Page 90 of Charmless
“We could what?” Delphine cut me off impatiently. “Use the orb to conjure up this mythical prince who is supposed to magically save this kingdom? Even if such a thing were possible, by the time we managed to do so, Mal would be missing a head.”
I winced at the terrible image Delphine’s words evoked. “I realize that. But Withypole is supposed to be the guardian of the orb. We could offer to return the orb to him if he agrees to help us save Mal. You told me that fairies possess powerful magic.”
But Delphine was already shaking her head. “I don’t trust fairies, especially that one. Withypole Fugitate has already proven himself to be notoriously unreliable. Even if we could get the cantankerous wretch to agree, he’d probably show up drunkand accidentally obliterate our minds or start gleaning gold buttons off the guards’ uniforms.”
I sank back in my chair and blew out a frustrated sigh. “Fine! Then what do you suggest?”
“If Mal is going to be rescued, I am afraid it is entirely up to us.”
“You mean just me and you?” I stared at her in disbelief.
“Um, no. I mean mostly you.” Delphine gave me an apologetic smile.
“What!” I squawked.
“Mercado has conjured a device to keep witches away. The nasty old wizard! If I try to get anywhere near any of the royal properties, I will set off an alarm.”
Delphine was right. That was exactly what had happened when the witch had tried to attend the royal ball. She had been forced to transform into Ebony to escape the guard.
“Then you expect me to storm the Dismal Dungeons all by myself, just by waving a sword to strike terror— Wait!” I regarded her hopefully. “You don’t happen to have another magical weapon, do you?”
“No!” Delphine pulled a sour face. “If I did, I would not trust you with it. Not after the way you ruined my Fear Blade.”
“Sorry,” I mumbled. “Can you not just enchant it again?”
“No, you ignorant chit. Do you have any idea how long it took me to enchant that knife? It is a very complicated spell. It took me weeks to perfect it and Mal doesn’t have that kind of time.
“Fortunately, I do have a few other bits of magic that will prove useful. Most important of all you have the invisibility shoes Mal gave you.” Delphine brandished her teaspoon, leveling me with an accusing stare. “Unless you managed to destroy those as well.”
“I still have the glass slippers, but they don’t work. Mal’s magic never does.”
“Mal didn’t enchant those slippers. I did and they work just fine.”
“No, they don’t.” I retorted. “I tried the shoes and followed the directions Mal gave me, but nothing happened. That is why I never wore them on the night of the ball.”
Delphine gave me the kind of look one usually reserved for the village idiot. “Don’t tell me, let me guess. You were alone when you tried on the shoes. You looked at yourself in the mirror and you could still see your reflection.”
“Well, yes.”
She flung up her hands in exasperation, forgetting she still held the spoon. It went flying across the room as she exclaimed, “Of course you could still see yourself, you foolish girl. Do you have any idea how discombobulating it would be to watch your own body vanish? That was the beauty and cleverness of my shoes. The slippers only render you invisible to everyone else.”
“Well, Mal never explained that to me,” I said defensively.
“I am sure he didn’t. Because as usual he was in a tearing hurry and only half-listening to me when I instructed him about the shoes worked. But you had better pay much closer heed to me if you and Mal are to survive this rescue attempt.” Delphine rapped her knuckles upon the table as though to ensure she had my full attention.
“Listen up,” she commanded. “Here is what we are going to do.”
My jaw dropped as Delphine outlined her plot to free Mal from the Dismal Dungeons. I listened with mounting trepidation because her plan was so audacious. It was reckless. It was dangerous. It was completely mad.
But there was a slim chance that it just might work.
Eighteen
The sun was setting by the time I returned home after what felt like the longest day of my life. And it was not over yet since I had pledged to meet Delphine in Mal’s garden before midnight. She had wanted to embark upon our rescue mission as soon as it had grown dark, but I had persuaded her to wait because I had preparations to make.
I needed to fetch the glass slippers and decide how I was going to deal with my family. As I entered my garden gate, I glanced across the lane. The Hansons’ home already bore a melancholy and abandoned aspect, the front stoop not swept, the windows shuttered. It was as though the family that had lived there was long gone and forgotten.
I could still picture Myrtle’s tear-streaked face as the Border Scutcheons had ruthlessly herded the Hansons and Baftons into exile. It was far too easy for me to imagine Em, Netta and Amy in that dire situation. If something were to go wrong tonight, if I did not return... But I could not allow myself to think that way or I might lose my courage entirely.
