Page 58 of Enchanted in Time
Hannah thought for a moment. “She’s been trying to free her mother and hasn’t been able to all these years. If we succeed in doing that, I’m sure she would forgive Maximilian in return.”
Irmgard and Hannah looked into the spring at Frieda, who was wrinkling her pointy nose.
“Oh, yeah, Mama—that sounds exciting! Off to fight the Evil! I wish I could go with you!” Leon cried excitedly, and Emi’s eyes were sparkling.
Only Marco understood that this was no fairy-tale adventure but reality. “But Mom, how do you plan on defending yourself against this Evil?”
“Your mother has nothing to fear,” Frieda said, chuckling. Was she really that carefree? “Now go and read your siblings something from their book of fairy tales. I’ll be right there.”
Marco was about to protest, but both Frieda and Hannah gave him a stern look. Sighing, he gave in, and he and the two younger ones disappeared from view.
“Take care of yourself, Mama!” Hannah heard him say, and it tugged at her heart. For months, he had been apathetic, indifferent. As strange as these circumstances were and as sorry she was that he was worried about her, it was still nice to see him becoming a part of the family again and no longer isolating himself. Was the purpose of this adventure for him to find his way back to them? To become more open and accessible again?
“Where do we find this soul?” asked Hannah. “Where does the Evil live? Does it have a house where it keeps the soul imprisoned?”
“The Evil lives everywhere and nowhere,” Frieda began to explain.
Immediately, Hannah glanced over her shoulder to make sure it wasn’t lurking behind her. But there was nothing in sight.
“It’s there where the shadows lurk, where fear and despair prevail, where the creatures are controlled by rage and anger. By now, it’s almost everywhere in the forest.”
“It’s almost everywhere? What do you mean by that, Frieda?”
“The forest was once peaceful and good,” Hannah’s elderly neighbor explained. “The dark creatures that are wreaking havoc there these days did not exist back then.” She paused for a moment, lost in thought, and nodded. “Now it all makes sense. Since the Evil has gained new strength through Mirabelle, the forest has grown darker and more sinister with each passing year. Even the animals that live there are becoming aggressive. The unicorns are the last good creatures there, but many of them have pulled away as well.”
Irmgard gave an affirmative nod. “My herd is the last one still living in this forest. But even they are thinking of leaving soon if the Evil isn’t checked.”
Frieda folded her hands. “The good leave, and the bad have more room.”
“Is the soul of Mirabelle’s mother the only soul the Evil keeps imprisoned?” Hannah asked.
“I assume so. But remember: if Maximilian becomes aware he has been turned into a bear, as long as a remnant of the man remains, his soul is also in danger.”
“You think he could fall prey to it?”
Frieda removed her half-moon glasses and rubbed her eyes. Hannah’s normally carefree neighbor looked tired. “I’m afraidso,” she said. “His days as a human being are not yet fulfilled. His human spirit will continue to dwell within him for a few more hours. But the moment will come when he clearly sees who he once was and who he is now. And when that happens, the Evil will be there to try to take him.”
“That can’t happen!” Hannah cried. “He’s a good man—he can’t end up alone in the darkness! We have to free him!”
“To do that, you need to rob the Evil of its power, to free the soul that it keeps imprisoned.”
“So if we free the soul of Mirabelle’s mother, we take away the Evil’s power, and the forest becomes brighter and more welcoming again?”
Frieda nodded. “That’s how it must be. And when Mirabelle sees her mother, she will forgive Maximilian.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“I’m hoping so.”
“Where do we find her soul?” Hannah asked resolutely.
“Everywhere and nowhere.”
Hannah rolled her eyes. “Can you be any more specific, Frieda?”
Irmgard neighed. “The Evil can take hold of you anywhere. But somewhere it has a kind of hiding place—like a castle, a cave, a lair, or a shadow. And that’s where it keeps the soul imprisoned. There has to be a point of entry.”
Frieda nodded. “And you must find that point of entry
