Unlocking the Spell (8 page)

After the storm of the night before, the trip across the river was rough, with whitecaps slapping the ferry so that water ran over the sides, drenching shoes and hems. People were too busy trying to calm their horses and keep their footing to pay much attention to each other, but Annie noticed that the young men looked in Gwennie's direction the moment they set foot on dry land. She was glad she had kept hold of her sister's elbow the entire trip when the young men turned away, no longer interested.

Before the other travelers had gathered their horses and started out, Gwendolyn was already studying the forest on either side of the road, looking for Beldegard, while Liam wandered off, his eyes on the ground. Annie was about to ask him what he was doing when he called her over and pointed at a small footprint with a leaf design in the center. “Now we know for sure that we're following the right dwarf,” he told her.

The ferryman kept casting odd looks at Annie and her companions, so they finally walked down the road until they were out of sight of the river. They hadn't
gone far when they heard crashing in the forest and Beldegard bounded out, his mouth split in a huge grin.

“It's about time!” he said, nudging Gwendolyn even as she bent down to kiss his furry head.

“I'm sorry it took us so long, dear one,” said Gwendolyn, “but we had to wait for the next ferry trip over.”

“Now what?” asked Liam. “You said we had to cross the river, and here we are.”

Beldegard began to walk with Gwendolyn by his side. “According to Rose Red, the dwarf claimed to be from the Dark Woods,” he said over his shoulder. “I know of no Dark Woods, but there is a Dark Forest in Dorinocco, and it looks like the dwarf is headed there.”

“And if we don't find him in this Dark Forest?” Liam called as he waited for Annie to join him.

“Then we keep looking until we do find him,” the bear prince replied, then turned his head to talk to Gwendolyn.

Liam was scowling when Annie began to walk with him. “We should set a time limit on this expedition,” he said.

“Why don't we give it a week?” asked Annie.

“I was thinking more like a few days,” said Liam, his mouth set in a grim line.

Annie plucked a chunk of cheese off the tip of Liam's knife. They had been walking all morning and had stopped to share the food that he had bought in the village. Beldegard had already wandered off to forage on his own. “I've been thinking,” Annie told her companions. “We really need to find the dwarf and change Beldegard back as soon as we can, and not just so we can go home. Now that word has gotten out that the curse can no longer hurt Gwennie, all sorts of crazies are going to show up at the castle wanting to marry her. With an entire kingdom at stake, they won't care if she's found her true love as long as she isn't actually married.”

“Crazies?” asked Liam.

Annie nodded. “Like that boy and his cat that were on their way to the castle to win her hand.”

“What boy?” Gwendolyn asked, a piece of bread halfway to her mouth.

“We met him when we went into the tavern to find Rose Red,” said Liam. “He had a talking cat with him who claimed the boy was a wealthy noble named the Marquis of Carabas, but the boy's shoes were worn and he had the calluses of a farmer. It was obvious they were going to try to pull some sort of scam. They couldn't even tell me where Carabas was located.”

“And this boy wanted to marry me?” asked Gwendolyn.

“That's what he told us,” said Annie. “And you know he's bound to be just one of many.”

Gwendolyn shrugged. “They'll leave me alone once they hear about Beldegard.”

“Not necessarily,” said Annie. “Beldegard is still a bear and you aren't married to him yet. People won't believe you're taken until he's turned back into a man and you two are officially wed.”

“Then I guess I'm glad I came with you,” Gwendolyn said, giving her sister her brightest smile. “If I were at home now, I'd have to fend them off by myself.”

“Shh!” said Liam. “I hear someone coming this way.”

Annie turned to Liam, but he shook his head and put his finger to his lips. A moment later she heard a clear sweet voice whistling. And then a figure in a red cape appeared among the trees. Although a hood was
covering the person's face, Annie could tell from her long skirts that it was a girl.

“She's getting close,” Annie whispered. “Maybe we should make some noise so we don't startle her.” Liam stood up and pretend-coughed. “Or we could do that,” Annie murmured as the hood veered so that it was coming straight toward them.

The girl had almost reached them when she pushed the hood back from her face. She couldn't have been more then ten or eleven years old, with dark brown hair and a sunny smile. “Hello,” she said, setting her basket on the ground so she could curtsy.

Gwendolyn glanced at the girl and nodded.

“Good day,” said Annie. “We're looking for the Dark Forest. Do you know if we're getting close?”

“Oh, yes! It's not far now. I'm going that way to visit my granny. My mother sends her food and gossip from the village and I get to share both with Granny. I visit her every week, although I went just yesterday and she was sick, so I'm going back today with more food. I'm happy to do it because it gets me out of the house for a day and I don't have to take care of my younger brothers and sisters. I have seven brothers and three sisters and I'm the oldest of the girls.”

“We should get going,” said Liam.

The girl clapped her hands and grinned. “If you're going to the Dark Forest, too, we should go together! I never have company on my walks.”

When Liam grumbled and started walking, the girl skipped ahead to join him. “My name is Gloria, but most people call me Little Red Riding Hood. My granny made this cape for me because she said I should wear something red when I'm in the forest. There are lots of hunters and not all of them are as careful as they should be, but they won't shoot me when they see my red cape.”

“I see,” Liam said, and Annie had to grin.

“Why are you smiling?” demanded Gwendolyn, falling into step beside Annie. “Beldegard probably won't join us as long as that girl is here. He's gotten very sensitive about people's reactions to him ever since those men chased him off. Why are we going with the girl anyway? Beldegard knows how to find the Dark Forest. We really don't need her help.”

“I know,” said Annie. “But there's no real harm if we're going in the same direction. I'm sure Beldegard will be able to find us. So tell me, what do you think of Gloria's cape? I noticed that we couldn't see her face very well when she had her hood up.”

Gwendolyn glanced at the girl and shrugged. “I guess so.”

“It might even be more concealing than mud or bandages,” Annie continued.

“What are you talking about?” asked Gwendolyn. “I don't… Oh! I see what you mean. Do you suppose she would sell it to me? It is small, though.”

Annie shrugged. “It wouldn't hurt to ask. Although I
was hoping we could ask her granny to make you one. The color red does draw attention. Maybe a more subtle color would be better.”

Gwendolyn's expression brightened. “Pink, perhaps!”

“Or brown.”

“Or fuchsia!”

“This is not going to be easy,” Annie muttered to herself.

They had walked only a short distance farther when the oaks, maples, and elms gave way to fir trees growing in ragged rows. The trees grew taller as they continued on, casting deep shadows beneath their branches. Annie loved the smell of the needles and took a deep breath even as she noticed how dark it had become.

“I guess this is the Dark Forest,” said Gwendolyn.

Annie nodded. “That's a good name for it. I wonder where—”

“Here we are!” Gloria sang out as they reached the edge of a small clearing. Swinging the basket from her arm, she skipped ahead to rap on the wooden door of a sweet little cottage with ivy climbing its sturdy stone walls. A cat peeked at them from among the ferns growing at the corner of the cottage while another strode past, its tail in the air. “Granny, it's me!” the girl called.

A curtain twitched aside and a face peered out for an instant before the curtain fell back in place.

“You're not going in, are you?” Gwendolyn asked Annie. “Because if you are, I think I'll stay out here and wait for Beldegard.”

Little Red Riding Hood had raised her hand to knock again when a creaky voice called out, “Come in, dearie!”

Annie glanced at Liam as the girl opened the door and stepped inside. “Did you see that?” Annie asked him.

“I sure did,” said Liam. “Either that girl has the ugliest granny I've ever seen, or something isn't right here.”

“What? Did I miss something?” asked Gwendolyn. “Do you hear magic, Annie?”

Annie shook her head. “It's not that,” she said, and followed Liam into the cottage.

“Shut the door, dearie,” said a creaky voice. “The bright light hurts my eyes.”

Little Red Riding Hood brushed past Annie to shut the door, leaving them all in the near dark. Annie had taken only a few steps into the room when she tripped over something and fell against Liam. He grabbed her arm and held her until she had her feet under her, but even then something bumped into her legs and made her stagger.

As her eyes grew used to the dim light filtering through the closed curtains, Annie saw that the cottage was just one room. A large bed filled the center of the room and in the bed lay a figure in a nightgown
and ruffled cap. Little Red Riding Hood was already standing by the end of the bed, holding the basket with both hands. “Look, Granny, I brought you visitors.”

“How nice,” her grandmother rasped. “And what did you bring me in your basket? Do I smell baked ham?” There was a loud sniffing sound, then Granny added, “And blueberry tarts!”

“Granny isn't feeling well,” Little Red Riding Hood said, turning to Liam and Annie. “She has a wasting disease and needs lots of food to keep up her strength. She told me so yesterday.”

“That's right, dearie. So why don't you just set that basket on the bed and I'll…”

“Ooh, Granny,” the girl said, taking a step closer. “What big eyes you have.”

“I know, I know! Didn't we go through this yesterday?” said Granny. “I have big eyes, the better to see you with, and big ears, the better to hear you with, and a big nose because it runs in the family. Now if you'll just—”

“Mworr!” A large cat jumped on the bed and padded across Granny's chest. “Get off me, stupid cat,” the old woman said, pushing it aside.

“Granny, you must be really sick,” said her granddaughter. “You usually let the cats walk all over you.”

“How many cats do you have, Granny?” asked Annie.

Two cats emerged from the shadows and jumped onto the bed. One strode up to Granny and plumped
down on her stomach, swiping its long tail across her face. The other sat on the edge of the bed and glared at her.

When the old woman hesitated, Little Red Riding Hood spoke up. “Granny has twenty-two cats, although the number changes all the time.”

“That's right,” Granny said, sounding as if she was speaking through gritted teeth. “I do love cats. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need my rest. Just leave the basket on the bed and I'll take care of putting the food away. Oh, and be sure to come back tomorrow, Granddaughter, dear. The delicious food you bring is making me feel much better.”

Annie knew something was wrong, other than just the old woman's poor health, but she didn't know what to do to prove it. Maybe if she went outside, she and Liam could figure it out. “We're sorry we stopped by at such a bad time,” she said. “I hope you're well soon. Liam and I will leave so you and Gloria can talk before you go back to sleep.”

“Who's Gloria?” asked the old woman.

Annie scowled. Either the woman's memory was going, or it wasn't the grandmother at all. If Annie was wrong, the worst that could happen was she would embarrass herself. But if she was right… Keeping an eye on the figure in the bed, Annie stepped to the door and flung it wide. While Little Red Riding Hood and
her grandmother cried out in protest, Annie went from window to window, dragging the curtains open, letting the tree-filtered sunlight in.

“It's a wolf!” Liam cried, dashing to the bed even as he drew his sword.

Little Red Riding Hood turned back to the bed. Seeing the long, furry face under her grandmother's ruffled cap, she cried out in horror.

With one motion, the wolf threw back the covers and leaped from the bed. Snatching the basket from Little Red Riding Hood's hands, it darted around Annie and Liam and out the door.

“What did you do with my granny!” Little Red Riding Hood shouted after the fleeing wolf.