Fable (An Unfortunate Fairy Tale 3)

“So everything was a trap all along. Teague was just trying to get his other half back over to the Fae plane so he could combine himself again and become even more powerful. All of the quests, everything was just a big fat lie.” She yelled out the final word, and it echoed inside the building. A few people stopped to stare at them before they kept on working.

“It’s always been his plan, but for it to work, he needed a Grimm to use the Fae book to combine them.”

“And I was the only Grimm stupid enough to do it.” Mina began to twirl her brown hair around her finger in distraction.

“No, you were the only one brave enough to do it.”

“What about my father?” Mina forced the words out and stared at her hands clenched into fists, preparing herself for the worst.

“He, like you, made a deal with the Stiltskin, only his deal was different. He didn’t know the real side of Teague and Jared. Your father sought out Temple on this plane and made his own deal. If he died during a quest, he wanted Sara to have a son to replace himself. So, during one of Teague’s more deadly attempts at a quest, your father was mortally wounded, and the Stiltskin came to collect. Your father’s life for Sara’s yet unborn son. He gave the rest of his life willingly, Mina.”

Mina’s eyes squeezed shut, and her heart filled with pain. “So what did I see on the Fae plane? Who was it I saw released after the Stiltskin died? A ghost?”

Mrs. Colbert reached over and squeezed her hands. “He died in this world, Mina, on the physical plane. I don’t think he can come back.” She handed her a tissue.

Mina sniffed and crumpled up the tissue to wipe at her eyes. “Soooo,” she stuttered out between crying breaths, “as long as he stays on the Fae plane, he’ll live.”

Mrs. Colbert picked up the seam ripper and handed it back to her, gently placing it between her hands. “You’re not done with this yet, my dear.” She smiled softly. “Whether you know it or not. You are one step closer to breaking the curse on your family.” She pulled her bag onto her lap and opened it up to pull out a familiar small book. It was the Grimoire.

Mina had been so worried when it didn’t travel across to the Fae plane with her, and worried about who would find it. It turned out she didn’t have to worry at all. Mina gingerly picked up the notebook and ran her fingers over it. It didn’t feel the same. It felt lacking, like it was missing something—Jared.

She opened up the book and found that it was just a book. The cover was still the same, but all of the pages were blank. Her pulse started to quicken, and her hands became clammy.

“What happened? Did I break the curse?”

Mrs. Colbert shook her head. “No.”

“Then what—what’s going on?”

“You’ve come farther than any other, and yet you are so young.” Her teacher’s eyes were sad, and Mina could feel dread creeping over her.

“What’s wrong?” Mina asked.

“The Grimoire is just a book, nothing more. It will mimic the Fae book for you, but that is it. It’s lost its guardian, and so have you. You’ve weakened the curse, and now there is only one more thing for you to do to be completely free,” Mrs. Colbert whispered sadly.

“Don’t. Don’t say it.” She knew—she could tell just from the way her teacher pitied her that it was going to be bad. And she knew from the intuitive way her heart was breaking that she couldn’t do it.

“You said it yourself, Mina. All you have to do to break the curse is kill Teague.”

“No…you’re wrong,” Mina said, trying to convince herself.

“Teague is now more vulnerable than ever. Before he didn’t have a weakness. If Jared loves you, then Teague will be feeling those emotions as well. So you have to ask yourself, Wilhelmina Grimm, can you use that to your advantage? You’re Jared’s greatest weakness, and now you’re Teague’s. Are you willing to kill Jared to break the curse forever?”

Chapter 29

Mrs. Colbert stood up and used her hands to smooth her skirt down and put her bag over her shoulder.

“I don’t think I can do it,” Mina whispered, and felt her throat start to catch. She had just started to love again, just to lose it. Well, actually, kill it.

Mrs. Colbert leaned down and gently touched Mina’s shoulder. “I believe you will do what you have to do. Just trust your instincts and your friends, and maybe, maybe you will survive this tale.”

“Why did you have to tell me this? You could have waited, till, like, next week, or next year,” she cried out.

Mrs. Colbert scanned the pool and smiled wryly. “There is no time like the present, since the Fae time and your time don’t always see eye to eye. Plus, I don’t think it will be long before Teague comes for you. After all, he’s going to be pretty upset you got away.”

Mina sighed and started to pick at a spot on her jeans. This was too much. She hadn’t even seen Ever yet. How in the world was she going to tell the pixie that she’d ruined everything? Brought Teague and Jared together, and now she had to kill them both. Was there no bright spot in her future? It seemed like everyone she came in contact with was either hurt, doomed, or dead.