UnEnchanted (An Unfortunate Fairy Tale #1)(56)

“Nonsense, you can. I’ve been told you are the chosen one, and you have the Grimoire, you have the power to change the tale.”

“I don’t,” Mina cried out.

“You do!” Claire grinned evilly. “And all I think you need is some proper motivation. Bring them in, Lonetree.”

Mina didn’t know what to expect and was surprised when a red haired Fae wolf, drug in a compliant Savannah and Pri. They looked somewhat dazed and confused but unharmed. They sat at Claire's feet immobile, as if under a spell.

“Let them go!” Mina struggled against Grey Tail, but he grinned and squeezed Mina’s arms tighter until they felt like they were about to break.

“I loved my husband,” Claire spoke softly. “Do you know what it’s like to outlive a loved one? Do you?” She screamed the last question.

“Yes, I do,” Mina answered solemnly, thinking of her father.

“NO YOU DON’T!” Claire started to laugh maniacally. I used to feel cheated that they didn't inherent my longevity.”

A beeping noise interrupted Claire's rant. She picked up the phone and spoke in a language Mina had never heard spoken. It was breathy, melodic and mesmerizing. The voice on the other end was gruff and clipped. With a sharp click, Claire hung up the phone and studied the girls on the floor in front of her and Mina.

“Tell you what, Mina. I will let you choose who lives and who dies. I only need two of you and the Grimoire. You can't say that I'm completely heartless. I'm giving you a chance to save your own skinny neck.”

Mina stared at Savannah and Pri's unresponsive bodies and contemplated what Claire was saying. The two shallow girls were out of it and completely unaware of their surroundings. If Mina said those two, she could turn over the Grimoire and still live. But Mina wasn't that manipulative or heartless. She knew that couldn't and wouldn't ever be an option. She knew she couldn't complete the tale only halfway. There had to be an ending. This tale didn't end unfinished. Mina had to think quickly. Maybe Claire thought they were trapped in the Hansel and Gretel retelling still. She didn't know that the Story had moved on and lost interest in her. If Claire didn't know that Mina was now rewriting Red Riding Hood, then that could be to her advantage. But she was going to need help. Looking to her left, Mina caught Nan's angry glare. She only hoped Jared would come in time.

“Sorry Nan, but I choose us. Let Savannah and Pri go. Nan and I will go with you, but not here. We need to know that the rest of the students will be unharmed.” Mina tried to relay to Nan with her eyes that everything was going to be okay.

A cackling laugh erupted from Claire’s cracked lips. “You fool. I knew you would choose to save your friends.” Claire walked forward and through Savannah and Pri, who disappeared into thin puffs of smoke. Illusions, the girls where illusions.

Claire roughly gripped Mina's chin and pulled the stage curtain to the side so she could see the real Savannah and Pri dancing on the dance floor, arms waving above their heads, carefree and obviously alive.

“It's easier when you don't fight it. But I'm warning you, any tricks and it won't be the students who are harmed, it will be your mother and brother.” She turned to Lonetree and Grey Tail. “Take them both, we need to leave. Now! I can feel something. Something is coming.”

Snapping jaws answered Claire. Mina had only a moment to struggle before she was lifted into the air and then hauled over Lonetree’s shoulder. Mina tried to scream but his shoulder dug deeply into her stomach cutting off her breath.

Nan fought harder and spouted incessant derogative remarks at her assailant, until he knocked her unconscious. Mina cringed at the sound of fist hitting jaw.

Mina had a whiff of wet dog, and found it disorienting to be coming from the back of a fully dressed man in clothes. Think Mina, think. How does this story end? She was trying to focus on what was going on and what she needed to happen.

Footsteps, car doors opening, and Mina felt herself falling to land on the metal floor of a delivery van. Scrambling to gain footing she tried kicking at man crawling in next to her in the van. Mina opened her mouth to scream and an old rag quickly filled her mouth, followed by rope around her wrists.

“Just in case you get any ideas.” Lonetree hissed into her ear. The van dipped as more people clamored in. Mina saw them lower Nan's unconscious body next to her. The engine turned over and they were moving. Out the back window she could see the brick gym slowly getting smaller as they pulled away. What now?





Chapter 25


Brody lost her. He turned his back for one second and Mina was gone. He searched the dance floor, picture booth and even checked the women's bathrooms to a few girls chagrin. He tried her cell phone, knowing she probably couldn't hear it over the music. At first he wasn't worried knowing that she probably was with Nan, but when he saw Jared running through the hallway and out a side exit he knew something was terribly wrong.

Running after Jared, Brody burst out the same side door into the parking lot and had just enough time to see Jared peal out on a motorcycle. Brody didn't even have the time to wonder where he had gotten it before he saw the delivery van he was chasing. It was a white van with words that had been hurriedly painted over. But not enough, Brody could still make out blue outline of Babushka's written on it.

It couldn't be a coincidence could it? Why would the van be in the school parking lot and why would Jared be riding after it? Brody ran to find a car. If it was a mistake then Mina would call him and he would turn around and go back to the dance and apologize. But the sour feeling in his stomach and the way the hair raised on his arms told him that this wasn't a mistake.