The Fairy-Tale Detectives Page 4

  In an effort to protect himself, Grendel dropped Daphne, and the little girl fell into a wet mound of leaves. She staggered over to Sabrina, who had rejoined their unconscious father, and the two watched the fight. They soon realized that they owed their lives to three massive brown bears. But these were no ordinary bears. The biggest wore overalls, another had on a dress, and the littlest one had a beanie cap with a propeller on the top. Sabrina recognized these bears—all three of them.

  “Goldilocks,” Sabrina gasped as the stunningly pretty woman stepped out from behind the trees and extended a helping hand.

  “Let’s get your father to safety,” Goldi said. Her eyes were sky-blue, her hair seemingly made from gold. She had sun-kissed freckles sprinkled across her nose and cheeks. She and another woman helped Henry to his feet. This second woman had long auburn hair, creamy skin, and eyes the color of a meadow. No wonder they called her Beauty.

  “I don’t think your bears can take him, Goldi,” Beauty said. “Mind if I cut in?”

  “Be my guest,” Goldilocks said.

  Beauty turned to Grendel and started to sing a sweet lullaby, each note soothing the brute like he was a baby on his way to dreamland. As her perfect voice and lyrics filled the air, the fight drained out of Grendel, and he stood before her in a happy daze.

  “That’s right,” Beauty said as she caressed his horrible face. “You know I like a man with a big smile. Can you smile for me?”

  Grendel did as he was asked, and then he cooed like a newborn babe. It was nauseating.

  “Oh, we’ve got a real charmer on our hands here.” Beauty giggled.

  “Can you get him into the Hall of Wonders?” Henry, now conscious, said weakly.

  “Right now I could get him to do the cha-cha!”

  Henry turned to Goldi. “Thank you. You saved my daughters’ lives.”

  Goldi rolled her eyes. “Don’t be silly, Hank.”

  “It seems I owe you my life, too.”

  “For like the fifty millionth time,” the woman said with a knowing smile. Henry smiled back and Sabrina watched as a lifetime of memories seemed to pass between them. Sadly, Goldi’s eyes hinted at a world of heartache, too. This peculiar woman still loved her father dearly.

  Suddenly, three of Puck’s disgusting balloon bombs fell from the sky and hit Grendel in the face. He was so enraptured by Beauty he didn’t even notice.

  “Yes, my weapons have paralyzed him with fear,” Puck said as he drifted down from above. “Like I said. The Trickster King has got this under control.”

  “What are you two doing out here?” Henry asked Beauty and Goldi.

  “Looking for you,” Beauty explained.

  “Us?” Sabrina cried.

  “Yes, and we have to hurry,” Goldi begged. “We need your help with Jake.”

  “You know where he is?” Henry asked. “The magic mirrors couldn’t find him.”

  “He’s with us,” Goldi said, “back at our camp. It has a diversion spell around it. That’s probably why they couldn’t locate him. But Hank—he’s not himself.”

  “He did just lose Briar,” Henry said. “He went through something like this when our father was killed.”

  “It’s more than grief,” Goldi said.

  “He’s losing his mind, Henry,” Beauty said bluntly.

  Everyone turned to look at her.

  “Sorry, but you need to know what to expect,” Beauty said. “He’s talking to himself. The things he says—it’s very troubling stuff.”

  “Like what?” Henry asked. “What’s he talking about?”

  Goldi looked pained, as if what she was going to say would injure herself and everyone around her.

  “What is it?” Sabrina asked.

  “He’s talking about murder.”

  ctober 14 (part 2)

  Thought I better update the journal while I’m back in the Hall of Wonders. Dad and Beauty are locking Grendel up in his old room. It’s scary to think the Hall used to house hundreds of monsters like him and that they are all running around town now doing who knows what. Dad tried to put a happy face on it by reminding us that now that we have Grendel we have one less freak to worry about. I reminded him that now we were sleeping next door to said freak. He told me to zip it.

  I should be grateful that’s all he said because he’s pretty angry at me and my sister. Note to self: don’t get Mom and Dad angry . . . ever. I forgot how they are when they are steamed, and I think I’d rather face Grendel again. The last time I saw them this steamed was when Daphne invited a homeless man to come live with us. She hid him in our closet for six hours before the housecleaner found him.

  Both of them say we aren’t allowed out of their sight, and they swore if we ever pulled a stunt like that again . . . well, I probably shouldn’t write it down in this journal. I’m so embarrassed. I’ve read a lot of the family journals and I haven’t found one entry where someone got grounded for trying to rescue a family member. It seems like everyone treats me like a child. Even Daphne does it now. Am I that worthless?

  Not that we’re completely to blame for all the stress around here. Goldi’s sudden appearance doesn’t help. Anytime Blondie shows up Dad looks like he wants to crawl under a rock, and Mom looks like she’d like to toss that rock at Goldilock’s head. I can’t blame her. Who would want her husband’s ex around, mooning over him?

  Goldi doesn’t make it any easier. She’s so nervous the chatter never stops. Daphne thinks she’s doing it to fill the awkward moments (of which there are plenty). She also has this annoying habit of adjusting everyone’s clothes all the time.

  I don’t feel right shifting our attention from Granny Relda to Uncle Jake, especially now that we have found her, but Uncle Jake needs us too. I pray he isn’t as bad as they say he is, but I have to wonder: If someone I loved was killed, wouldn’t I want revenge—especially when it seemed like there would never be any justice? If someone murdered Daphne, wouldn’t I want to hunt them down and end them?

  Well, on that bright and cheery note, I have to go. They’re calling for me. I’ll write more when I can. I have a feeling that I’m going to be spending a lot of time with this journal now that I’m grounded.

  With the magic mirror strapped securely onto Poppa Bear’s back, the rest of the bears, the Grimms, Puck, Canis, and Pinocchio marched through the forest, led by Goldilocks and Beauty.

  “Grendel was as ugly as I remember,” Beauty said as she kicked a clump of leaves off her high-heeled shoe. Her sweater dress was awfully thin for a chilly hike through the woods, but she never complained. “You have no idea what it was like coming over here on Wilhelm’s boat with him. All that grunting and groaning. I was sure at any moment the chains they used to keep him below deck would snap and he’d eat us all whole. Plus, with all those monsters and Jabberwockies running around—ugh. The only way you’ll get me on a ship now is if it’s a cruise to the Bahamas.”

  “Why did Wilhelm bring so many of these creepy weirdos to America?” Sabrina asked.

  “Wilhelm believed everybody had some goodness in them—even creepy weirdos,” Mr. Canis said, as he struggled along with his cane. Henry had begged him to stay inside the mirror with Red and baby Basil, but the old man had flatly refused. “He took a chance on me and I will always be grateful. Look at some of the people that we now call friends—Morgan le Fay, Baba Yaga—”

  “Baba Yaga is hardly a friend,” Sabrina interrupted.

  “The fact that she’s not trying to eat us makes her as close to a friend as we may ever get.” Henry laughed.

  Goldi giggled. “In my book that’s personal growth. Henry, do you remember the time we snuck out in the middle of the night and ran into her? We were up on the cliffs and she came along in that creepy house and we . . .” Goldi’s voice tapered off when Veronica flashed her an irritated glance.

  Sabrina’s father deftly changed the subject. “You kids might someday think of Grendel as an ally. You might even decide he’s ready to be free from the Hall of
Wonders.”

  “Or the barrier?” Daphne said. “I mean, if they all have the potential for goodness, why not let them out?”

  A pause both big and awkward fell on the group, stealing the air until Pinocchio spoke.

  “That’s an excellent question. How can you say Wilhelm believed in the goodness of Everafters when he locked an entire town inside a cage?”

  “He had to do something drastic,” Henry said. “Everafters were threatening to invade the next town and no one would listen to reason.”

  “So I’ve heard. Still, with his barrier he punished everyone for the crimes of a few, and even more have stumbled into this town, not realizing they would be imprisoned here for eternity. Take me for instance. I wasn’t even here when the troubles started for Wilhelm, but like so many others, I’m trapped in this roach motel.”

  Henry opened his mouth to say something, but Pinocchio cut him off.

  “Even your friends can’t escape the cruelty of this jailhouse you call a town. Look at Canis, who has clearly reformed. The Wicked Queen has proved herself to be somewhat trustworthy. Why, we’re walking with Beauty, who, from what I understand, recently counted herself amongst the Scarlet Hand. The goodness that Wilhelm claimed to believe in is easy to see in their faces, and yet, they find no reward. They will never leave this town . . . or should I say prison. But that’s not right, either. In prison the inmates sometimes get time off for good behavior. This place is something far worse.”

  Sabrina couldn’t stand Pinocchio, but she had to admit he had made a powerful argument. There had been many nights since arriving in Ferryport Landing when she had lain awake trying to understand Wilhelm’s intentions. On one hand, the barrier kept evil people safely away from an unsuspecting world. On the other, it imprisoned some genuinely wonderful people. Was the barrier fair? Was Wilhelm’s magic wall solving problems or causing them in the first place? She looked to her father for an answer and saw he was equally perplexed. She suspected that he too had spent his fair share of nights trying to unravel the puzzle that was Ferryport Landing.

  “So where are we going, anyway?” Puck asked as he flew above them. “I’ve scouted ahead and there’s no sign of any camp.”

  “You wouldn’t see it,” Beauty explained. “The castle is invisible.”

  “Um—the what is what?” Sabrina said.

  “We’ve been building a castle near Mount Taurus,” Beauty said. “Boarman and Swineheart designed it and the rest of us work night and day getting it ready.”

  “Ready for what?” Mr. Canis asked.

  “War,” Beauty said. “Charming’s army is going to confront the Scarlet Hand.”

  “Didn’t you already try that?” Pinocchio chuckled dismissively. “You built a fort, trained everyone, and the Hand overran the place and burned it to the ground. Do you want to make the same mistake twice?”

  “This is a little different,” Goldi said. “Oh, here we are.”

  Sabrina saw nothing but forest before her.

  “Just a sec.” Beauty reached into her purse and pulled out a vial of what looked like purple glitter. She unscrewed the cap and poured some of the substance into her hand, then blew it into the air. As the powder drifted through the trees it collided with the rain, and each drop exploded like a tiny firework, illuminating a structure so tall and wide Sabrina’s brain struggled to believe her eyes. Eventually, she realized she was standing in front of a wall dozens of stories tall, higher than some of the skyscrapers back home in New York City. Around the impossibly steep walls ran a trench ten feet deep. It was an impressive structure; even more so to Sabrina was the fact that it had been built in only two days.

  “How?” Sabrina cried.

  Goldi winked at her, then stuck two fingers into her mouth. She blasted a rather unladylike whistle, and a moment later Sabrina could hear the turning of a heavy wheel and the rattling of chains. A giant wooden door in the wall tilted forward to span the trench. The drawbridge hit the earth on the other side with a clang and a thud. Behind the drawbridge was an iron gate.

  “We haven’t had time to fill the moat yet,” Goldi explained as she led the group across the drawbridge. “We’re still trying to find alligators to live in it.”

  “I can help with that,” Puck said, floating down from the air. “I know a guy.”

  Goldi led the group through the stone arch and the gate rose to admit them. Once past it, they saw a castle standing nearly four stories tall, built from thick white stones and framed by two towers that spiraled several stories higher. On each tower were battlements festooned with fluttering purple flags and ominous black cannons.

  On either side of the castle were several crude log cabins. The nutty smell of fresh bread wafted from one of them, and horses neighed from another. Throughout the yard Sabrina saw old friends, all pounding hammers and sawing timber. She spotted Puss in Boots, Morgan le Fay, the Scarecrow, even the Pied Piper and his son, Wendell.

  “So how many people do you have in this army?” Pinocchio asked.

  “Twenty-two,” Goldi said.

  “Twenty-two! That’s preposterous,” Pinocchio said, chuckling.

  “What does preposterous mean?” Daphne said.

  “He’s calling it silly,” Sabrina said.

  Goldi shrugged. “Well, as Gepetto always says, ‘We’re small, but we’re spunky.’”

  Suddenly, Pinocchio’s sneer slipped off his face. “My papa is here? Is he well? Is he injured?”

  “Your father is fine. As you know, he’s a very talented carpenter, and along with the pigs and Mordred’s magic they’ve made the place into something livable that we can also defend. I can take you to him.”

  “Look!” Daphne cried.

  Across the courtyard stood Morgan le Fay’s son, Mordred. The last time Sabrina had seen the warlock he was engrossed in a very violent video game from the comfort of his mother’s couch. It didn’t look like he had changed his black T-shirt and pants, but at least he was now doing something productive. A stream of white light emanated from his fingers and enveloped a newly constructed water tower lying on its side in the courtyard. Slowly the tower struggled to right itself, hobbling back and forth. Boarman and Swineheart looked on, wearing hard hats and studying architectural plans.

  “Now we see how you got this castle built so quickly,” Henry said to Goldi.

  “Mordred is really indispensable. Unfortunately, there are some complicated side effects to his magic.”

  Sabrina watched as the water tower suddenly lunged away from Mordred, stomping up and down and attempting to squash the pigs and the warlock. Mordred shot a couple of fireballs at the ground beneath it and it backed down from its attack.

  Goldi shrugged. “Everything he brings to life turns evil and murderous for the last few minutes of the spell. It calms down eventually, but it’s a bit unpredictable for a while.”

  Puck grinned. “I have to party with that guy.”

  As everyone watched Mordred subdue the evil water tower, Prince Charming and Mr. Seven approached. Sabrina had never been so happy to see them. Charming needed a shave and a bath, but he was still staggeringly handsome, even wearing his trademark scowl. Mr. Seven was as friendly as ever—perhaps even more so. He was as filthy as Charming, with his shirtsleeves rolled up and yellow sawdust all over his clothes and shoes, but his smile looked exceptionally big.

  “Hello, Grimms, Canis. Ladies, a word, please!” Charming growled as he turned to face Goldi and Beauty. “I thought we had an agreement. No one leaves the castle without my approval.”

  Beauty gave him a smile and batted her eyelashes. “We were only gone for a little while.”

  “Don’t try the ‘calming the savage beast’ nonsense on me, lady,” Charming said. “The rules are here to keep everyone safe.”

  Sabrina rolled her eyes. It seemed as if she wasn’t the only one in town sitting at the kids’ table.

  “We needed Henry. He’s the only one who can reach Jake,” Goldilocks explained.

&
nbsp; Charming threw up his arms in surrender. “Jake is hardly the biggest of our problems, but fine. It’s not like I can control the two of you, anyway.”

  “I’m glad you finally understand,” Goldi said.

  Beauty nodded. “We were wondering when you were going to catch on.”

  “Interesting. Some people break the rules and it makes things better,” Sabrina muttered within earshot of her father.

  Henry flashed her a warning look that said it was much too soon for sarcasm. Sabrina mimicked locking her lips with a key, then tossing it behind her back.

  “It’s so good to see you too, Billy,” Daphne said, wrapping him in a big hug. The prince stood patiently, if uncomfortably, while the little girl clung to him like a monkey. Daphne adored the stuffy, overbearing man, even if the feeling was not mutual.

  “Um, yes, let’s get you to your uncle,” Charming said, pushing her gently aside. He turned and led the group along the castle wall, where there were even more log cabins.

  “So you’re going to try to fight them again?” Henry asked the prince.

  “We don’t have much of a choice,” Charming said. “Most of the citizens of this town joined the Scarlet Hand either by pressure or force. Those left in this camp are the ones the Hand didn’t want. We fight or we die. We could use some help if you’re willing to stay.”

  Henry looked to Veronica. “No. We need to rescue my mother and then I’m taking my family far away from this place.”

  “So you’re leaving us to clean up the mess, Henry?” Charming said. Henry ignored him.

  “It’s good to see you girls,” Mr. Seven said to Sabrina and Daphne with a big, toothy grin. “Lovely day, huh?”

  “Mr. Seven, we can always count on your good mood,” Sabrina marveled, looking around at the dirty castle and the drizzling rain.

  “Of course he’s in a good mood,” Charming said. “The fool has gone and fallen in love.”