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.”
    That stopped me in my tracks. I loved my shoes, but come on. Priorities. I was about to say something when another of Griz’s stormballs smashed through Verte’s shield, causing part of the ceiling to collapse.
    Right. Priorities. Escape now. Questions later.
    From the hallway, I heard Griz scream, “I’ll get you, my princess. And your little fur ball too.”

“Rule #74: When escaping into the wilderness, be sure to pack your magical bag with clean undergarments. And bread crumbs.”
    â€” Definitive Fairy-Tale Survival Guide, Volume 3: Enchanted Forests
6
There’s No Place Like Home
    After running to my room, the servant girl dove under my bed and grabbed a wicker basket in the name of packing provisions.
    â€œHow do you know about my snacks?” The stash was supposed to be a secret. It was stuffed ’round the clock with my favorite treats—you never knew when you might want some midnight cake.
    She stopped her frantic pace a split second to roll her eyes at me. “Just how do you think that basket gets stocked? Magic?” With a disgusted huff, she opened the lid. “Half-full, even though I stocked it this morning. It’ll have to do.”
    The click in my brain was almost audible. Rexi…the kitchen girl. “Weren’t you just a frog?”
    â€œYeah, well, thanks to you and your friends, it’s been a busy night.” Her point was emphasized by the continued crashing from the ballroom. She sighed and started to leave.
    â€œWhere are you going?” I made a move to follow her.
    She scoffed audibly and looked me up and down. “You think you can run in that dress? You’d get caught before we made it ten troll’s lengths. I’m going to swipe that green wench’s Dust Devil.”
    Last year, Verte had upgraded her old broomstick for the state-of-the-art vacuum. All her friends at Swampy Acres Home for Retired Witches had one.
    â€œYou have exactly three minutes to pack whatever you can carry. Then I’m leaving.” Rexi shook her head slightly, expression tight. “I’m not going to die so you can stuff a few extra jewels down your corset.”
    â€œThat would be a dumb place to put…” Rexi couldn’t hear me; she was already halfway down the hall—a prime example of why I don’t like to hang out with other people.
    â€œDoesn’t she know that’s what purses are for?” I muttered to myself and grabbed my enchanted handbag. Best accessory ever—the size of a book on the outside with the space of a small storage unit on the inside.
    I stood looking around my room for a moment. What should I take? I’d never stayed at a friend’s for a sleepover, never been on vacation. I’d only seen the outside world through magic mirrors.
    The battle for the ballroom raged on. There was more banging and the sound of things breaking and cracking. At this rate, the whole castle would be glittering rubble in a matter of minutes. A noise came from the closet floor. It was a cross between a growl, a whine, and a purr. At first glance, nobody was there—until I looked down, ankle level, and saw what looked like a mini-lion hiding from the witch—in my wardrobe. I couldn’t know for sure what he was trying to say, but I had a decent idea.
    â€œThe answer is no. You’re not coming with us. Go find your own parents.”
    The word parents ended with a sharp stab to the chest. I told myself they weren’t gone. They were just missing. Missing I could deal with. Missing could be found.
    More crashing from downstairs. Closer this time.
    â€œLook,” I said, bending down nose-to-muzzle with Kato. “Don’t give me those puppy eyes. You are not a dog. I don’t know what you are, but if you’re not gone by the time I come back, I’ll take you to the window and see if those wings are just for show.”
    Even at the size of a bread box, Kato