“But that’s what’s changing. We’ll transform that dinner into a massive extravaganza. And it will be held right here, along with a big audience and cameras. So I’ll ask you again. Can you see it?”
I step around in a slow circle. There’s a lot of concrete, open steel beams, and piles of lumber. Previous plans had this space being built out into a series of bowling alleys. I kick a nail across the floor. “Not really.”
“Bah! The new Le Charme Lady Extravaganza will become the greatest event ever. The Oscars? Emmies? They’ll be seen as nothing compared to the Le Charme Lady Extravaganza.”
Tilting my head, I contemplate the new idea. “And this helps us sell jewelry … how?”
“Branding, my son. Branding.”
“Sure.” I try moving the conversation onto more solid ground. “Did you see the pics I sent? Tiffany’s has a new line of silver necklaces. Maybe we should put some money into designing stuff like that. I mean, the Le Charme catalog still includes crowns. We’re in desperate need of some updates.”
“You’re so literal, Alec. Try to see the big picture.” Legend snaps his fingers. “I’ve got it.” He rushes over to a nearby wall. There, my father pulls paper off a tall object. Turns out, it’s a mirror. “I’ll let none other than Charles Le Charme explain things to you directly.”
My eyes widen. Charles Le Charme is my forebear and the original founder of Le Charme Jewelers. Somehow, Charles wrangled himself a home in the Faerie Lands. Essentially, it makes him immortal. “How did Charles get his own magic mirror?”
“It’s not a mirror,” corrects Legend. “This is a portal from the human world directly into Charles’ home in the Faerie Lands. He’s agreed to visit Earth once a year for the Le Charme Lady Extravaganza. The press will go insane!”
A figure appears in the mirror. It’s a man with a high wig and long blue coat. He looks like he could have stepped out of the Versailles court of Louis the Sun King, mostly because he actually did. No doubt about it. This is Charles Le Charme.
Charles steps through mirror. One second, he’s an image. The next, he’s a living guy. He rounds on my father and beams. “Legend!”
“Charles!” They share a long and inexplicable laugh. Legend gestures in my direction. “Explain to my son about our plans.”
“Surely.” Charles points to a short wall of the long and rectangular space. “We’ll build a great stage over there. Imagine a winding staircase that loops down from the rafters. That’s where the contestants will walk down.”
I tilt my head. “So they’re contestants now.”
“Of course!” Charles continues. “On stage left, we’ll have the Queen of Hearts. There will be an empty spotlight on the right—that will be for you. And in the center will stand the Master of Ceremonies. Me.”
Legend nods toward a stretch of floor just before the imaginary stage. “Your mother and I will be on a judges panel. Our table will be down here. We’ll ask questions of each contestant.”
“Are you with me?” asks Charles. “Got the layout?”
“Basically.” What I’m having trouble with is how Charles talks like he’s younger than I am. But that’s living the Faerie Lands for you. It messes with your brain.
“Here’s how the event will actually work,” says Charles. “The contestants will step down the staircase. Behind them, a video will plays of their lives. Once the lady in question reaches the main stage, I’ll say something charming.” He pauses, waiting for a comment.
“Wow,” I say.
“It will be stunning!” cries Legend.
“Once I’m done, your family will ask some questions. That will go on until we’ve met all the contestants. Then, at the end, the ladies will return for one final moment. You.”
“Me.” I hate this idea.
“You!” yells Legend. I’ve never seen my father this worked up.
Charles continues. “Yes, you step onstage and … drumroll! Who will Alec Le Charme ask to be the next Le Charme Lady?”
A foul taste fills my mouth. “I hate this idea. I’m no reward.”
“You’re simply giving out the title,” says Legend. “We have sponsorships lined up for these ladies. I’m talking clothing, toys, energy drinks, you name it. The Le Charme Lady will become a wealthy woman.”
I’ve heard my father’s plans before. Legend builds up new ideas—along with parts of the L Center—and then tears them all down again. But this is the first time Legend has gotten our founder out of retirement. I tap my chin and think things through. There’s one big question here.
“Has the Queen of Hearts agreed?” I ask.
Charles bobs his bows. “I can handle her. We made a bet years ago. I’m winning. That means I get what I want out of her.” Charles turns to Legend. “Which reminds me. What are we doing for Alec’s Glass Slipper Ball?”
I fold my arms over my chest. “I’m not having one.”
Charles pales. “What?”
“That’s what the boy believes,” explains Legend. “We’ve agreed to disagree for now. And years remain before he’s eighteen.”
Charles lowers his voice to a whisper. It’s an odd choice, considering how I’m standing right here and can catch every word. “You’ve got some strength in terms of mind vise spells. Just make it happen.”
Legend stiffens. “This is my son.”
I appreciate my father’s statement, by the way. Gem casters develop specialties. Legend knows how to control other people’s minds. It’s not a pleasant process, either. All the more reason why I’m ticked off that Charles even raises the possibility.
I focus on Charles. “Do you know who I am?”
“A spoiled child?” asks Charles.
“I’m the warden of all caster magic. I develop my own gems and spells. That means I’m no one you can bully.”
Charles fluffs his already-puffy collar. “Whatever you say. Just be ready when we hold the first Le Charme Lady Extravaganza in six weeks.”
Calculations spin through my mind. “That will mean tons of overtime work for construction. Can we really afford it?”
“Just use magic,” says Charles.
I shoot Charles a warning look. “You haven’t been on Earth in a while. The MITRE agency tracks the use of magic in human affairs. We can get in big trouble if we do this with spells. Humans expect fair competition. We pay workers in cash, not cheat with magic. It’s why humans see us as celebrities and not threats. We need to keep it that way.”
“Don’t worry about MITRE,” says Charles. “If you do as Legend and I dictate, then we may give you the option not to marry at your Glass Slipper Ball.”
“That’s not your option to give.”
Legend gasps. “Alec!”
Charles frowns. “I disagree, mon petit chou.”
Sadly enough, Charles may be right. I can’t ignore the fact that no fewer than twelve Le Charme sons have gotten married at their Glass Slipper Balls, including my father.
All of which is why I spend my spare time developing fresh gems and spells. I refuse to be forced into anything. When I marry, it will be because I love someone with all my heart, end of story.
5
Elle
Leaving Cynder Mercantile behind, I high tail it to Central Park. Soon I reach the Turtle Pond. It’s still pretty early, so no one’s here yet. This is what’s so cool about Central Park, by the way. It’s actually a lot of little parks. Places like this pond feel all cozy and deserted.
Or in my case, safe to cast a spell.
Closing my eyes, I pull on the fae power within me. Mom and I are swarm fae. It means we can make creatures group up and do stuff. For instance, I could inspire a bunch of mice to clean the floors. Don’t get too excited, though. Mice suck at housework.
Which brings me back to the present moment. What I need now is some turtle-shaped assistance.
A haze of silver light materializes over my right palm. Yes! The spell is starting. I command the magic into the water while I think through my
desire.
Come to me. Aid me.
Tiny glistening particles of fairy dust tumble off my hand and onto the still pond. Moments pass. The nearby trees rustle in the morning breeze. The low murmur of far-off voices and car horns seems to turn deafeningly loud.
At last, a dozen turtles pop their heads above the water. The largest speaks in a rumbly voice. “I am Ironshell.”
I grin. I can’t really practice my fae magic—that could blow my cover—so I wasn’t sure this spell would work. And when I do cast swarm spells, it’s either on mice or pigeons. Turtles are a new one for me.
“Nice to meet you.” I wave. “I’m Elle.”
“You require our help?”
“Yes, there’s a crown at the bottom of the pond. I’d like you to bring it to me, if you don’t mind.” Fact is, my magic could just force the turtles to help out. But I like to be polite. Also, you never know who’s actually an evil wizard enchanted to be a tortoise or something.
“What?” Ironshell gives me one of those shocked turtle faces where he gulps for air. “You mean the Queen of Hearts’ crown?”
“That’s the one.”
“Are you certain? There are many kinds of fae in the Faerie Lands, such as pixies, sprites, fairies, and elves.”
“Don’t forget the shadowcoe,” adds another turtle.
“That’s right,” confirms Ironshell. “Trolls, vampires, and dwarves are all natives of the Faerie Lands as well. Yet none of them is more dangerous than the Queen of Hearts.”
“And no reward will be better, am I right?”
“Possibly.”
“Definitely. I’m not leaving here without the crown.” I could try to enchant the thing out of the pool, but that would involve using my father’s magic. Which I’ve never so much as touched. “I really need your help here.”
“As you command.” Ironshell pops under the water; his other buddies follow. A long minute ticks by. The surface of the pond churns as they fish do their thing.
Splash!
A blob of brown goop breaks through the water’s surface to land beside my feet with a plop. Within all the slime, I make out the gleam of rubies.
So far, so good.
Kneeling down, I pull on my fae magic once more. This time, the silver dust cascades from my hand to cover the blob of goo. Wherever the magic touches, the scummy bits melt away. Seconds later, there’s only a tall crown that’s covered in rubies. A giant heart-shaped gem marks the front.
“You better run on now,” says Ironshell. “It is not safe to carry such jewels.”
I chuckle. It’s far less safe for a fairy warden to openly use her magic, but there’s no way I’m volunteering that fact out loud. I slip the crown into my purse. It’s a tight fit, but it works.
“Thank you, Ironshell.”
“Be safe, Elle.” With that, my new buddy vanishes under the water once more. I check my watch. That only took twenty minutes. This morning’s so-called walk in the park is going great.
From here, it’s a short hike to Central Park’s Belvedere Castle. It’s a small structure made of gray stone that sits atop a low hill.
And it’s where the Queen of Hearts keeps court.
6
Elle
As I close in on Belvedere Castle, I pull on my powers of fae sight. For me, this is much less dangerous than casting an actual spell. Even the least powerful fairy can see the truth of the world around them. And what do we view?
A Faerie Land reality that overlaps with the human one.
Scanning the world around me, I call to its parallel fae nature. Flecks of silver light gleam in my eyes. My powers come to life.
Everything changes.
The thin walkway beneath my feet overlaps with another image: a grand street made of white stone. The woods of Central Park flicker between their regular brown trunks and green branches … into tall white trees with red, heart-shaped leaves. The small structure of Belvedere Castle slowly morphs into a massive palace. Warriors in red armor flank either side of the entrance. These are the queen’s infamous Vampire Guard.
As I close in on the palace gate, more of the human world fades away. By the time I’m facing an actual guard, I’m completely inside the Faerie Lands.
“State your name,” orders the guard.
“Elle Cynder,” I reply.
The guard now does something I didn’t expect. He steps backward. “Go on inside. She’s expecting you.”
My first reaction is shock, but I quickly hide that under a mask of casual confidence. When facing a vampire fairy queen, it’s important not to cower.
“Excellent,” I state.
The heavy wooden gate swings open, revealing the palace’s interior … as well as a cat.
And this is not just any feline. It’s the Cheshire Cat of Alice in Wonderland fame. The creature tilts its head. “Hello, Elle.”
Turns out, the Cheshire Cat has a deep and rumbly voice. Not what I expected, but on this feline? It totally works.
“Hi, uh…”
“Call me Chesh. It’s what everyone does.” The cat spins about and saunters into the palace proper. I follow behind and for the first time, I wonder if this is the best idea.
The interior of the palace is all white stone inlaid with red, heart-shaped tiles. Chesh and I enter the receiving room, which holds a vaulted ceiling and tons of courtiers. Everyone dresses in medieval style, like they stepped off a deck of cards.
In the center of the chamber, the Queen of Hearts sits on a red throne that rests atop a raised platform. She’s tall and curvy with cocoa skin and long red hair. The folds of her crimson gown roll down the steps leading to her throne. Her red wings flutter as I enter. Everyone quiets.
Uh oh.
I give my best courtesy. “Greetings, your Majesty. My name is Elle and I’ve brought your—”
“I know why you’re here,” interrupts the queen. She raises her arm; the crown flies out of my purse to land directly onto her outstretched hand. The queen scans the item as if it were no more than a trinket she found on the street. “Why did you uncover this?”
I shrug. “There’s a reward.”
“And why would you want that?” The queen grins, and there’s no missing the fangs that mark her as a vampire.
“I’m a Cinderella life template. Rewards will come in handy.”
“So you’re preparing for the worst.” The queen narrows her eyes. “You could use magic.”
“I’m a fairy without wings. I don’t have that much magic. No one does these days.”
“I do, but you’re right about the rest of the world.” The queen scans me slowly from head to toe. “You’re curious. Far more than any Alice life templates I’ve met in ages.”
My heart swells with pride. Turns out, it’s nice to get complements from a queen. “Thank you.”
“Who are you parents?”
“Rae and Declan Cynder.”
The queen stands. “Did you say Rae and Declan Cynder?”
I feel like there’s a trap in this question, but I can’t imagine what it could be. “Yes.”
“Oh, this is good. Too, too good. I’ll provide your reward, and it’s a prophecy.”
That trap-feeling grows larger. The queen didn’t even cast a spell or anything. “How do you know this prophecy off the top of your head?”
“Believe me, I do. So, do you accept that as your reward?”
Fae are tricky, but something about the gleam in the queen’s eyes reminds me of someone. Oh, right. That would be me. The queen is crafty but not evil. At least, not at this very moment. Plus, I’ve already risked a ton to come over here. What’s one more thing?
“Yes, I’d like to hear the prophecy.”
“Perfect.” The queen slowly retakes her throne. “My vision for you is this. You’ll lose your parents and the Lady Marchesa will become your stepmother. Do you disagree?”
“I’m a Cinderella life template. It’s not like the thought never crossed my mind.” And Marchesa a
lso has two daughters, let’s not forget that part. Totally template-ready.
“Here’s what you do not know,” adds the queen. “Your stepmother will form an alliance with none other than Legend Le Charme in order to keep you from your true love.”
“The Legend Le Charme?” I ask. “Of the Le Charme Jewelry fortune? As in the husband of Diamond Le Charme?” I don’t know these two personally, obviously. But their faces get plastered on the tabloids at least once a week.
“That’s what I said,” repeats the queen. “Marchesa and Legend Le Charme.”
“So those two will team up and separate me from my true love. And then what?”
The queen sighs. “Then nothing. That’s it.”
Frustration corkscrews up my back. It may be reckless of me to get angry, but that’s a pretty crappy reward. After all, her crown sat at the bottom of a pond for centuries. “You don’t have anything else for me?”
Chesh sidles to the top step of the queen’s dais. “Curiouser and curiouser,” he says.
The queen runs her fingertips down Chesh’s back. The cat does that move where he arches his spine and pokes his tail in the air. The queen leans in closer to Chesh. “Elle doesn’t know the whole story, does she?”
I raise my hand. “I’m standing right here. Would love the whole story.”
Chesh slowly licks his forepaws. “Think of it this way, Elle. The Queen of Hearts fixes problems. Anything. She could clear the way for you and your true love.”
The queen grins. “I may even have reasons to want to help you.”
“But not for free,” adds Chesh.
“Never for free,” agrees the queen. “I have a reputation to think of.”
“Elle must find something else of value for your Majesty,” says Chesh. “It’s the only way to secure your aid.” Chesh then smiles in a way that makes my stomach sink to my toes. In that moment, one thing becomes absolutely clear.
It’s time to leave.
I make my goodbyes and run-walk out of the chamber. And for whatever reason, the Queen of Hearts allows me to go without saying another word.
Slippers and Thieves Special Edition Page 2
