A Grimm Warning (The Land of Stories, #3)(11)

“I liked the pink one better,” the third said.

Alex’s nostrils flared and she bit her tongue. “Fine,” she said with a tight jaw. She flicked her wand to grant their requests. “Are we all happy?”

“Sure,” one of the girls said unenthusiastically.

“It’s fine,” another said.

“Can I have my old clothes back?” the third said.

Alex was floored. She wanted to tell them that beggars can’t be choosers, but as a fairy she couldn’t bring herself to say it. After all, she wasn’t helping them because they were poor; she was helping them because that’s what she was supposed to do.

“Girls, I want you to thank the nice fairy lady for the new dresses even though she doesn’t know what she’s doing,” the old woman said.

The triplets frowned. “Thank you,” they said in unison, not meaning a word of it.

“You’re welcome,” Alex said, not meaning it, either. “Enjoy school.”

She left the house in a huff and found Cornelius nibbling on a piece of the roof. She convinced herself that even though her first deed of the day had been unappreciated, it had still been a good one. Alex jumped on Cornelius’s back and waved her wand over him again.

“One wish down, two more to go,” she said. “Take us to our next stop, Cornelius!”

The unicorn’s horn glowed again and he began to run in another direction. Soon they arrived just outside an even smaller village in the northern part of the Charming Kingdom. Cornelius took Alex straight up a hill and dropped her off beside a well where two village children stood staring down into it.

Alex smiled and struck a pose for them with her wand raised. “Hello, children!” she said, but they continued staring down the well. Alex cleared her throat. “How can I help you? Did you drop something down there?”

The children finally looked up at her, but their subdued expressions didn’t change.

“No,” the boy said. “It’s been dried up for a while.”

“Our mom sends us here every day with a pail, hoping there’ll be water,” the girl said. “But every day we return with nothing.”

Alex was happy to hear of their misfortune. “I can help you with that!” she said, feeling useful.

“How?” the boy asked.

“Are you going to build us another well?” the girl asked.

“No, I’m a fairy!” Alex said, a bit disheartened that she had to tell them. She was certain her grandmother never had to tell people who she was. “I can cast a magic spell to make the water come back.”

The village children both raised an eyebrow at her, not buying it.

“If you’re a fairy, then where are your wings?” the boy asked.

“Not all of us have wings,” Alex said. “We come in all shapes, sizes, and variations.”

The children cocked their heads and stared at Cornelius behind her. “Is that a unicorn?” the boy asked.

“It sure is! He’s the reason I’m here—he brought me to this spot knowing I could be of service,” Alex explained. Cornelius lifted his head proudly, showing off for the children, but they were a tough crowd.

“Why is he so fat?” the boy asked.

“Is his horn broken?” the girl asked.

Cornelius lowered his head and looked at the ground sadly.

“He broke his horn when he was a baby and he eats his feelings, okay?” Alex quickly told them. “Now do you want me to fix your well or not?”

The village children shrugged. “I suppose,” the boy said. “It can’t get any worse.”

Alex was so glad to finally get to the point. She instructed the children to stand a few feet behind her. She peeked inside the well and saw nothing but dirt at the end of a very long drop. She raised her crystal wand and swung it toward the well. The sound of water echoed up the well as the bottom of it was magically filled. The village children jumped and clapped for joy.

“You fixed our well!” the boy said happily.

“You are a fairy after all!” the girl said.

“Let’s take you back to the village so they can reward you!” the boy said.

Alex shrugged and her cheeks went a little rosy. She was very pleased to be appreciated. “No need to reward me,” she said. “Everything I do is for the greater good and I never expect—”

Alex stopped talking and the village children became very still. The ground underneath their feet shook and a loud whistling sound came from the well as it filled with more and more water rushing to the top.

“Oh no,” Alex peeped. She and the children and Cornelius slowly backed away. A massive geyser shot out of the well and into the sky like an erupting volcano.

“I was wrong!” the boy shouted. “This is worse! This is worse!”

“Run for your life!” the girl yelled.

The children ran down the hill and back to their village as fast as they could, screaming their heads off. Villagers dashed outside their homes and shops to see what all the fuss was about—they couldn’t believe their eyes. Water from the geyser rained down on the village, drenching everyone and everything.

Alex and Cornelius were getting drenched, too. “Cornelius! Sit on the well! Plug it up until I can think of something to do!” she said. The unicorn looked at her like she was out of her mind. “Please?” Alex pleaded.