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to fight Grendel without magic. But how? What had her father said about the monster’s knee? Yes, it was swollen and infected—if only she could give it one of her patented kicks to the shin. Being an orphan had taught her a lot about kicking and punching.
    “Just run to the mirror,” Daphne begged.
    Sabrina was incensed. “Now you’re doing it.”
    “Doing what?” Daphne said as she dangled high above the ground.
    “Treating me like a baby! Since when am I the helpless one in this family?”
    She wanted to rail at her sister but she realized Grendel was now standing over her, Daphne in his claw, his good eye staring at her with hungry curiosity. Slick saliva as murky as swamp water dripped from his broken, jagged teeth. His breath was like a coal oven and each blast smelled of charcoal and charred meat. When his jaw opened up to swallow her, Sabrina figured she was about to become Grendel’s breakfast.
    “I hope you choke on me!” she shouted defiantly, then swung a fist that popped the monster in the nose.
    And much to Sabrina’s surprise, Grendel cried out in agony. She looked down at her hand, unsure of her own strength. Then there was a flash of fur and claws. Something was attacking the monster, but the action was too fast to follow. Sabrina was not responsible for Grendel’s pain.
    In an effort to protect himself, Grendel dropped Daphne, and the little girl fell into a wet mound of leaves. She staggered over to Sabrina, who had rejoined their unconscious father, and the two watched the fight. They soon realized that they owed their lives to three massive brown bears. But these were no ordinary bears. The biggest wore overalls, another had on a dress, and the littlest one had a beanie cap with a propeller on the top. Sabrina recognized these bears—all three of them.
    “Goldilocks,” Sabrina gasped as the stunningly pretty woman stepped out from behind the trees and extended a helping hand.
    “Let’s get your father to safety,” Goldi said. Her eyes were sky-blue, her hair seemingly made from gold. She had sun-kissed freckles sprinkled across her nose and cheeks. She and another woman helped Henry to his feet. This second woman had long auburn hair, creamy skin, and eyes the color of a meadow. No wonder they called her Beauty.
    “I don’t think your bears can take him, Goldi,” Beauty said. “Mind if I cut in?”
    “Be my guest,” Goldilocks said.
    Beauty turned to Grendel and started to sing a sweet lullaby, each note soothing the brute like he was a baby on his way to dreamland. As her perfect voice and lyrics filled the air, the fight drained out of Grendel, and he stood before her in a happy daze.
    “That’s right,” Beauty said as she caressed his horrible face. “You know I like a man with a big smile. Can you smile for me?”
    Grendel did as he was asked, and then he cooed like a newborn babe. It was nauseating.
    “Oh, we’ve got a real charmer on our hands here.” Beauty giggled.
    “Can you get him into the Hall of Wonders?” Henry, now conscious, said weakly.
    “Right now I could get him to do the cha-cha!”
    Henry turned to Goldi. “Thank you. You saved my daughters’ lives.”
    Goldi rolled her eyes. “Don’t be silly, Hank.”
    “It seems I owe you my life, too.”
    “For like the fifty millionth time,” the woman said with a knowing smile. Henry smiled back and Sabrina watched as a lifetime of memories seemed to pass between them. Sadly,Goldi’s eyes hinted at a world of heartache, too. This peculiar woman still loved her father dearly.
    Suddenly, three of Puck’s disgusting balloon bombs fell from the sky and hit Grendel in the face. He was so enraptured by Beauty he didn’t even notice.
    “Yes, my weapons have paralyzed him with fear,” Puck said as he drifted down from above. “Like I said. The Trickster King has got this under control.”
    “What are you two doing out here?” Henry asked Beauty and Goldi.
    “Looking for you,” Beauty