Tears formed in the queen’s eyes. “I can’t stop thinking about it. I don’t want to remember what happened to me, but I can’t help it.”
Clarissa patted her mother’s hand. “I understand.”
“The witch’s words still ring in my ears.”
Confusion filled Clarissa. Her mother hadn’t spoken of this before. “What words?”
“After I had awakened in the tower, the witch kept repeating,soon, everything will be all mine.”
Panic choked the breath out of Clarissa, making it difficult to breathe. “What do you think she meant by that?”
The queen wiped away a tear sliding down her face. “I think your father is finally getting paid back for picking a Rapunzel flower to prove his love to me all those years ago.”
“What?” Clarissa jerked back. Suddenly, the story she loved telling at the hospital resurfaced in her mind. “What does your kidnapping have to do with father picking the flower?”
“The witch is the one who forced your father into making that deal with her.”
“But...I thought she was dead.”
“So did we.” Her mother wiped another tear off her cheek.
“Are you certain it’s the same witch?”
The queen nodded. “She was happy to tell me her name was Clarissa, and that she should have been your mother.”
Clarissa gasped and jumped to her feet. “The devil, you say! There is no way that woman could be my mother—or anyone’s mother. She’s evil.”
“Indeed, she is. She’s greedy, and I believe she fell in love with your father during that time, too. He was a handsome man back then, and still is for that matter. The witch was lonely and I think it really bothered her to see your father so happy. That’s why she kidnapped you. And when your father rescued her and tried to kill her, I think she stewed about it for years until it came down to this.”
“Father thought he’d killed her, so...she’s not dead and has been plotting all of these years?”
“Yes, I assume that’s what happened.” Her mother frowned. “My dear daughter, I worry what she’ll do toyouif we don’t stop her somehow. She kidnapped you once and took you to that tower. Who knows what she’ll do next.”
Clarissa’s heart sank. Suddenly, her mind opened up and memories flooded through. She couldn’t recall the actual moment the woman had kidnapped her; however, she remembered being in that small cottage for a time. That doll was indeed hers! How long she’d been there, Clarissa didn’t know. Then she was taken to the tower—the same tower where she had taken Ryder.
Groaning, she rested her face in the palm of her hands. No wonder she had felt something evil lurking around that tower when she had gotten water for Ryder. Her father had known evil was there as well.
How could she not have remembered something so vital? Unless the spell she had been under—because of Prince Ormond’s Rapunzel flowers—had prevented her from remembering.
Scenes flashed in her mind. She’d been so frightened of that witch. Clarissa hadn’t been chained to the wall; however, she was held on the top floor of the tower with only a window to look out of. Whenever she had wandered to the window, peering over the edge had made her sick. Her fear of falling had started at that moment.
She also recalled other things about the tower. There had been a table and two chairs. A small bed—just big enough for a small child—stood against the wall where Clarissa had chained Ryder. Pictures hung on the walls, but not many.
And two mirrors... Two broken mirrors, actually. They had been shattered, and the pieces were too small for her to see her reflection. She never had asked the witch about it, mainly because talking to that old hag had frightened her to death.
She snapped her attention back to her mother. “That woman must die. She’s too dangerous to remain alive.” She glanced toward the bedroom door. “Ryder needs to know what you told me. He’s in danger. I need to warn him.”
“Clarissa?”
Her mother’s voice brought Clarissa’s attention to her. “Yes?”
“Why are you so concerned with Ryder? What has happened between you two?”
Heat warmed Clarissa’s cheeks. She couldn’t stop the smile from tugging on her lips. “I’m in love with him.”
“What?” Her mother gasped and sat up straighter in bed. “Youlovehim? When did this happen?”
Chuckling, Clarissa shrugged. “I think I’ve loved him for years, but I didn’t realize until lately just how much I loved him. We have grown close since I returned from visiting with Fiona.”
