All Magic Has a Price

Chapter 6: "She's casting another curse."

SNOW'S POV

"It's been a year." I whisper, sitting on Katniss's bed.

"I know." Charming sits beside me. "She'll let him go."

"I truly love her. What if I kiss her?" I ask.

He chuckles. "If we wake her up from her misery she will just have misery in real life. That, and she'll just try and go after Peeta."

"I can't believe Regina didn't keep her word." I whisper.

"I think she will. She just wants to make sure that Katniss suffers first."

"What if Rumpelstiltskin can tell us what kind of lock she has on her door and then we can break in?" I ask.

"Regina is too powerful." He says. "Without Katniss-"

"What about Emma?" I cut in.

He sighs and sits down next to me. "You know that Emma isn't as...magically strong as Katniss is-"

"Mom? Dad?" Emma walks into the room. She doesn't like coming in here. She misses her sister. We all do, but I come in here because it smells like her. "Don't worry, I'm not mad you said Katniss is magically stronger because it's true. Listen, I have to tell you guys something." She looks the happiest she's been all year, and then Peeta comes in with Johanna, Finnick, and Annie.

My jaw drops. "She let you out?" I ask excitedly.

"No." He shakes his head. "Rumpel did."

"Why would he let you out?"

"I don't know." He sighs.

"Well we must wake her up!" I jump up, about to run off to my room to change when Johanna's voice stops me.

"Your majesty, I don't mean to be rude, and excuse my language, but who the hell are we going to wake her up?" Johanna asks.

I smile. "True loves kiss." I say, and I look at Peeta.

"But I've got no magic."

"Neither does Charming but he woke me up."

"Okay, we'll try." Peeta nods. I rush out and get dressed in my hunting gear and then we all go running out of the castle.

It's a days ride from here, where we put her. She's in the woods. It's cold outside and snowing and I mentally thank my cloak as we take off.

Everyone follows me on horseback.

_________

"We should sleep here." I say.

"I can teleport us to Peeta's kingdom." Johanna says. "And then bring us back here in the morning."

"I haven't exactly been home yet..." Peeta starts scratching the back of his neck.

"So we shall stay at your kingdom." I say. Johanna holds both arms out and everyone touches them.

Next thing I know, we're standing inside Peeta's palace.

"Peet!" Rye yells, running to hug his brother. "Mother! Father! Graham!"

They come rushing and it's like a beautiful family reunion.

"You guys haven't woken Katniss yet?" Peeta's mother asks.

I sigh and shake my head. "No. It's dark and snowing."

"Well she must be cold." His father frowns. "Can you feel the weather while in a sleeping curse?"

Everyone looks at me because I have been in the exact same curse as Katniss is.

Like mother like daughter, I suppose.