"What should we do with it?" Maura wondered, not for the first time. She, Luke, and Evelyn were gathered in her living room, each of them staring at the vial of Siobhan's essence where it sat in the middle of the coffee table. Its contents radiated a soft glow. This was the queen's life force, her soul.

"More importantly," Evelyn said, "what should we do about that?" She pointed at the vial secured around Luke's neck. He automatically wrapped his hand around it, shielding the valuable insides. "We are running out of time," she added. "The queen grows weaker by the day, and so do we. She needs Essence, whether it be Maura's or some other girl's."

It was true. While in The Otherworld, Maura had sensed a sort of listlessness among the castle faeries. Their lives were linked to Siobhan's, and Siobhan was quickly deteriorating. Maura glanced at Evelyn, recalling when they met for the first time barely two weeks ago. She had been a spirited faery, full of life. Now she just seemed tired, everything about her muted to grey. Maura's eyes traveled next to Luke, and her throat tightened at the sight of his sunken eyes and ashen skin. Clenching her jaw at the unexpected urge to cry, she turned away from them and came face-to-face, instead, with her family's portrait displayed on the fireplace mantle. Her parents, so happy in the photo, were now stuck in The Otherworld, being held hostage by a crazed queen. Wherever Maura looked, whichever way she turned, she could not escape the fact that she was responsible for whatever happened next, and to hell with the consequences.

"It's a barbaric ritual," Luke said behind her. "I think we might—"

"Omigod!" Maura exclaimed, whirling around as a flush of excitement surged up her spine. "That's it! That's the spell we have to break."

Luke furrowed his brow. "What is?"

"I didn't realize it until you said the word ritual," Maura said. She sat on the couch next to Luke, their knees touching. "Think about it. Nicolette referred to the queens' eternal legacy in her prophecy. Well, what has every queen had in common? What ritual have they all had to perform in order to keep The Otherworld alive?"

Luke and Evelyn looked at each other, and Maura could see the exact moment they understood what she was getting at. "I believe you are correct," Evelyn said, her mouth and eyes widening. "It is a rather perverse ritual."

"Not to mention a pain in the ass," Maura said. "A curse, one might say. How did that start, anyway?"

Evelyn shook her head. "The history of The Otherworld is much older than I am. Its origins are unknown, at least to me."

"Regardless," Luke said. "Nicolette's prophecy doesn't explain how to break the spell. That's the part we need to figure out."

Maura grinned. "Then we're in luck. I think I know someone who can help us out."

**********

"We need to know how to break a magic spell," Maura said, walking into English class the next day.

Mrs. Raines looked up from her notes. She removed the reading glasses from her face, letting them dangle on their chain against her chest. "Excuse me?"

"We need to know how to break a magic spell," Maura repeated.

Mrs. Raines blinked several times as her gaze shifted between Maura and Luke. She narrowed her eyes, a crease forming between her brow. "Is this about the assignment?"

"Maybe?" Maura said, suddenly unsure how to answer.

Mrs. Raines rose from her desk. She went to the board and began erasing the notes from the previous class. "I'm afraid I can't tell you how to write your story. You'll have to figure that out for yourself."

"But you're an expert on fairytales," Maura said, trailing closely on her heels.

Mrs. Raines laughed. "It's just part of the curriculum, Miss Matthews. I'm hardly an expert."

"I'm not asking you to write our story for us. I'm just asking you how to break a magic spell. You must have some idea."

"I'm surprised you don't. Weren't you paying attention in class?"

Maura felt her face grow hot. "I've gotten an A on every test and quiz this year. There's not a spare page in my notebook."

Mrs. Raines looked briefly over her shoulder. "I am aware," she said. She hesitated a moment before continuing. "Didn't you watch any Disney movies when you were a little girl?"

"That's sexist," Maura stated. "You're assuming I watched Disney movies just because I'm a girl."

Mrs. Raines closed her eyes and sighed. "I'm not trying to sound sexist. I'm trying to make a point. Take those animated Disney movies, for example. They are nothing but perverted, Americanized versions of traditional European folklore and fairytales, all with similar tropes that have become ingrained in even the youngest of audiences. Have you seen even one?"

"Fine," Maura relented. "I've watched a few. The Little Mermaid is my favorite. Sleeping Beauty is a close second."

"Both perfect examples," Mrs. Raines said. "And?"

Maura shrugged, wishing Mrs. Raines would stop being so cryptic. Trying to figure out one prophecy was enough without her teacher adding to the confusion.

Mrs. Raine's looked at Luke, her gaze hopeful. "You're awfully quiet. Do you have any idea what I might be getting at?"

He shook his head. "Not really."

"Oh boy." Mrs. Raines laughed. "You two definitely need to get out more. Maybe go on a date—together—and see where it leads. Perhaps then you'll understand what I'm talking about."

The rest of the class began to trickle in. Mrs. Raines uncapped a dry-erase marker and turned her attention to the board once again. "A good teacher doesn't serve you the answer on a silver platter. Think about those movies you watched, Miss Matthews. Or any stories you may have heard when you were younger. What do they have in common? What must the heroes and heroines eventually do to break the magic spell?"

**********

"Fancy meeting you here," Leanne said when Maura showed up for work that evening. "I thought Brian was going to have a massive coronary when you called off yesterday."

"I've had a lot on my mind," Maura said, pulling her ponytail through her visor as she scooted around the concessions stand.

"Like Luke?" Leanne teased. "You were both absent from school."

"So?"

"So, my friendtuition was on high alert. You were skipping together, weren't you?" When Maura didn't respond, Leanne poked her in the ribs. "Don't deny it. He makes your heart go pitter-patter. I think it's cute."

"It's not cute," Maura said. "It's complicated."

"How so?"

"It just is."

Leanne grabbed a handful of popcorn and leaned on the counter next to Maura. She popped a few kernels in her mouth. "Have you kissed him yet?"

"No."

Leanne laughed. "You're blushing! Why not?"

Maura looked her best friend in the eyes. "For real?"

"For real."

"I'm scared."

Leanne rubbed Maura's arm, sensing she wasn't in the joking mood. "What's there to be scared of?"

"Well, kissing Luke would make things worse."

Leanne's smile was full of sympathy. "Or maybe kissing him would make everything better."

*****

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