Page 109 of Cursed Ever After

Then Brunie stretched out on her shoulder. Yawned. Flicked his tail back and forth. He leaped into the air, and by the time he landed on the floor, he had transformed into the short, shriveled, tree-stump-looking witch who Risa remembered last seeing in the Bosque.

The old woman lifted her trusty walking stick and waved it at Risa. “Ready to get married, girl?”

“Thecat?” Risa asked.

Brunhilda cackled, then frowned, as if suddenly remembering something rather sour. “You called me ugly. But we can talk about that later. Right now I just want to get back to my cottage.”

“You were with usthe entire time?” Risa’s voice rose a few decibels.

The witch shrugged, picking at her teeth with her jagged fingernails.

“Why didn’t you help?”

“I did.” Brunhilda held her cane aloft. “Who do you think turned his hair blond?”

Javi gasped and reared back, stung by the betrayal. He wrapped a curl around his finger and tugged. “That was you?”

“It certainly wasn’t her.”

“You could have helped us in Cairn! Or in Spearbelly, for that matter. Or on the airship. Or atthe wedding!” Javi sputtered. He finally seemed to grasp the situation.

“I was a cat. There isn’t much a cat can do.”

Understanding dawned on Risa.

“YouknewI wasn’t cursed.”

The witch frowned. “Yes. I told you. You simply weren’t listening.”

“I feel,” Risa started, hip cocked, foot tapping, “like I could have been spared a lot of heartache if you’d just explained that to me.”

Brunhilda shrugged. “But then you wouldn’t have grown.”

Risa Porto was right.

There was no such thing as a Bad Thing.

Only Brunhilda.

THE END