Cloak, Torn: Book 2 [ON HOLD]

Chapter 17

Andrew unlocked the door to the cage. With a snap of his fingers the vines that bound me were gone. I massaged my chafed wrists as he did the same for Jack, though he asked if I wanted to keep the gag on him. As tempting as that was, I declined. We got our weapons back and Andrew handed me the harp. I looked it over.

The strings were still broken, and despite being free, it was still a problem that nagged at me. How were we supposed to get this fixed?

Andrew was nice enough to give us a ride to the beanstalk, one of us on each shoulder.

"You know, it was Isa who taught me magic in the first place," he said. "I wasn't much good at anything and I've always been a klutz when it comes to human sized objects. I was growing up on a farm with my parents, so she taught be some plant magic. We found out I had a knack for it and things took off from there."

And then an idea came to me, fast as lightning.

"Hey, do you think you could fix the harp with magic?"

Andrew shook his head.

"I can't. My magic is limited to plants. Outside that realm and some stone work, I can't do much."

"Oh," I said, my shoulders slumping.

"Perhaps you could find another enchanter who could fix it," he suggested. I nodded.

"Maybe Mage Reida or Grandmother could fix it. She's always had some medical magic."

Andrew nodded.

"Perhaps. Well, here we are," he said, stopping at the edge of the island where the beanstalk was. He eyed the damage we'd done to it by chopping ourselves free and said,

"You know, Isa and Jayla had slightly more dignified ways of getting up the beanstalk, but then again they did have magic. How are you two planning on getting down?"

"Um, well..."

"I see," Andrew said. "Well, I'll help I guess. Miss Scarlet, you first."

I took a deep breath and nodded, the slid down his arm to his hand so he could deposit me neatly back onto the beanstalk. He set Jack down on the ground too so he could work his magic. I waved goodbye to Andrew.

"Thanks for all your help!"

"No problem. Just remember your promise little Princess."

I had to smile at that because to Andrew, everyone was little. I hugged the beanstalk tightly and the vines came alive again, writhing as they had before, but it was less nerve wracking this time. Soon Andrew and Jack were out of sight and I was passing the bottom of the island as vines passed me along down the beanstalk. It was a strange sensation, almost like a controlled fall with vines wrapping around me and the harp and unrolling just as quickly. After a few tense minutes as I got used to the sensation and ensured that the beanstalk wouldn't let me fall, I relaxed a little more. This was actually kind of fun. Now if only the harp had been alright. Then it would have been the perfect ending.

But of course, life had different plans.

Below me, Warren and Jack's old house began to grow and I could see Warren running up to the base of the beanstalk and even began to hear his excited howling. And then before I knew it I was struggling to regain my balance on solid ground as Warren ran around me in circles. I had never seen him so happy before, but when he took a closer look at the harp I saw his expression change.

"It's okay, Warren. We'll get the harp fixed. My Grandmother knows magic. I think she can help us out with this. Now all we have to do is-,"

But my words were cut off by a bellow of anger from up above. I yelled in surprise and leapt back from the beanstalk. I craned my neck to see what was going on and I could see a little white speck scrambling down the beanstalk as fast as possible as though chased. Up above it I could see something larger - much, much larger - traveling down the beanstalk like it was a climbing rope. My blood froze. That must be Jack and up above him was Andrew, but what-

And then I heard the frantic honking and I knew.

Jack was stealing the goose.

"Jack!" I screamed. "Jack! Stop! Give the goose back! I promised we wouldn't take anything else! Give him back the goose!"

But he was too high up and the wind swept away my voice and drowned it in Andrew's angered roars. I screamed anyway right up until Jack dropped the goose a few feet from the ground. Its wings were clipped so it couldn't fly away so it flapped frantically until it hit the ground with a thud and squawked like a lunatic. Jack dropped to the ground seconds later.

"Jack!" I screamed over Andrew's continued shouting. "Jack, give the goose back! Give it back! I promised!"

"Move over Scarlet!" he roared back. He pulled the Woodsman's ax from his belt, ripped off the sheath and swung at the beanstalk. Green juice spurted from the wound. Andrew was still halfway up the beanstalk. I grabbed Jack's arm and screamed,

"Stop it Jack! Stop it, stop it, stop it!"

Jack shoved me away and I stumbled backward.

"We're all going to die if that thing gets down the beanstalk. Now move!"

He hacked away at the beanstalk even more as every second Andrew grew closer. I ran back to try to wrench Jack away but he was ready and swung around. His elbow connected hard with my nose. I shrieked as blood gushed from my nostrils, running hot across my lips. My whole face felt jarred and buzzing with the adrenaline of fear.

He hit me.

"Jack, you bloody little traitor!" I screamed. I tried to come at him again but he threw me to the ground. I landed flat on my back with the wind knocked out of me. Sticky green goop was flying everywhere, slickening everything and getting in my hair and eyes and coating Jack as he hacked over halfway through the stalk. The beanstalk creaked and groaned under Andrew's weight. It swayed and cried and gushed green blood. And then, finally, it tipped.

"Timber!" Jack shouted.

"Andrew!" I screamed.

Warren howled.

And the beanstalk fell.  

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