As a fairy godmother, Sybilla had more magic than the average mage, and though she could only use her core magic and was unable to twist it into anything, most fairy godparents had several strains of magic. Angelique hadn’t heard Sybilla was one of those godparents, but knowing the depth of her intellect, Angelique wouldn’t put it past her to limit the use of her magic in order to lull others’ sense ofher.
Is Sybilla about to show off a magic I didn’t know shepossessed?
Sybilla studied the goats loose on the lawn. “No, but I will be back for you later.” She murmured to the unconcerned livestock. “Cows—oh, goodness, no. You can hardly havespottedhorses. Sheep? Too stupid. Hmm, I know. Attention, creatures. This young lady is in need of some assistance to reach a ball. Are there anyvolunteers?”
The Duchy of Aveyron wassilent.
A few moments passed before Angelique heard the patter-paws of tiny feet, and four clean, well-fed mice scurried up toSybilla.
Three of the mice went about cleaning their whiskers and patting their fur with the fastidiousness of a court lady. But one mouse leaned back on his hind legs and twitched his nose atSybilla.
Sybilla nodded as if she could understand the mice, which—knowing her—was entirely possible. “Of course, I see. I’m sure she will not object to that,” she said. “In that case, I thank you for your kindness. Now, if you wouldn’t mind, behorses.”
There was a bang, and a cloud of smoke encasedSybilla.
“Drat! I forgot about that,” Sybilla coughed from inside the cloud. “Where are you, mice?Oof!”
Angelique eagerly leaned forward, and, sure enough, when the smoke faded, four horses with coats the same velvet brown color as the mice stood in their place. Perhaps they twitched their noses a little too often, but they didn’t seem to mind their new bodies or their matching blackharnesses.
“Magic,” Cinderellagulped.
“Sybilla’s magic,” Angelique was quick to add.Sybilla’simpressivemagic!
Sybilla ignored the exchange and was wading through the grass, stomping towards the goats. “Yoo-hoo! Yes, you two! I need a footman and a driver. What sayyou?”
The two nearest goats chewed mouthfuls of grass and looked generallyuninspired.
Sybilla put her fists on her hips. “How is that for gratitude? Is anyone else more prone to honor than these twopigs?”
A buck goat—who must have been ancient judging by the white hair intermixed in his black coat—slowly but regally approached Sybilla. A baby doeling hurried behind him, jumping and leaping inglee.
The buck baaed at Sybilla but stopped when the doeling jumped on his back. When the younger goat hopped off, the buck smacked her in the head with his horns, making her stagger a fewsteps.
Sybilla beamed at the pair. “Thank you very much. I assure you the mice won’t be much trouble. I’ve already given them directions,” she said. “Now, bemen!”
Nothinghappened.
“Herm. That was embarrassing,” Sybilla said as the buck baaed at her again. “I beg your pardon. Be a man and agirl!”
Angelique waved smoke from her face, and thought her eyes might pop from her head when she saw the fruit of Sybilla’smagic.
An elderly carriage driver dressed in a fancy suit of white and gray stood proudly with a young girl clothed in gray breeches and a white shirt. She tried to bolt away, but the driver caught her by the collar of her shirt, yanked her backwards, and smashed a white tricorner hat on herhead.
Transforming animals into a human appearance wasadvancedandraremagic.Fairy godmothers are powerful and respected, but this…this…Angelique couldn’t even think of a properdescription.
Sybilla took no notice of Angelique’s awe. Instead, she inspected the goats-turned-people with a satisfied nod. “Very good; you both look grand. If you would stand with the horses, please. Now, a carriage. Duchess Lacreux, have you any pots or applebaskets?”
Cinderella peeled her gaze from the mice-horses. “Pardon?”
“I see a basket over there.” Angelique pointed to a lopsided basket that held a few bruisedtomatoes.
Sybilla frowned and shook her head sharply. “Thatwillneverwork—she’d spill from the carriage before they made it down the lane! What else is there…Ah-hah! I see a pumpkin patch yonder. It is the wrong season, but with luck, that will make the pumpkin more cooperative.” Sybilla sailed off to the field, bearing down on the greenery with narrowed eyes and pursedlips.
She returned some minutes later, a suspiciouslyroundcarriage plated in gold rolling after her. The mice-horses arranged themselves in front of the carriage—their harnesses curling into place by Sybilla’s magic—while the goat driver climbed intoplace.
The goat footgirl opened the door of the round carriage, revealing an inside of orangesatin.
Sybilla sniffed angrily when she peered inside. “I could not get it to entirely agree with me, but no one will see the interior anyway.” After another displeased look at the pumpkin coach—making Sybilla resemble an aggravated magic instructor—Sybilla turned her attention back to Cinderella, her expression lightening. “Now, dearie, I am sorry to say it, but this magic will only work until midnight. The mice need to be home by then, and I must confess I need to leave the Werra city limit as well. And once I do, my magic will ceasefunctioning.”
