The Stepsister Scheme

feet.
    So this was a pixie bar. There were no tables, no barmaids weaving through the crowds. The room was roughly cylindrical, about the size of her bedchamber back at the palace. Smaller openings were scattered across the walls. Benches jutted out at all heights. Others crisscrossed the room. The largest bench passed in front of Danielle’s face, where a small man tapped his foot impatiently.
    “You lost?” he asked. Gossamer wings quivered, giving off green light and shedding sparks that disappeared before they touched the ground. He was bare-foot, clad in loose brown trousers and a top that made an X across his chest, then disappeared between his wings. Green hair poofed from his head like a dandelion.
    Danielle looked around. Most of the pixies in the room were watching her. Their curious stares brought back memories of her first time in the palace. Despite her finery, she had been certain everyone at the ball would see through her disguise to the rag-wearing, filth-covered girl she truly was.
    As she had done that night, Danielle grabbed those feelings of insecurity and choked them into silence. Meeting the pixie’s gaze, she said, “That depends. Is this the Tipsy Oak?”
    One caterpillar eyebrow rose slightly. “Sure.”
    “Then we’re not lost.”
    Talia cleared her throat. “Do you have anything to drink that doesn’t come in a thimble?”
    The pixie chuckled. “Girl, I’ve got a snapdragon mead that’ll put wings on your back with a single swallow. Take two, and you’ll think you’re queen of the fairies. Assuming your human blood can handle a pixie drink, that is.”
    Talia matched his smile and began to respond, but Snow caught her arm and said, “The prince, remember?”
    Talia sighed. “We’re looking for a gnome named Arlorran. Is he here?”
    Wordlessly, the pixie turned to point to one of the upper benches. Near the roof where the bar was darkest sat a gnome. He towered over the pixies, though he was at best half Danielle’s height. He was dressed all in red, save for a flat blue cap that hung down over his right eye. His white beard was stained yellow around the lips, either from drink or the ivory pipe he was smoking. Two pixie women sat to either side, sipping their drinks.
    “How do we get to... ?” Danielle’s voice trailed off. Talia was already climbing toward the gnome, using the benches to pull herself up. Danielle did her best to follow. The benches were more than wide enough, but they crossed at such random angles that she had to bend and twist to get from one to the next. She did her best to ignore the pixies who were watching with obvious amusement.
    One pixie, giving off a cheerful blue light, leaned to a friend and said, “Next round’s on me if she makes it without taking a tumble.”
    Arlorran hadn’t appeared to notice them. All of his attention was on the two pixie women. “I’m telling you, lass,” he said to the one on his left, who glowed bright yellow. “Once you go gnome, you’ll never go home.”
    He swayed slightly as he leaned toward the pixie, his lips puckered. The pixie’s wings flashed, and flames shot up from the end of Arlorran’s pipe, igniting his beard.
    “Grabblethorn’s buttocks!” he swore, pouring some of his drink over his chin to extinguish the flames. Both pixies slipped off of the bench and flew away, giggling. Arlorran stuck the end of his beard into his mouth and sucked it dry.
    Talia stopped long enough to glance at Snow. “Tell me there’s another gnome around here.”
    By now, Arlorran seemed to have recovered from the pixie’s attack. Aside from a blackened spot on his beard, he looked no worse for wear.
    “You’re Arlorran?” Danielle asked.
    He blinked. “For a nubile human lady like yourself, I’ll be anyone you want.”
    “We want Arlorran,” said Talia.
    “Oh, and Arlorran wants you, my lovely.” He patted the bench. “Why don’t you plant that lovely behind right here, and we’ll see what we can do for one another.”
    Snow giggled, though she stopped immediately when Talia glared at her. She pulled herself up and said, “Arlorran, it’s me.”
    The gnome lifted his cap, and his expression brightened. “Snow? Is that you?” He laughed. “I thought you’d never take me up on my offer. And you brought friends!”
    “Why did you stop talking to me?” Snow demanded.
    Arlorran’s smile faded. “Been busy. Nothing personal, lass.”
    “Can you worry about your hurt feelings later?” asked