Jacob was infuriating, Mimi decided. She had asked a simple question in a simple conversation and he could not even give her the benefit of an answer. After leaving him she wasted a few minutes fretting before grudgingly admitting it wasn't her business and the past few days had left everyone in less than the best of moods.

Still, she was sick of secrets. Was this even a secret? He had almost said it.

She wanted so much to hear what he had to say. What he had not said was infuriating.

The morning sun woke her, as did the closely following sound of Abe declaring they needed to be on the move. She yawned and stretched her wings. So this was the day. She was going home.

Blake was already awake, nibbling on some nut he had found. She was vaguely reminded of her desire to eat bugs. "Good morning. Sleep well?"

"Besides last night's little interruption?" She nodded toward Abe, who was preparing his mule.

"At least it's something. He'll break the silence, I think."

Jacob, it seemed, had been up for awhile. He stood facing the woods, pack already on his back. He was so tall in his real form. He seemed even stronger. "Ready?" he called without looking at anyone.

Abe looked expectantly at Mimi and Blake before responding "I still don't know where we are going."

"You could go home. Otherwise, we're going into the woods. Blake, lead the way."

Blake ran ahead, and Mimi followed, wondering in humiliation why she could not even figure out the way to her own home. Jacob swallowed, and started into the trees, Abe close behind on the mule. No, Abe was not going home.

The trees truly were a stark contrast to the surrounding fields. Mimi at once felt at home and trapped. Though the path so many had taken over the years was clear, the overhanging branches still crept down like the roof of a cage. It was not a place meant for geese. But it was her forest and everything was familiar from the smell to the plants to even the sounds of the animals. Blake too was comfortable, and Jacob was left to comment on why no one had yet chopped the place down.

"Because it's probably cursed," was Abe's confident answer. "Why are we in cursed woods? Everyone knows this place is cursed."

"Because we have to break a spell."

"The goose's spell?"

"And the squirrel's."

"I still have to hear this story."

So even though it was not his business Jacob went about explaining how he had one day found a talking goose who had been cursed by her evil fairy stepmother.

It was actually a pretty good story. Mimi had not expected that.

That story of course led to Jacob and Blake's stories and within an hour Abe knew everything. He took it all in without question, just amazement and the distinct air that his own life was comparatively boring.

"So what are you going to do?" Abe asked.

Jacob shrugged. "Right now, I think the best strategy is to pretend I'm just some traveler through the woods and pray Lavender doesn't recognize Mimi. Blake, you're just going to have to be an ordinary squirrel for this. Sorry. Hide in the woods and run up and down trees or something. I'll talk to her as much as I can and look for your father."

"We're almost there," Blake whispered to Mimi.

Abe stared at Blake, mouth open. "Can you understand them, Jacob? What did he just say?"

Jacob sighed. "I can't understand a thing. I hear what you hear."

"That's not that fair."

"No, it's not. I kind of liked talking to enchanted animals."

And yet he had refused to talk to her last night.

Blake was right. Though Mimi had only been out this far from the castle once, she knew it was near. Just around the path the old spires would rise up through the trees… It suddenly hurt to breathe. They were so close.

"Well, when you were a squirrel you should have picked up the language or something and… wow, is that it?"

Sure enough, a turn around the corner and there it was, old stone castle sitting in the middle of the trees. Mimi could see the gate, her bedroom window, the tip of her favorite reading tree. She froze.

"Mimi, are you all right?" asked Blake.

"Lavender's there." Her heart pounded. "What if she killed my father? She did something to him and—"

"Stop."

"But Blake—"

"Stop. We don't know anything yet. Do you really think your father is dead?"

"He could be!" She shook her head. No time to think the worst. "No… no, I don't."

"Good." He smiled at her. "Just keep thinking that."

The castle grounds were silent as they entered. Abe slipped down from his mule and tied the creature to a tree, ready to be shown as evidence that they were just a couple of travelers. Blake climbed up a tree to wait. The grounds had not changed much in the past week. Had Mimi expected them to? Somehow it seemed so long ago.

Jacob reached the door, took a deep breath, and knocked.

"They're used to be invisible servants, you know," Mimi explained to Blake. "Just spells of my father's. I don't know what happened to them. They would have answered before."

No invisible servants came to open the door. No sign her father was back in charge. After what seemed like ages, the door opened. Lavender stood in the doorway, dark hair tumbling down her body, smile on her face. "Hello. I was not expecting visitors. Are you lost?"

Mimi stared at her from her place behind Jacob. It was impossible.

"We had heard of the great sorcerer Weatherbold," Jacob said. "We wanted to meet him. Is there where he lives?"

Lavender's perfect smile flickered. "He is, but I'm afraid he has retired years ago. I'm surprised word of him is still out there, but I suppose that's only a tribute to his power."

"We're not asking for any favors, miss. But we've traveled far and we would appreciate saying hello."

"And we're really, really tired," put in Abe.

Her smile broadened. "I imagine you are, my boy. Come inside, then, and I'll see what I can do."

Goodness, Mimi had not even been noticed. But how could she go into the castle because why would anyone in his right mind be traveling with a goose? She was too startled over Lavender to think clearly enough to sneak around inside. She quickly dove into bushes near the door.

"Who are you to Weatherbold?" Jacob asked as he and Abe followed Lavender inside. "If I may ask? His wife?"

She laughed. "Do I look old enough to be his wife? I'm his daughter!" The door closed.

Mimi huddled in the bushes, shaking. His daughter. Lavender dared to say she was Weatherbold's daughter. That stupid, sneaking fairy! Such a silly lie to bring up. That admittedly beautiful woman who had waltzed in only a few years before with all the grace and elegance of a middle-aged woman.

That woman now did not look a day over twenty.