"Mina?" Mei's voice sounded unsure and her voice filled the room over the speaker phone. "If you do this, you may never meet me in the future. Because there will be no need for Godmothers."

"Oh, Mei," Mina started to cry.

"I'm not saying this to dissuade you." Her voice was shaky with emotion, "I just wanted to say that I have come to love you dearly, like my own daughter. And I'll miss knowing you."

"I love you too, Mei," Mina sobbed.

"Mina," Constance's self-assured voice called to her.

"Yes."

"Do whatever you have to do to survive. Do you understand?"

"I do," Mina answered, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. She moved to the middle of the room, leaving the cell phone on the chair.

"And, Mina, one more thing," Constance's voice sounded.

"Yes?" The shoes were flickering wildly, sending beams of light all over the room.

"You make us proud to call ourselves Godmothers."

"Thank you, Con-" The ball of light surrounded her and she was cut off.

Chapter 21.

This time she was prepared for the aftereffects of the time travel-the chill that ran through her body and the tingling sensation of pins and needles.

But she was sorely unprepared for the band of giants that immediately surrounded her upon her arrival. Their crested metal helmets and large thumping clubs created an intimidating and menacing picture.

"I got her," the closest giant bellowed, lunging for her. He swung out his hand as if to try and pick her up by her feet.

Mina tried to run but couldn't get her limbs to work. She tripped over the hem of her dress and fell into a pile of leaves. It looked to be mid-afternoon, if she had to hazard a guess.

"Careful! You're scarin' it." A giant of slightly less stature than the other piped up. The giants backed up and Mina was left alone to struggle and get her legs to support her.

The leaves clung to her feathered dress and sticks and twigs were entangled in her long brown hair. She must look strange to them. The giants weren't as frightening as long as they weren't trying to kill her, and apparently they weren't...at least not yet.

"What do you want?" Mina asked when she was able to stand without wincing and walk a couple feet unaided.

The first giant-the one who'd tried to catch her- seemed the least pleased with taking it easy on her. He had rough gray-colored skin, dead eyes, and a very large chin.

The smaller giant with sunspots splattered across his nose appeared to be the talkative one of the group. "We've been sitting out here for hours, waiting for you."

"For me? Why are you waiting for me?" Surely that wasn't right.

"Captain Plaith said to escort you to the palace," he answered. They had to be mistaken. If it truly was her they'd been waiting for, the passage of time must flow differently on the Fae plane-what was minutes in her realm had been hours in the Fae.

The giants closed in on her and forced her to walk among them as they marched through the woods.

Wedged in the middle of the pack, she had no choice but to follow their lead. They walked for a quarter mile before they came to a road. Pulled off to the side was a white carriage, drawn by four large mice. Mina wondered who the carriage was waiting for, when a giant opened the door and motioned for her to get inside.

She picked up her skirt and put one foot on the step. A large hand shoved her roughly from behind and she landed fast face first in a velvety purple cushion. Mina heard the laughter that followed at her expense, and she might have yelled at them if they weren't dangerous giants. She heard the snap of a whip, and the carriage lurched forward. Once the carriage was moving, she felt it was safe enough to part the curtain and look out the side window.

She wondered if Teague's betrothal had already passed, and if he was angry at her for disappearing like she had. Mina was surprised at how the thought saddened her, though it shouldn't. She knew that historically, Teague got betrothed, but then the betrothal was broken off. That turning point was the epicenter of the problems.

Her one chance was to try and catch him unaware. "Oh please." She closed her eyes and whispered. "Let him not have turned already." For the dark prince petrified her; this kinder one she could handle.

She sat back in the seat and was almost lulled to sleep by the swaying of the carriage. Half an hour later, she heard the sound of hooves. She sat up again and looked out the window. They were beside the lake, and the mountain backdrop was just the same as the view she'd seen with Nix the day she'd destroyed the Grimoire. They seemed to have fallen in behind another carriage, this one the color of fresh leaves in spring. It was hard to tell, but Mina thought she saw the back window flap on the carriage move as someone peeked out.

A white and black carriage pulled by four beautiful white horses with snow white manes came up alongside Mina's coach and then moved in front of them. She watched for signs of life, but this passenger wasn't as curious as the one in the green carriage.

Mina's curiosity got the better of her. She couldn't help but stare out her window at the bright colors and strange steeds that pulled them. Truly, there were rhinoceros-like creatures, unicorns, and tamed griffins. One carriage was even pulled by forest trolls. Her driver seemed to be aware of what was passing, and he let every carriage pull in line in front of theirs.

Over the next fifteen minutes, the line became a caravan. Twelve carriages rode toward the palace.

The closer they came to the familiar snowcapped mountain, the more hands she saw pointing into the sky from the carriages. Mina didn't need to look to know that the griffins patrolled the skies. But she wondered if she alone knew the glory of the palace-suddenly visible-at sunrise and sunset. The sun had not set yet to reveal the splendor of the white palace. At all other times it was nestled, hidden, on the far side of this mountain lake. Its only access was a single stone bridge that led across the lake and ended in the glamour.

Mina shivered when she saw the bridge, because she knew that hungry trolls lay in wait underneath it, a siren statue stood guard deep in the murky water, and giants guarded the front gates. They were all there to protect the Royals from intruders, from attackers, from assassins-from her.

The first carriage in the caravan began to cross the bridge to the middle of the lake. Unlike the last time she'd been there, when the giants tossed a carriage and driver into the lake, these guards let the carriage pass without a second glance. The carriage disappeared into a protective veil. The second carriage passed the giants and then the third.

Curiosity drove her to continue peering out between the curtains, and she saw a young girl with long midnight-black hair looking out of the white and black carriage.

Her hair was much longer, but there was no mistaking the petite features and easily irritable face of Ever. Mina sucked in her breath and was about to yell and wave in her direction. Then she remembered this was before Ever knew her. Everything was becoming more surreal with each passing minute. This was what Ever had been hinting about but refusing to tell her.

Ever's coach passed through the veil.

Mina sat back and found herself holding her breath and squeezing her eyes shut as her own mouse-drawn carriage followed the others. For the second time in her life, she felt the buzzing and pop as she passed through.

The glamour dropped, and she was once again seized in the moment. How beautiful the Fates' castle was with its shimmering walls, arched gold and silver gate, tall towers, and artisan-carved sun and moon symbol throughout.

The carriages pulled up into a long receiving line hosted by two beautifully adorned individuals-the sun and moon themselves. The Fates were waiting on the steps. Queen Maeve, her raven black hair sparkling like starlight, wore a dress of deepest blue which made her pale skin look even paler. A crown of silver rested upon her brow. Her delicate hand was entwined with her husband's. King Lucian was dressed in the same blue, with gold suns embroidered along his sleeves, his crown golden. Where his wife was pale, he was tan, and his honey-wheat beard and hair seemed to soak up the rays of the sun. He honestly emitted a warm glow.

Even from a distance you could feel their love for each other radiate from them. Next to them, standing tall and looking extremely dashing, was Teague. His own royal garments complemented his parents', the slightly lighter tint highlighting his nervous blue eyes. His gaze flickered over the awaiting coaches and then back to his parents. His expression was entirely opposite theirs. He looked forlorn.

King Lucian smiled and waved a footman forward to open the first coach's door. A young woman stepped out and walked forward to be presented before the Fates.

"Miss Annalora Goldfind," the footman hollered out, his voice echoing across the lake.

The young woman smiled sweetly and curtsied before the Fates. Then an escort led her into the palace. As the carriage drove off, the next one took its place in line. The footman opened another door and a woman with pink skin and deeper pink hair stepped out in a startlingly pink dress. Mina thought she heard the name lady Fuchsia. Like the young woman before her, she was presented and led indoors.

She needed to get out of the princess receiving line before she the Fates realized she was not from their plane and imprisoned her for life. Arriving at the palace on her terms, not the giants', was the wise approach. Mina reached for the handle of the door on the side of the coach facing away from the Fates. She opened the door to jump out, but her way was blocked by a troll.

"Going s-s-somewhere?" He sneered cruelly.

"Yes, anywhere that's not here," she answered. Her frankness only elicited a raucous laugh from the troll, startling the mice. That caused them to dance into the carriage in front of them, jostling it around.

Ever's head popped out and she tried to soothe her horses. She shot an annoyed glance-utterly and oddly familiar-at Mina and the troll whose laugh had started it all.

"You're funny," the troll acquiesced.

"And you're funny smelling," Mina said. He laughed again, but he refused to budge from her door.

"Nice try. Sit." He pushed her in her chest with one of his ginormous fingers. The force of the impact sent her crashing backwards into the opposite door and causing it to open. As the carriage rocked, she held tight to the doorframe. The door swung open, smacked the side of the coach, and then swung back inward to nail her on the behind.

"Yeouch!" Mina yelped. She grabbed the door, slammed it shut behind her, and ducked to the ground, as if she could hide from her own stupidity. Every eye there-including the Fates'-must be on her at the moment. She peeked through the parted curtain and saw that-though the royal couple didn't seem to be looking her way-a frowning Teague seemed to have noticed the commotion with her coach.

More girls entered the castle, and it was almost time for Mina's coach to pull up. What would happen? Would they open the doors and immediately arrest her for trespassing? Would she be fed to the trolls under the bridge?

She quickly ran her hands through her hair to pull out the stray leaves and tried her best to brush off her skirt. The coach dipped as a footman stepped up and asked for her name.

What in the world was she supposed to say? She couldn't very well tell them she was from another dimension. Or give them her real name. She bit her lip and tried to think of something, anything. Then it came to her.

The Story was pushing her this way. She might as well play her part in it. "Cin-uh...I mean Elle Cinder."

"From-?"

What would Mei Wong tell her to do? She'd probably say stick as close to the truth as she could. Immediately, an image of a where she used to live popped into her head. The small apartment above the Wong's Golden Palace Restaurant.

"Elle Cinder from the lands of the Golden Palace."

He leaned closer and whispered back at her harshly, "There is no such place."

"Where I come from there is." She tried to make her voice drip with arrogance.

Frustrated, the coachman poked his head through the curtain and gave her a glare. His long pointed ears were turning red at the tips. "Do you expect me to lie to the Fates?"

"No, but who's to say that I'm lying?"

He shook his head and gave her a long look. "Your neck, not mine." He leapt nimbly down and stood in front of the coach as another footman opened the door. He cleared his throat and seemed to rethink the announcement, but finally raised his voice loudly. "Miss Elle Cinder from the Lands of the Golden Palace."

Mina took the offered hand of a third footman and let him help her down the steps. Her nerves got the better of her and she almost tripped, but she recovered before anyone noticed. Her body moved on its own, and she found herself standing in front of Queen Maeve and King Lucian. She could feel the moment Teague recognized her, because his gaze bored a hole through her.

He continued staring, and she was afraid to look, afraid to make eye contact. She curtsied before the Fates and was about to rise when King Lucian stopped her.

"Elle Cinder," his strong self-assured voice repeated. There was no question in his voice. He seemed to be repeating it so he could remember.

"Yes, your-" What was she supposed to call him? Majesty? Highness. Her mouth went dry and she finally spit out, "Royalness."

Lucian smiled and slowly rubbed his beard. Queen Maeve gawked at her, judging her. Mina noticed the moment when the Queen dismissed her, because her gaze moved past her and beyond.

Mina's legs began to quiver from staying low in the curtsey.

She was doing great so far at not making eye contact with Teague. His black leather boots had not a single spot of dirt on them. Suddenly that black boot started to tap impatiently, as if trying to draw her attention upward. Was this it? Had the giants brought her all this way so Teague could send her to prison?

Knowing the moment was at hand, and it was no longer avoidable, Mina looked up and her breath caught in her throat.

He was frowning, but then the corner of his mouth lifted in the hint of a smile that he was trying to hide. Her eyes traced a line from his lips and his angular jaw up past his nose to make contact with his deep blue eyes. Which were alit with-relief?

He bowed. "Elle," the name rolled off his tongue, and she shivered.

She was certainly thankful he wasn't furious at her, but she could tell he wanted to say more. He held her gaze and flicked his eyes to the right. She glanced in that direction. There wasn't anything over there.

He did the motion again, and she realized she was supposed to head up the steps and follow the other girls inside. She was standing there like a goof staring at the prince.

"Oh yeah, that's right." She lifted her skirt and proceeded up the steps. When she got to the top, she hesitated again. There were two options. She started to go left.

"To the right," Teague whispered.

"I knew that," she said into the air, refusing to look back at him. His laughter followed her down the corridor. When she was out of his line of sight, she started to run-not down the hallway toward where the other girls were waiting-but for an exit. An escape route. She found a smaller hallway and followed it around to another side door. Thinking this must be a servant's entrance, she opened it and dashed inside.

Only to come face to face with beautiful girls in a waiting room.

Eleven hateful gazes greeted her.

Chapter 22.

"Hi," Mina said meekly. She waved her hand in a wide arc in good old American fashion. Which was obviously not the thing to do, because the scowl grew deeper on the girl closest to her. Apparently, waving was not in their etiquette book or something.

"Who are you? I don't know you. Why are you here?" The questions vaulted out of the one called Annalora's mouth, one after another. Annalora's dress was deep amber, which complemented her gold blonde hair and hazel eyes, and she was petite.

Mina couldn't help but liken her to a small, aggressive Chihuahua.

"I'm here for the food, of course." A snarky comment felt like the best course of action. She didn't feel the need to elaborate.

"I knew it," Annalora huffed. She turned and sat down next to Ever, crossing her arms and casting an annoyed look toward the others. "I heard there were only eleven, but she makes twelve."

Another beautiful girl in an emerald green dress approached her. Her skin was tanned, and her hair a dark green piled high and woven with leaves and vines throughout. Her reception was much kinder than Annalora's-the girl clasped her hand gently and gave it a warm squeeze. Mina noticed that her skin, though soft, had an odd pattern to it.

Oh. It wasn't skin, but very soft, supple bark.

"I'm Dinah, a wood nymph. Welcome, and I'm sorry for Annalora's reception of you. After all, she's part gnome, and we all know gnomes have no manners." There was no hidden malice behind Dinah's comment. She'd stated it as fact.