The Stepsister Scheme

His fingers brushed the hilt of his sword.
    “Stacia’s alive,” Danielle said. At least, she had been the last time Danielle saw her. She moved toward Armand, keeping her hands away from her weapon. This was her husband. He loved her. No magic could destroy that. “Don’t you remember me, Armand?”
    Brahkop answered first. “What kind of love potion would it be if the subject kept his love for someone else? His past is nothing but a faint dream to him, girl. I could carve you up for a snack and he wouldn’t stop me. He’d probably even pass the gravy when I asked.”
    “Don’t you ever shut up?” Talia asked. She centered her crossbow on the troll’s face and pulled the trigger.
    The bolt sank into the troll’s hair, then dropped to the ground. The thick troll hair was as good as armor. Brahkop laughed. “Is that goblin toy the best you can do, girl?”
    Talia dropped the crossbow and bounded onto the table. Dropping low to avoid the tendrils of Brahkop’s hair, she rolled to the end and grabbed the knife the Duchess had been using to carve her meat. The crystal handle shone as she tossed the knife from one hand to the other, testing its weight. “Small and poorly balanced, but it’s still a fairy blade.” She grabbed a fork in her other hand.
    “Armand, they’ve come to take you from the Duchess!” Brahkop shouted.
    Armand moved before Danielle could stop him. He crouched and drove his shoulder into her side, knocking her down. With Danielle out of the way, he drew his sword and lunged at Talia.
    She sidestepped, jumping down on the opposite side of the table. That brought her within range of Brahkop. The troll’s hair writhed like a hundred silver tentacles, all reaching for Talia.
    The knife flashed, and several ropes of hair fell, separating into fine strands that blew across the floor. Talia grinned. “I like this knife.”
    Armand climbed onto the table, preparing to leap at Talia from behind.
    “Armand, wait,” Danielle said. “I’m carrying our son.”
    He turned so fast he stepped in Brahkop’s plate. “My... my son?”
    “ Our son. The future king of Lorindar.” She smiled and touched her belly. “Give me your hand. You might be able to feel him kicking.” The baby wasn’t moving at the moment, but she only needed to get close enough for one good kiss.
    “How is that possible?”
    “You mean you don’t know?” Danielle tilted her head, trying to duplicate Snow’s flirtatious smile. “You weren’t this confused on our wedding night.”
    Armand flushed, but before he could respond, a thunderous crash made them both jump. Brahkop had hurled a chair at Talia. Fragments of that chair now littered the floor. Talia darted in, slicing away more of the troll’s hair, but she couldn’t get close enough to hit Brahkop himself.
    “Please trust me,” said Danielle. “You searched half the city to find me. My stepsisters tried to deceive you. My stepmother locked me away. But you still found me.”
    Armand looked toward the stairs the Duchess had taken, and the longing on his face hurt more than anything Danielle’s stepsisters had ever done to her. But she kept herself calm, even managing a shaky smile. This wasn’t his fault. He couldn’t help himself. “You might not remember me, but you’ll know your son.” She reached for him.
    “Don’t believe her, Your Highness,” shouted Brahkop. “Their companion is a witch who means to murder Stacia, and the Duchess as well.”
    “Liar!” said Danielle, but it was too late. Armand leaped away, raising his sword.
    Talia snatched a broken chair leg and hurled it at Brahkop’s face. He blocked, but Talia was already moving. She rolled along the ground, slicing a deep gash in Brahkop’s leg, then scrambled aside before he could reach her.
    And then Armand was attacking, and Danielle needed all of her concentration just to stay alive. She scrambled back, drawing her own sword as Armand lunged again. The glass blade rang like a bell as she knocked Armand’s aside.
    He thrust again, the tip of his blade ducking easily beneath Danielle’s sword to jab her shoulder.
    Pain ripped through her arm. She nearly dropped her sword. Armand hesitated, giving her the chance to back away. Blood darkened her sleeve, and a wave of dizziness made her stumble.
    “Relax, Princess,” Talia shouted. “Don’t spill the wine.”
    Danielle nodded, trying to recall Talia’s training. Blade raised, shoulders loose. Back straight, as though