Page 8 of The Broken Mirror
“She’s got a point,” Filomena murmurs, even as her heart starts to beat rapidly at the thought of the rescue mission.
“So you’ll do it?” asks Princess Jeanne.
“Yes,” says Filomena.
“Definitely,” says Alistair.
“I don’t see how we can say no,” adds Gretel.
“We’ll go at once,” says Jack.
“Oh, thank goodness!” says Princess Jeanne, clapping her hands in relief. “Thank you, thank you!”
“But first we’ve got to eat,” says Alistair just as the White Rabbit returns to the table and sets down four plates of bangers and mash.
“No, no, this simply won’t do,” Princess Jeanne says, shaking her head at the sight of their supper. “You need better sustenance than this. Dearest White Rabbit, can we please have a large shepherd’s pie, three beef Wellingtons to share, and a full Sunday roast with extra gravy? With all the vegetables from the garden? I know it isn’t Sunday, but for me?” She bats her lashes. “Put it on my tab.”
The four friends are practically drooling at the sound of the order. They haven’t eaten like that since the royal wedding feast.
Alistair laughs. “It’s sure helpful to have a princess’s budget when you have a princess’s palate!”
“As far as princesses go, you’re far better than Cinderella in my books,” Gretel agrees.
“Not all princesses are alike, you know!” Princess Jeanne says, dipping her finger into the whipped cream on Jack’s hot chocolate. “Don’t judge a girl by her crown! Or, in my case, by the lack thereof.”
CHAPTERFOURENEMY OFMYENEMY
The next day, after a good night’s rest at the inn, Gretel, Alistair, Jack, Filomena, and the most recent addition to their group, Princess Jeanne, are on their way for an early morning rescue.
Princess Jeanne isn’t just a pretty face; she’s been tracking Robin Hood for a week, ever since she figured out that he must have captured her friend Riff. Filomena is impressed. She didn’t expect the princess to be such a sleuth. Princess Jeanne tells them she’s got Robin Hood’s schedule down pat.He likes to strike during lunchtime, when people have their guard down and are trying to rest.
“Disrupting the sacred hour of luncheon! The guy trulyisdespicable,” Alistair says.
As such, Princess Jeanne tells them that their best bet to rescue Riff and look for her crown will be when Robin Hood and his gang are out prowling at midday, leaving only two dopey guards at their hideout.
Today Princess Jeanne is wearing an outfit much more appropriate for a break-in than her red velvet dress. “It’s the kingdom’s latest in battle-ready-wear,” she tells Gretel as the Cobbler’s daughter admires the thin gold chain mail outfit with envy and while Alistair plods along beside.
Jack and Filomena are hanging a few paces behind the group. Filomena can tell that Jack wants to talk to her alone. She’s his primary confidant. She smiles to herself.
“So what do you think, Fil?” he asks.
“About what?”
“Can we trust Princess Jeanne? We’ve been burned before. We know Queen Olga has spies everywhere.”
Filomena considers this. She’s starting to get a pretty good read on whom to trust, but with each passing day in Never After, the stakes get higher. Although, she was once quite suspicious of the wickedly fun stepsisters Hori and Bea, and now they’re some of her closest friends.
“You know, there’s a saying in the mortal world:The enemy of my enemy is my friend. That’s what I thought whenI first met you and Alistair, when you helped me escape the Fettucine Alfredos. Robin Hood certainly seems like our enemy, and he’s definitely Princess Jeanne’s enemy. By that equation, she might have a good shot at becoming our friend.”
Jack nods. “You’re right. You always know how to think your way out of a trap, Filomena. I admire that about you,” he says with his customary shy grin.
She smiles back at him, and a realization hits her hard. There’s no denying it: She likes Jack. She really likes Jack. It’s awful. It’s terrifying. It’s electrifying.
“What are you two smiling about, huh?” Alistair says over his shoulder, snapping both Filomena and Jack out of their doe-eyed trance. “I’m not feeling so smiley right about now. I think I had too much of that full English breakfast.”
A loud belch escapes him as they exit the village and start into Sherwood Forest.
“If I get killed because of one of your burps, Alistair, then I swear to all thirteen fairies, I will haunt you forever!” Gretel whisper-yells.
