Red Hood's Revenge

walls were in better condition, though Snow could see cracks where vines and roots had broken through.
    Snow led Danielle through the corridor, following the faint smell of water. She checked one doorway, then another, until she found what she was looking for: a narrow archway leading down another set of stairs.
    A quick spell provided just enough light to keep from falling. These steps went at least two stories deep before reaching the ground. Once there, Snow eliminated her light and set to work restoring herself and Danielle to their natural shapes.
    Her body began to shift, bones creaking into new positions, muscle stretching and re- forming. Snow stayed on her hands and knees, clenching her body until the worst had passed. Between the change and the pain of casting the spell, she felt like she would—
    “Oh, no.” She managed two steps before vomiting. When she could move again, she pushed herself upright and leaned against the wall for support. She wiped her mouth on her sleeve.
    “You’re getting better,” Danielle whispered. “That wasn’t nearly as painful as the last time you cast that spell on me.”
    Snow smiled and unstrapped the small waterskin she had brought with her. “More importantly, I figured out how to transform us without leaving our belongings behind.” She rinsed and spat.
    Silver light filled the top of the stairs. The prince peered down, spotting them despite the darkness.
    Snow took another drink, then began weaving a web of magic within it. Her eyes watered as she worked her spell. She was used to the pain, but the vomiting was new. How much more could she push before her body couldn’t take it?
    “What are you doing?”
    Snow waved her to silence. The ghost was halfway down the stairs. He wore heavy armor, though the steel plates of his mail obviously hadn’t protected him from the hedge. Snow wondered how far he had gotten before the thorns pierced his armor.
    He was close enough now for his light to illuminate Snow and Danielle. Danielle held her sword ready, and the prince raised his spear in response.
    “Snow?” Danielle whispered.
    “Almost ready.” Snow forced her attention back to the waterskin. Jaw clenched, she wove the final threads of the spell.
    “Snow!”
    Snow tossed the skin forward. The prince swung his spear as if to knock it away. Instead, the spear vanished from his hand.
    The ghost tried to back away, but a trail of light bound him to the mouth of the skin. Even as water dribbled from the skin, it pulled the ghost inexorably back. Snow climbed onto the stairs and picked up the skin, filling it with her own magic and drawing the ghost inside. Moments later, Snow and Danielle were alone in the darkness.
    “What did you do?” Danielle asked.
    “Soul jar.” Snow folded the waterskin’s mouth shut and tied it tight. “Want a wet ghost?” She set the skin carefully on the floor beside the steps. “It won’t last for long. A few days if I’m lucky. I didn’t have time to do a proper job.”
    She waited, but no more ghosts followed. She sat back on the steps and called sunlight from her mirrors, illuminating a broad cavern with a vaulted ceiling. Pillars stretched in endless rows, disappearing into the darkness. Toward the center, the floor changed from dirt to black glass.
    “Is that water?” Danielle asked. “Where are we?”
    Snow closed her eyes, then opened them again, willing her doubled vision to merge. It didn’t help. She stepped down and walked toward the water. “This is the cistern. There should be a hole somewhere overhead that they used to bring up the water.”
    The floor sloped like a shallow bowl. When they reached the water, it came no higher than Snow’s ankles at the deepest point. The fact that any water at all remained after a hundred years was impressive. Snow suspected she would find magical protections worked into the pillars if she looked for them.
    Instead, she used the water to wash her face and dampen her hair, slicking it back from her head. “There are too many ghosts.” She didn’t look at Danielle. “I’m not strong enough to get us past them all, not to mention the Wild Hunt.”
    “It’s all right,” Danielle said. “Talia wouldn’t want you to kill yourself trying to save her.”
    “I didn’t say we weren’t going to save her.” Snow sat down, resting her feet in the water. “We’re just going to have to be clever about it.”

CHAPTER 21

    S NOW BRUSHED HER FINGERS OVER HER mirror and