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“I’m sorry, too! I’m sorry I left you alone, Nanny. I see things much more clearly now. I know something has to be done about my mothers. I know you were only worried about me! I’m so sorry I stormed out like that, leaving you on your own to deal with Maleficent. Can you ever forgive me?”
Nanny looked into Circe’s sad eyes. “Oh, my darling girl, there is nothing to forgive. The house took you away. You didn’t choose to leave. More importantly, what is this delightful advancement in your abilities?”
“What do you mean, did I teleport?” Circe asked, noticing the concerned look on Nanny’s face. “I thought you brought me here from across the field.”
Nanny shook her head. “No, my dear, that was entirely your doing. And I don’t think it was teleportation.”
Circe blinked, confused. But all she could think about now was how happy she was to see her dearest Nanny, who never seemed to change. Even in the wake of the Dark Fairy’s death and the near destruction of Morningstar Castle, her eyes sparkled with life and love for Circe. “Oh, my dear, I’m so happy you’re here. I want to hear all about your adventures with Snow White, and what you learned when you read Gothel’s story,” said Nanny, but before Circe could answer, they were distracted by the Fairy Godmother, screeching in the distance.
“Sister! Sister!” she cried in distress. “We have to go! We have to go!”
The Fairy Godmother wobbled toward them, completely discombobulated. She took several steps in one direction, changed her mind, and then went off in the other direction, back and forth.
“Is she okay? What’s happened?”
Nanny and Circe hurried to the garden, where the Fairy Godmother was shaking and fumbling with a letter she had just read. “Sister! What’s the matter?” Nanny asked.
The Fairy Godmother looked up, her face filled with terror. “Oberon says we have reason to believe the odd sisters are trying to lure Maleficent from the other side of the veil to fight at their side.”
Circe felt her heart seize with panic. “Can they do that? Do they have the power to bring people back from the dead like that?”
Nanny frowned. “I don’t know, my dear. I don’t know. They may.”
The Fairy Godmother seemed to notice Circe for the first time. “Oh! Circe, my dear. I’m so happy you’re safe! You poor sweet thing! Everything you’ve gone through!” Circe was enveloped in the Fairy Godmother’s arms. She hadn’t expected her embrace to feel so much like Nanny’s. To feel comforted and loved in the same way. She suddenly felt overwhelmed. Lucinda, Ruby, and Martha had always loved her. Loved her desperately. Loved her too much. This love, the love she felt from Nanny and her sister, was something quite different. It was pure. It wasn’t tainted by sacrifice, the insatiable need to protect her at any cost. And Circe wondered if she was worthy of it.
“Come on, my dear. Let’s go sit down,” Nanny said, leading Circe to the garden outside the conservatory. The conservatory was an architectural marvel of windows and a giant domed ceiling. Large French doors led to a lush garden filled with wandering roses, wisteria, honeysuckle, and jasmine. The scent was so sweet it made Circe’s head swim.
Once in the garden, they made themselves comfortable under a large blossoming tree filled with delicate pink and blue flowers. “I don’t remember the tree being these colors,” Circe mused. “Weren’t the flowers white?”
Nanny laughed and rolled her eyes. “This is the three good fairies’ handiwork. They came back to help after Aurora’s wedding.”
“Oh, are they still here?” Circe asked, squinting and looking around
the garden for them. She didn’t know how she felt having so many fairies about. It was strange enough being in the Fairy Godmother’s company. Maleficent’s death was still so fresh. Snow was right. She hadn’t had time to properly process everything that had happened. Circe felt conflicted about the fairies. If they hadn’t been so cruel to Maleficent, she might never have destroyed the Fairylands and been forced to turn to the odd sisters for help. She would never have created Aurora and lost herself in the process. And Circe’s mothers—her meddlesome mothers—if they hadn’t manipulated and used Gothel, then Gothel would probably be ruling the dead woods with her sisters now. So many things would be different.
My darling, it’s so much more complicated than that. Quiet your mind. Don’t dwell on what might have been.
Nanny patted Circe’s hand tenderly. “The three good fairies are with Tulip, Oberon, and the Tree Lords, doing their best to heal the wounded.” Nanny was eyeing her sister and Circe, clearly worried about both of them. Circe had so many questions and there was so much to say, but they were being dragged into yet another of her mothers’ dramas, and she felt she’d better find out what was really going on before the Fairy Godmother fretted herself into another tizzy. “Perhaps we check in on your mothers in the dreamscape? See what they’re up to?” asked Nanny. Circe took her hand mirror from her pocket. She dreaded seeing them just then. But if they were planning to try to lure Maleficent from beyond the veil, that would help her in her decision. She’d been looking the other way for far too long when it came to her mothers. And it was time to put a stop to their antics and skullduggery.
“Show me the odd sisters.” Circe spoke and the words caught in her rapid breath.
Rather than showing the odd sisters, the mirror filled with familiar green flames.
“Do you think your mothers succeeded in bringing her back?” Nanny’s face was filled with worry. I will never forgive my mothers if they drag that poor creature back from death. It will break Nanny’s heart, thought Circe, grasping the mirror so hard it might have broken.
“Maleficent,” Circe asked, her voice shaking, “is that you?”
“No.” A familiar pale face with large dark eyes appeared in the flames. “I have not seen the Dark Fairy in the world of mirrors. I believe she has passed beyond the veil.”
“Grimhilde!” Nanny snatched the mirror from Circe’s shaking hand. “What do you want, witch?”
“My daughter, of course. I’m giving you one day to return her to me. If she isn’t back home safely within her own castle by this time tomorrow, you will suffer the consequences.”
“Snow will never forgive you if you do this,” whispered Circe.
“How dare you speak for my daughter, you spawn of guile, insanity, wretchedness! Listen to me well: I will rain terror upon your heads if my daughter is not returned to me. You have until tomorrow!”
The wicked queen’s face disappeared into the green mists, leaving the ladies awestruck and afraid.
