Page 59 of Once Upon True Love's Kiss

“There will be no more talk about reclaiming the throne. You should return to Bridgefort,” Snow said.

“You’re not even going to try?” He clutched the dagger within its sheath.

“I’m afraid it would be a fruitless effort. Good night, Roderick, and farewell.”

With that, she picked up the edge of her gown and headed home.

Roderick watched her walk away, leaving him there at the foot of Faradill. He knew without a doubt he could not return to Bridgefort. He also knew that if he didn’t do as the queen bid within the fortnight, then he would fall into the sleeping curse. The queen was not generous enough to disclose how to break the curse. Already two days had passed while he journeyed to the forest, so time was of the essence.

Perhaps the curse could be broken by shattering the Magic Mirror. Snow said it would break the curse on the dark wizard, releasing him and ripping away the queen’s magic.

You must convince the princess.The evil queen’s reign must end.

It was Faradill’s voice that floated through his mind. “How do I do that?”

Go to the elven village in the morn. Find her there.

“I don’t think she wants me to do that,” Roderick said with a shake of his head.

It is the only way, the tree said.

Roderick leaned back against the oak, stretched his legs in front of him, and crossed his ankles. He still held the sheathed dagger, the one with which he was supposed to kill Snow White.

Faradill was right. He had to convince her before the sleeping curse took hold of him. He was running out of time.

How he would convince her, he did not know. In the morning, he would find her in the village and try.

Snow made her way back to the village, her senses on high alert and her ears attuned to every sound within the forest. Roderick’s words weighed heavily on her mind. Though he was sent to kill her with the enchanted blade, she decided he was no threat. He had many opportunities to do it and hadn’t. Instead, he had offered her the weapon.

She hadn’t seen Seraphina in a decade. Likely the queen hoped she had perished within the forest, never to be seen again. Now, it seemed, rumors circulated about the missing princess in the villages. She had no proof that Roderick told the truth, but she did wonder how the villagers remembered her.

Her father, though, had always taken her with him when he visited the villages. Before he’d married Seraphina. Before she murdered him for his throne. Perhaps the villagers remembered her from those few visits, even though she was a child. She, herself, barely had the memories. They were nothing but fragments at the edge of her mind.

She slipped back into the village and hurried home, unnoticed by anyone since the village was sleeping. At the door, she paused, her heart in her throat and her hand shaking as it hovered over the knob. The fire pit was nothing more than embers now. Taking a deep breath, she twisted the knob and pushed open the door to darkness.

She paused in the doorway, waiting for Yirrie to chastise her. When there was silence, she breathed out a sigh of relief and closed the door, then hurried to her room. In her room, she pressed her back against the door. A gasp escaped her.

The board over the window was gone, allowing shafts of moonlight through the dirty panes. She smiled, hot tears springing to her eyes as she hurried over. The window opened and closed with ease.

Elator did this. He removed the board to give her back nature and moonlight. She pressed her forehead against the cool glass, smiling.

“Thank you, Elator,” she whispered.

Then she shed her dressing gown and slipped into bed. It wasn’t long before she was fast asleep.

Chapter 22

Morninglightbrightenedherwindow, pressing against her closed eyes. As she lay curled on her side, she smiled, stretched, and opened her eyes. It had been weeks since she’d seen morning light gracing her window. It made her happy to see it once again.

Snow bounced from the bed and dressed in a simple gown. She didn’t know what Yirrie had planned for today, but decided to see if there were any chores with which she could help. As a peace offering. They hadn’t been speaking much since Elator boarded the window. She brushed her long, black hair, tying it back.

When she opened her bedroom door, she smelled spice tea and baking bread. Her stomach rumbled. She made her way to the kitchen to see Elator at the table with his morning tea and Yirrie busy making more bread.

“Good morning,” she said, announcing her presence.

Yirrie halted what she was doing to peer up at her in shock. Elator sipped his tea with a faint smile and gave her a nod. Snow walked over to him, bent, and kissed his cheek.

“What was that for?” he asked.

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