Mimi and Blake exchanged looks before looking at Jacob, who stared at Abe. Not the most innocent move, for it was a moment long enough for Abe to secure in his mind whatever he was thinking.

"No," said Jacob, far too late.

But Abe ran up and threw his arms around Jacob's waist. "Jacob! It is you!"

"I'm not… Jacob."

"You are. I'm still very confused."

Mimi wondered if she should bite the kid.

"You look different," Abe continued. "Are you under a spell? Or were you under a spell? Or in disguise? Because usually you're just really ugly and a lot shorter. But I think it's best because you are in a whole lot of trouble." He squeezed tighter.

Jacob pried off the boy's arms. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

Abe reattached himself. Mimi had to admit, it was fun to watch.

"Admit who you are! You sound like Jacob, and that goose is right over there! What is the goose, huh?"

"A princess, I'm sure," Jacob said as he took hold of Abe's wrists and forced him away. "Will you shut up?"

"No one is around," Abe said, gesturing at the vacant area. "So is it a spell, then?"

"Will you just go on home?"

"I want to know if it's a spell, because something is very off here. Besides, if you're not Jacob, how do you know where I live?"

"I never said I knew where you lived!"

Abe just grinned.

Jacob sighed. "If you don't go home, I will personally ruin your entire cooking career before it has even begun. And you know I very well can."

"Is it a spell?"

"What do you think?"

"I think it's a spell. So what are you going to do now that everyone is trying to kill you?"

"Not go back, obviously. Now go." Jacob lifted Abe up onto the mule. "Tell the rest of the manor whatever you want."

"So you're admitting you are Jacob?"

"I thought that much was obvious, too."

"Where are you going?" The moment Abe was in the saddle he slipped down again. "You have to tell me where you are going. I can't make up a lie if I don't know what's going on. I might accidentally speak the truth."

Jacob looked back at Mimi, questioning. She figured he could get rid of a little boy on his own, and just what did he expect her to say to him? The look she gave must have been plenty because Jacob whirled around, pointed fiercely in the direction of the manor, and yelled at Abe to leave.

Abe, still smiling, climbed upon the mule. "I want to hear the whole story later."

"If I want to give it and if there is a later."

As soon as Abe was out of sight Jacob turned back to Mimi and Blake. "I thought I would be a little less recognizable. I had no idea that kid was so astute."

"Very astute," Blake muttered.

The appearance of Abe had done nothing but make the morning all the more awkward and confusing.

"I wonder if he'll say anything," Jacob continued as he wrapped up the bread. He was understandably antsy. "What if he does say something? That kid would probably say something. Any half-way intelligent creature would brush him off and most of them would probably ignore him anyway, but it only takes a few idiots to spread a rumor and a few more idiots to believe them." He slid the bread into the bag, disgusted. "Let's go. And talk all you want. I really don't care."

Well, as weird as it was, she might as well release the goosey conversation. "Lead the way," Mimi said to Blake. "Take charge. Be our gallant hero."

That brought a smile from the squirrel. Blake scampered ahead with such enthusiasm Mimi laughed. The idea of what they must have sounded like to Jacob struck her as suddenly hilarious. Which only made her laugh harder. She ran after Blake with her awkward bumbling, wings outstretched. This was good. This was how she was supposed to feel in their daring escape. It was fun. She hadn't quite expected that.

The day passed quickly and eventless, which with Mimi's current mood was rather disappointing. No charging guards from the Duke. No appearance of any fairy, just people who did not pay them more than a glance. Pieces of road from the prior week became familiar.

"There it is," Blake said finally. He stopped in the middle of the path, tail erect. "The forest."

She would not have noticed it if he hadn't said anything. Perhaps the rumors of the forests' hauntings stemmed from the fact that it popped out of nowhere. But there it was: a vast stretch of trees dark against the setting sun.

"You really do live in a forest." The first words from Jacob since morning. "Now what? You expect me to just set foot into this dark forest?"

His voice actually shook. Mimi rolled her eyes.

"I say we find some place to spend the night. Like a farm… and yet it seems we are out in the middle of nowhere. How inconvenient."

Blake laughed.

"It's getting dark." Jacob flung his bag onto the ground. "Forgive me for not being a tree-dwelling squirrel. And what of you, Mimi? Have you ever exactly spent the night outdoors?"

She thought miserably of the goose pen.

"Babies." But Blake hopped into the bag and reappeared with a piece of bread. "Well, we have absolutely no real plan anyway."

Jacob sat down with a sigh. "Sorry. But this has been a really, really weird day. It's been way too quiet and… well, I've never actually seen a forest. I've lived in cities all my life and I'm not quite sure what I'm doing out here. I should have just stayed back and had my head chopped off." He reached into the bag for more of Abe's bread and broke off a few pieces that he tossed toward Mimi. "Here. Sorry I'm not granting you the glory of a dish. I didn't think of bringing one, so deal with it."

Since when had she ever asked for a dish? She glared at him.

But he ignored that and instead lay back and stared up at the darkening sky.

Annoyed, she turned to Blake. "So what was it like when you would go up to the castle before?"

He shrugged. "Just… her. Being her. She never saw me, but I saw you and I figured it was only a matter of time before… you know, I saw her with the seeds that day? She was preparing them. That's why I told you to run."

"How thoughtful of you."

"Thoughtful would have been saying something earlier. Or carrying something into the ground. I think I may be the most useless enchanted squirrel ever. At least Lucy did something."

"Blake, you are not useless. We'll get you back to Lucy."

"Preferably as something other than a squirrel. You should sleep."

"Like any of us slept last night." The sky was nearly black, and the air was chill. "I may be with Jacob on this. I haven't slept outside since that goose woman's."

"It's not that bad. You get used to it. It's amazing what you can get used to."

She fell asleep instantly. She did not even intend to fall asleep, but the jolt of a mule nearly stepping on her made her eyes fly open and realize hours must have passed.

"Abe!" Jacob was yelling. "I am going to kill you! Go home!"

Mimi's eyes sought out the small figure of Abe and the taller one of Jacob. She should have made Jacob make a fire.

"I stayed really far back," Abe said proudly. "Not like you ever turned around. My father knows how to track and anyone can follow footprints when no one ever comes out this way."

"Yeah? And what would he say of you being out here?"

"He's probably going to kill me next time he sees me, but apparently, so will you. This just seemed much more fun. What are you doing out here? Where are you going? You have to be going somewhere."

"I specifically told you…"

Mimi stopped listening as her feathers began to tingle. She swore under her breath. Where had Jacob put his bag? He probably had it with him as it stood around arguing with Abe. How wonderfully awkward. "Blake," she hissed. "My dress!"

A low moan sounded from nearby. "What?"

"Abe is here and I'm about to transform." She was human by the time she had finished speaking.

"Where is your dress?"

"In the bag!" She was so thankful it was dark.

A few moments later, the Jacob-and-Abe argument was interrupted by Abe's declaration of "What is that squirrel doing?"

"It's heavy," said Blake's muffled voice.

Jacob muttered something. "Give me that. Mimi, where are you?"

"Who's Mimi?" Abe asked.

They were in a dark field outside a forest. What did he want, a landmark? "Over here!" Something landed near her and after a few moments of fumbling she found the dress. She pulled it over her head.

"Who's Mimi?" Abe repeated.

Well, why not have a little more weirdness? "Hi. I'm Mimi," she said as she approached.

"Where did you come from?"

"I'm the goose."

"The pet goose?"

"I wasn't exactly intending on revealing you," Jacob muttered.

"Then you shouldn't have given me the dress."

"You're just giving him a reason to stay around."

"I'm not going," said Abe. "It's too dark."

"Morning, then. Go sleep somewhere."

"You really think he'll go back in the morning?" Mimi asked as Abe crawled off into the darkness.

Jacob gave a short laugh. "Hardly. I just wanted him to stop talking for a few hours. Is that too much to ask?"

"We can't take him back. It took us all day to get here."

Jacob sat down, and Mimi joined him. "He's a good kid. Just annoying. Part of the reason he wound up as my student. His parents got him a job in the kitchen, and he insisted on learning how to cook. Wouldn't learn from Michael, so he wound up as mine."

"How patient of you."

"I guess I've learned to put up with a lot. I mean, he is a good kid. I'd miss him if we could get rid of him."

"Do you think you'll ever go back?"

He did not answer for a while. "Well…I'd kind of like to help Blake. Maybe get a little revenge for myself. Imagine that. Our own little charge on the manor."

"I think that would be fun. Like a story."

He laughed. "You and your stories."

"I guess life was a little boring before all of this."

"I think I'd rather go back to the boring sometimes."

Mimi stared out into the night. There were no stars, just the vague shadows of the grass and the black blob that was the forest. Her forest. "How did you put up with it all those years?"

"I don't know. It wasn't like I had much choice in the matter. And it wasn't all bad. I learned things. I'm famous for my cooking because of what I learned at that fairy's place. I had friends there."

"And when you left?"

"What was I supposed to do? I couldn't go home like I was—I'm sure my parents thought I was dead or something. So I dealt with my situation the best I could. That's what you have to do. I just… went and made a new life. It was pretty good, actually, all things considered."

"Until the whole head-chopping thing."

Another laugh. "Yeah, that was a dark spot."

"So… you liked it, then? Being under that spell?"

"Well, it's not what I would have preferred. But I had a job, I had respect, I had friends. It was fine until…"

"Until the Duke wanted to kill you."

"Something before that."

"What?"

He didn't speak for a long time. "Mimi, I know you have one hour, but I really need to get to sleep. Goodnight."