The Stepsister Scheme

And this old place.” Arlorran patted the wall. “Built it myself, back when your grandparents were still learning to walk. No way in or out, aside from magic. So do what you have to do, but if anything happens to me, there’s a good chance you’ll breathe your last down here.” He looked at Charlotte as he said that last.
    “We’re trapped here?” Charlotte stared at the ceiling, like she expected it to collapse at any moment. “Buried underground, like animals?”
    “Tell us where Armand is,” said Talia, “and maybe you’ll see daylight again some day.”
    Charlotte shook her head. “I can’t .”
    With a disgusted snort, Talia turned to Snow. “Make sure she doesn’t have any more magical surprises waiting for us.”
    Snow knelt on the end of the bed and stared at Charlotte. For a time, neither one moved. Then, with no trace of modesty or embarrassment, Snow reached out and yanked Charlotte’s collar, tearing the shirt.
    “Careful, you clumsy wench,” Charlotte snapped. She tried to pull away, but Talia held her fast.
    Snow pulled again, exposing Charlotte’s left shoulder, where a strawberry-colored mark the size of a coin marred her skin.
    “Fairy mark,” Snow said. Her light seemed to brighten on the mark. “I’ve read about them, but I’ve never seen one. It’s the human equivalent of a fairy contract. If she breaks it, bad things will happen.”
    “What kind of things?” asked Danielle.
    “Depends on the fairy.” Snow pressed a fingernail to Charlotte’s shoulder. The skin around the mark whitened, but the mark itself didn’t change. “Her hair could fall out. She could be transformed into a trout. Her blood could boil, or her boils could bleed. She could lose bladder control.”
    “Not in my bedroom, she doesn’t,” Arlorran snapped.
    Charlotte glared at the gnome, her expression so full of hate that Arlorran actually took a Step back. “Snow White lacks imagination,” she said.
    “Sounds like your friends don’t trust you to keep your mouth shut,” said Talia. “Snow, can you tell who cast the mark? This is our proof the fairies are involved.”
    Snow gave the skin a sharp pinch. “It will take time. And a human could have cast the mark, too, with training.” She closed her eyes. “I don’t sense any other magic on her. She’s safe.”
    Talia sighed. “If it’s not too much trouble, do you think you could take the knife strapped to her leg, too?”
    Snow grabbed the knife. “You only said to search her for magic.”
    “Now, then,” said Talia. “You’re going to tell us where we can find the prince.” She held up one finger when Charlotte started to protest. “You tried to assassinate the princess, and you kidnapped the prince. That gives me the right to execute you on the spot. Twice. Whatever curse that mark carries, Snow here will do her best to protect you. She won’t protect you from me.”
    “What does it matter?” Charlotte turned toward Danielle. “He doesn’t love you anymore.”
    Charlotte’s tone was far too vicious for idle words. She was telling the truth. Danielle thought back to what Trittibar had said about using Armand to get Charlotte and Stacia into Fairytown.
    Not once in her life had Danielle given Charlotte the satisfaction of showing how deeply her words cut. Rarely had it taken such effort to keep her voice steady. “Yes, we know about the love spell,” she said, praying she was wrong but knowing deep down her guess was correct. “We found Brahkop. We know what you and Stacia did.”
    Charlotte’s eyes widened, and she bit her lower lip. Unlike Danielle, Charlotte had never learned to hide her emotions. Until today, the only person Charlotte had ever feared was her mother. Danielle felt slightly ill to see that same fear directed at her.
    She knelt beside the bed. “I understand why you wanted to take Armand, but why did you destroy my mother?”
    “You destroyed mine.”
    Talia stepped closer. “The fact that your mother was a crazy, self-centered, power-grubbing madwoman is what destroyed her.”
    Slowly, Charlotte looked up at Talia. “That, too.” She turned back to Danielle. “Would you like to know how Armand and I spent our first night together? He’s quite the passionate lover. I never would have guessed. He’s so polite and proper when he’s out in public.” She smiled. “Skilled, too. Clearly, he’s sampled his share of women before you .”

Danielle didn’t realize she had grabbed her sword