Reign (An Unfortunate Fairy Tale 4)

“I don’t know. But remember what I told you about this being your chance to end the curse on your family. He’s only going to continue to grow stronger with time. He’s waiting for something. I just don’t know what.”

“Do you know what Teague was referring to? The dagger? And why does he think I have it?” Mina came in and sat on one of the vacated music chairs. “I need help. I’m defenseless against the curse.”

Constance looked her over and smiled, shaking her head slowly in disagreement. “Who’s to say you don’t have it? After all you live in a very mysterious house.”

“Do you know something I don’t?” Mina snapped.

“Well…” Constance pursed her lips. She raised one eyebrow on her otherwise calm face. “Defenseless? With each quest you complete, not only does the Story—excuse me, Teague—grow stronger, but so do you, dear child. It happens to all the chosen Grimms eventually. You can’t be involved with so much Fae magic and not have some of it rub off you. You must have seen some signs by now, Mina,” Mrs. Colbert coaxed.

“I don’t know what you mean,” Mina lied uncomfortably, not willing to share that the flares of power had been coming and going around her. They scared her.

And why was she only just finding out about her house having artifacts inside it?

Constance closed the lid over the piano keys with a click. She ran her hand over the wooden cover softly and gave Mina a small chiding smile.

Suddenly, Mina felt overwhelmed. There was simply too much mystery—and too much out of her control. “I don’t know what to do. I feel alone, and I need help.” She rubbed her palms on her legs in an attempt to keep her focus.

“You have help. You have us.” Mrs. Colbert answered adamantly.

“I want my friends.”

“Well, that’s—”

“No,” Mina interrupted. “No more messing with their minds. I want Nan and Brody to be protected from the resets.”

“Mina, I don’t think that is possible.”

“Yes, it is. When the fairy-tale quest is over, and everything goes back to normal, all of the Fae retain their memories, and I do. Why not my friends?”

“Well, you’re a Grimm. Your protection is in your blood. Same with Charlie.”

“What about our mom?”

“She’s only Grimm by marriage. She’s been allowed to retain her memories so she can protect you.”

“How?”

“Well, we help with tokens and such.”

“The charm bracelet that she always wears. This morning I saw that you’ve added another charm.”

>“That was scary,” she joked. “Someone should get the AC fixed.” She picked up her books and bolted for the door just as the bell rang.

Footsteps sounded behind her, but Mina didn’t slow her pace. A quick self-preserving glance revealed the red-headed Nix. He took two large steps and caught up to her.

“Don’t tell me that the dark prince visits you at school often.”

“I can’t tell him what to do. Or have you forgotten all the havoc he wreaked on the Fae plane?”

“No, I have not forgotten. Nor will I ever forget what he is capable of doing. But I wonder if you have.”

“I can handle him,” Mina said.

“No, I don’t think you can. Not on your own anyway.” Nix grabbed Mina’s shoulder and pulled her over by the water fountain. “You look at him and see Jared. You were in love with Jared, so you’re letting his looks fool you into thinking he is, in part, still the same person. He’s not. You don’t know what the prince was like before there ever was a Jared.”

“Do you? Does anyone really know someone?”

“I’ve grown up on the Fae plane. I’ve heard the stories of his destructive power. The other Nixies retold the stories frequently. What you did back there was suicide.” Nix flung his arm out toward the classroom they’d just left and almost clotheslined a poor unsuspecting student. “Sorry!” he yelled, grimacing. “Mina, what I’m trying to say is don’t throw your life away by challenging the most destructive being in the world.”