The Council of Mirrors by Michael Buckley

and tell him that she loved him and that he wasn’t alone in his grief, but she suddenly understood that, like herself, he probably wanted to be alone. She was about to creep away when she heard his voice. At first she thought he was talking to himself, but then she realized he was talking to Briar. Sabrina listened as he talked about what he had seen in the forest that day: the colors of trees, the crunch of his feet under leaves, the signs of animals preparing for winter, and the beauty of the long, red sunset. But mostly he talked about how hard it was not to share those things with her firsthand.
    Before Sabrina knew it, she was wiping tears off her cheeks.
    “You got something to say, Sabrina?” Jake asked.
    Sabrina stepped into the light. “I didn’t mean to spy. I couldn’t sleep.”
    Jake smiled. “I like to talk to her,” he said as he gestured to thegrave. “I like to think she can hear me, wherever she is. I tell her how much I miss her and how I’m going to avenge her.”
    “Please don’t do it,” Sabrina said quietly.
    “I don’t expect any of you to understand. If what I do makes me the bad guy, well, I’ll have to live with it, but I can’t live with letting it go.” He scooped up his bow and arrows. “I only stopped by to say hello to her. I’ve got to get back to work.”
    She followed him to the gate and watched as the drawbridge, recently repaired, lowered. Before he crossed the bridge he turned to her. “I heard the news about the prophecy. I’d wish you luck, but these days I’m not sure the world is worth saving.”
    Sabrina wasn’t sure how to respond. Her instinct was to argue and give the man a pep talk, but at the same time she had to admit she often felt the same way. Life seemed to be mostly loss and pain and heartache.
    “It’s a stupid prophecy,” she said. “Two kids are really going to save the world?”
    “Save the people you love,” Uncle Jake said. “Who cares about the rest of the world?”
    And then he was gone, leaving her alone with the murky moon.
    • • •
    In the morning, Sabrina woke to a knock on her cabin door. When she opened it, she found Charming, Mr. Seven, and Mr. Canis standing in the doorway.
    “We need to talk,” Charming said. “We’ve had a deserter.”
    “Who?”
    “Puss in Boots,” Mr. Canis said. “He slipped out early this morning.”
    Daphne sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes. “Why? Is it because of Baba Yaga?”
    “We hope,” Mr. Seven said, “though there’s a chance he could have been a spy.”
    Sabrina shook her head. “The cat wasn’t a spy and it wasn’t Baba Yaga. He was afraid Daphne and I were going to screw everything up.”
    Charming sighed. “He may just be the first. The mood around here is definitely dark. We can’t afford to lose more, so you and your sister need to get out of your jammies and get to work.”
    “And what do you suggest we do?” Sabrina grumbled. “There’s only twenty-four people in this army.”
    “Twenty-three, now,” Daphne said.
    “We’re not talking about the army,” Canis said. “Mr. Seven has another idea.”
    “Our people have been suffering for a long time. It’s hard tobe afraid all the time, especially when it looks like things just get worse and worse every day. We’re going to throw a party,” the little man said.
    “What do you want us to do—rent a bouncy castle and a cotton candy machine?” Sabrina asked.
    “Actually, I was thinking we should have a wedding,” Mr. Seven said.
    “A wedding?” Sabrina repeated.
    “How romantic!” Daphne cried. She jumped up in bed and clapped happily.
    Seven smiled. “A surprise wedding. One where the bride doesn’t know she’s getting married until she walks down the aisle. We need your help.”
    When Sabrina looked over, Daphne was already biting hard on her palm.
    • • •
    Sabrina couldn’t be sure if the wedding would boost morale, but she was happy with the effect it was having on her. Keeping it a