“Doesn’t have to. As long as you fulfill certain requirements of the tales, the Story will be satisfied. The heroine saved the boy and defeated the witch. The power of that tale has ended. Now the enchantment that kept Claire young will fade away, and she will age and die. When she dies, the tale will be complete.”

“Oh,” Mina was saddened. Her actions would now cause Claire to die.

“Relax Mina, she had lived a very long and youthful life. It’s time for her to join her son and husband.”

“I feel horrible, like I’ve done something wrong.” Mina clutched her stomach and sat down on the edge. It was worse than she imagined. She didn’t have the stomach to do the task put before her.

“So, do you see why you can’t run anymore, Mina? Your mother can no longer protect you. You’ve already completed two of the Grimm tales. Hansel and Gretel and another, lesser tale when you found the Grimoire.”

“The Bull and the Stag,” Mina murmured. “But that didn’t involve anyone dying.” She shook her head. “Jared, I think I feel sick. You should leave.”

Jared reached down and helped her back up. He kept one hand on her arm and led her to the fire escape steps.

By the time she’d maneuvered the steps to her window, Mina was so exhausted she didn’t even confront Jared on how he knew where she lived. She had begun to accept that there were numerous things about Jared that she would never understand, and she was too tired to care.

She stepped off the last step and was about to crawl through the window when she felt her knees go weak. Jared reached out to steady her. Mina’s legs were numb and as she moved away, pin pricks of blood rushing through her lower limbs.

Jared called out to Mina when she’d safely made it over the sill. “You should keep the Grimoire close to you at all times.”

She bobbed her head in answer, never once looking him in the eyes.

“Be careful. I don’t know if you realize it, but you’re already in another fairy tale.”

Mina’s head snapped up to look at him, eyes wide. “What? Is it that obvious?”

Jared shook his head and muttered the word “hopeless” under his breath. He pointed to her jackets. “There is a reason you can’t go out of the house without wearing red hoods and you keep meeting up with Grey Tail.”

Mina let out a puff of air she didn’t know she was holding. “I know, Red Riding Hood.”

“I suspect your clothes will return to normal after you complete this tale. That is, if you live through your final encounter with the wolf.”

Jared was serious. He was trying to warn her, protect her and prepare her. She was nearly ready to ask for forgiveness and for his help once more, when he shot off one final parting comment that made her blood run cold.

“I do think you need to be careful. Your rooftop isn’t the safest place to cry yourself to sleep.”

Mina jumped away in alarm. She slammed the window and pulled the shade closed in frustration. She could hear Jared laughing from the other side of the glass. When her heart calmed down and she got her hands to quit shaking, she opened the window again and he was gone.

Chapter 19

The next day flew by. There were no strange storybook appearances by animals, unexplained happenings, or surprise attacks by wolves. Mina felt she knew why. With the date of the dance set, she could almost feel the power building, preparing for the final chapter. She read what she could of Red Riding Hood, but was too scared to touch the Grimoire. Instead she kept the Grimoire in her backpack at all times. Every time her fingers grazed the notebook, it seemed to hum with excitement, especially the closer it came to the dance. The more it hummed, the more nervous Mina became until she began hiding the book and locking it in a drawer in her room.

Jared barely acknowledged Mina at school but seemed to always be hovering just on the outskirts, watching, waiting. He hardly spoke except when spoken to, and his sudden change in countenance scared off the rest of the students.

Brody soon noticed Jared’s motorcycle following them in his rearview mirror day after day, which lead to an altercation after school. Brody and Mina were on the way to his car, but when they crossed the parking lot he passed his own vehicle and walked over to a familiar black motorcycle. Mina saw the set of his jaw and knew immediately what was going to happen. She too, had seen Jared following them everywhere they went.

“Brody don’t. Let’s just go.”

“Not until I speak to Jared.”

“It’s not worth it.”

“You and your safety are definitely worth it. I’m not leaving until I’ve spoken my mind.”

He didn't have to wait long before Jared turned the corner, stopping in his tracks when he saw them. “That's my bike you’re leaning on.” Jared said carefully. “You scratch it, you buy it.”

“Maybe I should, and then you couldn't stalk Mina anymore.”

“Get real, I'm not stalking her. I'll leave that to you, lover boy.”

“Uh-uh. I've seen you. After school, before school, following her on this bike.”

“Guys, can we please drop this,” Mina tried, but neither boy even looked at her.

“Dude, I haven't been following you anywhere,” Jared said. “Are you sure it was this bike?”

Brody blinked in thought, “I could have sworn it was you. Black bike and helmet?”

“No, I swear to you. Not me. Must be some crazy fan of yours,” Jared answered lightly, but to Mina he looked distinctly worried, and she felt an awful pit begin to form in the hollow of her stomach. Who had been following her?

“And what about at school?” Brody continued. Mina’s cheeks turned red as she realized a crowd had begun to form. “You can't deny that you’re always watching her. I've seen you, and you’re making her uncomfortable.”

Mina held her breath as Jared’s eyes flickered between them, the longest pause in the history of long pauses.

“I was trying to find an opportunity to ask her to the dance. That's all.” He winked at Mina, likely a nod to his clever excuse, but one that Brody would almost certainly take the wrong way.

“Too late. She's going with me. So find someone else to torment.” Mina didn’t have time to react or yell a warning before Brody’s fist connected with Jared’s jaw, knocking him backward over the bike. Mina cringed as the bike and Jared crashed to the cement in a pile of metal and bones. Brody stood over the fallen Jared rubbing his fist. “That's for creeping Mina out. I don't care what you say. I still think it was you following her!” Brody pulled out a wad of cash and threw it on Jared's chest. “And that's for scratching your bike.” He stormed across the parking lot toward his car.

With tears in her eyes, Mina reached down to help Jared up, but he waved her off. He picked up his bike in one fluid motion, ignoring the cash that was blowing away in the wind as he inspected the damage. Some of the students began to run after the bills as they tumbled away.

“I’m so sorry. Jared I had no idea that he was going to--”

“No,” Jared interrupted. “Don’t apologize for him. He’s a big boy. And truthfully, I think I like him better now.” Making sure no one was looking, Jared rubbed his hands over the dents, and with a glow of power they began to fill themselves back out. The scratches glowed and began to spiral out, erasing themselves and leaving no trace of damage. “But Mina, you know that wasn’t me following you, right? I wasn’t lying about that.”