‘Yes, all Elle’s genius, though I wouldn’t say we were “in this together”. She merely designed the potion; she doesn’t know what I used it for.’
‘But … I thought this was about Leilani … that Eleanora was getting revenge on me, that you both were?’ Her theory made no sense if Eleanora was not aware of what the potion was being used for.
‘Leilani?’ Frederick tsked, disappointed. ‘I thought you would understand by now!’ He stood up. ‘No matter, let me give you a hint.’
He came around the table, opening the drawer she had looked through earlier. Pulling out a roll of papers, he laid them flat on the table, showing her what looked to be the finalized blueprints for the town’s expansion project. It included tearing down the eastern neighborhoods—but where would they go?
As if sensing her question, Frederick lifted the page, showing her the answer.
‘But that land belongs to the Enchanted Forest,’ she said quietly.
This was never about revenge.
‘Yes! Now you’re finally understanding!’ Frederick said, pleased. ‘Why do you think I said the girls needed to be poisoned at home?’
Finally,finally, Bisma understood.
The rotting fruit, the Forest’s strange behavior—the thinning border fog. The Enchanted Forest was weak, and it was weak because the girls had been sick.
‘You poisoned us to weaken the Forest so you could cut it down,’ she said.
‘Now you’ve got it!’ He sat back down. ‘Nothing personal, of course, you must see that, dear girl? I figured out that the Enchanted Forest gets its power from you girls—what is a home without its inhabitants, after all? So I picked you off one by one to gradually weaken the Forest so we could demolish it.’
It had never been about her sisters, never about her. It had always been about the Forest.
Bisma was shaking with anger, but Frederick was as cavalier as ever. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk.
‘Oh, I am not evil,’ Frederick said. ‘I never wished to kill your sisters, or this all would have been much simpler! I knew if I poisoned your sisters, you would eventually find a cure, which is why I intended to poison you last. And I knew that even if you didn’t, then Xander would figure it out, or at the very least, Elle would, and by then Phase Two would be complete.’
Bisma’s mind reeled. Rage burned through her, making it difficult to move. She looked around for a weapon but found none. It was no matter; she would claw his eyes out with her own hands. He would suffer. But something he had said made her pause her plans for violence.
‘Phase Two?’ she repeated. ‘No.’ She stood. ‘Your plans have failed. The girls are awake, and the Forest still stands. We are healed, and the Forest will recover, as well. It was all for nothing.’
He gave her a look of pity then, one that chilled her down to her bones.
‘Oh, sweet girl,’ he said, frowning as if he felt very sorry for her indeed. ‘I never wanted you girls to stay ill forever, just for as long as I needed. You all woke earlier than scheduled—but you’re already too late.’
Her heart filled with dread as she thought of the men she had seen Frederick talking to outside the mansion, the workers. He hadmadeher see him outside the greenhouse; he hadwantedher to come ask him these questions. To stall her.
He had kept her here while the workers went to the Enchanted Forest to enact Phase Two—to tear down her home.
Bisma ran.
31
Bisma ran back to the greenhouse, where Xander and the girls were sitting and laughing at something ridiculous Nori was doing.
‘Hey, where did you go?’ Xander asked, standing. He reached for her.
She took his hand, then looked past him to the girls. ‘We need to go now,’ she said, out of breath. ‘The Forest is in danger.’
The girls jumped to their feet, questions tumbling out of their mouths.
‘What?’
‘What’s happening?’
‘From who?’
