Read The Stepsister Scheme Online
Authors: Jim C. Hines
The Stepsister Scheme (31 page)
Danielle spared a brief glance, long enough to see Talia standing with both hands pressed to the wall.
Stacia reached into the open coffin to poke Snow’s arm. “Like poor Snow White here, your friend Talia carries the remnants of a potent curse. It should be simple enough to revive that magic, plunging you into another century of sleep.” She smiled. “I’ll have my own matching set of princesses.”
“Who are you?” Danielle whispered.
“Don’t worry, my dear Cinderwench,” said Stacia. “We have plans for you. Plans which, unfortunately, preclude me from burning you where you stand.”
“Get out of here, Princess,” Talia snapped. She lurched away from the wall, walking like a toddler. Her arms were outstretched for balance. With every step she seemed on the verge of falling. Her appearance had changed as well. Her hair had lost its shine, and her skin appeared rough and leathery. Acne scars covered her cheeks and forehead.
“What do you want?” Danielle asked. She raised her sword and moved toward Talia. Stacia’s eyes narrowed as she eyed the sword. Good. That meant Danielle wasn’t completely powerless.
“Poor Charlotte,” said Stacia. “Without her dear mother to look after her, the poor wretch was a complete disaster. Lost and desperate. Time and again she and Stacia tried and failed to summon the old bat. Fortunately, I was nearby.” She scowled at Charlotte. “Took them four attempts before they got the spell right. Charlotte is an idiot, but Stacia turned out to be nearly as gifted a student as my own daughter.”
“Your own . . .” Danielle glanced at the glass coffin where Snow lay. “You’re Snow’s mother.”
“Queen Rose Curtana of Allesandria. And I disowned that wretched girl years ago,” Stacia snapped. “I tried to teach her, to raise her to follow in my own footsteps, and she turned her back on my teachings. She fled, choosing instead to live with that filthy peasant.”
“Maybe that’s because you ordered her heart cut out of her chest,” Talia said as she reached the edge of the cave. The light from outside turned her into a shadow.
“I suppose that’s true.” Stacia lifted the mirror she had taken from Snow and studied her reflection. “A shame the pretty one wasn’t strong enough to summon me.”
Stacia rolled her eyes. “The pretty one would have gotten herself killed the first time she went after Cinderwench, if I hadn’t helped.” A faint change in inflection told Danielle this was truly Stacia speaking now, not Rose. They were both there, though Rose appeared to be the stronger of the two.
The darkling tried to scurry toward Talia. Danielle stepped to the side, waving her sword to keep it back.
“You said you were nearby,” Danielle said. The longer she stalled, the more time Talia had to adjust to a body untouched by fairy grace. “I thought Snow killed you.”
“Ermillina destroyed my body, but she lacked the strength to finish the job. I followed her over the years, hoping to catch her unaware and claim her body for my own. A fitting vengeance, don’t you think?” She drummed her fingers on the edge of the coffin. “Unfortunately, the protective spells she wove with my mirror were too tight to pierce.”
“Why did you take Armand?”
Stacia laughed again.
“To get you,” said Talia. “This whole thing was a trap to lure you to Fairytown.” She grabbed one of the broken vines for balance. “I told you that you’d be better off staying behind.”
“Why would I care about a filthy servant girl, even one who married into royalty?” asked Stacia. No, not Stacia. This was Rose. “In the beginning, Armand really was the only one we wanted.
“Without a body, most of my power was stripped from me.” The tilt of her head was different, more regal, and she spoke with a faint accent. “Age will soon take my daughter’s beauty, and in this land she’s little better than a peasant anyway. So I thought, what better host than the heir to the kingdom? Armand would father a child on this body, and I would grow up to claim this land for my own. Neither Brahkop nor Stacia were thrilled by the idea, but I was able to . . . persuade them.”
Danielle turned to Charlotte. “You said Armand was enchanted to love you, not Stacia.”
Charlotte turned away, but not before Danielle saw the tears in her eyes.
“Her?”
Stacia laughed again. “Why would I choose such a weak mother? Stacia’s gift would flow through my child’s blood, making me that much stronger. Charlotte tried to prove herself by killing you. Fortunately for us all, Charlotte’s attempt on your life was a miserable failure. And then my dear husband was kind enough to tell us of your news.” She smiled and stepped toward Danielle, one hand reaching for her stomach. “You have no idea how delightful it was to learn I was going to be an aunt.”
Stacia laughed again. “Why would I choose such a weak mother? Stacia’s gift would flow through my child’s blood, making me that much stronger. Charlotte tried to prove herself by killing you. Fortunately for us all, Charlotte’s attempt on your life was a miserable failure. And then my dear husband was kind enough to tell us of your news.” She smiled and stepped toward Danielle, one hand reaching for her stomach. “You have no idea how delightful it was to learn I was going to be an aunt.”
Danielle raised her sword. She didn’t know what she would do if Stacia kept coming, but something on her face must have convinced her not to try. Stacia backed down.
She walked to Brahkop and ran her fingers through his hair. “Why settle for a royal bastard when I can take the true scion of Prince Armand and Princess Danielle? Everybody wins. I have the rightful heir, and Brahkop doesn’t have to endure the thought of your husband having his way with this body.”
Danielle shook her head. “Beatrice will—”
“She will do what?” Stacia asked. “Declare war on Fairytown? The Duchess’ home is well-protected, child. Imagine poor Beatrice . . . her son and daughter-in-law taken from her. Then, months from now, her grandson is miraculously saved by some benevolent fairy. Think of her gratitude. Queen Beatrice will embrace the one tie she has to her dead son, and I will have a lifetime to take back what my traitorous daughter stole from me.”
Danielle looked over her shoulder. Even if she made it out of the cave, Rose could still cast a spell on her. Look at how easily she had taken Snow and disabled Talia. Or she could simply send Brahkop or the darkling to catch her.
Stacia cast a disgusted look at Charlotte. “Get up.
Charlotte pulled herself to her feet, her head bowed.
Danielle stared at Charlotte, unable to feel anything but pity. She had tried twice to murder Danielle, to prove herself so that she could have Armand to herself. “It wouldn’t have been real. He never would have loved you.”
Charlotte didn’t look up. “It would have been real enough.”
“Enough of this,” said Stacia. “Drop your blade, and I’ll let your friend Talia live.”
“So I can sleep for another hundred years?” Talia asked.
“Give or take,” said Stacia. “These things really aren’t that precise. You’ll sleep, untouched by the years, until some dashing hero arrives to awaken you.”
“No thank you, Your Majesty.” Talia’s voice shook. “I’ve been ‘rescued’ once before.” She glanced at the river, and in that moment, Danielle knew what she was about to do.
“Talia, wait!” Danielle started to move toward Talia. As soon as she turned, the darkling raced forward. Danielle spun around, swinging her sword to drive him back.
Talia could barely walk. There was no way she would be able to swim. “Beatrice will send someone to revive you,” Danielle shouted. “Don’t—”
“Sorry, Princess,” said Talia. She had moved past the vines, so the sun illuminated the now-plain features of her face. She looked so exposed and vulnerable, like a frightened child. “I can’t do it.”
Before Danielle could move, Talia stepped into the water. Danielle ran after her. The scrape of claws on rock made her turn.
The darkling leaped.
Danielle swung with all her strength, severing the darkling’s arm. His body crashed into Danielle, knocking her down, but he didn’t attack. Shrieking in pain, he raced back to Stacia.
“Brahkop, take her!” shouted Stacia.
Danielle backed toward the water as the troll approached. She had to get to Talia before—
“Stop running,”
Stacia commanded.
“Drop the sword.”
Stacia commanded.
“Drop the sword.”
Though she fought with all her strength, Danielle could only watch as her fingers relaxed and the sword dropped to the ground.
In a heartbeat, Brahkop was there. Ropes of hair looped around Danielle’s limbs, hoisting her into the air.
It felt like Brahkop would crush her bones. Danielle closed her eyes and did her best to ignore the pain.
Help me, Wind,
she whispered silently. On rare occasions, birds and other creatures had obeyed her even before she asked for their help. Like her wedding day, when she pleaded for them to break off their attack on her stepmother and stepsisters. Some of the doves had turned away the instant Danielle realized what they had done, before she had spoken a single word out loud.
Please.
she whispered silently. On rare occasions, birds and other creatures had obeyed her even before she asked for their help. Like her wedding day, when she pleaded for them to break off their attack on her stepmother and stepsisters. Some of the doves had turned away the instant Danielle realized what they had done, before she had spoken a single word out loud.
Please.
Of the three aviars, only Danielle’s was still in any condition to help. If she hadn’t already fled back to the pixies. If she was willing to risk herself to come to Danielle’s aid. If she could hear Danielle’s plea at all.
Stacia drew a knife from behind her back. The long, triangular blade was made of a dark metal, almost as black as the darklings.
“Don’t move,”
she said. Danielle fought, but she couldn’t even blink as Stacia stepped closer.
“Don’t move,”
she said. Danielle fought, but she couldn’t even blink as Stacia stepped closer.
A high-pitched scream filled the cave. Hooves rattled against the stone as Wind burst through the vines.
Brahkop dropped Danielle and advanced toward the aviar. His hair spread out like a bizarre, oversized spiderweb, while other tendrils reached for Wind. Had he attacked like that back at his shop, Danielle and the others never would have beaten him. He had been holding back, deliberately letting them escape so they would come to Fairytown.
Go,
Danielle said silently.
Help Talia. Quickly, before she drowns. Take her to Arlorran.
Danielle said silently.
Help Talia. Quickly, before she drowns. Take her to Arlorran.
Wind danced from side to side, seeking a path through Brahkop’s web.
She’ll die,
Danielle said.
Please go.
Danielle said.
Please go.
The aviar galloped away. Danielle heard her splashing through the water, and then there was nothing but the sound of the waves. She prayed Wind had been fast enough.
“Charlotte, go and tell the Duchess we’ve dealt with the trespassers,” said Stacia. “But do not—”
“—say who you’ve captured,” Charlotte muttered. “I know, I know.”
Danielle watched her go. Of course they couldn’t tell the Duchess they had imprisoned the prince and princess of Lorindar. The Duchess would have no choice but to act, or else risk violating Malindar’s Treaty. But so long as nobody mentioned their names, the Duchess could enjoy the benefits of ignorance.
Sunlight flashed off Stacia’s knife, focusing Danielle’s attention. She held her breath, waiting for the first cut. But instead, Stacia rolled back her sleeve and sliced her own arm. Her stare seared Danielle’s skin as she walked in a slow circle, dripping a ring of blood around Danielle’s feet.
“Did you truly think you were meant to be a princess?” Stacia asked, and now it was undeniably her stepsister’s voice. “That destiny would set you upon the throne of Lorindar? ‘Queen Cinderwench.’ What a laughable idea.”
She leaned closer, until her cheek touched Danielle’s. “I know how uncomfortable you’ve been these past months, a clumsy duck trying to live among swans. Don’t worry, my dear stepsister. With the magic I’ve learned from Queen Rose, I’ll be more than happy to return you to your proper station.”
CHAPTER 11
D
ANIELLE HUMMED AS she rubbed a soapy rag over the wooden floor of Stacia’s bedroom. The humming bothered her far more than the actual cleaning. Her mind was her own, but thanks to the curse Stacia had cast, her body now obeyed her stepsisters. And Stacia preferred her slave cheerful.
ANIELLE HUMMED AS she rubbed a soapy rag over the wooden floor of Stacia’s bedroom. The humming bothered her far more than the actual cleaning. Her mind was her own, but thanks to the curse Stacia had cast, her body now obeyed her stepsisters. And Stacia preferred her slave cheerful.
Danielle couldn’t even turn away as the harsh, caustic fumes of lye soap began to rise from the floor. The Duchess mixed her soaps with various flowers to soften the scent, but for Danielle, the smell of rose and honeysuckle mixed with lye was worse than the soap, triggering the nausea which had plagued her for . . . however long it had been.
She clenched her jaw and tried to breathe as little as possible. It didn’t help. She could only watch as the meager contents of her stomach spilled onto the floor she had nearly finished cleaning.
With a groan, Danielle returned the rag to the bucket and stood. She stretched her back as she studied the mess.
A soft splash drew her attention to the corner of the bedroom, where a miniature waterfall trickled from the wall into a small, triangular pool. The water emitted a sparkling blue light as it splashed into the pool, so that the bedrooms were never truly dark.
A pair of pale, pink-eyed fish splashed again. Stacia rarely bothered to feed them, and since caring for Stacia’s pets wasn’t one of Danielle’s duties, she was helpless to do anything herself. If not for the algae growing along the stones, the fish would have starved long ago.
The sight of the pool reminded her of the walk through the Duchess’ cavern, following Stacia and Charlotte after their fight in the cave. She had kept her head bowed, already a slave to Stacia’s magic. But she had glimpsed the great waterfall pouring down the side of the cavern into a wide lake, filling the air with soft blue light.
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