Chapter 5

Luna stepped toward us.

"Lady Pendragon," Ren said in a calm yet icy tone. "What are you doing here?"

Luna turned to me. "You are asking Cinderella to become your advisor. Didn't you know that she is already my apprentice? That would be a conflict of interest."

Anger flared within me. "I told you already that I was no longer your apprentice. Didn't I make myself clear?"

"But you still met with Ren, just as I'd asked you so you were still carrying out my orders. And don't forget I have magical powers. Finding you after you ran off wasn't that difficult."

Luna pulled out the shadow-cloak and threw it over Ren.

"No!" I darted forward but it was too late. He had vanished. I turned to Luna, my chest tight with fury. "Bring him back! How could you—"?

"I don't think you should order me around, girl. After all, I am one of the Seven Sorcerers, soon to be the Head Sorcerer."

"You aren't that yet." I took a deep breath, struggled to control myself. "And I will tell the others."

Luna reached into my pocket and pulled out my single glass slipper. "I knew he'd find this. You know that you can't deviate from your story too far. . . although this version will be different. It won't have a happy ending. . . for you." She stared at it until its shape changed, becoming a crystalline key.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm mixing my magic with yours. Our combined magic is equivalent to that of the Head Sorcerer and gives me the ability to unlock the invisible doorway between our worlds."

"You're going to blend the worlds, without thinking of the outcome?"

"That's right. I'll do this even before the other six Sorcerers can discover my plans. By that time it will be too late."

She held out the key, as if slipping it into an invisible lock. A ghostly doorway appeared, glinting like a mirage-shimmer. The Veil? It grew more opaque as she slowly turned the key. The surrounding trees began to sag, their leaves blurred like water running over green paint.

"Luna, stop! Look at what you are doing. What if you did destroy our worlds? You still won't end up with the Creator you love."

Luna's mouth was set in a grim, firm line. "I don't care what happens to his world or even ours. Just as long as we end up together. The focus of my magic is on him."

Rage burned through me. She hadn't even thought anything about my feelings for Ren. And now he was lost in the deep shadows of the Collective Unconscious Forest. Well, I'd find him, even if I spent my life trying.

But first I had to stop Luna. What should I do? If only I had never shown her my talent. I should never have shaped those slippers.

My hand slid to my pocket. I could barely feel the moon-cloak against my fingers. It makes things invisible and intangible. Could it help? I pulled it out and flung it over the key. The door was nearly solid when the key faded in Luna's grasp beneath the wispy fabric.

"What's happening? What are you doing?" Luna pulled away the moon-cloak but it was too late. The Veil vanished, the Forest returned to normal. The key, solid again, slipped from Luna's hand and shattered against a rock. I breathed deeply. My legs felt suddenly limp.

"You'll be sorry now, girl," she said, glaring down at me. "I'll turn you into something that no other fairy godmother will be able to change."

I stepped back, my heart loud in my ears. Had I gone too far?

I resisted the urge to laugh with joy when Ren appeared behind Luna with five others, three men and two women. All were wearing the purple and crimson robes of the Sorcerers.

"I thought that was your role in this story." I struggled to keep my voice steady.

"It doesn't look like you'll be a Sorcerer anymore," Ren said to Luna.

She turned toward the other Sorcerers. "It's not what you think," she said, dropping my cloak, which I quickly retrieved.

"You can explain that to the Council," said one of the men, grabbing her arm and leading her away. I glanced at Luna. A momentary flicker of sympathy tickled my chest as I saw a single tear spill from her eye. Aside from that, her expression remained rigid.

Ren dashed toward me and drew me into his arms. "Are you all right? The others say that you stopped her from opening that doorway."

"How did they know?" I struggled to catch my breath as I pulled away. "And how did you find your way back?"

"We have our ways," said one of the female Sorcerers.

"It turns out that those elusive fairies make excellent guides," Ren said. "They led me back to the others and we used our combined magic to get here as quickly as possible to stop Luna before it was too late. But it looks like you succeeded in that before us." He grinned.

"Now that Luna has been disqualified, we have another opening in our ranks," said one of the others, a tall, bearded man. "We would like you to join us."

"It's. . .um. . . an honor, sir." My tongue felt suddenly numb. "But I. . ." My mind went suddenly blank.

"You don't need to answer right away," said a woman. "That is an important decision that shouldn't be rushed."

"So, do you think you would like to become one of the Seven?" Ren asked.

"Perhaps." I thought about my life with my stepfamily. "But I would also like to become a fairy godmother to whoever might need one."

Ren smiled at me. "I'm certain that can be arranged."

The End