Ah, the arrogance of mortals! “Of course magic is real,” I told her. “You think just because you don’t see something that it isn’t real? When was the last time any of you saw gravity or electricity? You don’t appreciate magic when you see it, and that’s why you mortals see so little of it.”

The lad looked down in the box as though he hadn’t heard a single word and said, “Why is Savannah mailing a leprechaun to Ireland?” So I told them, “I promised I’d help send Savannah to the Middle Ages if she’d send me to Ireland. I did my part of the bargain. She’s there, isn’t she?”

Well, you’ve never seen such hysterics. Thelass started gasping and clenching the side ofthe box so hard I thought she’d tip me gold rightover. “Savannah can’t go running around theMiddle Ages! She’ll catch the plague orsomething. What is she doing there?”To tell you the truth, I couldn’t remember myself. What are the affairs of mortals to the likesof us? Just one mess after another. So Iscratched my beard and said, “It had something 294/431

to do with a prince. She wanted to go to some fancy dress-wearing thing you mortals all do when you’re in love.”

The sister started a-gasping again. “A wedding? She wants to marry a prince?” But I can’t be expected to keep track of foolish young girls’ wishes. I said, “I expect she’ll be there for no more than a few months. Unless she gets stuck there altogether or killed. Sometimes that happens to the more foolish mortals.” The lass let out a shriek, and repeated, “She’s doomed! I’m never going to see Savannah again!”

I hated to see the poor thing so distressed and technically I owed them a favor, as they opened the box that I’d been shut in. So I told them I’d use me magic mirror to check in on Savannah and tell them how she fared. Right generous of me, and I don’t mind saying so.

A few minutes later I set their fears to rest.

“Your worries have been for nothing,” I told them. “Helped kill a cyclops, she did. True, it almost ate her, but she made good bait. The cyclops was so distracted with her that the other fellow was able to kill it. And all’s well that ends well.”

295/431

The lass proved to be of a weak constitution, for she nearly swooned—had to sit down, right there on the floor.

The lad said, “How do we get Savannah back?”

“Get her back?” I asked. “Why would you want to do such a thing when she went to all that trouble to get there?”

The lad got angry then. Pointed a finger at me and said, “If you won’t help her, we’re not taking you anywhere. You can just wait here for her to come back. If she ever does.” Well, I had to do something then, even if leprechauns have no power to send people to other places. I told them, “If you relinquish any claim on me gold—not that I’d give it to you anyway, so don’t even ask—I might be able to call in a favor.

Several years back I taught a fairy chap how tospin straw into gold. He still owes me somethingfor that one, he does. I could have him send youback for a bit. That way you could talk to yoursister and convince her to come back.”Perhaps it was dishonest for me not to tellthem about the contract, and they may havebeen under the false assumption that all theywould have to do to come home was to convinceSavannah to ask her fairy godmother to send 296/431

them all back. I may have even told them that fairy godmothers were akin to angels, just waiting to bless the lives of the deserving. But I ask you, since when have the mortal folk been honest with us? It’s never been their way. Deeds for deeds, I say.

I called me friend Rumpelstiltskin, and he sent them back right quickly, he did.

Yours,

Clover T. Bloomsbottle

Chapter 20

Jane and Hunter looked as they had on many school mornings: jeans, tennis shoes, and backpacks on their shoulders. But streaks of dirt smudged their clothes, and the knee of Jane’s jeans was torn. They looked tired and frazzled, and seeing them made it seem that the world had suddenly ripped open, mixing old with new, blend-ing the centuries together.

Tristan turned to me, a look of accusation darkening his eyes. “You sent them here too?”

“I didn’t!” I said, then turned to Jane. “What are you doing here?”

Frustration flashed across her face. Her eyes had a panicked look, a loss of composure that wasn’t like her.

She dropped her backpack onto the floor. “That’s how you greet me? I’ve just spent the last two hours wandering around a forest in the dark—which I’m sure was your leprechaun’s idea of a joke— and we never even would have found the village if it hadn’t been for the church bell and the bonfire. And I kept falling down, and my jeans are ripped, and now we’ve finally found you and you ask me what I’m doing here?” Her voice spiraled in volume. “This is the Middle Ages, Savannah.

298/431

This is not a safe place for a teenage girl. It’s dangerous.

It has the plague, and wars, and—”

“One less monster.” Hunter took a step toward Tristan. He held up his hand to give Tristan a high-five.

“Way to go, dude. They’re making up songs in your honor downstairs.”

Jane didn’t take her eyes off me. “Mom and Dad are going to flip out about this. I don’t know what you think you’re doing here, but you’ve got to come home. Right.

Now.” Jane folded her arms and finished her lecture with an aggravated breath.

“So you’re admitting that I’m not crazy,” I said.

“What?” she asked.

“You thought I was crazy when I told you about the leprechaun and the Middle Ages. But you opened the package and found out the truth, didn’t you?”

“Okay,” Jane said, cutting me off. “You’re not crazy.

Now will you please come home?”

“Trust me, I want to come home but I’m here until Tristan can leave.”

As calmly as if he were discussing the weather, Tristan added, “I can’t leave until I become a prince.”

“You? You’re the prince?” Jane’s voice took on an agitated edge and she turned in my direction. “You’re not going to get married, are you?” 299/431

“Not to each other,” I said and couldn’t keep my lips from pursing. “Tristan wants to marry Princess Margaret.”

“I don’t want to marry her,” he said. “It’s all part of the deluxe prom package Savannah ordered.” Then I had to explain to Jane and Hunter how my fairy godmother had misunderstood certain statements I’d made and had sent Tristan back in time to become a prince. He still had two tasks left before he could achieve that goal and return to our time.

“Kill a dragon?” Hunter said as though he both envied and feared for Tristan. “Can you do that?”

“I’ve got to.”

Jane shook her head, disbelief seeping into her tone.

“But your leprechaun told us that all you had to do to come home was to ask your fairy godmother.”

“Oh, well, that just means you were duped by a leprechaun,” I said.

Hunter cocked his head and looked at me narrowly.

“Your fairy godmother won’t help you at all?”

“My fairy godmother won’t even take my calls. She’s sort of a teenage, airheaded shopping diva who didn’t pay attention very well in fairy school.” Jane sat down on my bed and rubbed at her forehead wearily. “Well, that figures.” I followed her with my gaze. “Meaning?” 300/431

“They must match fairy godmothers to people by type.