Of Giants and Ice (Ever Afters, The) (22 page)

But something else was happening at EAS that day—something so big that I even forgot my moving troubles and bad dreams for a while.

The courtyard was deserted. I found everybody beside the lake. Some students had brought snacks from the Table of Never Ending Refills. They munched and looked around eagerly, like you do with popcorn at the movie theater.

It was obvious what the excitement was. A beanstalk grew by the shore.

“Whoa.” I went to stand by Lena and bent my head back, straining my neck to see the top.

The beanstalk’s base was about as big around as a small car. Leaves curled off the trunk every couple feet, higher and higher until it disappeared into the clouds.

“I know,” Lena said. I had expected her to start talking my ear off about the approximate height of the stalk, and what species of bean, and how many leaves it had, but she just sounded tired. It must have been a really long weekend for her, too.

“How are you?” I asked.

Lena shrugged. “I got off easy. I’m only grounded for two weeks. George and I were sure that it would be a whole month.” She pointed at the beanstalk, obviously changing the subject on purpose. “We don’t even have to guess which Tale this is. There hasn’t been a Beanstalk in thirteen years. It’s kind of a big deal.”

I had a sudden, horrifying thought. “Please don’t tell me it’s Chase’s. I don’t think I can handle that.”

Lena looked pointedly over my right shoulder. When I turned around, there Chase was, glaring at me. Adelaide and the triplets watched him too, waiting for an answer.

“No, it’s not mine,” he said, irritated. “I haven’t had contact with any beans. I told my dad the same thing when we found it here this morning.”

“Then whose is it?” asked Adelaide.

“Nobody knows,” said Lena. “We’re waiting for the Director to come out and tell us.”

It could be anyone’s. It could even be mine.
That
would be a miracle—my Tale starting the day after I found out I had to move.

But probably not, I thought with a sigh. The beanstalk only grew after the Jacks’ “fake” magic beans had been thrown away. I hadn’t bought anything all weekend, not even at the Fairie Market. I didn’t get a chance between the tournament and Lena’s—

Lena,
I thought. Lena had definitely bought something.

I examined the beanstalk’s base more carefully. It grew just a few feet from the water’s edge, and a small, familiar-looking boulder leaned against it.

“Hey, isn’t that the same rock we were sitting on the other day?” I asked Lena, just to be sure.

She looked at me suspiciously, as if I were trying to change the subject
back
. “I think so, but the beanstalk moved it a little.”

“And isn’t that the spot where you burned that cookbook?”

“Coincidence,” she said dismissively.

I shook my head, beginning to smile. If I couldn’t have
my
Tale, at least Lena could have hers. That would definitely cheer her up. “I don’t think so.”

“Wait, you burned it?” Chase said, alarmed.

“So?” Lena said. “There are more Fey cookbooks.”

That shut Chase up, which served him right.

“But, Lena,” I said, waiting for her to connect the dots. “Magic Beans. Madame Benne’s book.”

Lena thought it over for a moment. Trying not to look hopeful, she said, “That’s a stretch. . . .”

“Weirder Tales have happened.” I grinned. “I buried the ashes. Rapunzel told me to, even before I knew you had the book.”

“So, it’s
your
Tale?” Kyle said. “Way to go, Lena!”

Lena ducked her head, half-grinning, and I knew she was especially glad that Kyle had been the first one to congratulate her.

Kevin sighed in satisfaction. “Our grade’s first Tale, and it’s the Beanstalk.”

Kelly hugged Lena, and Puss-in-Dress twined around their ankles, purring. “Mom always said the sixth graders would do well,” said Kelly, smiling at Lena. I laughed a little, proud of her.

Lena pressed her lips in a tight line to keep herself from smiling too much, but then Chase said, “
Lena’s
the next Jack? But she’s such a nerd.”

Lena’s face fell.

I scowled. Wasn’t it enough that Chase got her in trouble on Friday? Did he really have to ruin Lena’s Tale for her
too
? “Way to rain on someone’s parade.”

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Chase said impatiently. “Usually the Tales match the Character better. The Beanstalk is a really physical Tale. She could get hurt.”

My hand curled into fists. “That doesn’t explain why you’re calling her names.”

“She’s smart,” Chase said. “She’s good at books and stuff. She would be better at a Tale that needs someone clever—Hansel and Gretel, or Puss-in-Boots, or even the Brave Little—”

“Stop arguing, you two.” Puss-in-Dress licked her paw lazily. “The Director’s coming out.”

The Director left the violet door with gold lettering—the one that led to the library—and lifted her skirts off the grass as she crossed the courtyard.

The crowd got quiet. Lena clasped her hands together and then unclasped them to wipe her palms on her jeans. But I’m pretty sure I was even more nervous than she was. If I’d guessed wrong, I could officially be named “Worst Friend Ever” for getting Lena’s hopes up.

The Director climbed on top of the boulder next to the beanstalk, and Sarah Thumb and Mr. Swallow landed on her shoulder.

“Lena LaMarelle,” said the Director. I breathed a sigh of relief, glad I hadn’t guessed wrong. “Congratulations. Your Tale has begun.”

Lena stepped toward the podium in a daze, like she was sleepwalking.

I clapped happily, louder than all the other sixth graders put together, and when I looked around for Lena’s family, I saw George whistling ten feet behind us. His left eye was a little swollen, but that was the only sign that he’d been beaten in the tournament three days before.

“I don’t care if she
is
grounded.” Jenny clapped too. “I’ll take the blame if Gran gets mad at us for letting her go.”

“I can’t imagine Gran getting mad,” George replied. “Aren’t riches part of the Jacks’
happily ever afters
?”

Lena cleaned her glasses on her shirt self-consciously with a huge grin. No wonder she looked so happy. This was her chance to earn back all the money that she spent on the counterfeit book.

The Director waited until all the noise died down. “Since it is a
questing Tale, you may choose two Companions for your journey. Do you accept this privilege?”

I had completely forgotten about Companions. George popped into my head, a perfect choice for this tale, but then Lena said, “Rory Landon.”

A silly smile just like Lena’s grew on my face, and I couldn’t make it go away. Someone patted me on the back. The crowd parted in front of me. I hurried to go stand beside Lena, trying to remember everything I had ever read about giants.

Since everyone’s attention was on Lena, I didn’t even blush. Standing up there with her felt right. Maybe I wasn’t going to get to have my own Tale before I had to move, but helping Lena with hers was the next best thing. It would be—

It would be selfish. My stomach twisted, the same way it did when I lied to Mom. It
was
kind of like lying. Lena didn’t know I was moving. She hadn’t seen the way I froze up when I was scared. She wouldn’t have asked me if she knew. Seeing Kevin and Conner watching jealously and George giving me a thumbs-up, I squirmed, but I tried to shake it off.

I won’t freeze, I told myself. I had been training. And if Lena and I couldn’t spend much more time together, I just had to make sure that I didn’t mess up. I could do that.

I could definitely be the best Companion EAS had ever seen.

“You can choose one more,” the Director told Lena.

It would be nice, though, if Lena could find a second Companion who actually knew what they were doing.

Slowly Lena looked over the crowd. From this angle, you could see everyone draw in their breath and hold it. Even Adelaide, who was the
last
person I could imagine confronting a giant.

Lena might still pick George. Or possibly Kyle, which might be
awkward, since I would probably be demoted to Third Wheel status. But maybe she would pick Jenny. Then the Tale would almost be like a sleepover every night, except with man-eating giants and a really big house.

“Chase Turnleaf,” said Lena firmly.

I stared, not sure I had heard her right. It didn’t register on Chase’s face at first. Then one of the triplets congratulated him, and a surprised, delighted smile began.

“No, not Chase!” I said before I could stop myself.

“Thanks,”
Chase said sarcastically, coming to stand on Lena’s other side.

“Rory, you really don’t get a say,” Sarah Thumb hissed. “It’s
Lena’s
Tale.”

“He just called you a nerd,” I reminded Lena and shot a glare over her shoulder at Chase.

“He had a point.” Lena pushed her thick glasses farther up on her nose with a small shrug. “This is a dangerous Tale, and he’s one of the best swordsmen in all of EAS. And because of his dad, he knows more about fighting giants than anybody. We need him.”

“Thanks,” Chase said again, very softly, and this time, it sounded like he actually meant it.

I bit my tongue. Lena was too nice for her own good, but I didn’t
trust
Chase. He might try to take over Lena’s Tale. I would have to keep an eye on him for her.

The Director gave all three of us a stern look. Obviously, she wasn’t used to the students having conversations in the middle of her ceremonies. Lena gave her an apologetic smile, and the Director said, “Rory Landon and Chase Turnleaf, do you consent to undertake this journey with Lena? To advise and protect her to the best of your ability?”

“We do,” Chase and I said.

“Very well,” said the Director. “Please proceed to the library. Rumpelstiltskin has some research to share with you.”

The crowd stepped back, clearing a path to the library door. I noticed many disappointed faces, especially among the older students, way more disappointed than people had been when Evan Garrison left on
his
quest. A new Jack was a
much
bigger deal than the White Snake. Following Lena and Chase past the violet door, I felt even more grateful to be going.

In the hallway leading to the library, the other two stopped so abruptly that I nearly ran into Lena. Then I saw why. Rapunzel stood in front of the library door, clearly waiting for us. From the looks on Lena’s and Chase’s faces, I guessed her visit wasn’t normally part of the New Tale routine.

“There is before, and there is afterward,” Rapunzel explained, pulling her long silver braid over her shoulder. Her face was blank and unreadable, which made her seem a little more creepy than usual. “This is before. Everything will change.”

Chase had a look on his face that plainly said,
How long until the crazy lady lets us go?
Lena glanced past Rapunzel at the library door, way more interested in what Rumpel had to say.

But Rapunzel
was
the one who had told me to bury the ashes. She probably knew something we didn’t.

Like she was reading my mind, Rapunzel looked straight at me and said, “Fear is inevitable.”

I looked back at her guiltily, sure that she knew that I froze up at the first sign of danger. I thought that she would suggest that Lena pick someone besides me, but she only smiled. “But for every fear that makes you weak, there is a fear that can make you brave. If you are to succeed, you must discover what you fear more than what you fear the most.”

That last part obviously didn’t make any sense, but I nodded politely.

To Lena, Rapunzel added, “You are too young to know regret. Take the time you need, and do not leave anything undone that you wish to do. It will haunt you for many years.”

Then Rapunzel looked at Chase. “Disappointment is terrible, but you shall see more clearly afterward. Do not be too hard on your father. He can’t help that he foolishly values all the wrong things.”

Chase scowled, but besides that, he behaved himself. Even he knew better than to talk back to the oldest Character in the Canon.

When she realized that Rapunzel wasn’t going to say anything else, Lena thanked her and hurried to open the library door.

At the far end of the room, Rumpelstiltskin waited for us at the library’s table. The stack of books next to him was nearly as tall as he was.

Chase and Lena rushed in. I was the only one who saw Rapunzel’s worried frown. It made her look even younger, a bit like she was pouting. She watched me as I passed, which made me feel so awkward that I dropped my eyes to the floor and scurried into the library as quickly as I could.

“You’ll have to remember, Rory,” she said softly as she closed the door behind me. “They will not.”

This was obviously weird even among the weird, but since Rumpel started talking, I didn’t have time to dwell.

“Lena, my dear, congratulations!” Rumpel’s smile made all the wrinkles on his face more visible. I wondered how old he actually was. “I really am quite happy for you.”

“Rumpy hates kids,” Chase whispered to me, “but he likes her. That means she has to be
really
good at books.”

I didn’t dignify this with an answer. He was just trying to justify calling Lena a nerd.

“Now, the Beanstalk has a long, impressive history,” Rumpel continued. “Rather than bore you with all of it, since you children have terrible attention spans,”—Chase looked at me smugly, as if this proved his point—“I’ve pulled out every occurrence of Jack and the Beanstalk in the last three decades. There are some situations that you should be aware of. Oh, Lena. You’re always so prepared, bless you.”

Lena, who had produced a small notepad and pencil from somewhere, smiled.

“All of them occurred in a span of only four days, from the instant the Jack went up the beanstalk to the instant the beanstalk came down. Your father set a precedent,” Rumpel told Chase, who smiled. Lena took notes. “We have no way of knowing where this beanstalk will take you to up in Catanage, but as you know, time can become . . .”—he searched for a word—“strange up there. You’ll need to take that with you.” The dwarf pointed to a small hourglass on the corner of the table. “Turn it right before climbing, and refer to it often. Each line etched on the glass represents the passage of one day. When all the sand runs out, four days have gone by.”