Finally, it made sense. Why ladies must wear yards and yards of rustling silk that flap like the sails of a ship in a brisk wind. It was the same reason goats and sheep wore bells. They're tracking devices, installed to make sure chattel remain where they should be at all times. A warning system for wayward wives.

If not for the bone-chilling dankness of the hallway, Ashley would've preferred her thin chemise to her gown. As the library was the only room in the castle more forbidden to Ashley than Charming's man cave, stealth was essential. Every swoosh of fabric made her heart thump against her chest and her pulse whoosh in her ears.

You may be wondering, dear reader, why the castle library was so taboo. If you're like me, you grew up being encouraged to visit these establishments, with their rows and rows of books—pages worn buttery-smooth by curious fingers.

Well, in Ashley's world, libraries were considered dangerous cesspools of knowledge that could lead delicate ladies' minds astray. Only men were strong enough to possess the truth.

But Ashley had no choice but to risk it if she was to learn to be a proper princess. She had to educate herself. Princess Monthly was a start, but the articles were often superficial and tended to cover topics like "Get Flawless Skin in 7 Days With Lead Paste" or "Rodent Hairs for Lasting Lash Volume,*" not protocol or where to locate the fish fork at a state banquet or how to navigate court politics and appear regal at all times.

She took all the precautions she could, paying Chomperz with additional blood so she'd be her guide, then waiting for her husband and his entourage to be long gone before embarking on her library quest.

She used the time to return to her rooms to change into a respectable gown, coif her hair, and try to interrogate Scarletta. However, the strumpet had not been in the antechamber needlepointing pillows and gossiping with the other ladies. Even after a search by the palace guard, Scarletta couldn't be located. It was as if a full-sized human woman had vanished into the bowels of the castle.

Or perhaps the lady had gone on her own quest. A quest to find Prince Charming and make him hers. Ashley ground her teeth. But then she reminded herself, if Scarletta tried to steal Charming, it wouldn't work. No one, not even a gorgeous redhead, could extinguish the fires of true love.

Ashley tiptoed down the stone corridor in the furthest edges of the castle, past ancient suits of armor with empty eyes and rusted swords, the rasping sound of busy rats emerging from behind the walls. She caught a whiff of that sharp, hungry, burnt metal Scarletta perfume.

Ashley scratched the new mosquito bite on her forearm. "Is Scarletta nearby?" she buzzed.

Chomperz, zipping through the air two feet from Ashley's nose, paused. "Naw. And yuk. Did I tell you her blood is awful?"

"You did." Though this was a small consolation, it did calm Ashley enough to go on.

"Bzzzzzz," Chomperz said. "Bzzzzz" didn't translate to "sorry I made you give me more of your blood in exchange for leading you to the library." It was the mosquito equivalent of "Shhhhh, we're about to pass old Borin's office."

"I can't help it," Ashley buzzed back. "Stupid dress." She lifted a mound of skirts into her arms, enfolding them like a babe, and tiptoed as they approached the seneschal's open door. Unfortunately, the only route to the library led past his chamber.

"Whinging Week is such a waste of my time," came Borin, the seneschal's voice.

Ashley held her breath. She had to pass her "babysitter's" office without detection.

"Yes, milord," squeaked a mousy-voiced man. Probably a clerk.

"Alas, the people excel at one thing—complaining. We all have problems. Mine is listening to their endless whining about taxes, property lines, food shortages, and gnome invasions. For an entire week!"

"Yes, milord."

The blood rushed to Ashley's head. She gritted her teeth and coiled her fingers around her skirts. The man pretended elation when the prince asked him to handle the Quarterly Tribunal—a job she was dying to do. But here he was, whinging and disparaging the people.

Not long ago, she had been half-starved and a virtual slave. The people worked hard. Well, except for her stepmonster and stepsisters who never lifted a finger except to point out Ashley's shortcomings or direct her to do more chores.

As they passed his doorway, her foot struck the edge of a stone, and pain shot through her big toe. Ashley barely managed to swallow an impending non-ladylike word. She held her breath.

"Did you hear something?" the seneschal said.

"Yes, milord."

"Stop agreeing with me!"

"Yes, milord."

Ashley and Chomperz tiptoed around a corner, and the arguing faded. "What a horrible man," Ashley said. "Thank goodness he didn't bother coming out to investigate."

"You can thank me instead because we're nearly there."

"I do thank you, Chomperz, but remember, I paid for your help with my blood."

Chomperz landed on Ashley's shoulder. "And it was delicious. And lucky for me, there's plenty more where that came from."

She scratched the bite hard enough to draw blood. "Bzzzzz," Chomperz said, floating above her wrist. Must've been one of those mosquito words with no English equivalent.

"Don't get any ideas."

The library door loomed at the end of the corridor. It stood the height of a lowland giant and had a series of iron locks and knobs down the left side. A tarnished brass sign read Library, Learned Men Only.

"Alas, seems we failed," buzzed Chomperz. "Better give me another taste. So, you know, I can get you back to your tower."

Ashley rolled her eyes. "A silly little sign won't stop me."

"Maybe not, I mean, I can't read. But I do know a dozen foreboding locks when I see 'em."

Ashley removed a pin from her updo.

"You pick locks?"

She knelt in her skirts to access the lower locks. "Of course."

"Is that normal for a princess?"

"I had to learn because my stepmonster used to lock me in the attic and forget about me for days. Which meant I'd have to sneak out in the middle of the night to find food. One of the benefits of having an ... um ... challenging childhood."

In less than a minute, Ashley had conquered all the locks.

"Impressive," Chomperz buzzed.

Ashley smiled. "Thanks for your help."

"Sure. Do you think you can find your way back without me? I'm still hungry, and that seneschal doesn't taste too bad. Ale drinker."

"You've bitten him?"

"How'd you think I knew where to find the library? It's all about tracking carbon dioxide."

"Carbon what?"

"Never mind. You, humans, haven't figured out about the elements yet."

"I'll be fine," Ashley said, twisting the doorknob. "You're the smartest mosquito I've ever met."

"I'm the only mosquito you've ever met. But hey, I'll take the compliment. Bye."

"Thank you!" Ashley said.

Swallowing hard, she nudged the door open and was greeted by an oily, thick smell of mildew, parchment, and leather. Inching across the threshold, Ashley could barely see five feet ahead because (and this was a shock) a shroud of gray fog blanketed the room. A familiar magical feeling prickled down her spine.

"Ashley?"

Oh, no! Someone was in the room. Ashley glanced longingly at the door, still open behind her. But it was too late to escape. Someone had recognized her. "I can explain," she said, shuffling the rest of the way inside, her mind working on a plausible excuse: I got lost looking for embroidery thread. Or, Sorry, I'm only a woman, and I can't read signs. Wait, who would call her Ashley without including the formal "princess" or "highness" or "majesty?" Only one person.

"It's about time you got here," said the one person.

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"Wait, huh?"

She followed the voice. The fog thinned enough for Ashley to discover a black rain cloud hovering six feet above an overstuffed wet red chair. And seated in this chair was the tiny, soggy figure of Maxine, a drenched tome on her lap.

"Maxine." Ashley knelt beside her fairy godmother. "What's happening? Are you all right? I mean, I heard you were under the weather. But ..."

Maxine looked up, wiping her face with a wet handkerchief to little effect. "That is correct."

"Normally, when people are under the weather, it means they're ill, not that they are literally ..." she pointed the cloud "... under weather." Water leaked off of Maxine and onto Ashley's green satin. The dark stain blossomed on the fabric.

"True, but I am not a person. I'm a fairy."

"Can't you stop it?" Before the book is ruined, Ashley did not add, as that might seem insensitive. Still, her fingers itched to rescue the tome.

Maxine sighed. "Yes, yes, when I'm ready. Glad you're finally here so I can get this over with."

What did Maxine mean, she could stop when she was ready? And why wouldn't she meet Ashley's eyes? She wanted to ask, but the furrow of Maxine's brow combined with the fact that she was sitting under a rain cloud, made the princess fear the answer. "Wait, what do you mean I'm 'finally here?'"

"It should be obvious; I've been waiting."

"But I only knew a short time ago I was even coming." Ashley narrowed her eyes. "How did you know?"

"It's my job."

"Job?"

"The cloud is a message. I'm to return post-haste to begin work on a new assignment. Someone living in another far-off land needs me." She looked up at the cloud, rain spewing on her wrinkled face. "All right! I told her. You can stop now. I'm cooperating," Maxine yelled. The cloud dissipated and popped out of existence like a bubble. The fog cleared. Maxine, the book, Ashley's dress, and the carpet dried immediately. "Magical rain," Max explained. "Courtesy of the head office. The Fairy Goddaughter Assignment Coordinator thinks she's funny." Maxine raised a veiny fist into the air. "You could have just sent a pigeon."

"When will you return?" Ashley said.

Maxine rose, set the book on the chair, and took Ashley's hands. "I'm so sorry, sweet girl, but this will be goodbye."

Ashley heard the words, but her brain refused to process them. She must've heard wrong. "I'm so confused. You're my fairy godmother."

"I am. Was. But now I need to help another worthy person. I mean, she only hit eight on the fairy godmother scale, not ten like you, but she qualifies."

"But ... I thought you'd be with me forever. For always. You are my family."

"Why did you think I didn't show up until you were 18? If I'd been around sooner, I would've kicked your stepmother's butt straight into hell. I was helping someone before you."

"Honestly, I hadn't thought about it."

Maxine caressed Ashley's cheek with a cold hand. "That's because you always see the good in people."

Ashley smiled sadly. "I thought you weren't a person."

"Got me. I will miss your sense of humor. Your kindness. Your compassion." Maxine leaned heavily on her staff. "But because you finally came to the library to seek knowledge, I know you have everything you need to succeed." She looked pointedly at the book on the chair. "That is a little gift for you. Trust that you don't need me anymore. I couldn't leave if I weren't sure of that."

A lump formed in Ashley's throat. Tears pricked in the corners of her eyes. She threw her arms around her fairy godmother, squeezing so hard Maxine grunted. "Sorry," Ashley said, stepping back.

"'Twas the best hug ever." An iridescent tear slipped down Maxine's cheek, which Ashley wiped away with her thumb. A prickling sensation radiated from her thumb to her entire body, imbuing her with warmth, heating her arms, her face, her breath, and ultimately lodging itself in her heart.

Not many people know that fairy godmother tears are imbued with a shocking amount of magic. After the Fairy Godmother Inquisition a thousand years ago, when they were nearly hunted into extinction, the fairy godmother community worked to scrub the knowledge from human records. It was long ago, before the Age of Dragons and the Troll Uprising of 1063. The passage of time had done what it always did: applied a gray wash over the kaleidoscope of existence. Thus, the knowledge slipped Maxine's already forgetful mind. She knew she should warn Ashley about something, but couldn't remember exactly what. Something about her tears.

"Oh dear," she said, tapping her index finger to her lips. "There's something I should warn you about. But for the life of me ..." Maxine's body began to shimmer. "No, wait!" she cried. "Not yet."

"Please stay, fairy godmother," Ashley said, hugging her again. "I love you."

"I will always love you too," Maxine said, her body shimmering with color like the aurora borealis. It was a light bursting with love and warmth. Ashley tightened her grip, but Maxine grew more and more intangible, till Ashley found herself clutching empty air. She fell to the carpet in a pool of poufy emerald skirts.

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