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I nodded and used the tongs to grab the bracelet while he used the pliers to pop the clasp.

“What do we do with it once it’s off?”

Dresden ran out of the room again and was back a moment later. “Here. It’s a stone pot I use to store my hot tools.”

He opened the lid and sat it on the floor at our feet.

I eased the bracelet into the container and Gage and I dumped the tools in as well.

“I think it goes without saying, but no one touch those items. We don’t know what they are or if they’re poison-”

“Barrett.” I called, looking down at Snow.

Her color was returning. I felt her arms and then her head and could feel a heat returning.

“I think…” I hesitated to say the words because I didn’t want to get anyone’s hopes up… but…

Her eyes fluttered open and her gaze landed on Gage. “Gage…”

He looked down at her and grabbed her hand. “Hey Snow.”

They stared at one another for a brief second and then, remembering they weren’t alone, he let go of her hand, stood up and walked away.

She looked around the rest of the room slowly. “What happened?”

“The dark Queen.”

The door slammed as Gage left.

“She disguised herself as that little girl.” Her color was fully returned, and she looked alert.

I nodded.

“The bracelet?”

“Yes. It looked just like my mother’s bracelet that my father had talked about.” She rubbed her face.

“It probably was,” Enzo said, sitting by her head. “She probably found it and poisoned it, knowing you’d recognize it.”

She sat up and looked around. “Thank you…”

“Careful.” I warned.

“I feel… fine.” She said, wiggling and moving different parts of her body.

“You do seem to heal rather quickly.” I said, as my mind was rapidly trying to figure out why that was. This wasn’t the first time I’d noticed this. Perhaps she had some other kind of magic.

“We thought you were dead.” Enzo said, rubbing her head.

“I would have been, if it wasn’t for you all finding that bracelet.” She swung her feet to the floor. “I’m going after her. I’m going after the dark Queen.” She looked at Garrison. “She won’t stop coming.”

He nodded in agreement.

“We can’t kill her children. We need to find another way.”

Garrison sighed.

“We have to find another way.” She turned her gaze to Enzo. “I want to go to Ruby’s.”