Cinderella Complex (17 page)

 

Kat hugged a pink pillow to her chest. “Last night was perfect. I can't believe the Prince family invited me to dinner.” She squealed and fell back onto her bed.

I laughed. “See? I told you just be yourself.”

“Yeah...Um—things didn't quite go like I planned.” She frowned, tucking a piece of auburn hair behind her ear. “Connor doesn't know where I live. I kind of had him drop me off across town.”

My mouth dropped open. “You what?”

“You don't understand. His family's got a massive amount of money. If they see this place, they won't let him see me ever again.”

“Okay, now you're just being dramatic. This isn't the eighteenth century. The Princes aren't searching out a rich suitor for their son.”

Kat sat up, drawing her knees to her chin. “Maybe you should go to the dinner with me.”

“No. You've got this. I mean, I'll only be in the way.”

Where had Kat's confidence gone? She normally chewed people up and spat out their bones. We had to fix this and fast.

“Speaking of Connor, do you know what he did to his arm?”

She shrugged. “I think he cut it on something.”

Like a blade
?

Bang-bang-bang
.
A knock sounded on the front door. Kat hopped up and I traipsed after her into the living room.

“Coming!” She called out. She flung open the door. “Hello?”

I stood behind her. “Who is it?”

“Must've been some jerk pranking me.” She glared outside. I couldn't see who it was. “Try that again, loser!”

My gaze shifted to the cement porch. There, laying on the welcome mat, was a black feather.

A surge of terror rippled through me. “Get inside!” In one swift motion, I jerked her back into the living room and slammed the door shut. I leaned against it, my stomach all knotted up. The Grimms were hunting me. And I wasn't safe anywhere.

The lamps dimmed. Shadows darted outside the windows.
Thump-thump
.
Something scampered across the roof.

“What's going on?” Kat gripped my arm, her eyes wide, hands shaking.

“You need to make a wish, now.”

“What?”

“Wish to go to my house.”

Crash
.
Something rammed into the front door. It splintered but remained closed.

“I wish to go to Maggie's house.”

My skin warmed as the wand appeared in my hand. A surge of energy lit my body. My hands pulsed with power. With my free hand, I looped an arm around Kat. “Hang on tight. This is gonna be a rough ride.”

The wind whipped through the room like a high-powered fan set to maximum speed. A black hole opened up in front of us. Stars blazed through the air like they'd been shot from cannons.

Kat screeched as we stepped inside. My wings unfolded, and I flapped them to keep on course. Spiraling green wisps of glitter clung to my skin.

“I want down!” Kat cried.

“Hang on. We're almost there.”

A bright light shown and we fell into it, landing on my bedroom floor.
Pop
.
The hole closed behind us and I sighed in relief.

Kat sat, trembling. She took several deep breaths, then glanced up at me. “What the heck is going on?”

“Grimms attacked your house. I had to get you out of there.”

“Is that supposed to explain everything?”

I stood up. “Okay, here's the thing. Being a Fairy Godmother is more than granting wishes. We have enemies. Mortal enemies, who will stop at nothing to keep happy endings from coming true.” Against my better judgment, I went on to tell her about the Grimms, or at least what little I knew of them.

Her face drained of color. “Will they kill me?”

I swallowed hard because the truth was, I really didn't know. They'd already proved they weren't beneath attacking my friends.

“I'm not sure. Right now, I seem to be their main focus. But you need to keep an eye out for shadows.”

“An eye out for shadows? There are shadows everywhere.” Kat stood, hands on her hips. “Is there any way to defeat them, or whatever?”

“Yes, by giving you your happy ending.”

Jack barged into the room, his sword drawn. He came up short when he noticed Kat. “Good, you're okay.” He sheathed his blade and smiled at her.

My heart palpitations went off the chart as I leaned against the wall. “Mind knocking next time?”

“Sorry, I sensed trouble.”

Kat glanced between us. “Do I want to know?”

Jack grinned. “Probably not. But if we're going to keep you safe, you might need to be in on a few secrets.”

Once we told her Jack was my knight, she plopped down onto my bed and stared at the wall.

“This is totally insane. I'm not sure I'll be able to stay in my house alone anymore.”

I caught Jack's eye. “All you have to do is call, Katrina. I'll come right away. And for the most part, they'll likely be trailing me.”

“This is serious.” Kat's forehead creased with worry lines. “How do you
not
freak out?”

“Trust me, I do. But I agreed to the terms.” Although, in all fairness, I had no idea at the time what being a Godmother entailed exactly. “Why don't you call your dad and tell him you're crashing here tonight?”

“I agree. You'll be safer with us.” Jack walked to the door.

Kat hesitated a moment, then took my cell from me. Somehow, I knew this was only the beginning.

****

When Mom dropped us off at school the next day, I noticed several heads turning to watch me and Katrina walk into the building.

“Why is everyone staring?” I whispered.

Kat grinned. “Because they're trying to figure out how in the world we've become such good friends.”

They weren't the only ones. I asked myself the same question. I couldn't forget the swim in the fountain. However, looking back, I probably needed to thank her, since it was the first time I'd connected with Seth in a non-best-friend kind of way.

I glanced at her. “So, we're friends?”

She shrugged. “Well, you know more about me than anyone else. And we hang out a lot.”

I smiled. I so didn't want to admit it, but she was right. “Let's go win you some Homecoming votes.” With an armful of rolled-up posters, I shoved the door open.

Taylor stood in the lobby. Her smile vanished as soon as she saw Kat giggling beside me. She stared at me as if I'd grown a third boob or something. Then she spun on her heel and stalked away down the hallway.

“She doesn't like me much, does she?” Kat asked.

“She'll get over it.” Or at least I hoped she would, because I missed her. The last thing I wanted to do was lose Taylor. We'd been friends since kindergarten when she beat up Trevor Pitchman for stealing my Twinkies. We had history together, and she knew me better than anyone else. But I couldn't give up the Godmother gig. Even if it meant being friends with the enemy.

We stopped to hang a poster near the trophy display case. While she held the cardboard, I tore off a couple pieces of tape and affixed the poster to the wall. Once we had it in place, we moved onto another spot.

By the time the warning bell rang, we'd hung up a total of twenty-five posters. Each one asked the Junior Class to vote for Katrina Melville for Homecoming Queen.

“Hey, I'll catch you later.” Kat waved as she hurried to her locker.

“Are you guys, like, best friends now?” Taylor hovered next to my locker.

I jerked my notebook out, sliding my textbook beneath it. “No. I'm trying to help her out. And in case you haven't noticed, she's being way nicer since I started tutoring her.”

“Please. The day Katrina Melville is
nice
is the day I turn into a steaming pile of dog crap.”

I plugged my nose and flashed a smile.

Her lip twitched. “Seriously? Come on. You're joking.”

“Nope. Once you get to know her, she's really kind of nice.” I kicked my locker door shut.

“Kind of?”

I rolled my eyes. “Shut up—let's get to class.”

“Never thought I'd see the day. Girl pushes you into the fountain, and now you're trying to help her win Homecoming votes.” She glared at me. “You do know it's messed up, right?”

“Somebody had to be the bigger person.”

“Who are you and what have you done with my Maggie?” Taylor handed me a stick of gum.

“I'm still Maggie. Just a new and improved model.” Speaking of model. My gaze met Seth's as he sauntered down the hall.

Taylor nudged me. “Is there anything else you want to tell me?”

My face burned. “Not yet.”

“Not yet,” she repeated. “I'm beginning to feel left out.”

“I promise, if something happens, you'll be the first to know. Well, besides me, anyway.”

Taylor giggled. “I'll leave you two alone.” She rushed to first period.

Seth approached.

“Hey,” I said.

“Hey.” He gazed at me, a lopsided grin on his face.

“Did you get everything sorted with your dad?”

“For now. But idle threats will only work on him for so long.”

“What's that supposed to mean?”

“What it means is I told him I don't want to live with him and he needs to quit interfering in my life. No matter what he does, I'm not giving up my friends and my home.” His jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed.

“He's bugging you again?”

“Yeah. But I'm not leaving, Mags. I've got too much going on in my life right here.” He caught a tendril of my hair between his fingers and tucked it behind my ear.

I took a deep breath. “Good, because I don't want you to go.”

He bent closer. “Nothing will keep us apart, Maggie. I promise.”

My hand brushed his. For a moment, it was just me and him, standing alone in the middle of the hall. He made me feel safe. Perfect. The way his gaze traveled over me, the way he saw right through me. No one knew me better than him. He was
my
destiny. The only guy I'd ever give my soul to. I realized it now. Connor had been a distraction, nothing more.

There was only one person for me. Seth.

The bell blared like a screeching cat. I backed away from him. “I'll see you later.”

He winked. “Not if I see you first.”

 

Jack sat next to me at the table and scooted his chair closer. Dad smiled at us as he tipped his wine glass to his lips. When Thorna and her twin daughters, Blythe and Georgia, walked into the dining room, he stood up from his chair. Like a servant, he raced around to push in each of their seats.

Thorna touched his face as he seated her. “Thank you, Hal.”

I wonder if I can choke on barf
.
I shifted my glare to the chinaware in front of me.

Dad looked around the dining room. “Isn't this nice? All of us here together.” He walked back to his chair.

Jack nudged me with his foot and I caught his eye. This so wasn't how we wanted to spend our weekend. Shacked up with Dad, his girlfriend, and her stupid, stuck-up daughters.

Blythe and Georgia sat straight up in their chairs as if someone had shoved a broomstick up their butts. They styled their long, curly hair identically, parted down the side. Two pairs of brown eyes stared me down.

The maids served us a three-course meal. Salad. Soup. Steak and potatoes. They treated us like we were eating in a fancy restaurant, serving the food onto our plates. I fidgeted.
Since when did Dad need
a
staff to take care of him
?
I glanced at him for some reminder of the man who'd raised us. Instead, I saw a stranger.

I swallowed hard. What had happened to the dad I remembered? The guy who spent his weekends grilling out and playing badminton with us? Or the bedtime stories. He used to battle the monsters in our closet so we'd go to sleep. Now, we were lucky if he called us on our birthdays. Money. Thorna. Work. Those were his focus now. Not us.

“Your father's been so kind to us ever since we arrived,” Blythe trilled. Her raspberry-slicked lips curved at the corners. “He bought us cars as soon as we arrived from London.”

“Well, you girls deserve the best. Giving up everything familiar to come be a part of our family. The least I could do was splurge on a couple new cars.”

I clenched my teeth. No flipping way. He never got me and Jack a new car. Heck we fought to get the piece of crap we did get to drive. Which, since the Grimm attack, we couldn't even use anymore.

I sucked in a deep breath.
Remain calm
.
I only have to get through the weekend
.

“Can you pass the dinner rolls please?” I asked Jack.

He thrust them at me, then went back to chopping his steak into tiny pieces. Such tiny pieces. Jack the Ripper would be jealous of my brother's handiwork.

“Actually, your dad made us feel right at home,” Georgia added. “For Thanksgiving, he's taking us to Barbados for a family vacation.”

Jack stopped mid-bite. “Uh, I take it, we're not invited?”

Dad shrugged. “I didn't think you'd want to go.”

My mouth dropped open. Okay, Dad completely lost his mind. What kid didn't want to go somewhere warm in November?

Wham
! Jack's fist slammed into the table. He leapt to his feet. “Well, I assumed the words ‘family vacation,' meant us. Your kids. Your blood. But you don't give a crap about us.”

“Don't talk to me like that!” Dad roared. “Don't you dare talk to me like that! Do you understand?”

Jack's jaw tightened. “Loud and clear, Mr. Winters. Maggie and I aren't welcome here.”

Thorna interrupted. “Honey, you knew it'd take time for us to meld together. The last thing I want to do is tear this family apart.” She sniffled.

Nice touch with the fake tears
.

Jack's hands fisted into his sweatshirt. “If you didn't want to break up the family, maybe you shouldn't have slept with my dad while he was still married.”

Dad jumped to his feet so fast his chair crashed to the floor as he stalked to where Jack stood. He grabbed Jack by his collar and raised his hand as if to hit him. He must've changed his mind, for he dropped his hand and shoved him out the door. “Go to your room. Now!”

“Gladly.” Jack stormed out. Leaving me alone with the hellhounds.

Dad took his seat again and smiled at the twins. “Sorry you girls had to see that.”

My stomach knotted with nausea. “Why did you shove him?” I cried out. “He's only telling the truth.” My vision blurred. Hatred burned through my veins like a match tossed into a container of gasoline. I leapt to my feet.

Dad turned a dark shade of tomato. His eyes bulged as if someone were choking him. “Maggie, you're on thin ice here.”

I took a step back. “You don't even care what happens to us anymore. Everything you do is for Thorna and her stupid daughters.”

A sob lodged in my throat. I hated him for what he'd done to us. For what he'd put Mom through. But most of all, I hated how easily he'd replaced us.

“Go to your room and don't bother coming out. You're grounded.”

I whipped around and raced from the dining room. Behind me, I could hear him apologizing for our behavior.

I took the stairs two at a time. When I got to my room, I slammed the door shut and collapsed on my bed. I wanted to go back to Mom's. This wasn't my home.

My door creaked open. I didn't look up. From the sound of the footsteps, I could tell it was Jack. He crept in and sat down on the edge of my bed.

“Don't cry.” He stroked my head. “He's a jerk.”

I sat up and wrapped my arms around my brother, hugging him. “He doesn't love us anymore.”

I waited for Jack to argue with me and tell me everything was fine. That Dad still cared. But instead, he said, “I know.”

“It isn't fair. He promised he'd always be there for us. He promised, Jack.” I hiccupped. “When he left, he said we'd always be important to him.”

He tipped my chin up, making me look him in the eye. “Listen to me, it doesn't matter what he said. He's changed. We need to move on. Forget about the person he used to be. Because that guy's dead.”

I gave a solemn nod, even though the words pierced my heart.

“We don't need him. We've got Mom and each other.” He wiped the tears from my cheeks. “Someday he'll regret this.”

“Yeah, right.”

“Well if we're lucky, maybe Thorna will give him gonorrhea or something.”

We gazed at each other and burst out laughing. “And maybe his gym bags will fall off.”

Jack took my hand and tugged me to my feet. “C'mon, let's get out of here.”

“We don't have a car. Besides, Dad said we can't leave our rooms.”

“Technically, we wouldn't be leaving the house.” He opened the closet door.

We stepped inside. Jack shut the door and suddenly we stood in the Godmother cottage. Candles ignited around us. The wood in the fire popped, spraying sparks up the chimney. I inhaled deeply, the scent of apples heavy in the air.

A slight breeze wafted through the open window. I noticed a pie sitting on the sill to cool. I got a funny feeling the house had expected us. I went to sit down on the couch beside Jack. A loud clanking sound came from behind us, and I watched as a tray containing a tea kettle and cups rolled into the room. Within a couple of seconds, hot tea poured itself in front of us. The fragile cup slid into my hand and I took a sip.

I curled my legs beneath me. “This is much better.” A blanket draped itself over my lap, and I warmed instantly.

“Yeah, imagine if we didn't have somewhere to hide from Dad.” Jack's smile didn't reach his eyes. “I don't know how much more of his attitude I can take.”

“Maybe we should talk to Mom when we get home.”

He snorted. “And she'll tell us we have to go because he's our dad.”

Of course, he was right. Mom encouraged our relationship, or lack thereof, with our father. But I don't think she understood how he treated us. How we barely registered on his radar anymore. It was like we'd stepped into a bizarre episode of the
Twilight Zone
.

An owl hooted in the distance. Crickets chirped their lovely, light-hearted songs. I closed my eyes, my head tilted back against the couch. Why couldn't it always be like this? Peaceful. No Grimms or confusing boys or fights with best friends and dads.

But even I knew I couldn't hide from reality. With a sigh, I finished my tea and put the cup back onto the tray. A hallway at the back of the kitchen caught my eye. I didn't remember seeing it there before. I climbed off the couch and walked across the room.

“Where are you going?” Jack asked.

“To look around.” A candle hovered in front of me, lighting my way. The soft glow illuminated the paintings along the wall. Some were of fairytale princesses, others were of my grandmother in her Godmother getup. As I ambled farther down the hall, candelabras lit, casting dim shadows across the wall.

I saw a door to my left, gripped the handle, and pushed it open. A small bed sat in the corner, covered with lavender-colored blankets and white satin pillows. An antique armoire with brass handles took up most of the back wall. A nice place to sleep if it ever came to that. I closed the door and walked on to the next one. The sign on the door read,
The Room of Necessities
. My skin tingled as I reached for the knob. Sucking in a deep breath, I pushed inside. Candles and lanterns flickered, brightening the biggest room I'd ever seen. No way was it a part of the cottage. It didn't seem possible.

Floor-to-ceiling bookcases overflowed with leather-bound books, ancient scrolls, and maps. A massive stone fireplace dominated the center of the room. Two silver wands hung above its mantel. Reams of material attached to rolls lined the wall. Extra wands were mounted in glass cabinets.

As I walked across the hardwood floor, my fingers glided over ornate crowns, tiaras, and gowns. A pumpkin-shaped carriage sat parked inside a display case, along with a glass slipper perched on a pedestal. Swords hung above the mounted head of a dragon, its lifeless eyes forever staring out, not seeing. The scales glistened against the dancing flames. Every story I heard as a child came rushing back at me.

Everywhere I looked, I saw something new. There were silver-filigree dishes, shoes made of crystal and glass. Gold and marble statues better suited for an art gallery stood at every corner. Expensive lace, medieval weapons, shields, tools, and flowers. When I turned, I found more treasures. Rubies, diamonds, golden trinkets, sapphire rings, jewels of every shape and size scattered about the room.

A complete collection of anything a Godmother would ever need. Like a fairytale museum.

A golden curtain shimmered from across the room. I walked toward it only to find another room. I pushed the silken drape aside and gasped. Another bedroom, this one suited for a queen. Or a Fairy Godmother. A four-poster-bed with crimson velvet drapes was positioned against the back wall, its frame reaching to the ceiling. Mahogany chests sat on either side of it and at its foot. Another fireplace with white-marble fairy wings etched into the mantle occupied the far wall. It smelled of magic. The air caressed my skin, soothing away my pain.

A knock echoed through the house, bringing me back to the present. I hurried from the room. When I reached the kitchen, the hall disappeared behind me as if to conceal itself. Jack was talking to Marcus.

Marcus bowed down low when he saw me. “Good evening, Godmother. Sorry to intrude like this, but we need your knight to go on patrol with us.”

A cloaked figure stood beside him, his face hooded. I could not see his eyes, but he bowed before me, revealing mocha-colored hands.

Jack hugged me. “I'll be back soon. Either stay in the cottage or go back to your room.”

“Wait, how long will you be?”

“I'm not sure. But I mean it. Don't go anywhere.”

I rolled my eyes. “Fine, I'll stay put.”

The cloaked knight coughed, and for one bizarre moment, I thought he laughed. But a stern look from Marcus brought him back to attention.

Once they left, I walked to the living room. What would I do to pass the time? Maybe some more room exploring? No way did I want to go back to Dad's house.

Someone pounded on the front door. My heart dropped to my toes. Clutching the back of the couch, I took a deep breath. Perhaps I should ignore it. But it sounded urgent.

I counted to five, then swung the door open to reveal a woman in a shoddy brown dress.

“Godmother, I hate to come at this hour. But a child from the village has been burned. We need your assistance in healing her.” Her blue eyes swam with tears.

Crap. Jack told me to stay here, but he couldn't have known someone would need help. I had to do it. A jar of salve appeared in my hand. My choice was made.

“Take me to the child.” I stepped over the threshold and into the other world. My jeans and sweater disappeared, replaced by a blue gown and velvet cloak.

The woman led me down a rut-filled road. Gnarled trees drooped above us on either side, the greenery lost in bleakness. Deeper into the woods we traveled, the thicket thinning out. The scent of honeysuckle reminded me of Grandma. How many times had she ventured down this road?

Several thatched-roof cottages appeared. Smoke curled from their chimneys like pig tails. The soft neigh of a horse made me glance up and I spotted a cart filled with hay outside a stable. At last we came to a small gathering of people, the women dressed in medieval gowns, the men in breeches and tunics. At the center of the circle lay a young girl. My stomach coiled at the stench of burnt flesh. My legs wobbled beneath me as I pushed through the crowd. The child screamed, writhing in pain. The flesh was blackened and red.

“How did this happen?”

A man knelt down beside me, his face streaked with tears. “The Dark King set fire to the woods because we hunted on his land. He burned many of our homes, with our families still inside.” His voice thickened with animosity.

I wiped my hands on my gown. “We must bring this child inside. I need to peel her clothing from the wounds.”