The Stepsister Scheme

though she were sharing state secrets. “Talia’s a little paranoid sometimes.”
    Talia splashed her.
    “The Duchess?” Armand asked.
    “The woman who’s been holding you for the past month,” Danielle explained.
    He plucked at his robe. “Whoever she is, she has abominable taste in clothes. What kind of woman—” He blinked and turned away. “Oh, damn. I kissed her, too, didn’t I?”
    “You were enchanted,” said Danielle.
    “Enchanted or not, it doesn’t matter. Married less than a year, and already I’ve strayed. I—”
    Danielle punched him on the arm. “That’s enough,” she snapped. “I did not fight my way past goblins and living shadows, not to mention my stepsisters and a dead witch, just so you could mope around feeling guilty.” With that, she twisted her hand into the front of his robe and pulled him up for another kiss.
    “I see,” said Armand a while later, somewhat breathlessly. He looked more closely at Danielle’s companions. “The three of you rescued me? Alone?”
    “Your mother didn’t think it would be a good idea to invade Fairytown,” Danielle said.
    Armand squinted at Talia. “I’ve seen you around the palace as well. Talia. How did you—”
    “They’re my friends,” Danielle said. She waited for him to ask more, but his attention had gone to the bandages on her leg and arm.
    “We fought,” Armand said slowly. “You and I. I tried to kill—”
    “But you didn’t,” Danielle interrupted. “It wasn’t you.”
    Snow rolled her eyes and turned to Talia. “ Men. How much longer are we going to wait for him to notice?”
    Talia shrugged. “If you hadn’t stopped them, he probably would have figured it out while they were tearing one another’s clothes off.”
    “Talia!” Danielle didn’t know whether to laugh or throw something.
    “What does she mean?” Armand’s eyes widened. He looked ready to fall over. Danielle caught his arms. She watched his expression changed from guilt to confusion and pure joy. You told me you were carrying my son?” “I remember.”
    “That’s right.”
    He wrapped his arms around her and laughed.
    As Danielle kissed her husband again, she heard Snow and Talia whispering behind them.
    “Touching as this all is, I’d really like to get out of here,” Talia said.
    “I did warn her he’d be eager.” Metal scraped as Snow uncovered the mirror in her knife. “I should be able to get in touch with Queen Bea while they indulge themselves.”
    Armand broke away from the kiss, though he kept his face close enough for his breath to tickle Danielle’s ear. “Did she just call my mother ‘Queen Bea’?”
    Danielle laughed and kissed him again.
    “Hey, Princess!” Snow waved her knife in the air. “She wants to talk to you and Armand.”
    Leaning on Armand for support, Danielle walked over to take the knife from Snow’s hand. She couldn’t make out much detail in the tiny mirror, but the relief on Beatrice’s face was impossible to miss.
    “I knew you’d save him, Danielle,” Beatrice said. “Even Trittibar had given up hope. He came to me the other day, saying that after so long, it was likely the three of you had fallen prey to the dangers of Fairytown.” She wiped her eyes. “I’m afraid I threatened to stuff him through a keyhole if he said another word.”
    Armand leaned over the knife. “Hello, Mother.”
    “Armand.” Beatrice reached out to touch the mirror. Her voice broke with a sound that blended laughter and tears. “What have you done to your hair?”
    “Tilt the mirror,” Snow called out. “Let her see the robe!”
    Armand’s hand closed over Danielle’s, keeping the mirror oriented toward their faces.
    “I’m all right, Mother,” said Armand. “Though I can’t imagine what people will say when they learn how Cinderella had to ride off to rescue her prince.”
    Danielle grinned. “Well, it was my turn.”
    The queen’s image turned back to Danielle. “Well done, Princess Whiteshore.”
    Those four words, spoken with such simple gratitude, made Danielle’s eyes water. She managed a quick “Thank you,” then handed the mirror to Armand and stepped away before the queen could see her cry.
    “You were right, you know,” said Talia, coming to Danielle’s side.
    “Right about what?”
    Talia waved her arm at the cave behind them. “I’m the one who wanted you to stay behind, remember? I was ready to lock you up to keep you from getting in my way.” She shook her head.