A Grimm Warning (The Land of Stories, #3)(107)

The general slowly caught his breath and walked over to the boy. “All right, tell me and I’ll let these people go free,” he said calmly.

“No,” Rook said. “Let them go first and then I’ll tell you where the royals are.”

The general stared directly at the boy, waiting for his left eye to twitch, but it didn’t. “Fine,” the general said. “But if you don’t supply me with the rulers, I will kill you myself.”

Marquis gestured for his soldiers to let the villagers go and Rook watched as one by one they were set free and ran into the forest. Many of them were hesitant to leave Rook with the soldiers but he assured them he would be fine. Farmer Robins was scooped up by two villagers and escorted out of the camp.

“Don’t do this, Rook! Don’t be a hero!” Farmer Robins cried out. He tried resisting the men helping him escape but his wounds were too painful for him to put up a fight. Rook waited until he was safely out of sight before giving the general the information he needed.

“I don’t know where they are, but I know how to find them,” Rook said.

“Then show us the way,” the general demanded.

Rook closed his eyes and let out a sigh. It wasn’t until after the deal had been made that he realized what he had done, or that by saving a few he had put many at risk. “Forgive me, Alex,” he said to himself.



Had the world been in a better state, traveling down the secret path would have been quite an enjoyable trip. The kings and queens aboard the carriages were exposed to areas of their own kingdoms they had never seen before. They visited with one another and discussed how to make life easier for their kingdoms by reforming the treaties of their trading agreements and they considered how their armies could work together to manage the criminals who traveled between their borders.

The plans were bittersweet, though, knowing as they did that the Armée was still at large and that it would be a while before life would return to normal and they could return to their kingdoms.

Every few hours they stopped to stretch their legs and Goldilocks showed the travelers a new self-defense trick or two as they had requested, and she was impressed by the progress they made in such a short amount of time.

The voyage down the secret path had become a unique bonding experience for all the men and women involved. Goldilocks seemed to be enjoying it the most. She was practically glowing after every lesson and her smile never left her face.

“May I just say, you have never looked more gorgeous,” Jack told his wife. “I’ve never seen you look so happy before.”

“You know me, I love a good adventure,” Goldilocks said. “Especially when I’m accompanied by my dashing husband.”

Jack laughed and squinted at her. “I know you too well to believe that for one minute,” he said. “There’s something else you’re not telling me, isn’t there?”

“All right, I’ll tell you,” Goldilocks said. “Although I would never admit this in front of Red, being around the other queens—the strong, smart, and confident women that they are—has been highly enjoyable.”

Jack’s mouth fell open dramatically. “You mean to tell me my wife is enjoying girl time?” he asked with large mocking eyes.

“I think I am,” Goldilocks said, just as amused to confess it as he was to hear it.

“I think there’s even more behind that smile,” Jack said. “You only make that face when you’re about to surprise me with something. Come on, Goldie, you know I don’t like surprises. Just tell me if you have a secret.”

Goldilocks’s smile grew even wider. “Perhaps I do,” she said. “But like all good secrets, it deserves to be kept quiet until the right moment.”

Jack laughed and shook his head. “You and your secrets,” he said. “We could be married for one hundred years and I still would learn new things about you every day.”

“I hope that doesn’t bother you,” Goldilocks said with a wink. “I am a woman of many secrets and you’re just scratching the surface.”

An endearing smile came to Jack’s face. “Actually, everything I learn about you only makes me love you more.”

Goldilocks leaned in to kiss him but the horses pulling their carriage suddenly dashed forward and began galloping much faster than they normally did. They looked forward and saw that the secret path, which usually curved and looped across the land ahead of them, had become perfectly straight and shot directly into the horizon.

“What’s going on?” Goldilocks said.

“We’re headed southeast,” Jack said after glancing up at the sun. “Maybe Alex and the others want us back? Maybe the war is over?”

The carriages raced through the countryside and into the forests of the southeast. The horses began to slow down, however, when a young man came into view on the path ahead. He was in his mid-teens and was tall with floppy brown hair.

Red poked her head out of her carriage window to see what was going on. “I know I’ve never met that boy before, but I could almost swear I know who he is,” she said, wondering how.

The carriages stopped directly in front of him. The young man looked up at them with tears in his eyes.

“Who are you?” Jack asked.

“I’m sorry,” the young man said.