Page 51 of Apples Dipped in Gold

“Wild one,” said the fox, breathless. “You are squeezing me to death.”

I released him, unaware that I had been holding him so hard.

The fox expelled a heavy breath.

Just then, there was a sudden disturbance as severalpixies rushed in through the windows behind Cardic. The fox growled, but I held him close as they spoke in voices too high-pitched for me to understand, but I watched Cardic’s and Lore’s faces as they darkened with anger, and I knew something terrible had happened.

They both rose to their feet at the same time.

“What’s wrong?” I asked. “What happened?”

They exchanged a look and then left the table.

“Where are you going?” I demanded, rising with the fox in my arms.

I followed them as they headed down the hall and entered an adjacent room.

“Mirror, show us the three villains the pixies have seen,” said Cardic.

Three villains? I held my breath as the mirror rippled, and a scene formed before me of my brothers—Hans, Michal, and Jackal. They appeared to be walking through the Enchanted Forest, where I could not say, though I assumed they were close if the pixies were warning Cardic.

I heard Lore growl.

“Do you know these three mortal men?” asked Cardic.

“They are my brothers,” I said and looked at Lore. “I told you they would come for me.”

“Do not fret,” said Cardic. “They will not get past my pixies.”

“Pixies will not stop them,” I said. “They have hunted in this forest for seven long years, and nothing has harmed them yet.”

Cardic looked at Lore and then asked, “What changed seven years ago?”

“They came into possession of a knife,” I said. “A blade so sharp it could cut through bone.”

As I spoke, I was unable to tear my eyes from the mirror as I watched my brothers stomp through the forest, their expressions equally terrifying and bloodthirsty.

Lore stepped in front of me, blocking my view.

“That’s enough, Mirror,” he said, and the image vanished.

I managed to hold his gaze.

“I will not let them hurt you.”

“You cannot promise that,” I said. “You cannot promise unless they are dead.”

“I would have killed them before, but you begged me not to,” said Lore. “Are you saying you have changed your mind?”

“Lore,” I whispered, my eyes filling with tears.

Do not make me decide, I wanted to say.

“Your brothers might be hunters, but they are terrible at hunting you,” said Cardic. “My pixies were able to lead them west. For now, they are ahead, and you are behind.”

That gave me little relief. What happened when they discovered they had been deceived? I knew Jackal well enough. He was making a list of everything that was my fault and assigning an appropriate punishment.

“Perhaps, beast, it is time you become the hunter and they become the hunted,” said Cardic.