The Gingerbread Princess

Electric Masks and Lost Kingdoms

To save the world, I have to give up everything. I needed to give up any power to save Alana.

Hansel and Alana wrapped their arms around me.

We move our camp deeper into the woods.

"Tina, you should rule," Hansel said. "And I honestly believe you could do it."

"No, baking with you has made me question what I want." I smiled. "Skylark will rule in my stead. My mother likes her better, and she can keep the peace; fewer people will die, and Father thinks my idea is an excellent one."

"Yes, but this was your dream," my half-sister, Alana, said.

"It was, but I'm trying to save our people. Sis, if I am captured, contact Skylark, and then head to father's safe house outside the kingdom. Hide there." I grasped my sister. "You'll be free."

We slept for three hours on the hard ground.

In the middle of the night, we packed up to leave.

My mother grabbed me, but my screeching alerted Hansel and the others to run.

At least my mother could not dictate who Alana married.

My younger sister would be safe, but I have wanted freedom from the moment I knew I was my mother's daughter.

Guards forced me into the golden carriage. Large, well-fed horses pulled us along the road.

Muscular guards and drivers sat outside, but a small tent covered them from the light rain.

I sat across from Prince Braun and my mother.

"I will marry him only if you allow Alana to marry Hansel and leave my father's kingdom alone. A war would kill too many people," I said.

"You never cared about others," Mother screeched.

For the first time, I shut up, and I didn't insult her back.

"My younger twin Skylark is taking my place in my father's stead, and he is not handing it over to you or Prince Braun."

My mother kicked the golden carriage door; of course, she would blame me. She would always blame me for her outbursts. The same way, I blamed others, but I worked on changing.

"It's all your fault!" She tugged my arm.

Mother's beauty out glowed mine, and most would think she was my older sister. Mother drained those who offered their youth enough money. She appeared even younger than last time.

She would live hundreds of years past her life span and always appear to be no older than 27.

My only hope was that my sister Alana would contact Skylark before my mother killed or sold me.

The foolish plan to have my mother marry Prince Braun dashed before my eyes.

He was tall and heavily made up, but the filter attached to his belt covered his face in not cosmetics but fake plastic surgery.

I broke his belt. "I want to see what my mother's show pony looks like."

The filter turned off, and his real face stared back.

A few scars covered his cheeks, but he was not the handsome monster, I knew him to be. This was a man owned by my mother. She didn't seem to know that I saw the prince's real face before.

"I'm sorry for being so ugly." He curled up in a ball as if I had struck him.

"You look better without the filter," I said.