Page 58 of The Broken Mirror
“That mirror trick was genius,” Jack growls. “They were able to control the whole narrative by talking to all of Never After at once. The mirrors are the only way to do that. How else would they reach everyone?”
Filomena can’t help but think how different things in Never After are from the mortal world, where everyone can reach anyone all the time. Is that better for telling the truth, or worse? It seems impossible to know for sure.
Then she remembers the second part of the announcement. Not only did the prime minister make it seem like they aren’t taking their jobs seriously; he also invoked some clause.
“Can someone fill me in on this whole ancient clause thing, by the way?” she asks.
Everyone looks at Jack, who sighs. “I’d completely forgotten about the nature spirits’ clause. It was created centuries ago, during a time of particular prosperity in Never After. Things were going very well, so well, in fact, that the rulers of the kingdoms were getting lazy.”
“I remember hearing about this in history classes,” Byron says. “It was a period in Never After that was marked by luxury, excess, parties. The rulers were constantly socializing and throwing events.”
“Right,” Jack continues, “which isn’t a bad thing, per say, of course. But the problem is, the rulers stopped payingattention to their duties almost completely. They weren’t doing direct harm, but they also weren’t taking the right to rule seriously and were neglecting their people. That’s where the nature spirits came in.”
“The nature spirits?” Filomena asks.
“The most powerful forces in Never After,” Alistair explains.
“I thought the fairies are the most powerful force in Never After,” Filomena says, her brow furrowing.
“Typically that’s true,” Jack says. “The nature spirits don’t get involved in Never After politics or anything like that, almost never. They’re the very essence of Never After, the force of nature itself. As such, they can’t take sides the way the fairies can. They are inherent truth. They broke their neutrality only once: to create this clause.”
Filomena is awed. Never After always has more to reveal. She doesn’t remember anything about nature spirits from the books. She supposes this is another detail she’ll have to add to the thirteenth book.
Jack continues, “They created the clause to encourage the leaders of that time to return to their kingdoms, take their responsibility to rule seriously, and do good by their citizens. But the ogres must have found the clause somehow. Now they’re using it in completely the wrong way, manipulating the intention. But still the clause stands, so we all have to follow it.”
The group around the table is silent for a moment.
“So when is the summer solstice?” Filomena asks.
“Next week,” Rose Red responds. It’s the first time she’s spoken since they got back from the town square.
Filomena takes a deep breath, gathering her strength. She looks to her six friends. They’re all here, worn down, tired, heartbroken. And yet they must persevere.
“We know what we have to do,” she says. “We have to follow the clause. All the rulers must be crowned within the week.”
The weary faces grow wearier still. It seems impossible. Filomena can see they’re losing morale.
“Hey,” she says, standing up. “We’re the League of Seven! Right here, at this table!”
“Oh right,” Alistair says. “I kind of forgot about that!”
They all laugh.
“Filomena,” Rosie says. “I’m ready. Let’s do it.”
That gives the rest of the group a jolt. If Rosie can do this right after the death of Colette, then they all can. They must.
Filomena gets an idea. One that will boost their morale and perhaps even give the ogres a scare. Jack said the talking mirrors are the only way to change the narrative. And if all of Never After believes Filomena and her friends to be delinquents who aren’t taking their responsibilities seriously… Well, then they’ll just have to change that narrative. She smiles.
“Everyone, get some rest for the next little while. Rosie, I think we have some work to do.”
CHAPTERTHIRTYFILOMENA’SINVENTION
“Are you sure about this?” Rosie says. She’s holding an antique handheld mirror, her arms outstretched as far from her body as she can manage.
“Absolutely not at all,” Filomena responds, laughing. “But tons of things were invented by accident, right? Penicillin… Popsicles…”
“Mortal world stuff? I’ll take your word for it,” Rosie says, laughing, too.
