Page 40

“I’d hate if you did that. We were getting along so well.” The air was rapidly shifting around me, but I wasn’t picking up anyone else close to me, just her.

“Who are you working for?” She stood upright, clearly sensing my uneasiness.

“I can’t say.”

Her eyes narrowed at me. “See, the thing is, I have a business to protect and, therefore, customers to look after. If you’re doing the bidding of the dark Queen out in these areas… well… I don’t think that’s going to bode too well for my people. She’s not been the nicest to our kind and I feel like if you’re here… one of them may be in trouble.”

“I have no need for any of your people. I’m merely passing through.” I dropped my hand from the bar and placed in on the handle of my knife, but leaving it tucked in its sheath.

“I see.”

“I probably should go now.” I said pushing away from the bar, careful not to move too fast. I was in an unfamiliar place, in an unfamiliar town with an unknown threat. I had quickly looked around the bar when I entered and didn’t surmise a threat, but I was getting the impression I may have underestimated the barkeep.

“Wait.” She put her hand on my shoulder and then slowly started to whistle, letting her head sway side to side like a boat rocking on the ocean. I felt myself getting lulled into a relaxing state. “Who are you searching for?”

I shook my head, but her whistling felt like it was carrying me away to the clouds.

“Who?” she moaned softly.

“Snow White.”

“The princess? I thought she died years ago. No one has seen her.”

“Locked away.”

“By the dark Queen?”

I nodded, feeling like a complete dope. Part of me wanted to stop talking, the other part was glad to share everything with her so I could listen to her beautiful song.

“What does she want with her?”

“Her heart… and her liver.”

“Black magic.”

I shrugged.

“What would the Queen want with the Princesses heart and liver?”

I shrugged, still feeling like I was floating through the clouds, without a care in the world.

“Are you going to kill her?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“You can’t.”

The whistling stopped and I looked around like I had knocked back about ten ales too many. The room was spinning and I felt woozy. I took in a deep breath and looked at the bartender. “I really wish you hadn’t done that.”

“Me too.” She said, troubled. Was she nervous because she knew my true intentions or because she knew something about the Queen?

“Why are you so worried?”

“You can’t give her the heart and liver of Snow White. If it’s what I think...”

“What?”

“Rumor is the old Queen couldn’t get pregnant. Her and the King tried for years and then one winter day she pricks her finger after being startled by a bird… a black bird. After that visit, she’s pregnant with Snow and soon after childbirth, she dies.”