Mirror Mirror

“In here!” Wolf called out, disappearing from view. I paused mid-flight. “In where?” The sound of the mob was getting louder. Wolf’s head emerged from around an unseen corner. “There’s a hidden break in this wall.” I let out a sigh of relief, following him into the darkness. We pressed back as the people noisily darted past. Neither of us spoke until several minutes of silence had elapsed. “So, you weren’t eaten.” I whispered. “Eaten? No. Almost flogged, burned, and torn to pieces though.” “I’m glad you're OK.” The silence was awkward. “Me too,” he answered after a moment. A glimmer of something caught my eye. “What’s that?” A light was blinking from somewhere further off in the darkness. Wolf stepped forward, breaking the illusion that a wall surrounded us. “We’re in a cave! I bet this goes into the castle.” Memories of the Gingerbread House Witch came to mind. “Wait!” I called out. "Are you sure you still want to do this?” Wolf turned around to face me. “Isn’t this what we journeyed here for?” “It is. But when I thought you were dead, my view on the situation kind of changed.” “We’ll be fine.” Wolf turned back around and started walking toward the light. I flew in nervous circles. “But that’s what you said about the Dogwood forest!” “And we’re still alive, aren’t we?” I stopped circling, trying to think of an argument, but couldn’t. “Fine!” I yelled instead, throwing my hands up in surrender. The tunnel through the cave was narrow, with a gradual slope up toward the light. I could hear Wolf’s labored pants as we got closer. I began to worry about what we would find when we arrived. “What are we going to do about the witch? What if the townspeople alerted her already? I don’t think I care much about revenge anymore. We should go back.” Wolf shushed me and jerked his head to the side, listening. We had reached the end of the tunnel. I turned to find the source of the light, which was nothing more than two holes etched into the side of the stone wall. The flickering effect was caused by dust as it passed in front of them “Peep holes?” I whispered, flying up to peer through. “There’s a room on the other side!” Wolf jumped up to take look, resting his front paws on either side of the holes. “I wonder where it goes?” Suddenly the wall pivoted forward, flinging us into the adjoining room. I soared for the ceiling, frantically avoiding the jumble and tumble of Wolf’s legs as he slid toward the opposite wall. Behind us, the false wall quietly clicked back into place. I took a look around as Wolf collected himself. “This must have been Snow’s room.” I said, fingered a bit of worn lace on the bedspread. “Why do you say that?” “Why else the secret passage? I bet the witch used it to spy on her.” “I don’t think it’s her room anymore though.” I turned to look at what he'd found. Bookcases lined the other walls. “Potions, Lotions, and Other Neat Stuff.” He read. “‘Casting Spells in Seven Days: A Witch’s Guide to Wicked Things.’ Look, this one even won a Pulverizer Prize!” I tapped a jar that was being used as a book end. Something white and slimy rolled around in the fluid inside. “Eyeballs,” I mumbled. “Gross.” Wolf sniffed around the door to the room. “I don’t smell anyone nearby. I’m going to check outside and see if the coast is clear. You wait here.” “Why do I have to wait here?” “Don’t argue, Fae.” The door opened with a nudge and Wolf slipped through. I turned back toward the bookcase. “She’s not here,” a voice said. I spun around. But there was no one else in the room. “Who said that?” “I did.” A large mirror next to the false wall shimmered. “Mirror?” I floated closer. “Mirror Mirror to be exact,” it replied. “Oh! You must be the enchanted mirror Snow was talking about.” “I know of no others.” “What did you mean by ‘she’s not here?’” “That fairy you’re looking for. She’s not here.” “Oh, well that’s too bad.” “She’s not who you think she is either.” “No? Then who is she?” “She isn’t real.” My head was beginning to hurt. I looked back toward the door, hoping Wolf would appear. “He’s not real either,” the mirror chimed. I was starting to get annoyed. “Why should I believe you? You’re just a mirror.” “Because I cannot lie.” “But that could be a lie.” “I cannot lie.” “So none of us are real, huh?” The mirror paused for a second before responding. “You’re real.” I backed up and studied the reflective glass. “Are you cracked? You’re not making any sense.” “Fae!” Came a low call from outside the room. I moved toward the door. “Wait!” Mirror Mirror called out. I turned back and stared at the faceless object. “Break me!” “What?” “Please, break me. The witch hasn’t found out about you yet. But she will. She’ll ask and I’ll have to tell!” “I’ll do no such thing, you crazy mirror.” As I left I heard it sigh, like the ringing of a crystal cup. I found Wolf crouched beside a marble pedestal down the hall. He was two feet from the entrance of a large room. “The Queen is in there,” he whispered. I darted out to catch a glimpse of her. Her back was turned. She was staring into the courtyard from a large window. “What now?” I asked. Before Wolf could answer, we were interrupted by the clearing of someone’s throat. “Not nice to keep a lady waitin’.” The woodcutter laughed behind us. "Especially not Queen White." “Bring them here!” Shouted the Queen, barely turning from her place at the window. There wasn’t any time to escape as the woodsman’s large hands snapped forward, grabbing Wolf by the scruff of his neck and me like a common fly. I pushed my face through the space between two fingers, sucking air like a beached fish. Wolf began to struggle. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. I’ll squish her!” To emphasize his point, the woodcutter flexed his closed fist. I screamed as my ribs were smashed together. Wolf went limp, allowing himself to be dragged across the floor. The Queen was sitting when we entered the room. The expression on her face was like a stone mask. “Most creatures of magic stay away from me. You two must be incredibly stupid. That, or you want something.” She stood and undid a gilded cord from around her waist. “But first…” She walked around Wolf, looping the cord around his neck as she went. “Mirror Mirror said you were once a prince. Is that true?” Wolf eyed her coldly from the floor. “What a waste.” She released the last bit of the cord and walked toward the woodcutter’s extended fist. I stared down at Wolf’s new collar and wondered what kind of damage it could do. A bright blue eye suddenly filled my vision. I retreated back into the darkness of the woodsman’s hand. “Mirror Mirror didn’t mention you. Can you do magic, fairy?” When I refused to answer, she backed away from the opening. Almost instantly, the hair on my head raised and a static noise filled the air. Wolf yelped in pain. “Yes!” I shouted out to her. “You’ll learn, fairy. Around here there’s an easy way to do things and a fatal way. Free them!” The woodcutter released his grip and backed away to the entrance of the room. I hovered for a moment, surveying my surroundings for a way out. “Do you see this throne?” The Queen sat down and stroked the arms of her chair lovingly. “It’s a one of a kind piece of art, made out of Pinocchio wood.” Wolf’s body went rigid. “And the cushion?” She chuckled, “Talking bear. I caught him raiding our kitchen for porridge.” The Queen leaned to the side and reached back to touch the delicate inlay on the headboard. “I bet you can’t guess what this is. They’re hand plucked fairy wings. Beautiful, aren’t they?” I felt sick. The semitransparent hues blended together in a pattern that resembled a crown. “This is the punishment for invalids!” The Queen roared, slamming her fists down on the arms of the chair. “Invalids? There’s nothing wrong with us!” Wolf snarled, lunging forward. A zapping noise cut the air as his collar shocked him to the ground. It ceased as soon as he stopped moving. “Nothing wrong?! Your kind are a bane to all humans. You don’t even appreciate the unfair advantages you were born with. If it were up to me you’d all be exterminated. As it is, you two are lucky you’re still alive. If I didn’t need you I’d let the mob kill you. Now...” The Queen paused, clicking her fingernails for effect. “Where is the princess?” I held my breath. “Safe,” Wolf replied. I knew right then that we were doomed.