The Stepsister Scheme

planks were poorly fitted to the chimney, resulting in a large space which was nothing but plaster. “We can get down over there.”
    Between Danielle’s sword and Talia’s knife, they soon widened the hole enough for a person to pass through. Talia squeezed her head and shoulders through the hole. She drew back a moment later, her face tight. “Stay here. I’ll see what I can do for Snow. I’ll be able to help you down once I’m back to my normal size.”
    “What are you going to do?” Danielle asked.
    Talia drew her whip. She untied the lead weight on the end of the line and tucked it into another pouch at her waist, digging around until she came up with a sharper, barbed weight. She tied a quick knot, gave it a tug, and grunted. She fished one of the spores out of Trittibar’s sack and handed it to Danielle. “Just in case I have trouble getting back to you.”
    With that, Talia began sliding headfirst through the hole. A sharp thud vibrated the ceiling beneath Danielle’s feet. Moments later, Talia’s legs shot out of view.
    “Talia!” Danielle lay flat and poked her head down. She nearly got kicked in the face as a reward.
    Talia had embedded the end of her whip in the plaster, and now swung back and forth like a pendulum, kicking her legs to increase her speed. Once, twice...
    On the third swing, Talia let go. Her tiny body compressed into a ball, turning in a slow, backward somersault as she flew toward Snow’s coffin.
    Danielle tensed. If Talia misjudged, she would smash into the side of the coffin, where the mirrored shards could cut her to shreds.
    Talia twisted like a cat, bringing her hands and legs beneath her. She cleared the side of the coffin by a hair, landing squarely in the middle of Snow’s ample bosom. She bounced down to Snow’s belly as smoothly as any acrobat.
    Danielle let out a sigh of relief. “She’s a madwoman.”
    Behind her, the rat squeaked in agreement.
    Talia climbed on all fours to the top of Snow’s right breast, where she stood on her toes and peeked out over the edge of the coffin. She slid down, toward Snow’s neck. There she stopped to look up at Danielle. She acted uncomfortable, almost nervous. She twined her fingers together, then wiped her palms on her trousers. She opened her mouth like she wanted to say something.
    “What are you doing?” Danielle asked, trying to keep her voice quiet so it wouldn’t carry.
    Talia shook her head hard enough that her hair fell in front of her face. Planting one foot in Snow’s right ear, she pulled herself up, grabbed a nostril for balance, and kissed Snow on the corner of her mouth.
    Snow’s eyelids began to flutter.
    Danielle stared, so stunned she nearly fell out of the ceiling.
    Talia was already making her way toward the edge of the coffin. She grabbed another spore from Trittibar’s pouch and popped it into her mouth. “Get ready, Princess.”
    The door creaked open. In the faint light, Danielle could barely make out the shapes of the two darklings running through the door. She shuddered when she recognized the one-armed darkling who had helped to age her unborn son. They spread apart, searching the room.
    Talia was already turning to face the darklings. She stood balanced on the edge of the coffin, arms outstretched as she continued to grow. When she was the size of an infant, she leaped soundlessly to the table behind the coffin. Another jump took her to the floor.
    The spore in Danielle’s hand was warm and damp from sweat. She could see the darklings making their way around the tables. Had they spotted Talia?
    Talia crouched behind the table, nearly full-grown. She held out both hands and whispered, “Jump.”
    The darklings heard. As they ran toward Talia, Danielle closed her eyes, prayed, and pushed herself out of the ceiling.
    Talia caught her in one hand and bounded onto the nearest table.
    Huge fingers jarred Danielle to and fro as Talia dodged the darklings. Danielle wrenched her arm free of Talia’s grip long enough to stuff the spore into her mouth.
    She nearly choked on it as Talia dropped and rolled beneath the next table. Talia set Danielle on the floor beneath the bench and whispered, “Stay there.” Then she was off and running, with both darklings in pursuit.
    Danielle freed her sword as she waited for the magic to finish restoring her. Talia hadn’t even drawn her knife. She was stalling, leading the darklings away from Danielle and Snow. She darted toward the door, and both