aI did not give you permission toa"a Milton Grimm began.
aPlease, Headmaster Grimm?a said Apple. aYou said only Irrefutable Evidence could pardon Maddie, and weare prepared to show you just that.a aRaven Queen isnat capable of casting a level thirty-eight spell.a He shook his head. aYou have precisely one minute, Your Majesty, and then I must ask you not to interfere with this serious school business.a aThank you, Headmaster,a Apple said. She took Ravenas hands and made the most direct of direct eye contact Raven had ever experienced. Appleas confident smile twinkled, brilliant, inspiring. aYou can do this, Raven Queen.a And for the first time, Raven believed that she could. aOkay,a she said. Her heart was thumping, slammed unexpectedly with a tremendous amount of hope.
She spared a glance to admire the clean and ordered Treasury and then asked everyone to stand back by the door. Nevermore placed the dragon skull before them.
aEveryone who was here that night, please look at the skull,a said Raven.
She spoke their names, the date and time of the event, and then the words of the incantation, hoping that they were all correct. Her mother had to relay them to her through riddles.
a aI call down evidence of pure truth,a a she intoned. a aI call up the spirits of memory. Rewind, replay, speak up, stand out. Through the eye of a monster, let the past dance again!a a Raven secured the pea on the tip of the hair, drew back the bowstring, and aimed straight. She released. The arrow went through the eye socket.
Out of the empty eye, pink smoke billowed, engulfing the room. When it overtook Raven, she could smell nothing. It was all illusion. The smoke pulled back into a ball spiked like the claws of some amorphous beast. The smoke claws lengthened, pointing at the eyes of Raven, Apple, Maddie, and all the other students. Then the smoke broke into a hundred pieces and took on colors and shapes. And suddenly Sparrow Hood was running into the Treasury.
Raven almost yelled at him to stay back, but then the real Sparrow, who was still standing back by the door, said, aThatas one handsome kid!a Raven was watching a ghost, a memory: It looked like Sparrow, but his colors were slightly washed out, his body a little transparent. He was talking, but no noise came out. His Merry Men followed, and Sparrow began taking items and putting them into his pockets.
It was like watching a silent play or an eerily real three-dimensional movie. The smoky memories of the other students entered the Treasury, shouting silently to one another, romping around.
Kitty appeared suddenly in front of Ashlynn, who was startled and b.u.mped into Hunter. Hunter backed up, the sword in his hand cracking the gla.s.s in a display case. Sparrow nocked an arrow, aiming at King Arthuras shield on the wall. Dexter flying on a broomstick wobbled to avoid the arrow and b.u.mped into the helmet of a giantas suit of armor. Sparrowas arrow grazed against the falling helmet, knocking the arrow off course and into the cracked display case, breaking the gla.s.s further.
At the same moment, Blondie tripped over the cape she was wearing, knocking into Lizzie, who stumbled into d.u.c.h.ess, who was puppeting Humphrey Dumpty on Pinocchioas strings. d.u.c.h.ess glided out of the way, letting Lizzie bang into the display case. The tiny unicorn inside fell off its pedestal.
The Merry Men had found the instruments, and one played a horn so loudly the sound lengthened the gla.s.s break even more, just as Briar and Cedar skipped by. Helga tossed a jug to Gus. It nearly hit Cedar, but Dexter caught it in time. His elbow grazed the case, and the unicorn fell all the way out. Daring moved to heroically help his sister Darling over the broken gla.s.s and nudged the unicorn with his foot, sending it across the floor.
Almost every personas foot touched the unicorn as he or she ran around the Treasury, unknowingly knocking it this way and that until it came to rest before the giant helmet just as Maddie entered.
She never even touched the unicorn as she picked a few things off the floor, stuffed them in her pockets, and climbed atop the helmet. She lifted her arms happily. The image froze and disappeared.
For a few moments, everyone was quiet.
aBaba Yagaa"?a the headmaster began.
aIt was the real deal,a Baba Yaga said, tasting the air. She turned her stony gaze on Raven and raised one gray eyebrow. aAn Irrefutable Evidence spell. Impossible to fake.a The headmaster stared at Raven, too, eyes blazing, as if he didnat know whether to be angry or afraid.
aIt seems to me,a Mr. Badwolf growled, athat if you were to banish those responsible for the broken Uni Cairn, you would need to banish nearly every student in this room except Madeline Hatter.a aAnd all those destinies would be banished with them,a said Apple.
The headmasteras frown was so severe his mustache tilted down with it so that he seemed to have two frowns.
aButa she was clearly stealing items from the Treasury,a he said, aand that alonea"a aUm, pardon me, Headmaster Grimm,a said Apple, abut perhaps you could ask her why she took those things?a He blew out his cheeks but nodded and turned to Maddie. aWhy?a he said.
aI thought it was the Swappers.n.a.t.c.h Gyre, of course!a said Maddie. aEveryone stealing for fun, and all the hiding and hunting and finding that follows. In Wonderland we do it every spring.a Lizzie Hearts nodded. aI declare Madeline Hatter is correct!a aItas how we play,a Kitty said with a smile just as large as the headmasteras frown.
aIn that casea"a Headmaster Grimm said.
aFinally!a Baba Yaga interrupted. She pointed a crooked finger at Maddie, and the chains sizzled and fell from her wrists. aIave got better things to do than banish a little girl to that pirate-infested island. My office has been exceedingly grumpy for some reason. Excuse me, I have to go soothe a walking cottage.a Baba Yaga stormed out.
The cottagea Raven began to think something important, but the thought was chased from her head by a furious-faced Headmaster Grimm.
aJust how did you manage to cast a level thirty-eight spell?a he asked, his shoulders tense and rising to his ears.
aMy mom taught me,a she said truthfully. aAfter all, she wants me to grow up to be just like her.a The headmasteras eyes narrowed, but head have to a.s.sume her mother taught her the spell years ago. After all, Raven had no access to a mother locked away in a spell-repellent cell.
aHmph,a he said and stalked off.
And suddenly Raven was jounced by a quick and hard hug.
aI knew it!a said Maddie. aI just knew you were still my best friend till The End.a aThere were a few times this week I did think it was actually The End,a said Raven. aIam sorry I couldnat tell you. I thought silence was a condition of the spell. I know you must have felt like a pile of giant toenail clippings when I ignored you.a For some reason, Apple shuddered.
aThink no more gloomy fussy gussy thoughts about it.a Maddie hugged her again. aThank you.a Everyone began congratulating Maddie, Sparrow loudly taking all the credit for her miraculous rescue.
Raven received another surprise hug, this time from Apple.
aI was confident, Raven!a she said. aSo many times the last couple of days, I worried that I didnat know how to be a leader anymore. But I smiled, and I looked, and I had ideas, and I led them! And you were so amazinga"the spell, anda"Wow! We did it! Maddie is safe!a aThe Treasury looks amazing,a said Raven. aYou seriously rock for pulling it off.a aWe both seriously, enchantingly, perfectly rock,a said Apple. Her voice dropped lower. aYou know, there were moments I was so afraid she was just trying to trick us. I had a plan B prepared for when the spell backfired and caused some horrible havoc. But it worked!a aWhat was your plan B?a aHmm?a said Apple. aOh, subvert the banishment route through the wishing well. I thought maybe I could hack into the travel app and change her route from Neverland to my home castle. Watching Humphrey on the Mirror Network gave me some ideas. It wasnat a certain thing, but no worries! Now I donat have to even try!a aAnd it worked, even though we did get a lot of help,a said Raven.
aYeah, no offense, but your momas advice about not depending on anyone but yourself was kind of evil.a Raven laughed.
aWe would have completely failed without all our friends!a said Apple. aThe Mad Hatter, Ashlynn, Gala, the pixiesa"a aCedar and Nevermorea"a aa"Briara"a aa"and Cerise,a said Raven. aAnd Cupid, too.a aOoh, and Humphrey and Dextera"a aHeraa aAnd then practically everyone helped me with the Treasury,a said Apple.
aI know sheas evil, but she seemed like she really did want me to succeed,a Raven whispered. aSheas waiting to hear about the victory.a Apple froze. aYou didnat leave the mirror on, did you? Surely, you at least put it in standby mode.a aShould I have? I mean, she canat escape. Oh, I was thinking earlier. Baba Yagaas cottage? We didnat need to use all the ingredients for the spell after all. The egg, nor the tea, either, now that I think of it. Itas funny thata"a Raven stopped. Apple seized her hand. Her own was ice cold.
aThe tea and the egg,a Apple whispered. aTheyare still in our room? With the mirror?a Raven suddenly wanted a weapon in hand. She grabbed something long, skinny, and gold from a nearby pedestal. Apple was still gripping her other hand, and she pulled. Together, they ran.
They ran through the middle of the crowd of students and muddle of faculty. They ran down the hall, their heels clacking against stones.
aWill oa the wisps!a Apple said. aHow did I not realize? Will oa the wisps move between worlds, see? So drinking will oa the wisp tea imbues someone with the ability to cross over borders!a aBorders like the one between our world and mirror prison,a said Raven. aAnd the cottage! Itas bigger on the inside than on the out. Even big enough for a woman to climb inside. Besides, itas an enchanted cottage, born with chicken legs, inherently free range. No foundation can hold it, and no prison would confine it. Baba Yaga told me she began using it as her office as a protection against capture by evil sorceresses like my mother!a aSo if the hutling hatched and drank the will oa the wisps teaaa aIt might be empowered to cross over through our viewing mirror and into actual mirror prison,a said Raven as they raced up some stairs. aAnd once insideaa aYour mother would be able to climb inside the hutling, and its natural freedom would carry them out of the prison!a aAnd back into our world.a aWead be banished for meddling with one of the Great Gla.s.s Prisons!a said Apple.
aForget that,a said Raven. aThink what my mother would do to Ever After!a Apple sped up.
They slammed open their dorm door.
From inside the mirror, the Evil Queen was chanting. The words came out as nonsense, and with each one spoken she winced as if feeling the stings of the spell repellent. When she saw Raven and Apple, she began chanting faster.
A long, thin line like steam trailed from the mirror through the room and into the cup of tea. The heat from the tea was warming the egg, steamy tendrils rising, wrapping around its bright spotted sh.e.l.l. Already there were cracks.
aGet the egg!a Raven said.
Raven and Apple ran forward. Raven leaped to tackle it, but while she was still in midleap, the egg burst. A cottage the size of a large dog wobbled forward on its thin chicken legs, leaving Raven to land on a pile of sh.e.l.l shards. The hutling shook itself, made a raspy screech, and started to run.
aGet it!a Raven said. aStop it!a The cottage sniffed, inhaling with an open door. It trotted over to the cup of tea and with a peck from its front door took a sip from the cup.
aNo!a said Apple. Shead pulled the satin bedspread from her bed and ran at the hutling, leaping onto it.
aHa-ha!a said Apple, trapping the little cottage beneath the bedspread.
A rip. The hutlingas door gnawed a hole through the cloth and leaped through.
The queenas chanting had stopped. Now she was calling.
aHere, boy! Come here, boy! Thatas a good hutling. Look at what a good hutling! I have some yummy treats for you! Just come through the mirror.a The hutling paused as if to listen. It started toward the mirror.
aNo, you donat,a said Raven, intercepting it. She was still holding whatever shead grabbed from the Treasury, and she swung it, missing the hutling.
aRaven!a said the Evil Queen. aStop it at once!a aSorry, Mom,a said Raven.
The queen took a breath and her voice softened. aRaven, darling, why canat you help your own mother?a Like its parent, the hutling did not like to be chased. It squawked and ran faster and faster, dodging Apple and Raven. They leaped at it, landing in a dog pile on its roof, but the little hut kept running, leaving the girls clinging to its rain gutters. And still the hutling ran. It was small, but it was as solid as a full-grown house, and in its speed, it left destruction in its wake. Appleas bed was demolished. Her dresser reduced to firewood. Wardrobe knocked over with a crash. Clothing ripped and flying in the air like confetti.
aNo,a Apple said with a sob.
Next the cottage dragged them through Ravenas part of the room, destroying everything it touched. Raven winced at the loss of her bed and wardrobe, but ahead was her vanity and its hidden keyboard.
aNo! Stop!a Raven dug her heels into the floor, trying desperately to slow the hutling, but it barreled ahead. A crash and a musical tw.a.n.g, and Ravenas beautiful keyboard was nothing more than sc.r.a.p wood and metal.
Raven let go, rolling into the keyboard debris. A single sob escaped her lips. Then she turned her gaze to her mother, still calling from the mirror.
aCome here, boy! Come on!a aNo!a Raven yelled.
Her mother startled, the words drying in her mouth.
Raven didnat dare touch the gla.s.s but felt around the back of the mirror, trying to find an off switch.
aDonat let go, Apple!a Raven yelled.
aAck, ow, uhhhaa Apple said, dragging behind the hutling.
Raven was about to drop the tool to better feel for the off switch, but then she recognized what she was really holding in her hand: her motheras own scepter that had been on display in the Treasury. It had no magic and yet was a symbol of queenly powera"heavy, golden, magnificent.
Raven walked to the front mirror and raised the scepter up.
aNo!a Her motheras beautiful face twisted with rage. aI thought you were finally evil, Raven!a aYou took away Maddieas Wonderland,a said Raven. aIam sorry, Mom. I respect your right to make your own path, but when your choices hurt people, you have to face the consequences. You need to stay where you are.a aI love you!a her mother shouted.
Part of Ravenas heart cracked, but she gripped the heavy gold stick even tighter.
The mirror was the only unbroken thing left in the room. Raven smashed it with her motheras scepter.
aMe too,a she whispered.
Narrator! Do you know where Raven went? And Apple? They were here a minute ago, but I canat hear you telling their story anymore, so they must be gone.
Yes, they left, Maddie.
Just a sec, Cedar, Iam talking to the Narrator. Um, what was that?
I said they left, but Iam sure theyall be back.
Theyave been soa soa just so wonderlandiful! I wish I could give them a splendiferous thank-you gift. I know what Raven might likea"a girlsa day: tea party, shopping, and going to listen to that new band thatas playing at Looking Gla.s.s Beach tonight. But I donat know what Apple would like.
Wella You know, donat you? Oh, please, tell me, please please please please pleasea I canat, Maddie! I took a Narratoras oath not to interfere!
Thatas okay. I understand. I guess Iall just stand here and sing all three hundred and sixty-four verses of the Wonderlandian song aIf I Snoodled on a Poodlea while I try to think of the perfect gift for Apple. Oh, if I snoodled, snoodled, snoodled on a poodle with a noodle, would you groodle, groodle, groodle with an oodle of hot strudela"
You really are a clever thing, you know that. Look, if you go to their dorm room, you might get a good idea on your own. But you didnat hear that from me, okay?
Narrator, Iam going to give you a legible kiss. Smooch!!!
APPLE KEPT CLINGING TO THE HUTLING. The roof was made of thatch, or fur, really. She could feel the warm skin beneath. Its windows opened and shut like eyelids, its hard, round body straining to keep running while pulling Apple along for the ride. Even so, it hadnat slowed at all and showed no intention of stopping. Apple imagined herself dragging behind the tiny cottage all day, and the next, and years from now, still holding on, b.u.mping along behind. It had already destroyed her room. Perhaps it would tear apart all of Ever After, too.
Apple whimpered. But Raven had said, aDonat let go,a and she didnat want to let Raven down. Or Maddie. Or anyone, ever.
So she clung on.
She heard a crash as Raven broke the mirror. A moment later the small cottage in Appleas arms began to rise into the air. Apple swallowed a scream and let go, dropping to the floor.
aThe levitation spell worked!a Raven said, her hands held up, glowing purple, her brow tight with concentration. aI canat believe it didnat backfire, but I wouldnat trust it to last long.a The cottage hung from nothing, its little chicken legs fighting the air, its door and window blinds wide open.
aWe need a leash,a Apple said. aOh wait, Iave got it!a Apple ran to her dresser, but in its place was a pile of wood and heaps of clothes torn and full of splinters. Apple whimpered again. She kept her back to Raven so that her roommate wouldnat see the ridiculous tears welling in her eyes.
Itas just stuff, Apple told herself. It doesnat matter really. You donat have to be perfect, and neither doesa neither does youra your perfect, beautiful room!
Apple wiped her eyes, trolled through the mess, and pulled out a woven yellow scarf. aIt was made from Hollyas hair! Super-strong, magical, the perfect leash.a Apple tied it around the middle of the cottage, and at once the hutling calmed. Kept from running, it seemed to relax. Its blinds lowered in its front windows, its legs buckled, and it began to snooze, its front door clacking gently against its threshold.
Apple plucked the hutling from the air, and Raven released the levitation spell.
aThis little fella needs to go home,a said Apple.
aYeah, wherever that home might be running around at the moment,a said Raven.
Through the castle, Apple carried the hutling under a torn piece of her bedspread, petting its thatch head. It was just a newborn cottage, after all.
Outside, Raven tracked Baba Yagaas office to the sports fields. Apple set the hutling down. The girls ran behind a tree and watched as the parent cottage discovered the baby. There was much squawking and slamming of front doors. Soon the big cottage was running around the field as if in pure joy, the hutling nuzzling down on its parentas roof, cozy beside the chimney.
aYou know, when I took that egg,a said Raven, aI didnat think it through, how there was a baby inside who would miss its parent. I guess there are a lot of things I donat think through.a Apple nodded. Her queenly instinct perked up, and she opened her mouth to offer a poetic speech about a homecoming, the bond between parent and child abodes, the beauty of a baby domicile, or some such. But an image of their wrecked dorm room flashed in her mind. Her chin quivered, warning her that if she spoke, she would cry. It was a silly thing to be so upset. After all, Maddie was free! And the Evil Queen wasnat! Stilla her grandmotheras antique chaira the cuckoo clock the village children had given hera the red dress her mother had st.i.tched without any bird help at alla all her precious thingsa They walked back in silence. Apple was too ashamed of herself to say anything, but Raven put a warm hand on Appleas shoulder, as if she knew.
They stopped before the door to their dorm room, Apple hesitating, uncertain if she could face it again.
aApple,a Raven started.
The door opened, and Maddie came bursting out, shutting the door behind her.
aAh-ha!a she said. aI heard the Narrator say that Apple was hesitating, so I knew you were near. So the Narrator may have accidentally let slip that I should come to your room, and when I saw the mess, I thought, well, thatas not like Apple White! I mean sure, Raven is known to use the floor as a temporary holding place for dirty clothes and hextbooks and items of relative value. But Apple? Never. So I had an idea.aa Maddie opened the door. She wasnat alone.
Ashlynn sat on the floor behind a pile of Ravenas and Appleas clothing, st.i.tching up a rip in one of Appleas skirts. Beside her a family of racc.o.o.ns worked, peering at the tears a pair of chicken feet had made in skirts and blouses, threaded needles held in their nimble gray fingers.
Cupid and Cedar were examining the furniture. Cedar seemed to have an excellent eye for wood, and shead hold the broken pieces of a dresser together while Cupid ran the tip of her arrow down the fracture, mending it.
aA keyboard is tough to fix, but Iall do my best,a said Cupid. aMost wood seems to mend well. And gla.s.s, too, so that mirror shouldnat be a problema"a aUha you can leave that mirror broken,a said Raven.
Apple nodded. Just in case, she thought.
Hunter was fixing Appleas bed, Lizzie making a new side table out of stacked cards that magically held together strong enough to support her lamp.