Twice Upon a Time Hardcover - 2012

Summary

Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

Once upon a time, Jack knew better than to do certain things. You didnâÈçt waste time trying to find the perfect temperature of porridge in a bearâÈçs house. You didnâÈçt point out to your suddenly extremely furry grandmother how big her fangs were. And you definitely didnâÈçt walk through a creepy fog while music from magical pipes drifted in eerily. These werenâÈçt even questions, you just didnâÈçt do themâÈ'not if you wanted to stay uneaten by three bears, disguised wolves, or scary old musicians.

Except here he wasâÈ'fog, magical pipe music and all, and he just wanted to find the stupid Piper and get on with things.

Unfortunately, not everyone was so goal oriented.

âÈêDoes anyone else want to follow him?âÈë May asked, shivering in her oversize blue cloak as her head bobbed to the music. She shifted a backpack full of foodâÈ'a gift from PhillipâÈçs motherâÈ'higher on her shoulder as she moved with the melody.

âÈêI hope you are joking, Princess,âÈë Phillip said, shooting her a worried glance. âÈêRemember, we are not to go into his cave. That is where the children from the village went, and they never returned.âÈë

As if to reinforce the creepiness, a blackbird crowed loudly, then took to the air from some tree hidden in the fog. Jack shivered, thinking the bird almost sounded like it was calling his name.

âÈêI know, I know, no cave,âÈë May said, rolling her eyes before swaying to the music again.

Jack sighed and stopped her. âÈêMaybe you should wait a little distance awayâÈö. You donâÈçt seem to be handling this all that well.âÈë

âÈêThe rhythm isnâÈçt going to get me,âÈë May said absently. âÈêBesides, whatâÈçs the worst it could do? Tell me my grandmother is a horrible tyrant who tried to take over half the world? âÈçCause, too late.âÈë

Jack and Phillip glanced at each other, and Jack could see his own concern reflected in the princeâÈçs eyes. May caught their look, and shoved them apart. âÈêWhat did I say about doing that!âÈë she shouted a bit too loudly for JackâÈçs taste. âÈêIâÈçm fine! ItâÈçs been three months. IâÈçm over it!âÈë She glared at Jack. âÈêEither that or IâÈçm quietly going crazy and IâÈçll hand you both over to the next giant we come across. Care to bet on which way itâÈçs gonna go if you keep giving Phillip those stupid emo worry looks?!âÈë

âÈêSeems like crazyâÈçs taking the early lead,âÈë Jack said, then quickly turned and continued on ahead, trying to ignore the glare she had just thrown at him.

âÈêIf this is too much for you, we could find another wayâÈ',âÈë Phillip began, but May shushed him.

âÈêIt took us this long just to find the Piper,âÈë she said. âÈêI want to know who I am already! And besides, I for one am tired of rescuing you from various invisible gnomes.âÈë

Phillip smiled. âÈêI thought you said that we would never speak of that again.âÈë

âÈêYet someone keeps bringing it up,âÈë May said, her face expressionless.

âÈêCan we concentrate?âÈë Jack said, dragging May forward and away from Phillip. âÈêThe sooner we pay the Piper, the sooner we get to the Fairy Homelands and find Merriweather, so thatâÈ'âÈë

âÈêSo that we can find out for sure that IâÈçm completely alone,âÈë May said.

Jack sighed. âÈêI was going to say âÈæso that we can find your familyâÈö and I can finally go home.âÈçâÈë

Phillip grabbed Jack by the shoulders and shook him gently. âÈêGo home? Why would you ever want that? Look at where you are! We stand in the middle of a dark, fog-drenched field. Off in the distance a figure waits, known only to us in tales told to frighten children. Enemy or ally, we will not know until it is too late, yet press on we must!âÈë The prince shook with excitement at the idea, while Jack just sighed and waited for him to finish. âÈêWhat is the point of life without adventures like this?!âÈë

âÈêSee, I like to think the point of life is to be happy,âÈë Jack said with a shrug. âÈêAlso maybe not almost dying every two minutes. But I can see how weâÈçll have to agree to disagree here.âÈë

âÈêMaybe we can agree to go talk to the man?âÈë May said, and pushed on ahead of the two boys. As she approached the figure in the distance, the music began to slow, eventually coming to a halt just as they were finally able to make out a thin, stooped figure leaning against a gnarled, blackened tree stump. The man wore a tunic of dull red, belted by a green rope with several heavy-looking pouches hanging from it. And though the music had stopped, the pipes remained at the old manâÈçs lips, his eyes closed as if he were still playing.

âÈêGood evening, sir,âÈë Phillip said.

The man didnâÈçt move.

âÈêUm, we heard you could maybe help us,âÈë May said.

The man didnâÈçt move.

âÈêSee, typically this would be the moment most people respond,âÈë Jack said. Nothing. âÈêThis is creepy,âÈë he whispered to May and Phillip. âÈêMaybe he wants his paymentâÈ'âÈë

âÈêPayment?âÈë the old man said, lowering his pipes and opening his eyes.

âÈêI think he heard you,âÈë May whispered to Jack.

âÈêIâÈçm so glad youâÈçre here to point these things out,âÈë Jack whispered back.

The old man sighed. âÈêAh. You three. ItâÈçs about time.âÈë

May cleared her throat. âÈêYou wereâÈö waiting for us?âÈë

The old man snorted. âÈêFor longer than IâÈçd care to admit. You think I have nothing better to do than leave my cave in one place while I sit here, playing my pipes? The longer my cave and I stay here, the more likely it is that the Queen will find me.âÈë He glared at May. âÈêThanks to you three, she probably will. And now you want my help.âÈë

Jack winced, trying not to make the mention of her grandmother a bigger deal by looking at May. Thankfully, Phillip stepped forward, taking a large bag from JackâÈçs hand. âÈêWe seek passage to the Fairy Homelands, sir,âÈë the prince said.

âÈêOf course you do,âÈë the Piper said, eyeing the bag. âÈêAnd I see youâÈçve brought payment?âÈë

âÈêSounds like youâÈçre not a man to let bills go unpaid,âÈë Jack said quietly, his eyes on the pipes.

The Piper smiled. âÈêIf IâÈçm owed something, then I will collect. The Piper will be paid, children, one way or another.âÈë

âÈêYeah, we visited the last town who didnâÈçt pay,âÈë May said. âÈêThe youngest person there was like sixty.âÈë

âÈêThey promised payment if I removed their rats,âÈë the Piper said, absently sticking his pinkie into one of the pipes as if he were cleaning it out. âÈêI delivered, yet they did not. So I tookâÈö another form of payment.âÈë

âÈêTheir children,âÈë Jack said, shivering from more than the fogâÈçs chill.

âÈêNone were harmed,âÈë the Piper said, standing up to grab the bag almost indignantly from Phillip. He looked inside, and his face lit up, a smile harmonizing with the sparkle in his eyes. âÈêYes, yes, whispering reeds from the Swamp of AllâÈçs End! Which of you harvestedâÈöâÈë

âÈêI did,âÈë Jack said, glaring at the bag. âÈêAnd IâÈçve still got the burns. No one ever told us they whisper fire.âÈë

âÈêThey will do nicely,âÈë the Piper said, ignoring him. âÈêNow youâÈçve paid, and royally so. Speak your wish, and I will do what I can.âÈë

May stepped forward, a bit nervously. âÈêWe, uh, wish to travel to the Fairy Homelands. Please. Thank you. Please.âÈë

The Piper looked at her for a moment, then, almost faster than Jack could see, he raised his pipes to his lips, blew one note, and lowered the pipes. Like magic (appropriately enough), May instantly relaxed at the sound, letting out a huge breath sheâÈçd apparently been holding in.

âÈêThatâÈçs better,âÈë the Piper said. âÈêYou have nothing to fear, children. Not from me, not anymore.âÈë

âÈêI would if I were afraid of cryptic statements,âÈë Jack murmured. The Piper glared at him, and began to raise his pipes to his lips again, so Jack quickly added, âÈêBut of course IâÈçm not, who would be, and we have nothing but the utmost respect for you. Sir. Your Highness.âÈë

âÈêThe Fairy Homelands,âÈë the Piper said. âÈêNot the easiest destination.âÈë

Jack snorted. âÈêNot exactly, no. WeâÈçve been searching for a way to them for the past three months. And from what weâÈçve found, there is no natural way to get there. We need magic. And a very specific kind of magic.âÈë

The Piper smiled, then held up his pipes. âÈêMusic,âÈë he said. âÈêItâÈçs true. The fairies donâÈçt think in words or pictures like you and I do. They think and talk in musicâÈö so thatâÈçs how they perform their magic as well. ThatâÈçs why most humans canâÈçt understand the little ones, though the fairy queens are able to speak our language easily enough.âÈë

Jack glanced over at the golden fairy in MayâÈçs hair, and the fairy winked at him. âÈêHeâÈçs right, stupid human,âÈë she said. âÈêIf your kind were smart enough to understand music, you might have fewer problems.âÈë

âÈêWe might have had fewer problems if youâÈçd known where the Fairy Homelands were!âÈë Jack whispered back at her.

âÈêNO fairy knows!âÈë the golden fairy shouted. âÈêWeâÈçre sent away at birth! But if we live by the code and spread more good than ill, we might eventually be allowed back in! YOU are the ones trying to take shortcuts!âÈë

âÈêSo that humming is her talking?âÈë May said, then turned to Jack. âÈêAnd would you stop yelling at her? ItâÈçs not like she can understand you.âÈë

âÈêYeah, stupid human. ItâÈçs not like I can understand you!âÈë the golden fairy shouted, sticking out her tongue.

âÈêI hate you,âÈë Jack said to her, turning away. âÈêSo, so, so much.âÈë

âÈêRegardless,âÈë the Piper said. âÈêMy music can take you to the Fairy Homelands.âÈë

âÈêAnd bring us back, right?âÈë Jack added quickly.

The PiperâÈçs eyes twinkled. âÈêIf you wish. For that youâÈçll need something more.âÈë The Piper reached into a pocket and produced a wooden whistle, which he handed to Phillip.

âÈêNice catch,âÈë May whispered to Jack.

âÈêIâÈçm sure the fairy queens are nice and all, but IâÈçm not spending the rest of my life stuck in a whole city of these things,âÈë Jack whispered back, glaring at the golden fairy, who made a face at him.

âÈêBlow into this whistle when you are finished,âÈë the Piper continued, âÈêand youâÈçll return right to this spot.âÈë

âÈêReturn to this spot?âÈë Jack asked. âÈêAre we leaving soonâÈ'âÈë

The Piper brought his pipes to his lips and blew a melody so quick and intricate that it sounded like three or four Pipers playing all at once. The mist began swirling around faster and faster as the music sped up, creating a whirlwind of fog that quickly obscured the Piper, the cave, and everything else from view. The music grew louder, filling JackâÈçs head, obliterating his thoughts, taking over his mind, not letting him even thinkâÈ'

Only to stop abruptly, dropping them onto grass much brighter than it had any right to be, on ground that was both softer and harder than any Jack had ever felt. He groaned, then pushed himself up, noticing a glowing paved stone roadway beginning just a few feet away from the spot where heâÈçd landed. Whereas behind himâÈö

Behind him was only mist.

âÈêI think weâÈçre here,âÈë May said, matching his groan a little just to JackâÈçs right.

âÈêThere does seem to be somethingâÈö different about this place,âÈë Phillip said, then gasped.

Jack quickly followed PhillipâÈçs gaze, up the paved road to a gate that seemed to be made of silver latticework circles, then past that toâÈö

âÈêUh-oh,âÈë Jack said.

âÈêNo uh-ohs!âÈë May said, glaring at him. âÈêNO! Not after everything weâÈçve been through! No more uh-ohs!âÈë

âÈêI do not think we have a choice, Princess,âÈë Phillip said.

May started to reply, then finally saw what the other two were staring at. âÈêUh-oh,âÈë she said.

On the other side of the gate, enormous tree-trunk-size vines blocked out all view of what lay beyond as the vines circled and intertwined with one another. Between that and the fist-size thorns growing out of them every foot or so, the overall effect was definitely âÈêUh-oh.âÈë

âÈêLook,âÈë Phillip said, his voice choking a bit as he pointed. Just past the gate something lay crumpled over one of the vines. Jack stepped closer, and realized with a start that it wasnâÈçt something so much as someone.

âÈêNO!âÈë the golden fairy yelled. âÈêMy queen!âÈë She leapt into the air and quickly flew at the tangle of vines, reaching out desperately for what appeared to be the body of a fairy queen.

Jack immediately launched himself out to grab her, knowing that it was too late but not being willing to just let the fairy fly headfirst into whatever curse had turned the Fairy Homelands into this overgrownâÈö whatever it was.

Unfortunately, Jack was right. He was too late.

The golden fairy passed the silver gate and immediately dropped to the ground, landing hard on a vine, her body unmoving.

And a second later, unable to stop, JackâÈçs momentum sent him tumbling past the gate as well, and into oblivion.

Media reviews

Citations

• Hornbook Guide to Children, 07/01/2012, Page 80
• Kirkus Reviews, 03/01/2012, Page 0
• School Library Journal, 05/01/2012, Page 117