“What happened to this Mirabelle? Did she put the curse on the prince?” Hannah asked through the water in the fountain while looking at her elderly neighbor’s reflection.
“That’s what you need to find out, dear Hannah, so the prince can be saved!”
“But what has all this got to do with me? Why should I be the one to help him? Besides, I doubt that I can be of any assistance. And on top of that, he roared at me, and I ran away from him!”
Emi and Leon were giggling as if this were just another fairy tale movie and not their mother’s life. “That’s so exciting, Mommy—you have to help the prince! He can’t walk around as a bear for the rest of his life!”
“Marco,” Hannah said, calling into the fountain. “Take your two siblings to the children’s room and read to them.”
“No, Mommy, we want to listen?—”
“No, Emi! Marco, please! Now!”
“Fine, but nothing with princesses.”
Hannah watched the three of them disappear from the reflection in the water. “Are my children out of hearing range?”
“Yes, Hannah, they are.”
“Then let me tell you something, Frieda: this bear is a threat to my life. He roared at me, he’s huge, and he could kill me with one swipe of his paw. I’m really very sorry for what happened to him, but I’m all my children have left. Someone else will have to help the prince—his friends, his siblings, or his parents.”
“The prince is an only child, and his parents are both dead. His father just died. You were there yourself,” Frieda reminded her.
Hannah slammed her fist on the side of the fountain and didn’t even feel the stone scraping her skin. “Of course, I was there—thanks to you! Well, then his friends will have to help him. I can’t do it. Frieda, call me a cab right now! I need to get back to my kids!”
Frieda was silent for a moment as she stared at Hannah with her grayish eyes. “I’m afraid that won’t work, Hannah.”
“What do you mean it won’t work? What’s that supposed to mean? You pick up the phone right now, call the number, and send a cab to the old Lichtenberg ruin. Or Lichtenberg Castle, I guess—it’s not a ruin anymore. And you do it on the double, or you’ll find out what I’m really made of!”
Frieda had a slight look of remorse on her face as she shook her head. “I can’t send you anyone. The gateway is shut.”
Hannah wanted to pound the water with her fist. It took a bit of effort, but she managed to restrain herself for fear shemight lose the connection. “What gateway? What are you talking about? What is this?”
“The events you’re taking part in, dear Hannah, are happening in another time.”
Hannah could feel her knees giving way. If she hadn’t been sitting on the edge of the fountain, she would have dropped to the ground. She clung to the ancient stones for support. “What are you saying? That you sent me back in time?”
Frieda nodded silently.
“You sent me back in time? I’m in the past?”
“Yes, Hannah.”
“So that’s why the castle isn’t a a ruin anymore.” She looked up, speechless. “How could you do that? You need to get me back right now! You’re supposed to be an enchantress. Just conjure me back, preferably right to the apartment!”
“I can’t.”
The knuckles on Hannah’s fists were turning white. “What do you mean you can’t? You’ve suddenly lost your powers? I’m sure this is just some ruse you’ve cooked up to get me to help your godchild!”
“No, dear Hannah, it isn’t. My magic is not limitless. It takes enormous magical power to send someone through time. And?—”
“Then recharge your power!”
“It’s not that simple. Listen to me, Hannah. Even I can’t send just anyone through time at will. It requires a sophisticated spell, enormous powers, and specific items from the time period you want to send the person to, and?—”
“Things from the time period?” Hannah looked down at her fancy red dress and fine shoes. “Are these things...”
Frieda nodded. “You’re wearing a dress that dates from the prince’s time and that I adjusted for you.”
