“Me too,” says Ollie. “Everyone dump your things, and let’s see what we still have.”
Between us, we have several cloaks, assorted small pocketknives, Jax’s pocket watch, the broken glass slipper heel that Jocelyn gave me, a deck of cards, a small bag of fairy dust, a map of Enchantasia, and Maxine’s mini magical scroll.
“They took all our food and water and most of our weapons,” Jax says grimly. “All the wands we swiped from training class are gone too.”
“We don’t need a wand when we have me,” says Jocelyn, producing a purple fireball. “I also swiped candy. It will be perfect to use on hungry giants, and Harlow says there are loads of them in those woods.” We all stare warily at the dark forest.
“They’re not that big,” says Jax nervously. “I hear they’re only half as tall as the giants from the land of magic beans.”
“We’re going to need more than candy to survive that place,” I say worriedly.
“Good thing we’re here to help,” says Rapunzel, stepping out from behind a nearby cornstalk with Princess Ella and Flora’s daughters, Dahlia and Azalea. The four are almost unrecognizable in pale-yellow and green cloaks that blend in with the corn.
Dahlia rushes toward me. Her face is tear streaked. “I know she was trying to protect us, but she was foolish to make that deal.” Azalea blows her nose loudly. “You have to save Mother.”
“I wish my stepmother had come to me first.” Ella removes her hood to reveal a silver tiara and her white-blond hair. “No matter our differences, I always thought this school was a splendid idea, and I won’t see it fall into Rumpelstiltskin’s hands.” She looks at Rapunzel. “If we have to, we’ll take it back by force.”
“You’re going to attack the school?” I ask, my mind immediately going to Anna. “With all the kids in it?”
“If it comes to that,” Rapunzel says gravely. “We’ll protect the students the best we can, but we can’t let a power-hungry troll like him brainwash a school of semi-villains and thieves.”
“It won’t come to that,” Jax insists. “We will find that goose.”
“You have a week to try to find the goose, but if you don’t return by then, we will have to proceed with our own plan,” Princess Ella tells us.
We’re all silent. I feel like the clock is already ticking.
Kayla leans against the tallest tree. “We will find the goose! Mother and my sisters will send their fairy army to guide us to her in the woods.”
Rapunzel and I look at each other. “That’s well and good, but we brought food, water, and some tools to help you too.” She drops a small, gray bag at our feet.
“No offense, Princess, but I doubt that bag can hold more than a can of soup,” says Jocelyn.
Ella smiles serenely. “Tap the bag strap with your foot.” Jocelyn skeptically does what she’s told. Within seconds, the bag begins to inflate into the shape of a miniature house.
“It’s a pop-up castle,” says Rapunzel, and Maxine, Kayla, and Ollie ooh. “At full size, there are chambers for you all to sleep in, a pantry stocked with food, and some maps.”
“Gingerbread, that’s cool!” Ollie says. “I wonder if they make a pop-up pirate ship version.”
“I hope it has separate sleeping chambers,” Jocelyn sniffs. “I like my space.”
Ella taps the bottom-right corner of the castle with her heel, and it deflates to regular bag size.
I pick up the bag and throw it over my shoulder. “This will help us a lot.”
“Our royal guards have spent time in the Hollow Woods,” Ella says. “You can get turned around very easily.” She points to a small lake in the distance near the edge of the woods. “Follow the water. It cuts straight through the forest. We also brought this, but only use it if you absolutely need it.” She pulls a rolled-up mat out of her cloak and hands it to Jax. The rug pops open, and a fringed edge tickles Jax’s chin.
“Blue!” he exclaims. “What are you doing here?” He pats the rug, and it shakes and shimmies like Jax’s and Ollie’s fairy pets that we left in Harlow’s care. I hope she remembers to feed them.
“We took him from Pete,” says Rapunzel. “Snow told him Blue owed the royals after helping to destroy our party.” The rug sails over our heads. “When we told him what you were up against, he was more than happy to come along.”
“But remember, magic does not work the same way in the woods,” Rapunzel reminds us. “Don’t trick yourselves into thinking Blue can fly you out of any precarious situation, like getting sucked into a giant’s mouth.”
Maxine gulps.
“I’m sure that won’t happen,” Ella adds hastily. “We wish you all the best of luck. We’re counting on you.” Ella smiles before turning back into the cornfield with the others. “If anyone can find that goose, it is you Fairy Tale Reform School students.”
In the distance, I hear a wolf howl and pray it’s a regular wolf. Not the Big Bad Wolf kind. Jocelyn studies the map. “I say we go this way.” She points to a clearing down the hill that leads to a gap in the tree line along the edge of the forest. Even though it’s only midday, the shadow the forest casts is almost pitch-black.
“I don’t know.” I hesitate. “A clearing like that looks like a trap.”
“Oh, Cobbler,” Jocelyn tsks. “You think you know everything! The clearing leads us right past the stream we are supposed to follow. This is the best way in.”
Jax and Ollie read over our shoulders. “I say we try it,” Jax agrees.
Hayley mists herself again. “Yeah. Wilson and Peaches don’t seem to be sending up any red flags, and animals can sense danger.”
I feel uneasy. My gut is telling me to go another way. We have to reach those coordinates to meet Little Red Riding Hood before nightfall. I unroll the piece of paper in my pocket. “Before we go, there’s something I have to tell you guys.”
“Later!” says Kayla, flying ahead with Blue. The others run after her.
“Wait!” I trail behind them, trying to get their attention. I hear a whistling sound and tell myself it’s just the wind. “I have coordinates Wolfington gave me. He asked someone to meet us.”
“Who? A wolf?” Ollie jokes. The others laugh.
I purse my lips. They’ll never believe me if I tell them. I just need them to see her.
“I’ll tell you when we get there.” Jax frowns. I’m not helping, I can tell.
“Secrets already?” Jocelyn rolls her eyes. “This is not how you start a quest!”
We all start bickering, and it’s impossible to hear who is saying what. Without even realizing it, we’ve passed the clearing and entered the forest. I blink to get used to the darkness. I can see Maxine’s eyeball rolling wildly as we look around. There are lots of trees, rocks, some small creatures scurrying about, and a stream flowing along our path. Maybe the Hollow Woods are just woods after all.
“See?” Jocelyn says, turning to face us with her hands on her hips. “I told you this was the perfect way in. And look around.” She walks backward for a second. “We’re—”
Jocelyn doesn’t get to finish her sentence. I feel something wind around my feet before I even know what’s happening. A clump of branches pulls up around us, forming a net. It goes flying into the air and ties itself shut high in the trees. We’re trapped.
CHAPTER 16
Red-y for Anything
“Cobbler, get your knee off my chin!” Jocelyn huffs as she dislodges her arm from behind Ollie’s head.
We’re piled on top of one another like an overstuffed sandwich, and we’re hanging high in the air. People are bound to be testy.
“I will if someone will get their boot off my butt!” I push Jax’s boot out of my face. “This one is on you.”
“Me!” Jocelyn cries. “You wouldn’t tell us who you wanted to meet with!” We start to argue, and Jax whistles.
&
nbsp; “Can we continue this fight on the ground?” he asks. “If I can reach my pocket watch, I might be able to blast open a piece of the netting.”
“No!” we all cry.
“We’ll fall to our deaths,” Kayla says as our net swings precariously. “Who knows how much weight this net was meant to hold?”
I roll to one side, pushing Hayley’s hair out of my face, and look down. Whoa. The trees in Hollow Woods are almost as tall as the Fairy Tale Reform School castle, which I can just see the top of from here. I also have a pretty good view of the woods, which go on for miles. How are we going to find a golden goose in this place? In the distance, I watch a group of trees sway, and it’s not even windy. “Guys,” I say nervously. “Some of the trees are moving. A lot.”
“Must be giants,” Maxine says. “They use nets like these to catch their dinner.”
“Blast the hole,” Ollie says hurriedly. “We’ll take our chances! I don’t want to be someone’s dinner! I’m sure Kayla can fly us all to safety.”
Kayla frowns. “I can’t even open my wings in this mess.”
We hear a low roar followed by heavy footsteps that make the ground shake.
“Great,” Hayley says. “We’ve taken two steps, and we’re already done for.”
Swish! I hear something fly past the net and hit a mark above our heads. An arrow has pierced the branch our net is dangling from, and a long rope hangs from it to the ground.
“Move to one side!” someone yells up, and we all lean to the right. A second arrow narrowly misses Ollie’s arm as it slices a hole in the net. Nice aim. I hear a whistle and look down. I see a darkened figure in a brown hood and cape. “Make that hole wider, then climb out and use the rope to climb down. Go one at a time, and you’ll be fine.”
Kayla looks worried. “I don’t know… Do we trust this person with our—”
“ROAR!” The trees around us begin to sway as the footsteps grow louder and louder.
“Never mind. Let’s go.” Kayla climbs to the hole and flies out.
“Me next!” Hayley says. She mists her face, then climbs out, and we watch her shimmy down. Jocelyn and Ollie are next. They both make it down without a problem.
“You first, thief,” Jax says.
“No, you first,” I say stubbornly.
“Ladies always go first,” Jax insists.
“That’s so royal.” I roll my eyes. “I am not going first on principle!”
“ROAR!”
Our tree begins to sway, and I see the giant’s face come into view. His skin is pasty white, and his face is deformed with eyes that are as dark as coal. He’s wearing a one-shouldered animal-skin romper that barely covers all the dirt on his body.
“On second thought, let’s both go.” I reach for the rope. Jax is right behind me. As we climb out, I hear Kayla.
“Look out!” she shouts.
I look up and see the giant’s hand reach for the net. Our rope begins to sway. Swish! An arrow pierces his meaty hand, and he lets out a loud scream. His rancid breath blows on us. Gross. Can’t stop now. We start to descend.
“Faster, thief!” Jax says as we shimmy down, but we’re not fast enough. The giant’s hand takes another swipe at the rope.
I feel his fingers brush my hair.
“Jump!” Jax says when we’re still several feet off the ground.
I don’t argue. I let go of the rope and feel myself rush to the ground. Whoosh! We land on a pile of leaves at the others’ feet, and the ground shakes. The giant is still coming for us. He steps shakily forward, and we all scream. The person in the cape steps over us, taking aim with her bow and arrow. She hits the giant squarely between the eyes, and he lets out a fierce roar.
“Gotcha,” the figure says before removing her cloak. We all gasp.
It’s Little Red Riding Hood, except she’s not so little anymore. Her skin is as bronze as the body armor she is wearing under her cape. It protects her chest, her elbows, and even her thighs, covering the simple beige shirt and brown, tight pantaloons she has on. She points to my feet and grins.
“Nice boots,” says Red. I notice hers are identical to my own.
The giant roars again, and we all freeze. Red is the only one who is calm.
“That beast just won’t stop,” she says with a sly smile. “Looks like I’ll have to teach him a lesson.” He roars again. “You guys should go.”
Ollie and Kayla cling to Red’s arm. “We want to stay with you,” Ollie says, and Kayla nods. The ground shakes as the giant begins to move again.
“You won’t last ten minutes in this fight,” Red tells them. She looks at Jax and me. “Make your way to the Emerald Coast Cliffs. They’re in the center of the forest, but they’re obscured by trees and dense foliage. You’ll find your goose there.”
“How did you…?” Ollie starts to say as Red reloads her bow with a strange-looking arrow that is smoking.
“I’ll come find you when the coast is clear.” Red’s arrow flies through the air and hits the giant in the chest. Smoke billows out of the arrow, clouding the giant’s vision. She holds out the bow and arrows to me. “Take this. It may come in handy if you come across wolves.”
“Wolves?” Maxine, Kayla, and Ollie repeat.
“I don’t know how to use it,” I say quickly. Another roar makes the ground shake more violently.
“Then you’ll have to learn.” Red pulls a spare bow-and-arrow set out of some nearby brush. “When you get to the cliff, make your way down. I’ll be at the bottom.” The ground shakes again. “Now go!” Red takes off toward the giant and fires another arrow. We watch as he stumbles sideways. The tree we were just hanging from begins to crack and fall in our direction.
We don’t stick around. We dodge and weave past falling limbs as we head in the direction she told us to go. After a while, it feels like we’re running for hours, jumping through muddy puddles and over rocks, and crossing a huge chasm on a swaying rope bridge, but still there’s no sign of a cliff.
“We have to be going the wrong way,” Jocelyn says, lighting the path with a purple orb. “It’s so dark in here I can barely see my hand.”
I shudder. It feels like the trees are closing in on us. When I glance up at the sky, the sun is barely visible over treetops that twist and wind together like a net.
“The cliff has to be here somewhere,” Jax says. “Come on, goosie, where are you?”
“Goosie?” I can’t help but giggle.
“Goose,” Jax corrects himself sheepishly. “The golden goose is a legend Aesop himself used to tell. Some versions of the story say the goose was killed for riches that never came. Others say she’s hidden somewhere safe where her treasured golden feathers can’t be plucked. No one knows which version of the story is true.”
“Great,” I grumble and hear a low howl in the distance. I put my hand on the bow and hope I am just hearing things.
Hayley stops short. “Did anyone hear that?” she whispers.
Several wolves howl in unison.
“There is more than one,” Hayley says, and none of us question her. After all, she can talk to animals. “And they’re not friendly. We need to get out of here.”
“Look! There is a clearing up ahead.” Kayla flies off, then comes back a minute later. “It’s the cliffs! I can see geese in the water down there. The golden goose has to be there. We just have to get to the bottom.”
“If the golden goose is down there, getting to the bottom won’t be easy,” Jocelyn says grimly. “I’m sure there is some sort of test.”
We hear another giant roar. The howling is getting louder—and closer too. Behind us, the trees begin to sway again.
“Come on!” Kayla says.
I hold the bow ready in case a wolf or a giant gets close, but I can barely run and ready an arrow at the same time. How does Red do it?
&nb
sp; As we get closer, the dark trees give way to a brighter light. We burst into the rocky clearing, and I feel like I’m seeing a mirage. In the middle of the dense forest is a magnificent lake far below. Waterfalls trickle down the rocky ledge to the shimmering lake. Peaches quacks loudly. Wilson pokes his head out of my pocket, sees the cliff, then burrows back inside. Some help he is.
“There has to be a way down,” Maxine says. “‘What are we supposed to do, fly?”
Jax pulls the rug out of his pack and shakes it open. Blue straightens like an arrow and spins around us. “We can now.”
“That will only hold two of us,” Jocelyn reminds him. “Kayla can fly down, but flight can’t be the only way. Not everyone travels with a magic carpet or a fairy.”
“Plus, the princesses said the rug might not even work in the forest,” Jocelyn says. “And for once, I agree with them.”
“Mermaids aren’t big on flying either,” Hayley says. “There has to be another option.” She looks over the edge. “That’s quite the jump.”
“We have to give Blue a shot,” Jax insists.
We hear a loud roar. The giant is back. Does that mean he got Red? I don’t want to even think about being alone in the forest right now. I hold the bow and arrow and prepare to shoot. The arrow falls out of the bow and hits the ground.
Jocelyn laughs. She lights a purple fireball. “I’ll hang back with Cobbler while you take the first trip. Her arrows can’t even hit a rock.”
“We have to get a move on,” Jax says. Kayla lifts into the air. Jax helps Ollie onto the rug. Jocelyn, Maxine, and I stand ready for the approaching wolves and giant, while the other group heads toward the chasm. Jax, Ollie, and Blue barely reach the edge of the cliff when bam! They get thrown backward. Ollie and Jax roll off the rug and land at our feet.
I run over. “Are you okay?” I help them up.
“Told you there’d be a protection charm,” Jocelyn says smugly. “No one can fly over that lake unless…” She begins walking around the ledge. Without warning, she steps off the cliff. Maxine screams. “Look!” Jocelyn’s balance is shaky as she stands inches from the cliff edge, seemingly in midair. We rush over and look. “It’s a step. I bet this is an invisible staircase.”