The Stepsister Scheme

children.”
    “Lots of things humans don’t know about fairies,” Arlorran said.
    “Why would a darkling serve Charlotte and Stacia?” Danielle asked, trying to assimilate it all. A mere four months earlier, she had been living at home, suffering only the mundane torments of her stepsisters. Ashes ground into her blankets, or old eggs tucked away at the bottom of her trunk until the smell infested every garment she owned. She looked at her arm and shuddered. What would have happened if Snow hadn’t driven the darkling from her arm? She yanked her sleeve down, covering the aged flesh.
    “That’s the meat of it, that is,” said Arlorran. “Darklings serve neither king nor queen. Even the Dark Man can’t control them. The queen gave orders that any of those shadow-loving bastards who set foot on her land are to be destroyed. Not that most folks are likely to take on a darkling.”
    “So who do they serve?” asked Talia.
    Arlorran shook his head. “Looks like they serve the princess’ stepsisters, don’t it?” He began to pace back and forth, circling away from the chimneys. “I’m telling you, this is more than you bargained for. Charlotte might not be much to look at when it comes to magic, but Stacia was strong enough to manipulate my own summoning, and not one witch in a hundred could do that. If she’s got darklings scurrying after her as well... .”
    “You promised to help us,” Danielle said. “I need to know where they’ve gone.”
    “I am helping you, Princess. You don’t want to find those beasts.”
    Danielle picked up her sword. Darkling blood still clung to the glass. “We hurt him as much as he hurt me,” she said. She walked to the chimney and grabbed the blanket, searching for an unburned patch, which she used to wipe the blade.
    Arlorran shook his head, but didn’t answer.
    Behind him, Snow winked at Danielle. “This is where you used to talk to me,” she said, putting a hand on Arlorran’s shoulder and guiding him toward the rocking chair. The chair was wide enough for her to squeeze in beside him. She pointed toward the ceiling. “Your image always had a pink tinge to it. I hadn’t realized you could enchant quartz as a scrying surface.”
    “Took years to get it polished fine enough to hold the spell,” Arlorran said. He turned his head to one side and let out a quiet belch.
    “So why did you stop talking to me?” Snow’s lower lip jutted out slightly. “It’s been almost a month. Do you know how lonely it gets down there in my library?”
    Arlorran shook his head. “Lass, I’m well over two centuries old. Do you really think you can flirt the truth from me with those long eyelashes and big—”
    “Let’s find out,” said Snow. She kissed the tip of his ear, then twirled his beard around her index finger. “I really did miss you, you know.”
    “It’s been a rough time for me,” Arlorran said, patting her hand.
    Talia snorted. “Us, too. We’re the ones fighting assassins and demons and darklings, remember?”
    “Be nice.” Snow stuck out her tongue.
    “You’re a nice girl,” Arlorran said. “All of you are.” He frowned at Talia. “Well, maybe not all of you. Point is, I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
    Snow smiled and ran a fingernail along the edge of his ear. “Arlorran, do you really think my friends are just going to give up and go home? We’re going after Charlotte and Stacia, and I’m the one who’ll have to protect us against their magic. Don’t you think I’m better off knowing what it is I’m fighting?”
    “You’re better off getting as far away from here—” He glanced at Danielle, then Talia. “By Mallenwar’s third teat, you’re all too stubborn for your own good, aren’t you?”
    Snow kissed his cheek. “Pretty much.”
    “Come with me.” Arlorran led them back into the bedroom, where he spread his hands. “The one you’re looking for is here, carved in quartz. I’ll give you an hour. Choose the right carving, and I’ll help you catch your stepsisters. If you don’t find it, you go home and live to be crotchety old grandmothers.”
    “I hate fairies,” Talia said.
    Danielle stared at the sparkling quartz. There had to be hundreds, even thousands of carvings. They would need days to examine them all. “By the time we find the right one, my stepsisters will be long gone.”
    “Don’t worry, Princess.” Snow smiled and climbed onto the bed. “Mirror, mirror, shining bright. Mark the clue with