Of Sorcery and Snow by Shelby Bach

Snow Queen’s. Solange’s father and stepmother had had a little girl when she was thirteen too—Solange had stolen the baby away, named her Rapunzel, and put her in a tower until she started her little sister’s Tale. Manipulating the conditions like that is forbidden, but Solange wanted to make sure that Rapunzel joined the Canon and became immortal like her big sis.
    And as much as I loved Rapunzel, she was pretty messed up, and it was all Solange’s fault.
    I didn’t want to be involved. I didn’t want to get anywhere near Brie’s baby. It was safer—for them .
    Remembering that made me sad.
    Of course my family didn’t know me. There was so much I hadn’t told them.
    â€œRory,” Mom said, and I looked up. Worry had pinched her face again. I guess I’d spaced out for too long. She reached for my hand. “I really think it would be good for us.”
    This was the perfect time to come clean, to explain what was really going on in my life. I was running out of excuses.
    But I wasn’t sure that now was the right moment to tell Mom magic was real. She was still shaky from the wolf attack. She didn’t need to know that I fought like that on a regular basis.
    I couldn’t break it to her this way. Not yet, not when the adrenaline was still making her hands shake.
    So I did what I usually did. I stalled. I lied .
    â€œCan I have a little time to think about it?” I said, ignoring the guilt creeping in. “I’ve really been looking forward to the dance at EAS.”
    I didn’t really care that much, but this excuse seemed normal enough to satisfy my mother. She even looked kind of relieved, like she thought this explained all of my hesitation.
    Amy didn’t. I knew that fierce thin-lipped look. “Maggie, you’re going to let her go back to that weird place? After Rory just tossed a giant dog across the room ?”
    Here we go. I steeled myself.
    â€œIt’s only one evening,” Mom said. “Besides, we don’t have any proof what happened today has anything to do with EAS.”
    â€œWell, we can ask her.” Amy turned to me. “Does Ever After School have anything to do with that punch?”
    I froze, resisting the urge to touch the ring. “I mean, all the sword lessons have made my arms a lot stronger.” Wow, that sounded weak.
    Amy and Mom knew it wasn’t the truth. They stiffened, and I could see the indecision on Mom’s face: call me on it and punish me for lying, or keep her word and let me go to the dance.
    â€œI’m going to trust you, Rory,” Mom said slowly. “But when you get back, I want you to trust me too. I want you to tell me the truth.”
    I nodded. It would be easier to tell her when we were calmer, when I had time to prepare. Maybe Lena would let me borrow one of her inventions—something awesomely magical instead of just dangerous and scary.
    â€œMaggie—” Amy started, but Mom shot her a look that clearly said, I’m the mother and the maker of all decisions.
    â€œShe can go tomorrow night,” Mom said, and I knew what she really meant.
    I could go tomorrow night, but never again.

    When Amy started dinner and Mom started researching high schools in our neighborhood, I snuck upstairs to my room. I made sure the door was locked before flipping open my M3. “Hello?”
    Lena didn’t let me down. Her face filled the mirror. “Rory. It took you forever to get home—we have so much to tell you.”
    â€œSo do I—” I started, but I don’t think she heard me. Noise overflowed through the M3, like a hundred Characters were shouting.
    â€œIs that Rory?” I heard Chase ask, over Lena’s shoulder. “Let me talk to her.” His big hand covered the mirror for a second, and then there was Chase, scowling, his face red. “The Director, she cancelled it.”
    â€œCancelled what?” Oh