Switched by Jen Calonita
She starts to laugh through her tears. “Of course I want to!” The two of us are still crying and hugging when Jocelyn pokes me in the shoulder.
“Sorry to break up the happy reunion, but we’ve got to get going.” Jocelyn looks closely at Anna. “You’d better be worth this rescue.”
“Jocelyn!” I reprimand her.
“It’s true!” Jocelyn scoffs. “Did you ask her where the harp is?”
Jack steps forward. “Or my mum or cow?” He holds out his hand to Anna. “I’m Jack. You might have heard of me. I was the first kid to climb a beanstalk and reach Cloud City.”
Anna interrupts him. “Did you say harp? Stiltskin has it at his headquarters up here.” The others walk over, but there is no time for reunions or introductions. “He’s planning to use it so he can—”
“Rewind time, take over the kingdom, doom us all. We already know all that.” Jax is hasty. “What we need to do now is stop him.”
“And rescue other kids like you who want to leave his squad,” Maxine adds.
“There are some,” Anna tells us. “Jack’s mum might be there too. Those of us who don’t do as we’re told usually wind up in the dungeon, which is at the headquarters.” Her lip quivers. “I’m on my last warning.”
“Then we need to move fast and get you, those kids, and the harp out of here,” I say. “What else do you know?”
“He needs more ingredients for his spell, but he’s frustrated because they’re in some book and we haven’t found it yet,” Anna explains. A look passes between me and Kayla. “He has the harp, but it is tricky to control. It can’t be moved unless it’s playing, and it won’t play unless it, um, likes the person singing to it.”
“Told you,” Jack sings. “Or I said something like that. I think.”
“Come again?” asks Jax.
Anna’s cheeks color. “When the harp is playing music, it’s said to be as light as a feather. When it’s not, it weighs more than a thousand giants. It’s why no man has been able to steal it.”
“Nothing can weigh that much,” Ollie says. “Can it?”
“The harp does,” Jack says. “I should know. I tried to steal it once but couldn’t get it to play.” He scratches his chin. “Guess my intentions weren’t exactly on the up-and-up.”
“You probably wanted to sell it to buy more cows,” Jax grumbles.
“There’s only one cow for me,” Jack tells him. “Besides, I wasn’t sure how I’d get that thing down the beanstalk.”
“Rumpelstiltskin has tried everything to trick the harp into playing—making deals, casting spells, offering sacrifices. He keeps making people sing to the harp, but they all wind up getting zapped. The harp doesn’t like to be tricked.” Anna shows off a scar on her right arm. “I know it sounds silly, but the harp will only play for someone completely pure of heart. Someone who wants to use its music for good. I guess he thought the harp would play if he was able to save Alva, since they were together a long time ago, but he hasn’t figured out how to reverse her curse.”
“Maybe you and your sister can sing to it,” Jack suggests, and we all look at him. “Okay, so maybe your sister is a Stiltskin Squad member so she isn’t one hundred percent pure, but you are.” He looks at me. “You’re here to rescue her, and you want to save the harp, not sell it. The harp will sense that.”
“That might be the first thing you’ve said that makes sense,” Jocelyn agrees.
“It’s still risky,” Maxine worries. “What if Gilly gets hurt?”
“I’m with Jack.” Anna grasps my hands. “I think you can make it happen. Then we can all go home.”
Home. I can almost see Anna sitting in our boot, around the table with Mother and Father, Han, Hamish, Trixie, Felix, and me home on break (for getting an A on Prince Sebastian’s family tree paper). I want that to happen so badly I can taste it. “Okay. I’ll give it a shot.”
“I don’t know…” Jax hesitates. “My gut is telling me things could go really wrong.”
Anna bares her teeth. One of her teeth gleams gold like Stiltskin’s. I wonder if she’s had so much candy with him that she’s had to get a tooth replaced. “You have a better idea, royal?”
Jax raises his right eyebrow.
“Anna,” I say in surprise. “Don’t talk to Jax that way. He’s my friend.”
“Sorry.” Anna holds her head. “I don’t know what’s come over me. I have these outbursts… I guess I’ve been around him too long.” She grabs my shoulders. “You have to get me out of here.”
I hold her tight. “I will, but first we need to rescue the others and steal the harp.”
“And figure out how to get back down the beanstalk,” Jocelyn says. “Once he knows we’re here, it’s going to be tough.”
“A magic bean would do the trick,” Anna says. “They’re useful for getting out of sticky situations. If you have a bean, you just throw it down and it will grow or expand on the spot, taking you wherever you ask it to go.” Her eyes widen. “Did you know stalks can grow up, down, sideways, or even open doors to other lands? The places I’ve seen…” I hate that she still sounds somewhat fascinated by Stiltskin.
ROAR! WAAH!
The giant next to us startles everyone by bursting into tears again. I almost forgot he was there.
“Erp, these are my friends. They won’t hurt you.” She looks at me. “And this is my sister.” She smiles. “I can take you guys to headquarters. Alva’s statue was brought there too. He’s usually holed up in there spinning gold, but he should be gone right now. He likes to take dinner on a cloud overlooking Enchantasia’s royal court castles. He likes to tell the squad stories of what he’ll do once the kingdom is his to rule.”
I shudder at the thought.
Anna looks at a giant clock on the city wall, then unties Erp, who continues to sniffle. “We should hurry though.” She snaps her fingers at Erp. “Take us to Rumpelstiltskin’s castle.” Erp doesn’t move. “Erp,” Anna says sternly, her voice and face becoming hard. “Now.”
“Geez, talk about a one-eighty,” I hear Jocelyn say. I give her a look.
Erp starts quaking. The Stiltskin Squad must have really done a number on him.
Anna stomps her foot on his palm. “Erp, I’m warning you!”
“Hey,” I say softly. “It might work better if you’re nice to him.” I stare into Erp’s big, brown eyes. “If you help get us to headquarters, we will let you go. Then you can try to escape.”
Erp slowly lowers his hand so we can all jump in.
“Thanks, Erp.” I feel pleased and look at Anna. Her frown is quickly replaced by a tight smile.
“You’ve saved the day again,” she says quietly.
Now I feel bad. AG is looking at us. I don’t want Anna to always feel like she’s in my shadow. “Not true,” I start to say. “You’re the one who helped Erp in the first place.” Anna doesn’t look convinced.
“You’re so lucky to have each other,” AG blurts out as Erp starts to move.
Anna seems to notice her for the first time. “And you are?”
AG blushes. “Beauty and Prince Sebastian’s daughter.” I watch Anna’s face dawn with recognition. “Gilly has helped me so much since I’ve gotten to school.”
“That’s so nice for you,” Anna says, and I can detect a hint of bitterness.
I pull Anna closer. “We’re going to get out of here together, and things will be different when you’re back. You’ll see.” Anna manages a small smile.
In the palm of Erp’s callused hand, it feels like we’re barely moving, but clouds and buildings fly by. I squint my eyes at the bright light growing closer in the distance. As it comes into view, I realize it’s a human-sized building washed in a gold color. Stiltskin’s headquarters. The jeweled R on the center of the door lets everyone know whose place this is. The sun bounces off the gold on the bu
AG frowns. “This place is kind of elaborate for temporary housing.” Erp places us gently on the ground.
“Says the girl with the pop-up castle,” Jocelyn quips.
“Stiltskin had the giants build him these headquarters when we came up here,” Anna explains. “He’s been ostracized in every kingdom we’ve visited, so we finally put down roots in the clouds. He hated how big everything was when he was so, um, small in stature so he had them build this beautiful castle. He says it will do for now.” Anna steps off Erp’s hand and walks to the front door, which is, surprisingly, silver. She presses her hand to a lock. It opens. “Follow me.”
Jax hangs back to talk to me. So does Jocelyn. “Your sister still seems sort of fascinated with him, don’t you think?” His eyes search mine. “And the way she spoke to that giant…”
“You heard her,” I say. “She’s been with Rump too long. His attitude is rubbing off on her. When I get her home, she’ll be fine.” I hope.
“It’s kind of convenient that everyone is at dinner and the harp is unguarded right now.” Jocelyn lips are pulled tight. “We should watch our backs.” I quiet the uncomfortable feeling in my stomach.
“Come on,” Anna calls to us. “The harp is upstairs.”
I hurry after her, walking through a very messy dining room. Maps wallpaper the walls, crisscrossed with red strings linking one kingdom to the next. Papers and books cover the table, and crumpled pieces of parchment litter the floor.
Jocelyn makes wild hand motions toward the dining room mantel, where a jar is glowing iridescent green. “Beans,” she mouths. “Those are the beans Anna was talking about!”
Jax and I look toward the mantel. I remember seeing a jar like that at Fairy Tale Reform School when Stiltskin was in charge.
“That’s our ticket home,” Jax whispers. “You heard Anna. Those beans can open doorways and lead us anywhere we want to go.”
“What are you guys doing?” Anna startles us. “We only have fifteen minutes!”
“I spotted a map of Fairy Tale Reform School.” Jocelyn points to the blueprints on the back wall. I didn’t even notice it. “I wanted to see what he wrote on it. If he’s going to attack again, we should know what he’s after.”
Anna walks past the beans, and I inhale sharply. Her hand rests on the map. “That’s a map of everywhere we’ve looked for his villain origin story. His gut tells him the book is at Fairy Tale Reform School, but so far we’ve turned up nothing.”
We?
Anna grabs my hand—she hasn’t done that since we were little—and smiles tentatively. “Now we really must move. We have a trickster to stop.”
CHAPTER 16
Music of My Heart
Stiltskin’s house is bigger than it looks from the outside. We move past dorm-style bedrooms with bunk beds, common rooms filled with jars of candy, and even a second kitchen. Pots and pans crowd the sink, and flour covers the table. Finally, the house opens up to an atrium with a dome-like glass ceiling. In the center is Alva’s statue. And it’s sitting next to the golden harp. The wood looks strong yet weathered, as if it’s been around for a long time, and flecks of gold shine on the strings. A shadow crosses the atrium glass, and I look up. One of Erp’s giant-sized eyes is watching us through the glass.
“Go away!” Anna shoos him. “You’re going to give us away!” Erp’s eye moves out of view. “There are too many people in this room! Someone is going to trigger an alarm.”
“While you guys try to get the harp to play, we’ll go to the dungeon and try to rescue the others,” Ollie suggests. “We’ll meet back here. Okay?”
“Yes.” Anna looks relieved. “I don’t have a key to the cells, but there must be one down there somewhere. You guys are good at picking locks, aren’t you?”
Ollie salutes her. “I’m on it, Captain. Who wants to help?”
“My mum and cow are down there,” Jack says. “I’m definitely going.”
Kayla and Maxine volunteer too. Jocelyn decides to keep watch at the door with AG. Jax walks over to the harp and attempts to strum the strings. There’s no sound, but it doesn’t try to zap him at least. He’s not evil.
“See what I mean?” Anna tsks. “It won’t even play for a royal.”
Since when does Anna say royal like it’s a bad word?
I step around the harp, looking at it from all angles.
“Are you ready to sing?” Anna asks hopefully. “I know the harp will play for you. It knows how hard you’ve fought to find me and how true your love is.” Her eyes are like saucers, and I worry she’s going to cry again. “You’ve always looked out for me.”
“You really mean that?” I ask. As a hard lump develops in my throat, I realize just how badly I needed to hear her say those words. She really does know how sorry I am for pushing her away. I love her so much and just want her to be happy. That’s what I’ve always wanted, even if I never said it till now.
“Of course,” Anna says. “You’ve always been there for me. Now it’s my turn to be there for you.” She gives my hand another squeeze, and I beam. “Sing something.”
I try to think of a song from my heart, a song that means something to both of us. “What about Father’s lullaby? The one he always sang at bedtime.”
“Yes! The one he sang on the evenings he was actually done making shoes in time to see us off to bed?” Anna says. “Do you still remember the words?”
“How could I forget them?” I ask.
“Be ready, guys!” Jocelyn says, running back over. “If this works, everyone is going to need to pitch in to carry this thing,” Jax, AG, and Jocelyn gather around the harp.
“I’m sure the harp can be heard all over the city,” Jax adds. “He’ll know we’re here and send everyone after us. We’ll have to get to the beanstalk fast.”
“I’ve brought a few extra hands.” Ollie, Kayla, and Maxine are back, and they’ve got a group of twenty kids who have definitely seen better days. Many of them look familiar. They’re still in their FTRS uniforms, but their clothes are tattered and their faces dirty. Porter looks thinner than I remember, and the twins from the village look like they haven’t slept in weeks. They all file around the harp. Erp’s eye comes back into view. Jack rushes over to me in a panic.
“My mum and cow weren’t there,” he says. “Where could they be?”
“We’ll find them after we do this,” I tell Jack. “We won’t leave without them.”
“Gilly.” Jax sounds like he’s going to argue.
“We have to help them,” I insist even though the stakes are piling high against us. How are we getting all these kids down the stalk and the harp too? “We’ll be okay.”
Anna takes my hand again. Her brow furrows worriedly, like it would when I’d bring her a present that she knew had been stolen. “I’m scared.”
“Don’t be.” I place one hand on the harp and take a deep breath. I’m not really a singer—and I’ve certainly never sung in public—but I know the words to this song backward and forward. I look at Anna as I begin to sing:
When the sky has gone from day to night,
I tuck my little ones in tight.
Soft and snuggled in your beds,
I hope that warm thoughts fill your heads.
I don’t hear any sound at first. But around the third line, I feel a rush through my bones. My body starts to tingle, starting at my head and spreading quickly to my toes and to my fingers like an electric charge is shooting through my veins. My eyes widen in surprise, and so do Anna’s.
“Something is happening!” Maxine cries as the harp strings begin to come to life creating the song’s melody. “Keep singing!”
I love to sit and watch you dream,
Whil
I’d sew one hundred thousand shoes
To make all of your dreams come true.
And if I had to start anew,
I’d do it all again for you.
My children, my heart, my dearest ones,
Sleep well until the night is done.
The tingly melodic sound is breathtaking. The harp matches me note for note, as if it always knew what I would sing. Even though I know the music means Stiltskin isn’t far behind, I feel very calm, like I’m meant to be here right now. Around us, everyone’s eyes brighten at the lovely melody. Even Erp is listening. I’m doing it!
With Anna by my side, and the harp playing the melody of my heart, I feel happier than I have in months. I hold the final note as long as I can, knowing it’s the moment of truth. Everyone closes in on our circle to help move the harp. Jack touches it again, and it easily lifts off the ground as if it weighs next to nothing.
Jax starts to cheer as we lift it off its pedestal. “Let’s get out of—”
KABOOM!
The door to the atrium bursts off its frame, flying across the room and almost taking out half the kids. People dive out of the way as smoke bombs and spells fly everywhere, clouding the air with fire and smoke. In the haze, I see Stiltskin and his squad running, their wands raised. I reach for my bow and arrow, but slowly realize their wands aren’t trained on us; they’re aimed at the harp.
Before any of us can react, the Stiltskin Squad channels their power together. The harp begins to glow bright red as if it might burst into flames and sparks rain down on us as I pull AG and Anna behind my back. Stiltskin runs forward and points his wand at Alva’s statue. It begins to glow red too, and a cold fear washes over me.
He’s breaking her curse with the harp’s help. My help!
“Someone stop that spell!” I shout.
Jax and Jocelyn run at Stiltskin, but his squad members are one step ahead of us. They’re already shooting spells that send my friends flying backward. Maxine goes charging in next and is sent flying into a wall. Every time one of us comes at him, they zap us right back. I watch Kayla make her move. She flutters toward Rump with Ollie on her back. With Stiltskin’s eyes on them, I run at him at full force and knock the wand out of the troll’s hand. Someone bangs into the harp, and it crashes to the floor, breaking the connection to Alva. The room goes silent as the smoke and ash swirls around us.