Fairest of All (Whatever After #1) (9 page)

i
’m flying! I’m flying! I’m seriously, honestly flying!

Okay, maybe not
flying
flying, since I’m going down instead of horizontally. And whenever I imagine flying, it’s usually soaring across the sky, not crashing to the ground. But still.

Yay!

Thump.
I land in the sheet, and the next thing I know, I’m all tangled in it. It smells like mothballs. You’d think a fancy queen would make her stuff smell like flowers or at least fabric softener. As I remove the sheet from my head, I spot her in the window. “You three!” she cries. “Guards! Guards!”

I untangle myself and yell, “Run! Run, run, run!”

Before any of the guards realize what’s happening, we make it back over the bridge. Tell me, what’s the point of a drawbridge if it’s never raised? I’m holding Jonah’s hand to make sure I don’t lose him, and Snow is right behind us. She lost her hat somewhere along the way, but I guess the disguise-ship has sailed.

Yopopa. Where is Yopopa? Yopopa is gone. “I thought he was a genius,” I complain.

“He is,” Snow says. “He untied himself, didn’t he?”

Great.

We run into the forest. I don’t look back. I honestly have never done this much running in my life.

Wzzzzz.
An arrow whizzes by my head and plants itself in a tree beside me. Ahh!

Another arrow! And another!

There are arrows flying at us from all directions.

We’re bending. We’re dodging. We’re running.

“They’re going to catch us!” Jonah says, holding my hand. “We need to hide!”

“Where?”

An arrow whizzes by. It grabs a piece of Jonah’s sleeve, tears it off, and pins it to a tree trunk.

Jonah points to the top of the highest tree. “We need to get up there.”

“But Snow can’t climb,” I say.

“Time to learn,” he says. He grabs on to a branch and heaves himself up.

“Come on, Snow,” I say to her. “You can do it.”

I can see the fear in her eyes, but instead of saying no, she jumps for the branch. And makes it. Yay! I go next.

By the time the guards pass us, the three of us are safely hidden by a mass of branches and leaves.

We balance ourselves and catch our breath. The guards continue into the forest.

“Now what?” Snow asks.

“I’m going to have a sandwich,” Jonah says as he unties the satchel-backpack. “I should have checked the palace for ketchup.”

“I meant, what do we DO next?” Snow asks.

I take a deep breath. “Now we save Xavier and the prince.”

w
e hide out in the trees and try to figure out a new plan.

Our goal is to rescue both Xavier and the prince from the dungeons.

“But the guards will be looking for us,” Snow points out. She’s holding on to a large branch for dear life. “And both dungeons are locked.”

“Of course they are,” Jonah says. He’s swinging from the treetop like he’s on the monkey bars. “All dungeons are locked. Otherwise who would stay in a dungeon?”

“There’s one key for the both of them,” Snow says, her knuckles white.

I’m balancing on two branches. “So where’s the key?”

She shrugs.

“In Evil Evelyn’s room, maybe?” Jonah says. “If I had a key to the dungeon, I would keep it under my pillow.”

I snicker. “It’s not a baby tooth.”

“I know where you’d keep it,” he says to me. “In your jewelry box. That’s where your diary key is.”

“Jonah!” I shriek. “Why do you know that?”

“I was exploring.” He bats his eyelashes all innocently. “Hey Snow, did you know you’re on Abby’s jewelry box? Cool, huh?”

I’m definitely going to have to move that key. A memory flickers in my head. A key. I saw a key. Where did I see a key? Oh! “Evil Evelyn was wearing a key! Around her neck!” I exclaim. In the excitement, I slip.

Snow screams, but I’m able to steady myself before I go crashing to the ground.

“Careful,” Jonah says. “But how do we get it if it’s around her neck?”

That’s a very good question.

A few hours later, we head back to the castle. But this time it’s the middle of the night. Luckily the moon and stars are super bright, so we can see our surroundings.

Our plan is to sneak back into Evil Evelyn’s room while she’s sleeping and slip off the key. The good news: The guards seem to be gone. The bad news: For the first time all day, the drawbridge is up.

“Um, how are we going to get to the castle without the bridge?” I ask.

“I guess we’ll have to swim,” Snow says.

“Cool!” Jonah says.

Uh-oh. Okay, I’ll admit it. I’m no Little Mermaid.

“Wait till you see my front crawl,” Jonah boasts. “It’s awesome!”

At least we won’t have to swim too far. The water is only about twenty feet across. I can definitely do this. Maybe.

“What if someone sees us?” Snow asks. She pinches her nose and wades in.

Jonah runs in after her. “How long can you hold your breath?”

I do not like where this conversation is going. “Let’s just get this over with,” I say. I take one step into the water and sink right in. Ugh, mud. And it’s cold. “Let’s go, fast, fast,” I say. “And quietly.”

Jonah is still wearing the satchel on his back. Those are going to be some very soggy sandwiches.

“Oh, no.” Snow stops her breaststroke and freezes. “Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh no oh no oh no. I forgot about Crowly.”

“Who’s Crowly?” I ask. “A guard?” There must be some guards roaming the area.

“No. The crocodile that lives in the moat!”

I gasp, swallowing a mouthful of water. “This moat? Where we’re swimming?” Is she kidding me?

Jonah points up ahead. “Is that him?”

Oh. My. Goodness. Up ahead is a crocodile. A ginormous crocodile. A ginormous, scaly crocodile that’s currently munching on a large bird like it’s a piece of celery.

“No,” Snow says, still frozen. “That’s way too small to be Crowly. She must have had a baby.”

That’s a baby? It’s huge! I turn to Snow in disbelief. “How could you forget about two crocodiles?”

“I’ve had other things to worry about!” she huffs. “And when I left, there was only Crowly!”

On my left, an even bigger crocodile comes into focus. And then snaps her ginormous crocodile jaw.

“Maybe we should turn around,” I say, my voice shaking.

Baby Crocodile blocks our path from behind and snaps her baby teeth. I would probably find the idea of a baby crocodile cute if she weren’t trying to eat us.

Mama Crocodile lunges again.

Then Baby Crocodile lunges.

Then Mama. And this time, Mama practically flies through the air.

“A flying crocodile!” Jonah hollers. “Cool!”

Cool? Not cool! Their teeth look like steak knives!

Mama Crocodile lunges toward us. “Shore, shore!” I yell, grabbing on to Jonah and still-frozen Snow while trying to swim on my back. I kick my legs hard. It’s not easy swimming without using your arms. And Jonah is really heavy. Why is he so heavy? It’s that bag he’s wearing! “What do you have in there, bricks?” I gurgle as water splashes into my mouth.

“The sandwiches!” Snow calls out. “Give them the sandwiches!”

Jonah reaches into the satchel-backpack and pulls out three of the now soggy stew sandwiches. He tosses two at Mama. He tosses a third at Baby. Will it work?

Baby looks startled. Mama nudges one of the sandwiches with her giant mouth. She does it again. Is she sniffing it?

Suddenly, Mama chomps into it. Baby tastes hers next.

“Even crocodiles need to eat,” Jonah says, nodding.

“As long as they’re not eating us,” I say.

When my feet finally touch down, Snow and I collapse on the shore in relief.

Not Jonah. He’s giddily waving good-bye to the crocs.

Dripping wet, I stand up, my legs still shaking. “We have to find an unlocked window on the main floor,” I say. “I’ll check these. You guys check those.”

I try three. All the shutters are sealed shut.

“They’re all locked,” Snow says when we regroup.

Hmm. “Now what?”

Snow points upward. “Evil Evelyn’s window is still open.”

“Yeah,” I say. “But how are we supposed to get there? Fly?”

Jonah looks back at the water. “I wonder if either of those crocs can fly….”

“Jonah, NO. This is not one of your pretend basement games. This is not flying crocodile. Crocs can’t fly. And even if they could you would not be allowed to ride them. Not on my watch, anyway.” Speaking of watches … No. Mustn’t look. It’ll just upset me.

He shrugs and looks back at the castle. “Oh! Some of the stones stick out just like on the rock-climbing wall at the Y.”

“So?” I ask.

Jonah claps his hands. “So, we rock climb!”

What? No! “No way,” I say.

“Yes way,” he cheers. “It’s easy. Easier than tree climbing, even. I’m one of the best rock climbers in my class, you know.”

“In class you have a harness.”

“But I don’t need a harness. I’ve never fallen.”

“You haven’t fallen
yet
.”

“Abby,” he says, his voice serious and his lips twisty. “I can do it. Trust me.”

“I can’t do it,” Snow says, her face white. “No more heights for me.”

“I can do it by myself,” Jonah says. “I’ll climb up. You guys spot me. I’ll go in through the window. I’ll take the key —”

“I am NOT letting you rock climb the outside of a castle,” I say. “Case closed. Anyway, even if I did let you, what happens next?”

“Evil Evelyn’s sleeping, right? So I carefully take off her necklace, then sneak back downstairs and open the shutters on the ground floor. You climb in and then we rescue Xavier and the prince. Then we go home.” He wipes his hands together like he’s cleaning them. “All done.”

I do not like the idea of:

1. My little brother scaling two stories of a castle wall without wearing a harness.
   
2. My little brother in Evil Evelyn’s room by himself.
   
3. My little brother coming up with ideas when my mind is a blank. Okay, fine. I’m proud of him. But still.
   

“Snow, you’re on spot duty,” I order. “I’m climbing, too.” How hard can it be?

m
y toes are sore. My fingers are sore. My whole body is sore. And we are only a foot off the ground.

Jonah gives me a thumbs-up. “You’re doing great!”

“Both hands on the wall!” I order. I can’t believe he does this for fun.

“Don’t look down!” he shouts.

So of course I do. Ahh!

We climb, and climb, and climb some more. “Almost there,” he says. At the top he pulls himself over the windowsill and disappears inside, behind the swishy purple curtains.

“Jonah,” I whisper loudly. “I want you to stay in view at all times!”

He pops up a second later and raises his arms in a V for
victory
. “I did it!”

“Shhh!”

He leans over and helps me up and over the windowsill.

Right in front of us is Evil Evelyn. Luckily she’s fast asleep.

“Snooooooooooortshhhhhhhh!”

Evil Evelyn
snores
. Hahahahaha. Jonah and I giggle. We can’t help it.

“What’s so funny?” says a voice on the wall.

My heart stops. I spin to face the mirror. How could I have forgotten about the talking mirror?

“Shhh! Please don’t wake her up,” I whisper.

“Didn’t hear you,” the mirror says.

“Mirror, Mirror,” I say, correcting myself. “Shhh. Please don’t wake her up.”

“That’s better,” it says. Then the mirror lowers its voice. “I won’t. She’s a really sound sleeper. And I don’t want to get you in trouble. I like you two, and I like Snow.”

“But, Mirror, Mirror,” I say. “If you like us so much, why did you send Evil Evelyn to kill Snow in the first place?”

“I didn’t have a choice. I have to tell the queen the truth. It’s part of the —”

“Snooooooooooortshhhhhhhh!”

Jonah presses his hands against the glass. “The what? Is it a curse? Wait — are you a real person stuck in a mirror?”

“Well, I’m not in a mirror because it’s a fun place to hang out.”

“That stinks,” Jonah says.

“Tell me about it. All I do is reflect, all day long. It’s a constant headache.”

“What’s your real name?” Jonah asks. “Mirror, Mirror.”

“Ga-Gabrielle,” the mirror says, choking up.

Oh! She’s a girl. “Hi, Gabrielle,” I say.

“Mirror, Mirror, can I call you Gabby?” Jonah asks. “It rhymes with Abby!”

“You may not,” the girl in the mirror says.

I’ll try not to take that personally.

I tiptoe over to the queen’s bed. She’s sleeping on her back. Her covers are pulled up to her chin. I carefully lower them enough to see the necklace.

“Snooooooooooortshhhhhhhh!”

I jump. But then I lean in again. I see it! I see the key. But where’s the clasp to the necklace? Oh, no! It must be at the back of her neck. How can I reach behind her head without waking her up? But wait! Someone with so many costumes would have scissors around for last-minute alterations, right? “Gabrielle, Gabrielle,” I whisper. “Where can I find scissors?”

“In the drawer of the desk,” she says.

I tiptoe to the other side of the room and open the drawer. It’s a mess. There are papers, quills, bottles of ink, and — ta-da! — scissors! “Found ’em!”

I pick up one of the papers. It says:
the fairest of all
over and over and over again.

I think back to Snow’s comments earlier. I ask, “Hey, Gabrielle, Gabrielle, do you happen to know if Snow’s dad had a will?”

“Of course I know if he did,” she says. “I know everything.”

“So did he?” I ask impatiently. “Gabrielle, Gabrielle?”

“He did.”

No way! “Can you tell me where it is?”

“Of course I can.”

“Look, can you please stop playing games? Just tell me! Um, Gabrielle, Gabrielle.”

“No need to get snippy, missy. It’s hidden behind me. Just lift me up — carefully — and you’ll see it.”

Jonah and I lift the mirror up — carefully — and gently put it down on the floor. The wall is covered with loose stones.

“You move the stones,” I tell Jonah. “I’ll get the key.”

I tiptoe back over to the queen’s bed. I lean over her body …

“Snooooooooooortshhhhhhhh!”

I jump again. Her snores are terrifying. Must focus! Must cut the necklace!

Snap!

Done! I grab the key tightly in my fist. “Got it. Did you find the will?”

Jonah is staring at a round hole in the wall. “I found a bunch of papers,” he says. “They look important.”

“Okay, put them in your bag.” I quickly help him put the stones back. “Let’s go. Gabrielle, Gabrielle, thank you for all your help. We’ll be back after we’re done saving the prince and huntsman so we can go home.” Now I can’t help glancing at the watch. It’s after six. We’re running out of time!

“Good luck!” she calls after us as we hurry out of the room.

We run down the two flights of winding stairs to the main floor. We open the shutters. Snow crawls through the small window, and we follow her to a door at the end of the hallway.

I unlock the door and peer straight ahead.

Total darkness.

“We have to go down the stairs,” Snow says.

“I can’t see a foot in front of me, never mind stairs,” I say. “Hey, Jonah, do you happen to have a flashlight in that bag of yours?”

He scrunches his nose. “No. But doesn’t your watch have a light on it?”

“Oh! Right! Good thinking!” I press the
LIGHT
button on my watch and a super-scary, super-twisty creaky winding staircase pops up. “Yikes.” This basement is SO much creepier than our basement.

“Let’s go, let’s go,” Jonah calls out.

“Hold the banister,” I tell him. “And your shoes had better be tied.”

We wind down and down and down some more. I hold on to both the banister and the key for dear life.

When we finally reach the bottom, I take a deep breath and turn to Snow. “Now where?”

Something runs over my foot. A rat. I clamp my hand over my mouth to avoid screaming.

In the distance, we hear rattling and then: “Hello? Is someone there?”

“Prince Trevor?” I call out. “Is that you?”

Jonah jumps ahead. “We’re coming, Mr. Trevor. We’re coming to rescue you!”

We run toward a large oval door. We all crowd our heads at the small glassless window and see the prince. He
is
cute. Tall. Light hair. He looks very princely, even in this dungeon lighting. “Hey, Snow,” I whisper, “fix your hair, fast!” I wish it hadn’t gotten frizzled by the poisoned pillow. I unlock the door and it swings open.

“Hi,” says the prince.

“Hi,” Jonah and I say back.

Snow squeaks.

“I’m Abby,” I say, and stick out my right hand to shake. But then I wonder if I should be curtsying or something, so I take my hand back. But his hand is already out, so I stick mine out again.

We shake.

“Nice to meet you,” I say.

“You too,” he says. “Thank you for rescuing me. I’m Prince Trevor.”

“You’re welcome. This is my brother, Jonah, and my very good friend Snow.”

Snow squeaks again.

I think she
likes
him. Oh! Maybe now that he sees her, he’ll fall in love with her and Snow can get her happy ending after all!

And still another squeak.

“Sorry, did you say something?” the prince asks her.

She shakes her head.

Hmm. He’s not going to fall in love with her if she won’t even talk. Although he fell in love with her in the original story, and she definitely wasn’t talking then. Though her being dead probably had something to do with it. And looking pretty. Right now she’s kind of a mess. She has seaweed on her forehead, and I wish she wasn’t wearing my pj’s. Hopefully after we finish rescuing him, they’ll relax together and joke around, and they’ll have a chance to talk and fall in love.

“Where’s the second dungeon?” I ask Snow.

We follow her down a twisty, dark hall. She peers into another window. “It’s him! At least, I think it’s him. It’s so dark.”

I unlock the door and swing it open.

Inside is a guy around my dad’s age. His hair is long. Really long. His beard is really long, too. He looks like Bob, but taller.

“Snow White?” he says to her. “You’re still alive?”

“Lucky for you,” I tell him. “Let’s go.”

We run back up the rickety stairs.

When we reach the main floor, I take Jonah’s arm. “We saved them. Now we go home.”

And then we hear:

Goooong! Goooong!

“What is that?” I ask, covering my ears with my hands.

Panic flashes across Snow’s face. “The alarm gong! They know we’re here!”