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your half-brother.”
    “Brother is brother!” the Dwarf says gruffly. “What, he didn’t tell you about us?”
    I shake my head. All Hunter ever said was that he lived with his family. Oh boy, are we going to have a long talk!
    “Probably didn’t want to push his luck. Really bowled us over when he said he was courting the princess. He was none too happy we chased you the other night.”
    “Yeah, sorry about that,” says another Dwarf with a dark, longer beard. They all look at least thirty or older, but even with their lined faces and hard scowls, I can see traces of Hunter. His father must have married again late in life.
    I shake my head. “It’s… it’s….” No, I can’t say it’s all right. They did scare me out of my wits. “It’s time for me to go. You won’t stop me?”
    “Nope!” The Dwarf steps aside, raising a hand to the forest ahead of me. I manage a smile as I pass him. “And what do I call you if we should meet again?”
    “Cooper.” He claps a huge hand on my shoulder. “I’m glad Hunter found you, you’re a right pretty wench. But just so you know, if you ever hurt him, we’ll split you open and eat your heart and liver for supper.” He smiles pleasantly.
    I crook an eyebrow at him. “And my spleen for dessert?”
    That gets a thunderous roar from all the men. Cooper slaps my back, still laughing. “On your way, Princess.”
    “Call me Snowy.” I’ve gone about three steps more when a sudden thought strikes me. I turn back. “What if someone else was hurting Hunter? Like the queen, for example. What would you do then?”
    Cooper’s eyebrows drop low. “Why do you ask?”
    “I think you all had better come with me to the palace.”

~*~ 15 ~*~
     
    On the way, I tell Cooper how the queen tried to kill me. I say that Hunter offered to go “talk” to her about it – that’s all they need to know. But I think the queen locked him up, instead.
    The other Dwarves follow in silence. They all, basically, look like each other, just with varying shades of brownish hair and beards of different lengths. Their arms and exposed bits of chest are hairy. I’m so glad Hunter did not inherit those traits.
    We approach the palace steps and I have to admit I feel powerful. I’ve got seven scary men behind me, all armed with deadly weapons. The palace guards have almost never been challenged. They will drop like flies before us.
    “I want Cooper to stay with me,” I say. “The rest of you make it your mission to find Hunter. Strike down anyone that tries to stop you. He is probably down in the dungeon.”
    “What are we going to do?” Cooper asks.
    “ We are going to look for the queen.” If Hunter was unable to finish his task, then I must finish it for him. Cooper will help. I can tell he likes me; we’ve struck some kind of chord. We’re both bad apples, but lovable.
    We climb the round staircase. At the top, two guards stand beside the double doors. They look, to say the least, surprised to see me. Even more surprised to see my cohort of thugs.
    “Open the doors,” I say smoothly. “And don’t make me ask twice.”
    The guards obey without a squeak of protest. The Dwarves and I march into the main corridor of the castle. It lies before us like a black ribbon, the marble floor gleaming. Doors and chandeliers appear again in the floor, as if frozen under a dark lake.
    “Find him. Search every room if you have to,” I say to the Dwarves. “Cooper, come with me.”
    First I check Cinderella’s white sitting room. She isn’t there. Then I lead Cooper to the parlor where she attacked me. I find my jeweled dagger on the floor and slip it back into my belt. Ahead of us is the long staircase that curls up to Cinderella’s chamber. And I can feel The Mirror. It knows I’m here.
    “Go on up,” I say to Cooper. “I’ll stay here and keep watch. The queen is probably in her chamber. If the door is locked, break it open. You’ll see a large mirror on the wall. Make sure