12

Gasto stomped down a winding street, hands shoved in pockets, lips muttering to himself. How dare that creature Varick keep his dear Rosenrot locked up in that creepy castle, with creepy zombie servants!

Was she safe? What if that monster grew hungry and saw her as a snack? What if every night she was crying herself to sleep in fear?

He had to do something. He had to!

But what? Storm the castle? That was risky when he didn’t know what sort of unnatural creatures he might have to face.

A hammering noise drew his gaze: a young boy fixing a paper onto a wood post. He left to distribute more to the next post.

Gasto wandered over and had a look. The paper read Wanted: Rosenrot Hartmann, for thievery to Lord Kalt.

“No. No, no, this must be a mistake!” He cupped a hand over his mouth. “The punishment for such thievery can be death…!”

The street rocked beneath his feet.

His fair Rosenrot—he couldn’t let her die like this.

“Oh what should I do?” he moaned. “If she stays with that beast, she’ll be eaten. But if she comes back to town, she’ll be executed! Oh woe is me.”

Pssst!

Gasto heard a sound and looked about.

Pssst!

It came again, from the shadows between two half-timbered houses. As Gasto squinted, a glowing purple smile, purple eyes and ears materialized and beckoned to him. “You want Rosenrot, yes?” the creature asked.

Scared out of his wits, Gasto still drew near at the sound of the girl’s name. “Y-you know of her?” he said.

The shadowy creature took form the closer he came, shadows weaving a suit and flowing hair. “I do. I am Schatten, and I work at the forbidden castle,” it said.

The castle? It dawned on Gasto then. “You know my Rosenrot! Does this mean you can help me free her from that awful place?”

Schatten shrugged up his shadowy palms. “If you give me something in return.”

“Anything. Just name it!”

Schatten’s smile glowed and he pushed off the alley wall. “Then give me the deeds to your forested land, every foothill you own, and in return I will bring you the girl.”

Gasto hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Ja, if you bring her. But I still have another problem to solve… Lord Kalt will execute Rosenrot if she comes into town.”

“That is a simple matter.” Schatten steepled his fingers together. “Kalt simply wants the girl out of his way. But if you can get her to marry you, and stay away from the castle, then I’m certain he will allow her to keep her life. Go and ask him. Meanwhile, I will lure Miss Rosenrot to you…”

***

The next day, Rosen pruned a few of the trees in the gardens, while Varick worked to clear leaves away. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, and went back indoors for a drink.

Filling a mug with water, she sipped.

“Oh, Miss Rosenrot!” Schatten entered the kitchens. He drew near, his voice hushed. “I was just looking for you. There’s someone at the gate who wishes to speak to you.”

Rosen eyed him. “Who?” she asked warily.

“He wouldn’t give his name, but…he shares quite a resemblance to you. A relative, perhaps?”

Relative. Rosen only knew of one relative, and she had a bone to pick with him!

“Dad’s come crawling back, has he? Well, we’ll just see about that.” She shucked off her apron and marched out the main doors.

While crossing the front courtyard, Mrs. Moos waved to her, come back from picking apples at the abandoned orchard.

“Where ‘re you off to, dearie?”

Rosen waved. “I’ll be back soon, don’t worry.”

Schatten followed along behind her. She could feel the moss woman watching her back curiously.

Rosen marched to the gate and stepped through, onto the paved clearing, her hand on her hip.

She turned her head, but no one seemed to be there. Something rustled in the bushes up ahead, the same ones where she had hidden years back.

“I know it’s you, Dad. You may as well come out and face me properly,” she said, and marched forward.

As she reached the bushes, a man stepped free, flinging leaves out of his brown hair. She started in confusion. “Gasto?”

“Hi there,” he waved.

Just when he did, a pair of arms pinned her hand to her side and covered her mouth. She tried to scream and kick free.

“Now, now, there’s no need to fuss, my dear Rosenrot,” he told her.

Her head felt dizzy. Something in the guard’s hand that covered her mouth was affecting her. Her body tried to flail but grew limp, and the world around fell dark.

***

Varick lifted his head. The sun was dipping below the mountains, rimming their edges in sharp gold, and Rosenrot hadn’t come back since noon. Maybe she’d gotten distracted with another project?

But as he circled the grounds, and wandered the castle hallways, she was nowhere to be found. “Licht, have you seen Rosenrot?” he asked as the fire nymiad carried a load of dirty rags downstairs.

“Miss Rosenrot? Why, no. I thought she was with you.”

Varick frowned. He turned at the approach of Schatten, rounding on the shadowy figure. “And you? Have you seen Rosenrot?”

Schatten lifted his eyebrows in thought. “Ah, yes, I did see her.”

“Where?” Varick demanded, struggling not to let his impatience show.

“Last I saw, she was heading down the path towards town.”

“Town? She went into town without telling me? Without you bothering to say anything?”

“I assumed you knew, Master,” Schatten feigned innocence. “You don’t suppose she saw her chance at escape and took off? She is human, after all. She doesn’t belong here.”

Licht shushed him, then patted Varick’s arm. “I’m sure the girl will be back soon. Maybe there was something urgent calling her today.”

Varick pulled away. “Maybe…either that, or she got tired of me and left.” He crossed his arms and hunched his shoulders.

“Now don’t go getting broody and sulky, Master. You always jump to the worst conclusions,” huffed Licht.

“Because the worst is usually true.” Varick stormed up the stairs, slamming the drawing room door behind him.

Varick tried to rest in his comfortable, lush chair but couldn’t, instead pacing back and forth before the window overlooking the front courtyard and the path leading through to the gate and the forest beyond.

A burning pain crept through his chest, making it hard to breathe. He glanced at one of the room’s mirrors: five of the ruby rose’s petals had darkened. There were only five more left—five left to keep him alive.

He had doomed himself; he never should have let his heart grow feelings for the girl. Her intelligent smile. Her adventurous spirit. Her…

He wiped his damp eyes.

The sky was diming slowly into twilight when a knock came and Mrs. Moos brought in a fresh batch of life-energy rich apple tarts. The sight of food made his stomach bitter for some reason.

“I don’t understand what I did wrong,” he finally said, before the moss woman left the door. She paused. “Rosenrot seemed…happy, I thought. Why would she suddenly up and leave? But then, I’ve never been able to read emotions well.” He shrunk in on himself.

“Oh, the sweet human girl? I saw her earlier heading out the gate with Schatten,” said Mrs. Moos.

Varick’s head turned to her sharply. “With Schatten? He was with her?”

“I do believe so. At least, that’s what my eyes did tell me. Is she all right?”

Varick’s mind began to race. Schatten had lied to him—a nymiad, who had served his family for years, had lied!

The shock made his pulse pound in his ears. What else had he lied about? Did Rosenrot really choose to leave, or…?

“Schatten!” Varick shouted, his voice carrying through the hallways and columns of the castle. When no answer came, he stormed out of the room like a prowling lion. “Schatten, come here this instant!”

The only response was his echo.

Flickering flames announced Licht hurrying along the balcony towards him. “Master, what’s happened?” His foggy features held worry.

“Schatten has lied to me. He’s done something with Rosenrot, and I must know what!”

“Lied? But…” Licht looked just as stunned as he’d felt earlier. “Are you sure, Master?”

“Find him!” He twirled on his thicker cape and jumped off the balcony, dismissing the stairs and landing in the entry hall. “I will find Rosenrot.”

Down at the gate, Varick followed the path to the bushes as fog crept over the landscape. Her shoeprints were there—and mixed with others. The only person he could think of who might be after her…it had to be that Duke Pasto. He could even smell a faint residue of cologne.

“You will pay a heavy price for this,” he growled to the air, the pain in his chest now continuing to burn.