Happily Ever After, page 15
It’s not humans, it’s this world, one of the fairy queens had said in Lena’s vision. Its story magic pushes back against us, tries to undo everything we’ve worked for. We’ll have to face it, tame it, if we wish to rule here.
“And so they had to control it if they wanted to rule here,” Lena said quietly. “I still don’t know what story magic is, though.”
“The way I understand it,” Gwentell said with a sigh, “magic is about putting order to chaos. At least, non-genie magic is. Music does that, creating harmonies out of sound, and story magic must do the same, dictating how everything works here.”
“So we’re all just characters in a story written by, what, the world itself?” Jack said, raising an eyebrow.
“By the fairy queens, when they’ve been able to,” Gwentell said. “That’s what The Tales of All Things is, a master story for the world. Though, I imagine your people have a connection to it like mine do with musical magic. Maybe that’s why you can see these visions, Lena?” Her eyes lit up with realization. “That, combined with the story magic I’m using in Happily Ever After! It must be infusing you with the power because you’re the hero!” She frowned. “Well, you and Shefin now.”
“Shefin is the hero?” Lena said, not following. “Did I miss something?”
As it turned out, she had. Gwentell and Jack filled her in on the rest of what had transpired while she’d been dealing with Denir, and suddenly things made more sense, at least a bit.
“Couldn’t we just read about him, then, and see what he’s doing?” Lena asked as Gwentell showed her a chapter of Shefin racing to fight the sun giant.
“No, because I didn’t prewrite anything for him, so his story is showing up like in an ordinary Story Book, meaning as it happens.” Gwentell shook her head. “And before you ask, I don’t know that rewriting him would do much to help. At the moment, he doesn’t know where we’re going, but if I try to change what’s happening, I might end up making things worse for us. Better to let him sit there in the clouds while we save Jin.”
“You only say that because it’s not your wife he’s got magically controlled,” Jack growled, clearly having already had this argument with her.
“Anyway, the visions sound like they’re harmless, whatever they are,” Gwentell said to her. “I’m not going to rewrite anything else, so hopefully you stop getting them.”
Lena nodded, hoping that was true. The idea that she could fall unconscious randomly in a dangerous situation didn’t exactly feel safe. And what were the visions telling her, anyway? That Mrs. Hubbard was royalty? Or that King Denir was…
That King Denir was just like her. That one she still hadn’t fully wrapped her head around, and probably wouldn’t for months. But it did make her see the king in a different light. She couldn’t excuse anything he’d done, or forgive it. But it still helped to see why he’d turned out the way he had, since he had reasons beyond just being pure evil, like the fairy queens were.
Unless there was a reason behind their actions too?
“One of the fairy queens said something odd in my last vision,” Lena said to Gwentell. “Something about being infected by the djinn. Maybe that has something to do with why they’re doing all this?”
“Infected… by a djinn?” Gwentell said, her mouth dropping open. “There’s no way that’s possible. They hate the djinns and wouldn’t have had anything to do with them. Are you sure you didn’t mishear?”
“Maybe,” Lena said, but she knew that hadn’t been the case. She concentrated on what she could remember of the vision, but it was already fading like a dream.
Fortunately, there was someone in the chariot who’d been there in person. And who better to shed some light on a subject than the sun giant himself?
CHAPTER 26
What do you mean “visions”? Shefin thought back at the Helmet of Wisdom.
Did you miss the fact that you saw Big Wolf’s past with the Wicked Queen? Or Thomas’s betrayal of Jillian and her family?
Oh, right, those. Shefin rolled his eyes. Okay, but how will knowing what’s causing those visions help me find Lena and Gwentell?
Who said it would? I just thought you might like to know that, between Gwentell and the fairy queens messing with story magic in that book you’re supposed to destroy, you’ve ended up with a connection to the magic far more powerful than most, maybe anyone besides Lena.
Lena? Why her?
Because she was the first hero of this story! Try to keep up here.
Shefin growled in frustration. I’m keeping up. You’re the one who’s not leading me anywhere useful. Now where is Lena?!
That’s it? I tell you that you’ve got access to story magic, and you completely ignore me? No wonder you can’t figure out where Lena went on your own. You’re missing the forest for the trees!
Forest? Trees? There aren’t any of either up here! Now start making sense!
Story magic could do so much for you! You could learn about people and discover what it’s like to live a different life, be someone new. Or how about opening the magic to those around you, so they could know you better and understand why you’re like… this.
Don’t say “this” like it’s insulting. I’m amazing! And what you said sounds completely pointless, honestly.
Well, then, how about this? You could use story magic to subtly rework what’s going on now so that you somehow get freed from mind-control and are able to think clearly. It might also be good for that sort of thing.
Mind-control? What was the helmet even talking about? No one was controlling him!
Oh no? Then why were you trying to stop the fairy queens yourself not so long ago?
Because… because… OH! Because of Jin! He probably made me! That’s the only thing that makes sense.
Sure. If that helps you.
Enough! Shefin shouted in his mind. You’re wasting my time. Tell me where Lena went, now!
But the helmet went silent, apparently incapable of making sense. Shefin tore the ridiculous helmet off and threw it to the ground angrily. “This thing is completely useless!” he shouted as he leapt to his feet and began pacing around. “I swear, it’s of no help at all.”
“You’re lucky to not be tainted by the helmet,” Denir said, nodding sagely. “Information is dangerous and leads to thinking for yourself instead of following the fairy queens’ rules.” He paused, giving Shefin a suspicious look. “You’re not feeling wiser, are you? Because that’s the first sign of evil.”
“Of course I’m not!” Shefin said, rolling his eyes. “I’m Sir Hero, the most heroic hero who ever heroed! No ridiculous helmet could ever make me smarter.” He frowned, thinking something sounded off about that, then shrugged, deciding he didn’t care.
“Maybe it’s less that the helmet’s wisdom is… evil,” May said, looking a bit dubious about that last word, “and more about asking the right question.” She crawled over to where the helmet lay on the ground and picked it up. “I assume you wanted to know how to find Gwentell and Lena, where they’re headed?”
“Is there a more important question I should have asked?” Shefin asked, getting annoyed. May had started this fight on the wrong side, so she didn’t get to start questioning the hero now… or really at any point, even if she’d taken down the Wicked Queen. She might have been a hero in the past, but this was his story now, and somehow it felt like he was getting mocked even more than usual. Did no one understand how heroes were supposed to be treated with respect?!
“Let me try something,” May said, then placed the helmet on her head, closing her eyes. A few seconds passed, her eyes flickering beneath their lids, before she abruptly pulled the helmet back off, opening her eyes again. “Okay, that’s what I thought,” she said with a nod.
Shefin snorted. “If what you thought is that Sir Hero is right about everything, then I agree. Like I said, the helmet is useless.”
She shrugged. “Not entirely. See, I thought maybe the helmet would tell you what you truly want to know, over what you think you do.” She glanced at him curiously. “Maybe you had conflicting motivations?”
“He’s been infected by evil!” Denir shouted, pointing at Shefin accusatorily.
“No I haven’t,” Shefin growled, glaring at May. “If you know how to use the helmet so well, then why didn’t you get any answers?”
“Oh, I know where they’re going,” May said, walking over to Horse and placing the helmet back on his head. He nodded his thanks to her as she continued. “The sun giant must be taking them to the Cave of Marvels. Jack will have told Lena and Gwentell that he and his sister hid the harp there, and they’ll want to use that to disrupt the fairy queens’ magic. That’ll let Gwentell take them all to the fairy homelands, where they can free Jin using the Spark.”
“How could you possibly—” Shefin started to say, but May held up a hand.
“If you hurry, you and Horse can arrive just behind them by teleporting with your Lilliputian technology,” she continued. “Unfortunately, by the helmet’s estimate, there’s only enough magic to transport the two of you. Even so, you’ll have at most two charges left, which should be enough to get you and Horse there and back again with my husband and Lena.”
Shefin’s mouth dropped open as she finished. He had no idea what to say.
May just smiled politely at him. “Don’t feel bad. While I know I must serve the fairy queens with all my being, that’s nothing compared to how badly I want to save my husband. Different motivation, I guess. And the helmet didn’t seem to have any problem with that.”
“Huh?” Shefin said wisely, still completely confused.
“Or maybe the helmet just needed a rest after Horse used it for so long,” May added, patting the animal on his shoulder. “That’s probably it. You would have made it work for you eventually, Shefin. Anyway, better be off, you two. I’ll take the wolf family and the former giant here back down to the Blessed City, where the fairies might still be able to get us to the homelands in time for the ball. I’ll let them know what Gwentell is planning, of course, in case they can help, but mostly I figure you’ve got this well in hand, Shefin. Don’t be late for the ball yourself, and good luck!”
With that, she climbed back up onto Big Wolf’s back, and one of the wolf sisters bent down for Denir to do the same. Then, without another word, the entire pack turned and trotted off back through the darkened former giant village.
Shefin watched May go, then shuddered, incredibly thankful she was on his side now.
“Glad she’s not coming with us,” Horse said, trembling a bit himself. “That woman is terrifying.”
“Smartest thing you’ve said all day,” Shefin agreed. Then he hopped up onto Horse’s back and activated the Lilliputian teleporter to take them both to the Cave of Marvels.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
We’ll be reaching the Cave of Marvels in just a few minutes,” the sun giant shouted from the front as Lena made her way to him, one hand on the side of the chariot to steady herself.
“Would you mind if I asked you something, Mr. Sun Giant?” she shouted back as she approached.
He turned back to look at Lena, or at least she thought he did, since it was still hard to see more than his silhouette, with the fireball’s blinding light behind him. “Is it about your vision? I’m sorry you had to see that.”
“Uh, yes, actually,” she said, surprised that he’d been aware of it and yet hadn’t been knocked out like she’d been. That made things easier in some ways, but she still found it difficult to jump right into the whole “tell me about the fairy queens who cursed you with this job for all time” thing. “So you’re the first of our kind, then? Your Sun Giant-ness?”
“I am indeed, but there’s no need for any title,” the sun giant said, crouching down so she could see him more clearly. He grinned widely. “Though, I would have remained the only giant if not for some caring humans. Several of them followed me up the beanstalks to the clouds, probably to see who the large man was, carrying a burning fireball across the sky.” He chuckled sadly, then showed her his gloved hands. “When they saw the damage the fire had done to my hands, they took pity on me, and returned a few months later with these. I’m told they’re made with Lilliputian technology, and that’s why my hands are protected from even the hottest fire. The chariot came next, with a net of the gloves’ material to hold the fireball, meaning I only have to touch it when picking it up and setting it down each day!”
Lena heard a noise, and found Jack, Gwentell, and Rufus moving closer to hear as well. She nodded at them, then turned again to the sun giant. “That was sweet of them! Did they become the next giants?”
“They did indeed, though not on purpose!” the sun giant said with another laugh. “With all they did to help me, those kind humans spent quite a bit of time in the clouds, and decided they liked it up here. They built homes, started families, just like they would have back on the ground. But somehow, the more time they spent around me, the taller they grew, until they were every bit the giants you know today!” He beamed with pride. “At first I didn’t quite understand how or why it had happened, but gradually I began to notice that it wasn’t just them who were changing. Wherever I traveled, humans began to transform in my wake. Soon enough we had goblins, trolls, elves, imps, giants, and all sorts of other exciting new species. If I hadn’t known better, I’d have said I was spreading the same magic that had once changed me!”
Lena frowned. “But you didn’t have the lamp. What caused all the changes?”
The sun giant tilted his head curiously, then pointed down at Lena herself. She stepped back in surprise, only to realize what he’d been gesturing at: the Spark.
“That little flame was doing it,” he said, his eyes reflecting the Spark’s light as she held it out. “It’s the same one that once lit the lamp that the fairy queens took from me, you know. It disappeared at the time, so I didn’t realize it’d attached itself to me for some reason, hiding out in my fireball during the day, then living inside me during my long walks back east.” He shook his head with a smile. “As it turned out, my fireball was providing both light and magic to the people below, including to your ancestors up in the clouds.”
Lena raised the Spark up to eye level, barely able to believe that such a little flame had done so much. No wonder the giants held it in such reverence, if the Spark was the reason they existed! “So you gave it to the giants to keep for you, once you figured it out?”
The sun giant laughed again. “Hardly! No, one of your kind challenged me for it, and I lost. Who’d have thought a giant boy your size would find a way to carry my fireball across the sky for a full day? That was the last time I underestimated anyone… or accepted any challenges.” He looked down at her fondly. “Bear the flame well, Lena the Giant. It will provide you with strength in times of darkness.”
What had he just said? A boy her size? Did that mean that she… no, that she and Denir weren’t the only ones? She began to feel dizzy, and leaned against the side of the chariot for support. How many giants had been born like her, human-sized? Had most of them either fled from the other giants’ judgment or “fixed” themselves magically like Denir’s parents had done to him?
Not only that but the human-sized giant boy had challenged the sun giant for the Spark, and won! That one act had ensured their protection over the centuries and had kept them protected against the fairy queens, and the Wicked Queen before that, not to mention saving Lena and the people of the Cursed City as well.
And it was all thanks to a human-sized giant just like her. She sniffed loudly and wiped her arm against her cheek, not wanting the sun giant to see her cry.
“Did I answer all your questions, dear one?” the giant asked her, and she started to nod before remembering she’d wanted to ask something else entirely.
“Just one more, and then I’ll leave you alone,” she said, her voice a bit shaky after all the revelations. “During my vision I heard the fairy queens mention something about the djinn infecting them. Do you remember anything about that, or know what they meant?”
The sun giant frowned. “I heard the same thing myself. Otherwise I’d never have remembered it, given how long ago that happened. Unfortunately, that’s all I know about it. The fairy queens rarely visit this world, and when they do, it’s usually to celebrate some royal birth or other, so I don’t see much of them. I’m sorry I can’t be of more help!”
“You’ve been an enormous help!” Lena shouted, not wanting him to feel bad. “So you saw the vision too, then? Why didn’t you get knocked out like I did?”
The sun giant tapped his nose with a smile. “I’ve just had more experience with it, my child. You’ll get there soon enough, trust me. You’ve got a natural talent for it. Now everyone hold on, as we’re coming in for a landing!”
The sun giant rose back up as the chariot dipped, diving beneath the clouds so fast that Lena let out a scream of both surprise and delight. She grabbed Rufus and hunkered down behind the giant, with Gwentell and Jack at her side as the chariot continued its descent.
The landing was strangely smooth, in spite of the giant’s warning, and Lena waited until she could feel the chariot coming to a stop before she stood back up. Even over the enormous chariot’s sides, she could see a mountain rising up.
“That’s it!” Jack said, pointing at the mountain. “That’s where the Cave of Marvels is. Thank you, sun giant! We can’t thank you enough!”
“That means a lot, given your family’s history with giants,” the sun giant said with a wink, and Jack turned bright red. “Don’t worry. I’m just as much human as giant, so I take no sides. Good luck, my friends, and may you find whatever treasure you seek!”
Jack saluted him with his sword, then quickly climbed up the side of the chariot, while Gwentell flew up and over, looking like she wanted to say something to the sun giant but ultimately staying silent.
