Page 66 of Blood of the Fairest

She doesn't seem entirely convinced, but I'm distracted when Eris appears in the nearest mirror.

His opalescent gaze takes in the way I'm standing here, comforting the princess without my veil on, and he quickly draws the right conclusion.

"The girl is harmless enough, but what if she tells someone else the truth of your identity?" he worries aloud. "Reinhilde has any number of enemies far less noble than the Huntsman who won't care whether you're truly her or not, so long as the queen of Isenmere dies by their hand."

I look back at Snow White. "It's not your fault I'm here, but in the interest of me surviving long enough to find a way back to my world, can we keep all of this between us?"

"Of course," the princess says with resolve. Then she rubs her arm sheepishly. "Truthfully, I cannot think of anyone to tell, even if I wished to—which I don't. I so rarely am allowed out of my room, I could only tell all of this to my books."

As a fellow shut-in who has talked to books before, I get that feeling more than she'll ever know.

"You might have to act scared of me around others to sell it," I caution.

The princess nods, fidgeting again. "I can do that. But until you find a way home, will you act like…my stepmother?"

"I'd rather not," I grimace, thinking we're still talking about Rhinestone.

The second Snow White's face falls ever so slightly, I realize I misread her question.

Queen Rhinestone was clearly checked out of all queenly responsibilities, let alone having any interest in her stepchild. From Snow White's reaction earlier, it seems like she pretty much never spoke to this poor girl.

The princess is really asking if I'll be the kind of guardian she hasn't had yet.

"Oh! Yeah. Sure, I can take you under my wing for a bit," I amend.

"Really?" Snow White's entire face lights up with a smile, her blue eyes sparkling.

Wow. Yep, that's just how a fairytale princess should look. What a cutie patootie.

"Really, really. So long as you call me Verena or Vera or even just hey you, because Stepmother is way too formal and stuffy for me," I add.

"Absolutely! I'll call you Vera," she gushes, clasping her hands together in excitement. Then she grows abruptly serious, tipping her head thoughtfully. "The Huntsman was very kind to me while helping to hide me from the real queen. He seems like a good man, and he's quite handsome."

"Hello, topic change," I laugh. "Look, of course you're allowed to think older guys are nice and handsome—but Snow, you're seventeen. The Huntsman looks a little older than me, so he's probably in his thirties. You're way too young for him, but there will be other Wulfs your age later on."

Snow White is scandalized. "I have no interest in him, nor he in me! I only thought…well, to start, do you have someone you care deeply for in your world? A true love, I mean? Is that why you're so eager to return home?"

I've almost forgotten Eris is here until he moves to the mirror across from me, as if to see my face better. His jaw is clenched.

When I frown slightly at him to nonverbally ask what the deal is, he makes an impatient motion.

"Well? Answer the princess already. There's something you should know, but I'll wait until this conversation is over with."

Who pissed in his Cheerios today?

A completely rhetorical question, since I've never seen him eat or sleep or anything else remotely human.

My attention returns to Snow White. "Nope, I'm a chronically single hermit in my world."

I leave out that I mostly want to get home to avoid dancing to death as the evil queen at her future wedding.

Even if she and I seem to get along, what if this mysterious fairy tale world somehow forces me into the queen's awful ending sooner or later, no matter how much I change the queen's reputation?

Magic is real here, so why wouldn't fate be real, too?

Thanks, but no thanks. I'd much rather survive and go back to the peace and safety of my little studio apartment.

Snow White lights up again. "Then, if my prayer did not bring you here, perhaps the Three Crones or even the great Matron goddess herself brought you here to meet the Huntsman! Maybe he is meant to be your true love!"