use the translation spells so we could speak with birds, fish, and forest animals. These rooms are filled with useful stuff."
Mirror stopped at a door with a plaque that read HATS, HELMETS, BEANIES, ETC. He found the key for the lock and opened the door. He stepped inside and soon returned with a metal helmet that had small antlers mounted on each side.
"Good choice," Uncle Jake said. "The Midas Crown."
"What does it do?" Sabrina asked, as her uncle placed it on her head.
"It makes you strong. Try to pick me up," Uncle Jake said.
"But you're three times my size."
"Try it!"
Sabrina reached over and grabbed her uncle by the shirt and lifted with all her strength. It was more than she needed. Uncle Jake went flying into the air and plummeted back into Sabrina's arms. His landing was awkward but he wasn't hurt.
"Oh, man am I going to have fun with this!" Sabrina cried as she felt the power of the helmet course through her limbs.
"Sabrina, wait for me in the hall," a voice said behind them. Sabrina turned and saw Granny Relda. The old woman's face was red with anger. Daphne stood next to her with sleepy eyes and a confused expression.
"Busted," Uncle Jake whispered.
"I want everyone out of here right this instant," Granny Relda demanded, fixing her eyes on Sabrina, showing the girl how disappointed she was.
"Hey! Your arm is healed," Daphne said.
"I suppose you used magic," Granny said.
"It was silly to have her in pain," Uncle Jake said. "Why wait three months when it could be perfectly fine today?"
"And what is the cost of that, Jacob?"
"I don't understand the question."
"There is a cost with magic. There is always a cost."
"There's no cost. Her arm is healed," Uncle Jake said defensively. "The magic asked for nothing in return."
"The magic most certainly asked for something. It asked for experience. Sabrina broke her arm doing something I told her not to do. The healing is her experience in learning about the consequences of the choices she makes. Sure, it is easier to wave a wand or rub some magic medicine over our injuries. It's always easier. But what do we learn? How will Sabrina know her limitations?"
"Mom, you talk as if Sabrina and Daphne were normal little girls," Jake replied. "But they are not. They are Grimms and their lives are going to be difficult. Let the rest of the children learn about limitations. They don't have a Jabberwocky and a certifiable nutcase like Red Riding Hood chasing their family. The girls have to learn to fight. If they knew how to use some of the stuff you have locked up in here, Sabrina might not have gotten hurt in the first place. They need to be trained like Hank and I were. Dad had us exploring these rooms when we were five years old and--"
"Your father was wrong," Granny Relda said. "The girls will explore the mirror's rooms when I say they are ready. Until then, the best lesson I can teach them is that magic always has a price!
"That's ridiculous!" her son complained.
"Is it Jake? Is it still so hard to see after everything that has happened? Your father is dead because…" Granny Relda stopped in mid sentence and there was a long silence between the two.
"You don't have to tell me why Dad is dead," Uncle Jake said. "I'm the one who killed him."
"Jake, I didn't mean…"
But Uncle Jake didn't let her finish. He turned, walked back down the hallway, and disappeared through the portal.
Chapter 6
Sabrina and Daphne followed their grandmother into their bedroom. She said nothing, only pointed at the bed. It spoke volumes, and the girls crawled in. "Did Uncle Jake really kill Grandpa?" Daphne asked, but the old woman just shook her head. Sabrina wasn't sure if her grandmother was saying no to the question or just didn't want to talk about it.
"I think Uncle Jake is right," Sabrina said. "When are you going to teach us how to use the magic in the Hall of Wonders?"
The old woman cringed slightly as if the question physically hurt her.
"We have plenty of time for
Mirror stopped at a door with a plaque that read HATS, HELMETS, BEANIES, ETC. He found the key for the lock and opened the door. He stepped inside and soon returned with a metal helmet that had small antlers mounted on each side.
"Good choice," Uncle Jake said. "The Midas Crown."
"What does it do?" Sabrina asked, as her uncle placed it on her head.
"It makes you strong. Try to pick me up," Uncle Jake said.
"But you're three times my size."
"Try it!"
Sabrina reached over and grabbed her uncle by the shirt and lifted with all her strength. It was more than she needed. Uncle Jake went flying into the air and plummeted back into Sabrina's arms. His landing was awkward but he wasn't hurt.
"Oh, man am I going to have fun with this!" Sabrina cried as she felt the power of the helmet course through her limbs.
"Sabrina, wait for me in the hall," a voice said behind them. Sabrina turned and saw Granny Relda. The old woman's face was red with anger. Daphne stood next to her with sleepy eyes and a confused expression.
"Busted," Uncle Jake whispered.
"I want everyone out of here right this instant," Granny Relda demanded, fixing her eyes on Sabrina, showing the girl how disappointed she was.
"Hey! Your arm is healed," Daphne said.
"I suppose you used magic," Granny said.
"It was silly to have her in pain," Uncle Jake said. "Why wait three months when it could be perfectly fine today?"
"And what is the cost of that, Jacob?"
"I don't understand the question."
"There is a cost with magic. There is always a cost."
"There's no cost. Her arm is healed," Uncle Jake said defensively. "The magic asked for nothing in return."
"The magic most certainly asked for something. It asked for experience. Sabrina broke her arm doing something I told her not to do. The healing is her experience in learning about the consequences of the choices she makes. Sure, it is easier to wave a wand or rub some magic medicine over our injuries. It's always easier. But what do we learn? How will Sabrina know her limitations?"
"Mom, you talk as if Sabrina and Daphne were normal little girls," Jake replied. "But they are not. They are Grimms and their lives are going to be difficult. Let the rest of the children learn about limitations. They don't have a Jabberwocky and a certifiable nutcase like Red Riding Hood chasing their family. The girls have to learn to fight. If they knew how to use some of the stuff you have locked up in here, Sabrina might not have gotten hurt in the first place. They need to be trained like Hank and I were. Dad had us exploring these rooms when we were five years old and--"
"Your father was wrong," Granny Relda said. "The girls will explore the mirror's rooms when I say they are ready. Until then, the best lesson I can teach them is that magic always has a price!
"That's ridiculous!" her son complained.
"Is it Jake? Is it still so hard to see after everything that has happened? Your father is dead because…" Granny Relda stopped in mid sentence and there was a long silence between the two.
"You don't have to tell me why Dad is dead," Uncle Jake said. "I'm the one who killed him."
"Jake, I didn't mean…"
But Uncle Jake didn't let her finish. He turned, walked back down the hallway, and disappeared through the portal.
Chapter 6
Sabrina and Daphne followed their grandmother into their bedroom. She said nothing, only pointed at the bed. It spoke volumes, and the girls crawled in. "Did Uncle Jake really kill Grandpa?" Daphne asked, but the old woman just shook her head. Sabrina wasn't sure if her grandmother was saying no to the question or just didn't want to talk about it.
"I think Uncle Jake is right," Sabrina said. "When are you going to teach us how to use the magic in the Hall of Wonders?"
The old woman cringed slightly as if the question physically hurt her.
"We have plenty of time for
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