss!” Holly recounted the story.
“Where is Daring, indeed?” Maddie asked. “As they used to say back in Wonderland, ‘Curiouser and curiouser…’”
Darling fiddled with the handle on the Booking Glass. Her hair swept over the glass.
Inside the mirror, Daring was going crazy and hadn’t combed his hair in hours. Tilting his head, he heard the sounds of Darling fiddling with the handle.
“Hello?” he called. “Is someone there? Can you hear me? What’s happening? All I see is blond hair! Darling? Apple?”
In the pixies’ village, the friends each placed a flower on Apple’s chest, creating a bouquet in her hands. Apple snored loudly at them. When Darling added her flower, she was still holding the mirror—which faced Apple.
Daring saw Apple in the glass box. He dropped to his knees. “Apple!”
Raven set her flower in the bouquet. “You apologized to me, but I never got a chance to apologize to you.” She told Apple, “I brought all this evil to Ever After High. As soon as I realized I didn’t want to play my part, I should have run far away. Somewhere nobody has heard of the Evil Queen… or Snow White. Or even fairytales at all.”
Maddie said, “I don’t think there is such a place! Unless maybe wherever monsters come from or something. But who ever heard of a Monster High?” She laughed at the thought.
“Raven, you didn’t turn the school into a dark fortress of evil,” Darling told her.
“We understand, Raven.” Ashlynn came close. “We all know you don’t want to follow your mom’s story—and we support your choice.”
“Ashlynn is right,” Holly said. “No matter what.”
Raven was lost in thought. They all watched in silence as she formed a plan.
“I should’ve given in to my mother from chapter one. Maybe I could have led her to a land far, far away.…” Raven climbed onto Nevermore. “Maybe it’s not too late.”
Darling was nervous. She fidgeted with the mirror handle. It twisted in her hand. “No! Don’t do it, Raven,” she said. “There has to be a better way! Giving in to your mother won’t wake Apple. That’s what you want, isn’t it? To save our friend? Only the right kiss will set her free—Daring’s.”
The mirror beeped. Darling leaped back. “I think I heard you say ‘Free Daring.’”
“Who’s talking?” Darling looked around.
Maddie told her, “Your mirror.”
“Free Daring?” Darling echoed. She looked into the mirror.
“Okay, got it!” Mirrie replied. “Your wish is Mirrie’s command. Free Daring!”
The mirror let out a zap, and Daring popped out! He stood there, in front of his sister and her friends, with insane hair, sticking up at all angles.
“Daring, that’s where you’ve been!” Darling threw herself at him.
He pushed her away. “Don’t look at me! I was trapped without a hairbrush!”
“The mirror! That’s the Booking Glass!” Raven put it all together. “That’s it! The way to capture my mother!”
“Somebody should have told the Evil Queen shattering a mirror brings bad luck!” Darling said, filled with hope.
Raven and Darling gave each other high fives.
Brooke Page addressed the Female Narrator and the Male Narrator: “And so, Raven and her friends set out to battle the biggest drama queen ever after.… Will they be able to take back the school? Will Daring follow his destiny and wake Apple? So much pressure! At least they don’t have to study for hexams, too! I, for one, can’t wait to see what happens, next chapter.”
CHAPTER 19
The Male Narrator said, “Things were looking awfully Grimm for the students of Ever After High.”
The Female Narrator explained, “And the darkest chapter in Apple White’s story was being written. A cursed apple from the Evil Queen had poisoned her into forever-after sleep.”
Brooke Page said, “But you know what? It wasn’t quite time for Raven and her BFFAs to close the book and put it back on the shelf. Because Daring Charming had just jumped through—the Booking Glass!”
Daring issued a warning. “Please—I understand it’s been quite some time since you’ve seen this face and you must be going through withdrawal, but take caution! Too much handsome at once can be a shock to the system.”
His sister snorted. “They’re not looking at you for your face. They’re just shocked you jumped out of that mirror!”
Raven picked up the Booking Glass.
“Still,” Daring said, “I can’t be responsible for any handsome-related injuries. Everyone, please be careful and start off slow with short glances. Sips, not gulps, people!”
Raven was examining the Booking Glass when the dragons they’d brought to the forest roared. Cedar, Rosabella Beauty, Dexter, Hunter Huntsman, Sparrow, Blondie, Melody, Justine Dancer, Farrah Goodfairy, Nina Thumbell, Jillian, and Briar Beauty all rushed into the clearing.
Ashlynn rushed over and hugged Hunter, whose destiny was to be the next Huntsman. “Hunter! How did you—”
“Jillian’s beanstalk,” he said, sharing a smile with Ashlynn, who considered him to be her knight in shining armor even though he wasn’t a prince.
Jillian explained, “A few of us were able to sneak away from the school while Faybelle was out with the dragons.”
Dexter saw Raven holding the mirror. “Wow,” he exclaimed. “Daring let you borrow his mirror? That’s a first.”
Raven explained, “This is no ordinary mirror—it’s the Booking Glass. We can use it to send my mother back to the mirror prison.” She turned it in her hand. “How did we make this thing work before?”
Darling shrugged. “I don’t know. It just started talking, and then Daring popped out.”
Maddie took the mirror and started tapping random jewel buttons on the mirror’s handle. “Helloooo. Mirror lady? It would be tea-riffic if you could make the Evil Queen go away.… Start doing mirror stuff!”
Mirrie replied, “Beep. Beep. Passcode incorrect.” The mirror shot a tiny little magic bolt of light that zapped Maddie.
“Ow!” Maddie tossed the mirror, but before it hit the ground, Raven caught it.
“We don’t have a passcode!” Holly sighed. “Raven, can’t you do something?”
“Yeah,” Poppy said. “Unlock it with magic or something?”
Raven frowned. “In History of Evil Spells, Madam Baba Yaga taught that the Booking Glass is shielded by dark fairy magic. I have no idea how to counter that kind of magic.”
“Dark fairy magic?” Briar whined. “Spelltacular—all we have to do is hext Faybelle and ask her for a little favor. That sounds easy.”
Ashlynn said, “I’d give my left slipper to figure out how to make it work. We have to send that Evil Queen back to where she belongs for poisoning Apple.”
Nina Thumbell, daughter of Thumbelina, looked around for the first time and saw the coffin. “Wait. Apple’s been poisoned?”
Hunter, Cedar, Melody, and the others rushed to Apple’s side.
“It’s true. Forever-after sleep,” Raven said softly.
Daring realized something important. “Wait—this is it, Charming. You have to wake your sleeping damsel with a kiss—and it’s Happily Ever After from here on out!” He turned to the others and declared, “This is all happening so fast! How do I look? How’s my hair? How are my teeth?”
He grabbed the Booking Glass to check his reflection. “Well, hello there…” His smile sparkled.
Darling snatched the Booking Glass from him and handed it to Raven. She grabbed Daring by the arm and dr
agged him to the glass coffin. “Come on, drama prince—let’s go save Apple.”
Everyone hurried to follow the Charmings. But not Raven. She stared at the Booking Glass. “There’s got to be somebody who knows how to make this work. Besides Faybelle…”
Raven and her friends stood in a circle around Apple. Rays of light streamed through the trees into the clearing. There was so much hope in the air. Apple’s dragon looked on from the side.
Daring slowly marched forward. He took a deep breath. Then he pulled out breath spray and gave himself a little spritz, and took another deep breath.
Daring went to Apple’s side and took her hand. “Apple White. You are my damsel. And I am your Prince Charming. And now I will fulfill our destinies.…” He leaned forward for the kiss. “And complete our stories—and we shall live Happily—Ever”—he kissed her—“After.”
Nothing happened. He frowned.
Daring tried again. “Happily Ever After,” he told Apple, then gave her a quick peck.
Nothing.
“Ever after.”
Another quick peck.
Nothing.
He turned back to the group. Daring’s face turned to panic.
“Daring? Is something wrong?” Raven asked.
He walked away from the coffin, devastated. “I’m not the prince of destiny. I’m… not her Prince Charming.”
“Wait a splinter! What does this mean?” Cedar asked.
“It means Apple’s forever sleep,” Raven said, staring at Daring’s back, “really is forever after.”
Apple’s dragon let out a sad sigh.
Dragon Games Page 7
