Red Hood's Revenge

Talia and shouted for her son.
    “Talia!” Snow was running from the chapel. “Roudette is on her way.”
    “We know.” Talia jabbed a finger at Danielle. “Her son already warned us.”
    “Unfair!” Snow stopped. “I spent hours working on those wards, and Jakob spots her before I do?”
    “Jakob’s hiding,” said Danielle, running toward the storeroom. She was keeping her fear under control, but Talia could hear the panic in her voice. “Can you find him?”
    “Maybe,” said Snow. “But he knows where my mirrors are placed. Remember the last time he hid from us, after he threw your husband’s shoes into the well? The kid’s too smart for his own good.”
    Talia moved into the center of the courtyard. She turned slowly, listening as she tried to understand what Roudette was doing. After all of her work to lure Talia out into the open, why risk everything by attacking the palace directly?
    Screams and snarls broke out closer to the gate. A dog’s barks changed to whimpers, then fell silent. The wolves were almost here.
    What then? The wolves couldn’t get inside, though that wouldn’t stop Roudette. The north and east walls of the palace rose directly from the white cliffs, meaning Roudette would need to enter through the south or west.
    Talia waited, mentally tracking the sound of the wolves. Atop the walls, guards rushed toward the south gates, where the wolves were loudest. Talia turned to face the western wall. “Danielle! The wolves are a distraction. Roudette’s coming from the west. We have to get you out of here now !”
    “Not without Jakob!” Danielle slammed the storeroom door and turned around, her eyes wide. “The bakehouse. Derrick was making honey cakes this morning.”
    “Go!” Talia followed at a distance, still watching the walls. That damned red cape should have been like a banner. Where was she?
    “Jakob Theodore Whiteshore!” Danielle ran to the low brick building on the eastern wall and threw open the door. Inside, Talia could see the young prince sitting on the floor, his clothes caked in flour. Danielle scooped him into her arms. “What have I told you about running from Nicolette?”
    “No to do it.” Jakob clung to his mother. “There are monsters and a scary lady.”
    Monsters. Talia turned. “Jakob, where is the scary lady now?”
    Jakob started to shake. He buried his face in Danielle’s shoulder, but pointed toward the chapel.
    “Impossible,” said Snow. “I was just there. Roudette couldn’t have gotten past us.”
    Jakob shook his head. Talia moved closer, straining to hear his words. “No Roudette,” Jakob mumbled. “Charlotte. She hurted Papa Isaac.”
    “Damn her,” Talia said. “I should have killed the bitch when I had the chance.”
    “Kill the bitch!” Jakob yelled.
    “Thank you, Talia.” Danielle switched Jakob to her other side. “Snow, get back there and—”
    “Too late.” Talia pointed a knife at the chapel, where Charlotte had emerged. Yellow fire burned along her skin. She stumbled as though drunk. Smoke swirled around her legs like a miniature dust devil. She was still wearing the iron bracelet Father Isaac had made. The bracelet glowed orange as though fresh from the forge. “I thought Charlotte couldn’t do witchcraft.”
    “It’s not her.” Snow’s hands traced a spell. “It’s a fire sprite. A fairy creature.”
    “I hate magic.” Talia glanced at Snow. “No offense. How the hell did that thing get through the walls?”
    Snow’s eyes were wide. “Charlotte must have been carrying it.”
    Danielle set Jakob on the ground and pushed him toward the bakehouse. “Get back inside and stay very quiet. I want you to hide in the flour chest until we come to get you. Do you understand?”
    Jakob nodded. “Bye, Mama.”
    “Go with him, Danielle,” said Talia. She threw a knife, but the flames knocked it aside.
    Snow finished her spell. The flames flickered and shrank as though buffeted by a gale, dying enough for Talia to make out Charlotte’s expression. Her eyes were round with terror, her mouth wide.
    “Help!” she mouthed, but only smoke emerged. The smoke curled into a black knot and streaked toward Snow.
    A wave of Snow’s hand deflected the smoke skyward. Charlotte dropped to her knees, igniting a small fire where she touched the ground.
    “Will killing her stop that thing?” Talia shouted, readying another knife.
    “No!” Snow thrust her hands forward, sending another gust toward Charlotte.