“What now?” Shew was worried again.
“Can I tell you a secret, Shew?”
“We talked about this,” Shew said. “You can tell me anything,” it meant a lot to Shew that Cerené had asked her that. After being all secretive and vague, Cerené now asked her if she could tell a secret. It was interesting how some introverted people, opened up once they felt safe with someone.
“Bianca always assures me that I am important, that something big will happen in this world because of me,” Cerené said. “But once she told me I’m like Pandora’s Box.”
“What is that?”
“It’s a myth about a box where all the evil in the world had been imprisoned,” Cerené said. “One day, Pandora, a girl who had been given the box and warned not to free the evil inside, opened it out of curiosity, and darkness veiled the world.”
“Evil? You?” Shew inquired. “That doesn’t make sense—”
Suddenly, Cerené sat straight up with scared eyes. Something was wrong.
“What’s wrong, Cerené?” Shew was worried and too tired to face more dangers. She had had enough of this dream.
“Can you hear that?” She bent over and put one ear on the hill’s grass, listening to the earth.
“What is it?” Shew sprang up. “Has Baba Yaga found us?”
“I hear the hooves of a horse,” Cerené looked up at Shew. “Yes. I think it’s a horse.”
“You can hear it through the earth?
“It’s approaching us,” Cerené said.
“Where?” Shew looked around her. They were high enough they should be able to see anyone approaching. She squinted harder against the dark, and she only saw a faint fire in the distance. She knew what it was. The town of Furry Tell they’d passed by on their way from Candy House to Rainbow’s End. They’d been nice and peaceful people, who’d offered them food and shelter, only Cerené proffered to keep going.
Cerené stood up abruptly, locking eyes with Shew. The look she gave was a mix of fascination and horror, “It’s not a horse Shew.”
“Then what is it?”
“It’s a three eyed unicorn. I can tell unicorns when I hear one. I used to wait for the three eyed unicorns for hours to see…”
“To see what, Cerené? You’re worrying me.”
“Remember when I told you there was someone else I like better than the prince?” Cerené held Shew by the shoulders.
Shew nodded, the puzzle slowly coming together.
“He is coming,” Cerené said. “I know I shouldn’t like him but I do. Maybe it’s because he’s powerful and everyone fears him.”
“Who is coming?” Shew shook Cerené. The thought of knowing what Cerené was talking about scared her.
“The Huntsman, Shew,” Cerené said. “I’m afraid he’s going to kill everyone in Furry Tell.”
20
Fable’s Charm
“Axel,” Fable said while her brother wasn’t paying attention. “Axel!” she shook him
“What is it?” Axel’s eyes were glued to Loki’s phone again. He’d decided to reread the Dreamhunters Guide in case he’d missed something. “I’m think I’ve figured out something.”
“Like what?” Fable asked.
“I think,” Axel raised his head, posing like a genius inventor, “that I know who Loki’s father is.”
“Really?” Fable said. “Who is it?”
“Let me just think about it for a minute,” Axel walked back and forth in the room. “It’s kinda impossible, but there is no other explanation.”
“Come on, Axel. Tell me,” Fable insisted.
“Not now,” Axel raised a finger. “I need to research something on the internet first. Then, if it all falls together, I swear I’ll dig Sherlock Holmes up from his grave so he and you will both know what a genius detective I am.”
“Sherlock Holmes is dead?” Fable wondered, “So sad. I thought he was really cool.”
Axel’s face reddened. He approached his sister as if he was about to eat her.
“What’s wrong, Axel?” Fable backed off. “There’s still a bag of Sticky Sweet Bones somewhere.”
“I am not hungry, Fable,” Axel grunted. “I’m angry. Sherlock Holmes isn’t even real. He is a character in a book!”
“Oh, that?” Fable laughed, “as if Snow White and the Evil Queen aren’t!”
Axel felt confused, “Well—I—never mind,” he waved his hands angrily. “We’re not going to fight over imaginary people who are actually real.”
“You’re right,” Fable patted him. “Since you’re not going to tell me who Loki’s father is, let me tell you something.”
“Ah. You were trying to say something,” Axel said. “So what is it?”
“This is a bit, if not totally, crazy,” Fable began. “So bear with me and be patient please.”
“What is it, Fable?” Axel knotted his face on purpose, trying to play Fable’s dad. “You’re not going to tell me you’re in love with someone and want to go on a date. You’re too young for this.”
“No, that’s not it,” Fable was unusually polite.
“So what is it?”
“I think I know how to free Loki from Carmilla’s Fleece,” she said. Axel wondered why she’d been so calm.
“You do? That’s awesome,” Axel said.
“It’s not that easy,” Fable said. “Let me tell how it works first. Carmilla controls Loki through the Fleece, right?” she said. “I don’t know what a Fleece is made of but I think of it as part of Loki’s soul. In this case, Carmilla is controlling him the way you control a dog with chains, creating some kind of connection, controlled by one of the two sides.”
“Can’t you just skip the details,” Axel said. “Let’s just save him now, and I promise I will do my homework myself for a week as a reward.”
“It’s not that easy, Axel. Please listen,” Fable said. “I know of a spell that can break almost any kind of bond.”
“Which will metaphorically cut the Fleece? Is that what you’re saying?”
“Yes,” Fable said. “Only in magic, it’s done in another way. The spell I know will bond me with Loki.”
“Now you lost me.”
“It’s simple. It is like possessing someone’s body. A lot of clairvoyants do it,” Fable said.
“How does it work?” Axel said.
“Basically I will have to stay very close to this purple light, and hopefully if the spell works, I will be part of Loki’s body. Not for long, but long enough to bring him back to his senses,” Fable said.
“I can’t permit you to be alone with Loki,” Axel said, “and certainly not inside his body!”
“It’s only spiritual, Axel,” Fable explained.
“You mean you can’t kiss?”
“No!”
“OK then. So how is this going to bring him back to his senses?”
“Don’t you get it? Carmilla controls his soul through his Fleece. His soul is what controls Loki’s body. If I enter Loki’s body for a brief time, I will break the connection.” Fable said. “Loki’s Fleece will be useless because she will be connected to me, and she can’t control me through Loki’s Fleece. It has no effect on me.”
“And what will you do in that brief time?” Axel asked.
“I’ll be able to pull the stake from Shew, I guess,” Fable said. “It doesn’t matter. I am sure I will figure it out then.”
“No, I can’t let you do this, Fable,” Axel objected. “This is too dangerous.”
“Please don’t talk me out of it, Axel,” Fable said. “I want to help Loki, and the thought of doing the spell already scares me, so I need your encouragement.”