Free Of Giants and Ice (Ever Afters, The) by Shelby Bach Page B

they think about those famous people, Maggie Wright and Eric Landon.
    But nobody had that look—not even one. They were all interested more in the argument than what I would say about my parents.
    They didn’t know.
    Well, except for maybe Lena. She glanced at me uncertainly, but she wasn’t the type to make a big deal over celebrities.
    My mouth fell open.
    Of course, Chase and Adelaide thought I was speechless for a completely different reason. They both looked smug.
    “So, keep in mind who you’re talking to,” Chase said. “My dad’s Jack, and Adelaide’s mom was a Cinderella.”
    I looked at Kelly, surprised. She and Adelaide didn’t act anything like sisters.
    “Not that Cinderella,” Adelaide said with a sniff, and both Kelly and Puss-in-Dress glared at her.
    “I think they’re coming back,” the shortest triplet said, looking at the violet door with gold lettering.
    Sure enough, Sarah Thumb and Mr. Swallow came flying out. The crowd parted under her, and Evan Garrison and his two Companions hurried through. Each of them carried a green pack, all looking very pale. Evan was still biting his nails.
    “That was way faster than normal,” Chase said.
    “Maybe they’ll at least send them someplace cool,” said the shortest triplet. “Maybe Atlantis.”
    “Atlantis?” I said, so loudly that a dozen people turned away from Evan to stare at me. My face burned.
    “That’s right,” Lena said softly. “It’s a Fey realm, like Avalon and the others, hidden from humans. Sarah Thumb showed you a map, right?”
    She definitely hadn’t . Apparently, my orientation hadn’t covered everything.
    “But how will they get there?” I whispered, as Evan and his Companions passed us.
    “The Door Trek system,” said the tallest triplet. “Of course.”
    “Don’t tell me,” Adelaide said sarcastically. “Sarah Thumb didn’t tell you that either.”
    I frowned, not sure if she was mocking Sarah Thumb or me.
    “It’s a transportation system, faster than the Fey railway. It’s simple if you have a door and something to tie you to your destination,” Lena explained quickly.
    “You know, like how we got to Yellowstone,” said the triplet with darker hair.
    “I wonder,” said Lena thoughtfully. “Where was the last White Snake Tale? And when?”
    “Muirland. Ten years ago,” said Puss-in-Dress. “But only oneof the Companions came back. There weren’t enough animals to complete the tasks.”
    Sarah Thumb landed on the Director’s podium, and the soon-to-be questers assembled themselves in front of her. As the crowd started to quiet down, Lena whispered, “And when was the last successful White Snake quest?”
    No one answered, and butterflies in my stomach morphed into a tight, anxious knot.
    “Evan, Russell, and Mary,” Sarah Thumb said in the same formal tone she had used before. “The time has come for you to venture into the Fey realm to complete Evan’s Tale. We wish you luck, courage, and cunning on your journey, and we bestow upon you these three rings.” The rings glowed electric blue, dangling from a silver ribbon in Mr. Swallow’s beak. They looked a lot like party favors from a laser tag birthday party. “If at any time during your travels you find yourself in a fatal situation, twist your ring around your finger three times and think of this courtyard. You’ll find yourself here.”
    As Evan reached up and took the rings from Mr. Swallow’s mouth, the whispers started up again.
    “When was the last time EAS gave out the rings of return?” Lena asked Kelly and Puss-in-Dress.
    “Not since The Yellow Dwarf,” the cat replied. “That one is always supposed to end badly.”
    “Two years ago,” Kelly added. “They must be worried about this one too.”
    “It’s long for a quest, right?” said the triplet with darker hair.
    “The standard time period for a White Snake Tale is five to six weeks,” Lena replied in her tinny, reciting voice. “The third longest quest of