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“Yes, I am.” Circe cast down her eyes in shame. She hated to be making that impression on her newfound cousin.
“Well, aren’t you brilliant? I think I’ve already decided I like you very much, Circe,” Snow said as she looped her arm through Circe’s. “From what I understand, he was a beastly person and deserved every bit of that curse!”
The ladies laughed and Circe felt more at ease in the company of her cousin. “Please come inside. I will make you a cup of tea,” she said.
“Since you’re familiar with the Beast Prince’s story,” Circe said, “this is where Ursula found Princess Tulip, right there beneath the surface of the water, after Tulip jumped from these cliffs. It hurts my heart to think Tulip was so heartbroken over that wretched man. But the entire experience really did help her become the amazing young woman she is now, so I shouldn’t lament the path that brought her here.”
As Snow listened, her large dark eyes seemed to sparkle with some thought she wasn’t sharing. It occurred to Circe that Snow White was a quiet woman. She knew she already loved Snow White, even though she had met her only a few moments before. There was an undeniable kindness within her that endeared her to Circe.
“You don’t talk very much, do you, Snow?”
Snow shook her head. “I suppose not. I talk with my mother, my daughters, and with my husband, the king, of course. They are my best friends.”
Circe could hear what Snow White wasn’t saying. My mother is protective. She doesn’t like me traveling to other kingdoms. She doesn’t like me to keep company with people she doesn’t know or trust. “Well, I assure you, Snow, you are safe with me. You can trust me.”
Snow smiled at Circe. “I believe I can.”
The ladies smiled at each other, feeling lucky to be in each other’s company. And because she felt comfortable with Snow, Circe shared Maleficent’s news with her.
“So…” Snow began, giving Circe a concerned look. “Do you think Maleficent was telling the truth about your sisters? You seem unsure.”
Circe paused at the foot of the little stairway that led to the front door of the odd sisters’ house. She thought about the question. “I don’t know,” she replied finally, taking a small pouch from her pocket.
Circe sprinkled a brilliant sapphire-colored powder out of the pouch into Snow’s hand. It sparkled in the sunlight, as though it were made of real sapphires. “Now blow, in that direction,” Circe said, pointing.
Snow did as Circe instructed. Suddenly, a house appeared before her eyes. She felt foolish for gasping, but she couldn’t help it. The spell had astounded her.
Snow marveled at the odd sisters’ house. She had never seen one quite like it before. She had never thought much about where the odd sisters lived. She’d always thought they just popped out of a deep black vortex when they decided it was time to torment their victims, and then disappeared back into the void in a puff of smoke when they were done. That is, until they were ready for more skullduggery with another victim. But their house really was charming. The roof even resembled a witch’s cap.
When she walked through the door into a bright, airy kitchen that featured a large round window, she couldn’t help noticing the apple tree right outside. “Is that…”
Circe pursed her lips, feeling foolish for not obscuring the tree. “I’m afraid so. My sisters have artifacts from all their, um…adventures.”
Snow frowned. “I’d hardly call tormenting my family an adventure.” But Snow understood it was likely a word Circe used as a form of denial. Snow had often employed similar terms herself when referring to her mother as different women, even though the woman she loved and knew now was the same one who had tried to kill her, no matter how much she tried to separate them in her mind.
Hearing Snow’s thoughts, Circe sighed. “Exactly. I’m so happy we understand each other. Probably even more than we could possibly know now. I have a feeling we are going to be great friends. I already love you very much.”
Snow White smiled. “I feel the same way. After everything you’ve told me, I feel as though I already know you quite well. And you’ve shared so much with me, everything you’ve been through these past few days…I feel as if I’ve experienced it with you.
It’s so strange being here—being in your sisters’ house. I spent so many years wondering who your sisters really were. Wondering what made them the way they are and why they hounded me as a child. They still haunt me in my dreams.”
Circe looked concerned. “Do they? I’m so sorry. If they are sending you bad dreams, I will see what I can do to put a stop to it.”
Now Circe had another reason to be upset with her sisters. After all those years, they were still tormenting Snow White. It made her angrier than she wanted to admit. “Come, sit down and make yourself comfortable. I will make you some tea,” Circe said. She could tell Snow didn’t quite understand why she was there.
It had suddenly occurred to Snow that she could have just sent the book. Why had she come? Was it presumptuous of her to intrude like this with Circe going through so much?
Circe smiled at her cousin. “I did send you the spell so you could come, Snow. You’re most welcome here.”
Snow handed Circe the book of fairy tales she had brought with her. “Here, take this. And let me make the tea. I can’t stand not feeling useful. Since I don’t know my way around spell books, you should probably leave the more mundane tasks, like making tea and preparing meals, to me.”
Circe thought Snow White was probably the sweetest lady she had ever met. She had almost forgotten Snow was a queen. “You probably have people who do these things for you.”
Snow laughed harder than she had in a while. “I used to handle cooking and cleaning for seven dwarfs. I can handle making us a pot of tea. I know you’re eager to look through your sisters’ spell books and the book of fairy tales. And I know you can’t possibly be comfortable leaving Nanny alone with Maleficent for too long, even if it’s what she wants. So you’d better get to work.”
Circe smiled at Snow’s thoughtfulness. Circe didn’t doubt Nanny’s ability to protect herself, but she knew Nanny’s heart. She couldn’t imagine Nanny hurting Maleficent, even in self-defense. Setting Snow’s fairy tale book to the side, she opened one of her sisters’ spell books.
As Snow looked through the odd sisters’ kitchen cabinet for teacups, she came across a beautiful deep blue one edged in metallic gold. Something about it reminded her of her childhood. She was almost certain that her mother had had teacups just like it. Snow almost mentioned something to Circe, but she didn’t want to bother her while she was searching.
