Reign (An Unfortunate Fairy Tale 4)

“It doesn’t matter. There’s darkness within all of us. Bitter jealousies that sometimes cannot be controlled and make us do stupid things. I would think you’d understand that more than most,” her father spoke softly.

Mina shuddered and nodded her head, thinking back to when—in her own fit of jealousy—she’d manipulated the Story into hurting Nan.

“Jealousy caused her to steal the shoes,” he said. “Take them and hurry. Your friend is fading fast.”

Mina reluctantly left the warmth of her father’s embrace and kneeled next to Dinah’s body. Thankfully, the hedge protected her from seeing the worst of her injuries, but Mina still noticed the large pool of blood that spread to the edge of her green dress.

She started to hiccup as she tried to control her anguish. “I’m sorry, D-Dinah. Please forgive me.” She reached for the glass slipper and slid it from the nymph’s foot. She pulled the second one and noticed that the sands of time were almost depleted. She had very little time left. Had they picked up their pace when she neared the end of her quest?

She took the shoes and carried them as she walked slowly back to her father, wondering at his presence. He held her gaze and straightened up.

Then he stood back and grasped his vest, as if already distancing himself. “Well, put them on. It’s almost time for you to go, and you haven’t helped your friend yet.”

Mina nodded absently and slipped off her borrowed shoes. She slid the cool glass slippers back on her feet. “What do I do now?”

“You know what you must do.” He looked up at the tower, and Mina shook her head.

“No. It can’t be. This is not how it’s supposed to happen. It’s not me. It can’t be me,” she pleaded.

“Mina, it’s always been you. It started with you and will end with you. Everything we’ve done—the curse, everything—started because of the events that happened this day.”

“No, we can change it. I don’t have to go up there. It doesn’t have to be like this. We can live without ever having the curse over our head. I can sit here and wait for Ever to wake up and then she can enter the tower and everything will be put to right.”

“Sweetie, listen to yourself.” His voice was firm, commanding her to heed his warning. “Everything has already been put in motion by your decisions. You have to finish what you’ve started.”

“I can’t! I know what happens. The one who goes up there betrays him, causing him to lose his heart and turn evil. He’ll destroy everything. He’ll eventually destroy you because of the stupid curse. I can’t let you die again, not when I have a choice. If I don’t go up there, you’ll live. We can be a family again.”

Her heart broke further with every word, because her father continued to shake his head.

“Oh, honey, there’s so much you don’t know. Things we could never tell you. If you don’t go up there, we’re already dead. All of the Grimms. You are our one chance of survival.”

“It can’t be. I can’t be the one to betray him, to betray Teague.”

His eyes softened for a split second, and she thought he would concede and let her off the hook. Instead, he turned his back on her and walked away.

“No wait! I’m sorry. Come back.” She chased after him, but he kept walking. She crumpled to the ground and cried out, “Dad!”

He turned back, clearly weakening. Whatever was holding him in this time was losing its power. His eyes filled with hurt and anger. “If you don’t go up there, Ever will die! We will die! Do you hear me, Mina?”

Mina blinked in surprise, taken aback by his fury.

“Go up there and face your destiny like a Grimm.”

“Dad, what’s happening?” He was fading and she was losing him. A misty cloud surrounded him.

“Mina, I love you. I’m proud of you. Tell your mom and brother I—”

As fast as he’d reappeared in her life, he disappeared.

Chapter 28

There was no more time for tears. Every fiber of her being wanted to mourn the loss of her father…again. But Mina had to turn to the problem at hand.

Ever was dying.

She ran back to the girl and felt for her pulse. And she couldn’t find it.