The Stepsister Scheme

muttered, but she made no move to stop Danielle.
    Arlorran cast a speculative look at Snow, then sighed. “Wings.”
    “What?” Danielle looked from Snow to Arlorran and back. “I don’t understand.”
    “Wings.” He hooked his thumbs together and fluttered his fingers. “Just once, I’d like to buzz around like those little glowbugs. See the world like they do.” He shrugged and turned away. “My magic is a one-trick deal, and the few witches in Fairytown aren’t the kind of folks I’d ask for a favor. You give me wings so I can fly, and I’ll do my best to help you.”
    “Snow?” Danielle asked.
    Snow shook her head. “I’ve never tried transformation magic before.”
    Arlorran shrugged and started to step past them.
    “My mirror has all of the magic my mother used,” Snow continued. Her words rushed together as she spoke. “I don’t look at those spells much, because some of them are... unpleasant. But she changed her shape when she came to poison me. That was no illusion. I would have seen right through it. That was true transformation, which means the spell should still be in the mirror. It might take me a little work to adapt it for your wings, but I’m almost sure I could do it.”
    She smiled. “Of course, you’d have to come to the palace for a while. We’d need to spend a lot of time together, so I could prepare the spell.”
    “That’s a mighty tempting offer,” said Arlorran. “But if you fail, I’m left with nothing.”
    Snow folded her arms. “Days or weeks with me, and you call it nothing?”
    Arlorran backed away until he bumped the railing at the edge of the platform.
    “How is your risk any different than mine?” Danielle asked.
    The gnome stared, then chuckled. “True enough.” He grabbed Danielle’s hand, still keeping her between himself and Snow. “Stand close to me. It’ll help with the summoning. You’re the one who loves him, after all.”
    “I thought you said love didn’t matter,” said Danielle.
    Arlorran grinned, but he didn’t let go of Danielle’s hand. He lifted his chin, closed his eyes, and said, “Armand Whiteshore.”
    Nothing happened.
    “Sorry, lass,” Arlorran said, patting Danielle’s hand. “It’s like I said, your stepsisters have him all tied up. Magically, that is.”
    “That’s it?” Danielle stared at Arlorran. Her chest tightened. Despite everything Snow and Arlorran had told her, deep down she had been sure it would work.
    “You want thunder and colored smoke, I can do that,” said Arlorran. “But that kind of effect costs extra, and it won’t make one bit of difference.” He tugged her toward the tree. “Come on. I’ll buy you a drink. The pixies make a mint-and-acorn drink that will—”
    “Summon Charlotte,” Danielle said. She yanked her hand away and turned to stare up at the leaves overhead. Lazy or not, Charlotte wouldn’t risk losing Armand. Not after all she had done to steal him away. But would she remember to cast the same protections for herself? Stacia probably would, but Charlotte was another matter. “Please.”
    Arlorran sighed. “What’s her full name?”
    “Charlotte—” Danielle hesitated. Charlotte had been Charlotte de Glas for many years, but she had never accepted Danielle or her father. “Charlotte Moors.”
    Arlorran spat and rubbed his palms together. “I’d better get a nice, cushy bed when I come to the palace. And I want a room where I can see the ocean.”
    “I’ll give you mine,” Danielle said. “Just try.”
    He nodded and repeated the name. “Well, sharpen my ears and call me an elf.”
    Danielle’s heart began to pound harder. “It worked?”
    From behind them, Charlotte said, “It worked.” Then a powerful wind flung Danielle toward the edge of the platform.

    CHAPTER 8
    As Danielle stumbled forward, she saw Talia drawing her whip. Danielle’s waist hit the railing. She tried to catch herself, but she was moving too quickly.
    The line from Talia’s whip hummed, then arced past Danielle’s arm. The line hit her bicep, and the weight snapped around, looping three times before slamming into the muscle. Wind buffeted her body, and the whip dug cruelly into her arm as Talia pulled. Danielle grabbed the whip with one hand, clutching the railing with the other.
    “No!” Charlotte screamed. She pulled a knife and grabbed the blade, raising it to throw.
    “Charlotte Moors,” said Arlorran.
    Charlotte vanished, reappearing beside Arlorran, four feet to the