Enchanted in Time (Enchanted After Thirty #1)

Chapter 19

19

H annah ran deeper and deeper into the woods. There was darkness all around her. Shadows were lurking everywhere, and an owl screeched. She searched for Maximilian but could find him nowhere. She had even run in the same direction, but she hadn’t seen him at all since he’d charged away from the hut.

Was he really a bear now? A full-fledged bear? Was there nothing left of the human being? Had the potion made the change complete? He had attacked her, had no longer recognized her...

Hannah was shivering as she rushed through the darkness. What should she do? Should she look for him? What good would it do? Would he recognize her if she talked to him long enough? Or would she be taking her life in her hands if she let him catch sight of her?

The air around her began to move, and a bitter wind arose. Something was flashing and sparkling. Hannah was frightened. Was it the forest gnomes again? Had they returned? She didn’t wait for any confirmation and sprinted onward through the woods. She needed to find the brick path, for only then would she be safe from those strange creatures. But which way should she go?

She glanced to the left and the right as she ran. The branch of a fir tree struck her in the face, and she shoved it out of the way. There was still no trace of the brick path. If she stayed to the left, she might find her way back—back to the part she had made her way across with Maximilian before they had come to Mirabelle. And then there was that puddle where she had safely talked with Frieda a couple of hours ago. Hannah could call her neighbor for help through the water. There had to be a way to save Maximilian and get her back to her kids!

She hurried farther to the left, as fast as her legs would take her. The whooshing and whistling grew fainter and fainter until the noise vanished completely. But Hannah would not rest. The adrenaline was pumping through her veins, and she sprinted onward through the shadows.

The sound of splashing water made her stop. Was there a spring nearby? Her tongue was sticking to the roof of her mouth. But where were... oh, no. The bags of provisions were still lying in front of Mirabelle’s hut. She had nothing to eat. Her pulse quickened.

Hannah, calm down! Don’t panic!

Some water would do her good—and she could call Frieda! She decided to follow the splashing sound, and a short while later she came to a spring, where a jet of pure water was gushing out from the middle of a pile of rocks and feeding into a small brook. Panting, she fell to her knees and held her cupped hands beneath the gushing water. She took several gulps until her thirst was somewhat quenched. Then she splashed some water onto her face and arms and felt refreshed. After that, she leaned over the little stream.

“Frieda, are you there?”

She immediately heard her neighbor’s calm voice. “I’m here.” The stream turned into a sea of colors that reflected on the surface and swirled around until Frieda’s face emerged. Hannah’s children appeared beside her.

“Mommy, Mommy, are you all right?”

“Everything’s fine. No need to fear!”

“Where is Maximilian?” asked Frieda.

“I don’t know. He ran off, and I haven’t seen him anywhere. I need to find him. There’s still time. Or is the effect of the potion permanent, Frieda? But if that’s the case, how do I get back to you all?”

“No, it is not at all permanent. At the time, I weakened the curse so that it would take one hundred hours before Maximilian turned into an animal once and for all. The potion supposedly brought the transformation to its final conclusion, but Mirabelle is not that powerful. Such a stupid thing. She most certainly does not have the power to override the laws of magic.”

“What does that mean?”

“Right now, Maximilian is acting like a bear. The potion has suppressed his human side, but it will still remain until the hundred hours have passed. In this condition, however, it will be harder to break the curse.”

“Is there some way I can save him?”

“It still holds true that Mirabelle must forgive him entirely. And she obviously hasn’t done that yet.”

“I’m worried that she probably won’t change her mind in the next few days,” Marco commented from the side. Emi and Leon nodded earnestly.

Hannah looked off into the distance. “We need to find out exactly what happened back then, and what took place after she fled to the forest. And most importantly, who pronounced the curse. We need to understand her so we can appeal to her heart.”

“So does that mean that you’re staying to save the prince, Mommy?” Emi cried excitedly.

“I have to help him—I can’t abandon him. And, anyway, I won’t be able to get back until he’s freed!”

Frieda beamed. “That’s wonderful, dear Hannah, but you must be on your guard. The forest is full of evil creatures that will?—”

Once again, there were roaring and whistling sounds in the air along with tiny glittering sparks.

“Forest gnomes!” Hannah screamed. “I have to go.”

And off she ran, closely followed by the whooshing and whistling sounds of the belligerent gnomes. She heard Frieda shouting something behind her, but she didn’t understand a word. She leapt over branches and twigs, rushed past prickly shrubs and tall tree trunks, wound her way through the withered branches of several bushes, and sprinted across some blackberry vines. The thorns left her legs even more torn up. The scratches burned, but she hardly felt it. Onward she ran and ran and ran. The forest gnomes must not catch her!

The next moment, something was swirling in front of her. The air was spinning, and the colors were mixing together. Right before her eyes, green and brown, beige and black were blending together in the air as if someone were mixing them in a painter’s pot. Hannah tried to run past it, but the sparkling and flashing was all around her, and in the next instant, the beings appeared. Forest gnomes. At least thirty in number. Their eyes, which were almost black, were shooting daggers, and their tiny hands were holding long spears and pointing them at Hannah.

“Dares to attack us! Wanted to hurt us!” they squealed. “Why does she do that?”

“I was only defending myself! You were the ones who attacked first!” Hannah cried, gasping. Her heart was pounding. The pipsqueaks were giving her angry, vicious looks as they circled her. They were tiny, but there were lots of them, and they were holding their spears in the air. Jumping over them was out of the question.

“Let me go! I won’t hurt you!”

“Evil human woman! Attacked us!” they squealed. They stomped toward her and raised their long spears to attack.

Hannah had no choice. She would have to try. She started to jump, but the forest gnomes behind her had already bound her ankles with a thick rope, and she tumbled headlong to the ground. The pine needles muffled the sound of her fall, but she was still groaning and coughing from all the dirt it had stirred up.

The adrenaline shot through her veins. She turned over and kicked and lashed out with her fists, but the tiny gnomes were far too fast. With lightning speed, they wound the rope around her, tied it tight, and clambered on top of her.

Now Hannah lay on the ground, all bundled up like a package. In desperation, she struggled and kicked and thrashed about as she tried to knock the gnomes off. “Untie me!” she cried.

Three of the gnomes fell off and landed on their fat behinds. “Ow! Why is she doing that? Why is she hurting us?”

The gnomes grabbed the rope with both hands and marched off in response to a silent command. They dragged Hannah along the ground feet first so that the skirt of her dress was riding up. They pulled her across thorny twigs that scratched her thighs and also across pine needles and dirt that got caught in her hair.

“HELP!” Hannah struggled and kicked, but the rope was tied so tight it was hopeless. “HEEEEEEEELP!” she screamed again and again, each time louder and louder.

“Why is she screaming so much? Must be quiet already!” the little men squeaked. Two of the gnomes brandished their spears and aimed at her head.

Hannah’s eyes nearly popped right out of her head. “No! Let me go!”

A loud, thundering sound shook the earth. Maximilian? Had the bear prince heard her? Was he himself again and on his way to rescue her?

“Maximilian! I’m here!” she shouted with all her strength and every bit of air in her lungs. The thundering sound came closer.

The pipsqueaks’ dark eyes grew wide with fright. “It’s coming. Hurry—away from here. Leave her there. Quick—away!” Their contours blurred, and the air was bathed in a jumble of myriad colors as a loud whooshing sound announced their departure.

Hannah sighed with relief. But why had they suddenly fled from Maximilian? Was it really him? Or had the gnomes fled from something else?

Her heart was pounding wildly. She lifted her head but saw nothing. The thundering sound came closer. She tried to slip off the rope. She needed to free herself at once—in case it was not Maximilian who was coming or in case it was him and the animal in him had gained in strength.

But the thick rope was simply tied too tight. It cut into her wrists and stomach, and even her legs were bound so close that she couldn’t use them at all. With her arms lashed just as tightly to her sides, she could hardly even move.

The thundering noise grew louder. Hannah broke into a sweat. She struggled and squirmed, but she couldn’t free herself. She fought her way back onto her knees. Then she tried to get on her feet but immediately fell back down on her knees. Her heart was beating faster and faster. She raised her head to see what was approaching.

Please, Maximilian, let it be you!

A white mist, too dense to see through, was drifting through the forest. It moved closer and closer, and on reaching her, it dispersed.

From out of the mist, a white horse came forth, so bright and luminous it seemed to dispel the darkness of the forest. Its mane was the same silvery white as its tail, which was swishing back and forth. And gleaming on its noble brow was a white horn that sparkled in the light. The creature regarded her with its bright blue eyes and made a soft whinnying sound.

Was it a unicorn?

Hannah blinked several times. This was the reason the forest gnomes had fled? But it didn’t look evil or dangerous!

“Oh, those forest gnomes!” it whinnied, and strangely enough, Hannah could understand it. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. Is that all they can do? Just tie someone up and drag them along? Are you all right?”

Hannah merely nodded, unable to utter a sound.

“I’m glad. What are you doing here in the forest? It’s a dangerous place for you humans.”

Hannah had to swallow several times before she could answer. “I’m here to help the prince. He’s been struck by a curse.”

“The king’s son? What was his name again? Prince Gregor von Steinberg?”

“Maximilian von Lichtenberg,” Hannah replied, correcting it. She eyed the creature in amazement. It looked pure and noble, good and wise. It slowly took a few steps toward her and moved its muzzle closer and closer. What was it going to do? Surely it hadn’t also been lulled by the forces of evil to turn aggressive?

The unicorn opened its mouth. With its teeth, it pulled on the rope that the forest gnomes had used to tie her up. After just one tug, the rope came loose and dropped to the ground—and Hannah was free. How had the creature accomplished that so quickly?

“Thank you!” Hannah cried. She rubbed the parts of her legs and arms where the gnomes had tied the rope so tight that it had nearly cut off her circulation. “My name is Hannah. And who are you?”

“I am Irmgard. Irmgard, the unicorn.” With that, Irmgard proudly raised her head and shook her mane. “If you want, I’ll lead you out of the forest so that nothing more will happen to you. There’s a brick pathway that a great enchantress created. I’m afraid I’ve forgotten her name. You’ll be safe on that path!”

“That’s very kind of you, but I need to find the prince and save him,” Hannah replied. Then she quickly described all that had occurred up to that point. “I can’t abandon him. I need to find out what happened back then, when Mirabelle fled to the forest.”

“Mirabelle? The timid young girl? I was here at the time! I can tell you.”

“You know about that?”

“Of course. We unicorns are wise and clever, with excellent memories, and we know everything that’s ever happened in this forest!”

“Please tell me! What happened after Mirabelle fled to the woods?”

The unicorn knit her brow and pondered. It took her a while to recall the events precisely enough so that she could relate them to Hannah.