electricity-wielding devil, Belle walked in. “It was a fluke mostly.” She snagged the teapot with a disgusted snarl on her face but still poured herself a cup. “I have major parental dysfunction in my bloodline.”
I laughed. We were officially a hot damn fairytale mess.
Cyndi perked up. “Ooh, spill!”
Belle told her what Maleficent had said. While at first her interested was piqued, as soon as the words ‘Witch of the Woods’ came out of her mouth, Cyndi paled and tea sloshed over the edge of her mug because of her trembling hands. “Oh, Belle.” She shook her head in disbelief. “That majorly sucks.”
I snorted. I knew a little bit about the witch, mostly stories told to frighten the forest children, but I wasn’t as in tune with the Enchanted Forest as I’d like to be. “What are you going to do?”
Belle closed her eyes for a minute and pursed her lips together. “Nothing? Something? Hell, I don’t know. Is it even worth trying to follow that convoluted rabbit hole?”
“Just depends on whether you want to know your parents.” I tapped on the delicate china with my index finger. “Or you want to learn to control your powers.”
She took a sip of tea and looked back down at the cup. “This is surprisingly good.”
Cyndi laughed. “I know. I made sure Maleficent didn’t add anything ‘special’ to it.”
I switched the subject to the most pressing matter. “What are we going to do about the chronicler’s gem?”
“Kick ass? Take names?” Cyndi was always our best cheerleader.
“It won’t be that easy this time. We’re in a time crunch and she has both things she needs to control the portals for good. If we don’t get at least one of them back, we’re going to get shoved out of here and banned from ever returning.”
“Maybe we could infiltrate her castle?” Belle’s eyes narrowed in thought. “It would be difficult. Not impossible.”
I shook my head. “Only the most senior and loyal of guards get close to her.”
Cyndi sat all the way up abruptly. “What about Giles?”
I sucked in a breath. Maybe. “He’s under compulsion, too.”
“Maybe not like Max is. Maybe Maleficent could whip up another gem to help him control it.” Belle’s dark eyes glittered with excitement. “This could work.”
My heart was beating with a hopeful, deep
thud
. If we could get someone inside the castle who was close to her, we might be able to snag the blood and gem at the same time. It wouldn’t fix our end game—killing or completely disabling Naomi—but it would shut down one major problem we had. On the other hand, it could very well get Giles killed. I didn’t want to be responsible for that. He’d been my father’s right hand man and like a father to me. Plus, I’d just hurt Maleficent, so I wasn’t sure if she’d do anything for me right now.
I set my tea mug down and scrubbed a hand over my tired face. “Let me think about it.”
Sleep eluded me that night. I was still in a state of numb shock over Max and I felt completely clueless as to how to help him…if I even could. Maybe I should turn my efforts to rescuing his daughter and getting her out of the clutches of Naomi. I didn’t have a clue how to be a mom, but I did know she’d be much better off in my hands than she was in Naomi’s. I felt a mini panic attack at the thought of trying to bring up a teenage girl while also trying to run a kingdom. I certainly didn’t do anything small. If Max could be saved, I wouldn’t have to worry about it, but I didn’t think Max could do much of anything right now, other than obey Naomi.
If we were able to get Giles to spy for us and tell us where she was storing the gem, we could hit her where it hurt and maybe take her down at the same time. It was a venture not without risks.
Good thing I carried guns.
I tossed and turned as I thought of every outcome and maneuver I had, only drifting to sleep when the first gray wisps of morning swept over the
I laughed. We were officially a hot damn fairytale mess.
Cyndi perked up. “Ooh, spill!”
Belle told her what Maleficent had said. While at first her interested was piqued, as soon as the words ‘Witch of the Woods’ came out of her mouth, Cyndi paled and tea sloshed over the edge of her mug because of her trembling hands. “Oh, Belle.” She shook her head in disbelief. “That majorly sucks.”
I snorted. I knew a little bit about the witch, mostly stories told to frighten the forest children, but I wasn’t as in tune with the Enchanted Forest as I’d like to be. “What are you going to do?”
Belle closed her eyes for a minute and pursed her lips together. “Nothing? Something? Hell, I don’t know. Is it even worth trying to follow that convoluted rabbit hole?”
“Just depends on whether you want to know your parents.” I tapped on the delicate china with my index finger. “Or you want to learn to control your powers.”
She took a sip of tea and looked back down at the cup. “This is surprisingly good.”
Cyndi laughed. “I know. I made sure Maleficent didn’t add anything ‘special’ to it.”
I switched the subject to the most pressing matter. “What are we going to do about the chronicler’s gem?”
“Kick ass? Take names?” Cyndi was always our best cheerleader.
“It won’t be that easy this time. We’re in a time crunch and she has both things she needs to control the portals for good. If we don’t get at least one of them back, we’re going to get shoved out of here and banned from ever returning.”
“Maybe we could infiltrate her castle?” Belle’s eyes narrowed in thought. “It would be difficult. Not impossible.”
I shook my head. “Only the most senior and loyal of guards get close to her.”
Cyndi sat all the way up abruptly. “What about Giles?”
I sucked in a breath. Maybe. “He’s under compulsion, too.”
“Maybe not like Max is. Maybe Maleficent could whip up another gem to help him control it.” Belle’s dark eyes glittered with excitement. “This could work.”
My heart was beating with a hopeful, deep
thud
. If we could get someone inside the castle who was close to her, we might be able to snag the blood and gem at the same time. It wouldn’t fix our end game—killing or completely disabling Naomi—but it would shut down one major problem we had. On the other hand, it could very well get Giles killed. I didn’t want to be responsible for that. He’d been my father’s right hand man and like a father to me. Plus, I’d just hurt Maleficent, so I wasn’t sure if she’d do anything for me right now.
I set my tea mug down and scrubbed a hand over my tired face. “Let me think about it.”
Sleep eluded me that night. I was still in a state of numb shock over Max and I felt completely clueless as to how to help him…if I even could. Maybe I should turn my efforts to rescuing his daughter and getting her out of the clutches of Naomi. I didn’t have a clue how to be a mom, but I did know she’d be much better off in my hands than she was in Naomi’s. I felt a mini panic attack at the thought of trying to bring up a teenage girl while also trying to run a kingdom. I certainly didn’t do anything small. If Max could be saved, I wouldn’t have to worry about it, but I didn’t think Max could do much of anything right now, other than obey Naomi.
If we were able to get Giles to spy for us and tell us where she was storing the gem, we could hit her where it hurt and maybe take her down at the same time. It was a venture not without risks.
Good thing I carried guns.
I tossed and turned as I thought of every outcome and maneuver I had, only drifting to sleep when the first gray wisps of morning swept over the
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