Chapter 12
JACOB
HONAU
The first snow drifts down, clean and bright, dusting the world in white, but all I can think about is Ella.
It’s a problem. Especially with the life I live.
After that run-in with the nixie, it became clear my curse isn’t just about writing stories for the Enchantress.
It’s that I can never have love. Whomever I’m with will always be bait, always a victim, always a pawn.
Even knowing this, every day this week, I rode by Ella’s manor to check in with the servants to see her, but each time they said she wasn’t available. A blatant lie. At least I wanted to believe she’d want to see me.
I leave the stable where I’ve been keeping Storm. Pulling my cloak tighter around me, I make my way down the cobblestone street toward our bookshop. Wilhelm comes racing up the street toward me, panting furiously. “Jacob!”
“What’s the matter?” I ask, lifting an eyebrow. Wilhelm is always panicked these days. It’s starting to get under my skin. Then again, what isn’t annoying me? “Did you spy another wolf?”
“No, not that.”
“Someone left us a fortune so we can live in leisure while we hire out our dirty work?” I tease.
“Nope.” He points behind him, still unable to breathe.
“Someone’s dead then.”
“It’s the house…the books.”
That gets my attention. I break into a run.
If someone took our books, it could mean many things—none good.
Not only would our work be lost, but it would also be time we can’t afford to waste.
My heart thunders at the thought of someone discovering what we really did.
But worst of all would be us not meeting our hourglass timeline.
Wilhelm and I are the ones taking care of the family, but the Enchantress warned us she wouldn’t hesitate to take a step further to hurt them.
Images of Mother, Louis, Lotte, Friedrich, and Georg flash through my mind.
Ever since Father died, I’ve been the one who keeps the family together, alive and safe. They’re my responsibility.
The door hangs slightly ajar, like it’s been kicked open. Snow blows in, eager to overtake our living quarters. My steps slow, and I withdraw my blade, gripping the hilt tight. The moment I step inside, my heart sinks.
Precious books litter the floor. Paper flutters about in the wind. Chairs are knocked over, some broken, the legs splintered as if someone smashed the chair in anger. The sound of a steady drip, drip, drip from the spilled inkwell dispels the silence. Wilhelm rushes in after me.
“Did they take it?” I ask, holding my breath.
“I didn’t look yet. Do you think Rumpelstiltskin is okay?”
“That rascal is off either selling his gold or stealing the king’s latest newborn. Whoever did this was searching for something.” I kick the door shut and drag a hand through my hair. I need to get things under control. “Someone knows the truth of who we are.”
“We don’t know that.” Wilhelm beelines to the fireplace. He yanks the stone from the side, revealing the hiding place we set up our first night. At every place we stayed, our first task was to create a secret place for our supplies so they would never be discovered.
“It’s all still here.”
Panic flows off me as he pulls out the quill. The hourglass—half full—the cat and mouse story, and our latest notes on the wolves. I sag against the wall.
“Well, that’s a terrible relief,” a voice says, sounding like chimes on a clear winter’s day. My heart drops to my toes. That’s a voice I hoped to never hear again. “I was afraid your family would have to suffer for your carelessness.”
I swallow the lump in my throat and slowly face the Enchantress.
Snow flitters from our ceiling above her, powdering the aged floor.
She’s wearing a bright silver gown that twinkles as if it had been soaked in diamonds.
Emerald gems wink sporadically from the material as she strolls around the room.
Evergreen branches are woven into her snowy hair, and the room fills with the scent of alpine.
She’s breathtaking. I’m sure she’s stolen many mortals’ hearts only to leave them to wallow in misery at knowing they would never be good enough for her.
“Enchantress.” I bow. “A pleasure to be graced by your presence. What do we owe this gift?”
“I came to check in on my two hunters,” she purrs and steps up to Wilhelm, running her icicle-sharp nails along his cheek. He stiffens.
“Don’t touch him,” I growl, clenching my sword tighter, ready to strike if she hurts him.
She laughs. “As if you could do anything about it.”
Frustration clogs my throat. She’s right.
“Why didn’t you finish Rumpelstiltskin’s story?”
“That was my fault,” Wilhelm begins.
“And a smart choice on his part, too,” I add, determined not to let him take the fall for this.
I sheath my sword, trying to act indifferent.
“Once we began interviewing the old man, we realized he knew more about this area and these villagers than anyone. So we struck a deal. He got to stick around a little longer as long as he helped us. Strange things are happening in this town, especially with the wolves in this area. Plenty of opportunities for new stories for you, Your Greatness. As you know, our lives are dedicated to serving you.”
The Enchantress studies me carefully, but her face is stone hard and unreadable. Cold fear pricks at my skin.
“Clever boy,” she finally says, and Wilhelm lets out a breath of relief.
“I see you’ve learned some charm. I’d say spare the fawning and flattery, but they are rather nice to hear from time to time.
No one understands the sacrifices I make.
” She sighs and looks around, grimacing.
“What a rat hole you wallow about in. Is this how you always keep your supplies?”
“No, no, absolutely not,” Wilhelm chokes out. “We were both gone, and when we returned—”
“Are you saying you’re careless with my supplies and the gift I’ve granted you?”
“He’s saying our assistant hadn’t cleaned up by the time we returned.” I wave my hand, hoping she doesn’t notice how it shakes. I snatch Wilhelm’s latest work. “Let me show you our progress on the latest book.”
I lay Cat and Mouse in Partnership on the table with a slight flourish of my hand. We planned on putting it in her library tonight. Frosty eyebrows arch as her silver eyes drift across the words. A lift of her hand and the page turns, then all the pages flip at a shocking speed.
“Impressive reading skills,” I say.
And terrifying.
The book slams shut. She cocks her head, narrowing her eyes at me. She’s trying to intimidate me, but I simply stare back.
“You both had decent talent in the art of the written word when I first found you wasting your lives away.” She sashays around the table, lightly touching her icy fingers across my shoulders, nails scraping along my jacket, leaving behind a trail of snow.
“Still, you have surprised me. Talent is hard to come by, but work ethic, determination, dedication. Now that combination is practically unheard of. What a lucky pair you are. After finding out about your little stunt with Rumpelstiltskin, I was determined to come here and kill you both, but I’ve decided to let you live yet another miserable and magnificent day serving me. ”
“I want out of your contract,” Wilhelm says. “I didn’t sign up for any of this.”
“Really?” She gasps, and a chill whooshes through the room. “Because you most certainly did. Don’t you have a mother and siblings? What are their names again? Louis, Lotte, Friedrich, and Georg?”
Wilhelm pales and drops into a chair, but anger roars through my veins.
“How dare you bring them into this?” I slam my fist on the table.
“Sometimes one needs to do what one must,” she says matter-of-factly. “This isn’t my fault, you know. It’s all the work of the witches. They’re the ones who sent the Forbidden into your world. I’m just trying to help you humans out. Unless, of course, you’d rather me find someone else?”
“No,” I growl. “We’re honored that you chose us.”
I hate how she’s manipulating us, using our family against us and twisting her words to meet her ideas. Now I’m even more determined to find a way to stop her.
“If that’s the case, then I suppose I’m pleased with your work. For now. I don’t like to be disappointed.”
The wind rushes around us in a flurry of snowflakes and emerald starlight, dreadfully blinding and utterly intoxicating. Then she’s gone, leaving behind snowflakes and the sickly-sweet scent of magic.
I let out a long breath. “That went better than expected.”
“Are you serious?” Wilhelm gapes at me. “She just threatened our family.”
“Considering we’re both alive, I’m going to take it as a win. Now we just have to figure out who pillaged our house.”
Wilhelm stares at me, green as pea soup. Then he rushes outside, barely making it out the door before I hear him retching. I don’t blame him. I sit at my desk, clenching the hourglass in my hands. This is our lifeline, the blood pumping through our veins. For my family’s sake, I must succeed.
No matter the cost.