"What's he talking about?" Daphne asked Granny Relda, who hurried alongside.
Granny shrugged.
"Liebling,
I'm a bit confused myself."
"What a glorious day!" Oberon cried as the crowd set the two girls down in front of Oz and him, then rushed over to the bar where Momma had set down a round of celebratory drinks. "You two have no idea what you've done."
"I'm lost," Daphne said.
Oz responded. "I think what the king is trying to say is that your mother, Veronica Grimm, was highly respected in our little struggling community. When she was here she worked with us to keep Faerie alive. When she disappeared, well, so did the commitment to our way of life. We've lost our way, but you two could help put us all back on the right path."
"How?" Daphne said. "I'm only seven."
Before Oz could answer, Granny Relda spoke.
"Oberon, we didn't come here to get caught up in the politics of the city," she said. "As soon as Puck is better we need to get on our way. We have business at home that needs our attention."
"That's fine," Oberon said. "You can go back to wherever you came from right after dinner. We'll eat. We'll drink, and then all the girls have to do is back up everything I say. Afterward, I'll hand Puck over myself. You'll be on your way home before midnight."
"What do you mean 'back up everything' you say?" Hamstead said, suspiciously.
"Simple, just tell the Everafters that I'm in charge. Tell them Veronica always wanted them to recognize me as their king. Tell them that I'm supposed to lead the rebuilding of Faerie."
Sabrina glanced at Oz. His face suddenly darkened. He looked as if he wanted to argue but he held his tongue.
"Oberon, I'm afraid that's not possible," Granny Relda said.
Oberon scowled. "Why not!"
"Because we don't know if that is what Veronica wanted," the old woman said. "We didn't even know that she was involved with your community until this afternoon."
"And we have our doubts about that, too," Sabrina said. She still wasn't convinced that this wasn't a mean-spirited practical joke.
Oberon rose to his full height. His eyes flashed with anger and his mouth twisted into an ugly grimace. "You do what I tell you to do, you hear? This is too important and I don't have time to explain it to you."
"But-" Granny cried.
Oberon interrupted. "I still have Puck and I can cut off his cure at any time."
"Is that a threat?" Granny cried.
"It is what it is," Oberon snarled. "Tonight your girls are going to say what I tell 'em to say."
He spun around and marched through the chanting crowd. Oz gave them a pained smile and followed the fairy.
"What are we going to do?" Hamstead asked.
Granny shook her head. "I don't know, Ernest. I just don't know."
The celebration dragged on and on. The Everafters danced and drank. Momma poured glass after glass as quickly as she could. Sabrina noticed that like Mr. Hamstead, when Momma got excited she changed into her true form: an enormous black goose with a blue bonnet on her head. More than a few intoxicated guests ruffled her feathers, and she changed back and forth throughout the night.
The girls were nearly as busy. Everyone wanted to shake the hands of Veronica's girls. (Sabrina was sure someone was going to yank her arm off at any moment.) They all had stories, too. Each Everafter shared a tale about their mother and how she had inspired or helped them; each story broke Sabrina's heart. As much as she wished it weren't true, it grew more and more obvious that Veronica had been a part of the Everafter community of
New York City. Every story chipped away at the symbol her mother had become to Sabrina, of average, everyday, normal life, free of chaos and lunacy. Each story felt like a thief that crept in to steal her hopes and dreams.
And what to make of Oberon's demands? Sabrina didn't know much about the Everafters, but she knew she didn't like Oberon. Judging from the crowd's response to him earlier that evening, it seemed as if the Everafters shared her sentiment. Oberon was a jerkazoid, as Daphne would have said. But could he be telling the truth? Could her mother have actually supported him in his power grab? She couldn't be sure because she had no idea who her mother was anymore. And even if Oberon was lying, what could Sabrina and Daphne do? He had Puck.
While the girls were listening to praise from a woman who appeared to be wearing a dress made out of donkey skins, Oz came over and ushered the girls to a quiet corner. He looked even more nervous and fidgety than before. He pulled out his silver remote and pushed some buttons. The device let out a few loud squeals. Then Oz turned back to the girls, took Sabrina and Daphne by the hands, and looked deeply into their eyes.
"Girls, your mother was one of the best friends I ever had, and it pains me to think that tonight Oberon will finally snuff out her legacy," Oz said. "The king is a fraud. He's lying to you.
The last thing in the world Veronica Grimm would have wanted was for him to lead this community."
"What do you want us to do about it?" Sabrina asked. "You heard his threat. He'll stop Cobweb from helping Puck."
Oz peered around the room, again.
"Girls, just tell the truth. Tell the crowd you never knew your mother's plans but you're sure she would never have wanted Oberon to rule. It will destroy any support he has from the community. After that, I'll create a diversion and in the chaos I'll take you to Puck. Then you can head back to Ferryport Landing. Cobweb has told me the boy is out of the woods and can be moved."
"This sounds dangerous," Sabrina said.
"Good," Daphne said, rubbing her hands together eagerly.
The little girl was fearless.
Oz smiled. "Veronica would be proud of you." He said his good-byes and slunk back into the crowd.
Soon, Everafters were pulling tables and chairs together, making one long banquet table and covering it with food, candles, and malted beverages. Puck's brother, Mustardseed, appeared.
"Puck is safe," he said, confirming what Oz had already told them. He escorted the girls to seats at the head of the table.
They sat down just as bowls of pasta with red sauce and plates of steaming meat were placed in front of them.
"Is this all-you-can-eat?" Daphne cried. "I'm starving!"
Mustardseed smiled and nodded. Canis, Granny Relda, and Hamstead found seats next to theirs.
Bess, the beautiful blonde singer, took a seat next to Mr. Hamstead. On her other side was Tony Fats, who had already started eating. Bess glanced at Hamstead and smiled. He smiled back, but his already pink face flushed red and he turned away. The poor man was flustered.
"What's wrong with you?" Sabrina whispered into his ear. "Are you sick?"
"She smiled at me," Hamstead squeaked, nodding in the blonde beauty's direction. "What's she doing, now?"
"She's looking at you and smiling," Daphne replied. "She thinks you're foxy."
Hamstead's pig snout sprang onto his face and he quickly covered it with his hand. "Get a hold of yourself, Hamstead," he muttered to himself.
Titania swept into the dining room. Mustardseed helped her to her chair at the far end of the table and then took a seat next to her. Even from that distance, Sabrina could see the angry scowl on Titania's face. It was directed right at her and her family.
Oz rushed in from one of the back rooms and over to Sabrina. "Everything is all set," he whispered to her.
"What's the diversion?" Sabrina whispered to him, but before he could answer a chicken hopped into a nearby chair and flapped its wings furiously.