Even teen evil queens need love. Right? (Or at least a handsome sword-fighting minion to do their bidding!)
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Bad things happen when Rowen is around and the worst part is, she has no idea why until a massive family secret sends her on a fantastica...
The rain pattered against the window; the fire popped and spat embers onto the hearth. I feared I'd never sleep again after what I'd seen. "We're alone now. Will you sing me a lullaby?" I begged.
"The one about broken mirrors, fallen horses, and mockingbirds that won't sing. Or the one about the cradle plummeting from a treetop?"
"Why are lullabies so grim?"
"Because you hope if you speak of death and terror right before sleep, the god of dreams won't have to do it."
"But what if you're just giving him ideas?"
"I've never thought of that. How about a story instead?"
"Just not a fairy tale. Those are even more frightening than lullabies. Honestly, how do kids grow up with their sanity intact?"
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Do you want to know the worst thing about evil fairy tale castles?
No elevators.
You'd think with all the magic oozing out all over the place, someone would've thought of conjuring up an internal magical transport device, or IMTD as it shall never be known.
Although my eyelids were sagging, my legs felt like they were filled with concrete, and my stomach kept groaning in a symphony of discontent, I tried to stay alert. Not an easy feat, considering the sameness of the passageways. A suit of armor here, an oil painting there, mirrors wrapped in gilded frames—all blurred together. I mean, how many shadowy, damp, dank, rough-hewn stone hallways can you navigate before you go insane? Almost made me wish a monster would sneak up and ease the boredom.
Almost.
"How many freaking stories is this castle?" I panted, gasping for air. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to relieve a stitch throbbing in my side.
"That depends," Olivia said brightly. She wasn't even winded, which probably meant she was one of those athletic types. Maybe she even liked yoga. I would not ask because we were getting along.
"Depends on what? Like on which part of the castle you're in?" Pant. Pant. Pant.
"No, if someone builds a taller castle in another realm, Brittlebane gets insecure and adds a few stories."
I rolled my eyes. "Oh, so it's a boy castle then," I rasped.
"I hadn't really thought about buildings having genders," Olivia said. "Do they where you come from?"
"Not really. But trust me, anything that cares that much about size is a dude."
Olivia turned to look at me, probably to see if I was serious, then shook her head. Apparently, people in fairy tale castles didn't get sarcasm. "You're funny!" She smiled. Something behind us growled, and she dropped the smile.
