The Stepsister Scheme

out strictly according to the treaty.” Beatrice’s face shifted, like she was trying to look through the mirror to see where they were. “Is Danielle all right?”
    Danielle took the choker from Snow’s hand. “As long as Talia doesn’t try to feed me any more nadif.”
    The queen smiled. “I remember the first time I tried it. And the first time I snuck some onto Theodore’s eggs.” Her expression turned somber. “I will talk to Trittibar. In the meantime, Snow could try again to use your child to find Armand.”
    Her voice broke slightly when she spoke her son’s name. She glanced away for a moment. “Be safe. All of you.”
    “We will.” The mirror shivered, and soon Danielle saw only her reflection. She returned the choker to Snow, then slid to the edge of the bench. A pixie fluttered out of the way as she lowered herself to another bench.
    “Where are you going?” Talia asked.
    “To change his mind.” Danielle hopped down to the platform Arlorran had taken, then hurried toward the passage where he had disappeared.
    “He’s been doing this for hundreds of years, Danielle,” Snow said as she followed after her. “If he says he’s not strong enough to break through your stepsisters’ spells—”
    “He’s already lied once,” Danielle countered. “Charlotte and Stacia tried to hide Armand from you, but they couldn’t. Not completely. You tracked him to Fairytown, didn’t you?” Deep down, she knew Snow was probably right. But she couldn’t simply give up.
    “I know my stepsisters, Snow. They’re lazy. Especially Charlotte.” Charlotte, who had never once lifted a finger around the house. When Danielle had been sick for a week as a child, unable to tend to the others, Charlotte hadn’t even bothered to comb her own hair. The tangles had been so bad, Danielle was forced to cut them out when she finally recovered.
    Of course, Charlotte hadn’t been too lazy to beat Danielle for that supposed insult. Nor had she shown any reluctance to bully Stacia into cooking the meals and cleaning the dishes until Danielle was well enough to take over again. That was one of the few times Stacia had shown Danielle any kindness, bringing her tea and medicine to speed her recovery.
    Danielle pushed through the curtains into the cramped tunnel Arlorran had taken. A brisk wind chilled her hands and face. She crawled upward, the air growing colder until the darkness opened into a crude wooden platform jutting out from the tree. Overhead, she could see where a second tree had fallen onto the first. That must be the tree they had entered from the road. The two had grown together, branches and bark merging into a single mass where they intersected. She looked around, spotting several small wooden outhouses built against the trunk.
    Arlorran hadn’t bothered with the outhouses. He stood at the edge of the platform, one hand holding a rope railing as he relieved himself over the edge.
    He glanced over his shoulder. “Crude, smelly things,” he said, twitching his nose toward the outhouses. “The pixies built ’em for us unfortunate souls who can’t flitter off to some private place to take care of business like the birds do. Those who aren’t too drunk to fly, that is.” He pointed to a puddle of glowing green liquid near the edge of the platform.
    “What is that?” Danielle asked.
    “Pixie piss.” He finished his business and turned around, still tucking his shirt through his belt.
    The platform vibrated slightly as Snow and Talia emerged. Snow was retying her choker around her neck. Neither woman spoke.
    Danielle took a deep breath. “What will it take for you to try?”
    “I told you,” said Arlorran. “Against a pair of witches, there’s nothing—”
    “I’m not asking for promises,” Danielle said. “I’m asking you to try. Gold, jewels.” She glanced at his flushed face. “Wine. Surely there’s more to your desires than women and unborn children. Name your price.”
    “No promises?” Arlorran stared at her. “No guarantees? I try, nothing happens, and you pay my price? No tricks, no complaints to your queen?”
    “I love him,” said Danielle.
    Arlorran shook his head. “You think the laws of magic give one whit about love, girl? I’m telling you, any witch worth her salt will—”
    “Then it doesn’t work, you get what you want, and we leave you in peace,” Danielle snapped. “Will you help me find my husband or not?”
    “You’re making a mistake,” Talia