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Chapter Twenty-Five

Grim

G rim opened his eyes to find himself on the floor of a forest. For a wild moment he wondered if he was back in the woods in Glenn.

However, when he gathered his wits, he noted that the forest seemed slightly different from the Enchanted Woods he knew.

There was a darker energy to them, and the magic was more potent.

These were Woods where the magical creatures had not been run out yet.

It was odd that every tale seemed to have an enchanted woods of its own.

A nagging feeling appeared at the back of his mind, as if he was on the verge of realizing something, but he pushed it away for now.

Serena was not with him, and he needed to focus on finding her first. Worry uncoiled in his gut; he didn’t like them being separated in the tales, especially when they seem to get progressively darker each time.

As he made his way through the forest, he was conscious of how the world seemed to revert to being the dull dark place he was used to when she was not around.

It had scarcely been ten minutes since he had last seen her, and already he missed her infectious smile and expressive green eyes.

She had a knack of making the best of the worst situations, and it was impossible not to smile when she was there, throwing around sarcastic quips, and laughing that unbridled full laugh.

He had never met someone as… alive as her.

There was just something about her thirst for life that mesmerized him.

She was full of color and laughter, and he adored how she found joy in the smallest of things.

The way she turned every piece of clothing into something that was uniquely hers, her pale-pink hair, or even just her quirky little mannerisms, he was utterly charmed by all of it.

Stars, he missed her.

He was passing through an archway of trees when he heard it.

A mesmerizing voice, high and lovely, crooning a tune he had never heard before.

The sound rose as he approached, and goosebumps rose on his arms. Pushing through a tangle of low hanging branches, he came across a shining silver lake the color of a full moon.

A woman stood in the middle of it, submerged to the waist as she bathed.

Hearing his approach she turned around and smiled.

Her skin was unnaturally pale, a tinge of blue slashing across her cheekbones.

Her hair was a deep sapphire and hung forward to cover her breasts.

She wore no clothes. Before he could speak, she began wading toward him, opening her full lips to sing a new song.

Stranger fine, come join me no w

Take a step, and then a leap

Handsome stranger, hold me close

So that we may rest together in the deep

An odd haze fell over his vision at the lyrics, and he found his feet moving forward.

For the blue-haired woman had hair that was pink now.

Her nose became slightly upturned with a smattering of familiar freckles across it.

A tiny heart-shaped birthmark appeared on her cheek.

He was so close now, his hand reaching out.

The face, so familiar to him, smiled, and he looked into the twinkling blue eyes.

Blue eyes?

The realization doused him like cold water, and in a flash his sword struck out and the siren splashed away, snarling. For it was a siren wearing Serena’s face, that had been trying to lure him into the lake to drown him.

“Nice try,” he sneered, sheathing his sword and stepping back, as the siren hissed and spat at him from a safe distance, “but you got the eyes all wrong.”

“Well met, friend,” came a voice from beside him.

He looked down to see a fox next to him. The strangest part for him was not that this fox was speaking—the talking birds had already established that as a norm—but that its fur was a deep maroon in color instead of a burnt orange.

“I see the siren’s spell was no match for you,” continued the fox. “Good, then you shall be able to help me break my curse.”

“Sorry,” said Grim, his sword once again disappearing, “but I have someone else who needs me more right now.”

“Ahh, your beloved perhaps? If you could resist the siren’s spell, you must truly love her. Only the purest of love can fight against the lure of a siren.”

Grim was not about to waste his time conversing with a goddamned fox, not when he needed to find Serena. Unfortunately, the blasted animal was hellbent on following him around.

“Is that who you need to seek?” asked the fox. “Your ladylove?”

“Yes.”

“Perhaps we can help each other then. Do you have a description of the fair lady?”

Sighing, he stopped and looked at the fox. He was starting to get really tired of talking animals that plagued him in these tales.

“Tiny, pink hair, green eyes. Does that ring a bell?”

Sure that the answer would be no, he continued making his way through the trees when the fox bounded in front of him, effectively halting his steps.

“But that is the description of the princess!” he exclaimed. “Is it the princess you seek, friend?”

That had to be it.

He finally gave the fox his full attention.

“Yes, that’s who I’m looking for,” he said urgently. “Where is she?”

“Why, in the castle of course! With her mother, the queen, who is also the one who has cursed me to be in this wretched form!”

“The queen cursed you?”

“Indeed, I came from a neighboring kingdom to offer for the hand of the princess, who is rumored to be a great beauty. It was no insult I offered, but the queen was enraged at the suggestion that someone take her precious daughter, and so, she made sure that I would not press my suit. She turned me into a fox, and I have remained so ever since.”

Grim knew this was not actually reality, however he felt a twinge of annoyance at the thought of this strange prince offering for Serena’s hand, resolving not to feel sympathy for his predilection .

“Will you help me then?” asked the fox eagerly.

“I will make no promises,” replied Grim, “but you may tag along, I suppose.”

He took a step and then suddenly felt dizzy, slumping down against a tree.

“That must be the aftereffects of the siren’s song,” came the fox’s voice, as if from far away. “Hold on friend, I shall be right back.”

A minute later, he returned with a bright purple bloom in his mouth. He put it in front of Grim, telling him to swallow it so it would dispel the lingering effects of the song.

“Not…about to…put some strange flower in my mouth.” He panted.

He was sure if the fox could roll his eyes, he would have. As it was, he simply butted his leg in an annoyed manner.

“What use do I have for you dead?” he snapped. “Eat the flower so we can be on our way. Or do you want your beloved to wait even more?”

At the mention of Serena, his chest tightened, and he swallowed the bloom whole. Immediately, his vision cleared, and his legs stopped shaking. Standing up, he grudgingly thanked the fox who simply nudged his knee and then trotted on ahead.