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The Truth About the Glass, Part 23

Tuesday, November 8th, 2011

“We have reason to believe your stepdaughter did away with your huntsman and may have been taken in by someone in the forest,” said a voice from behind the desk.</p>
<p>Agatha was certainly startled by this news. For one thing, the room was so dim she hadn’t even realized anyone else was there. For another, she had only just stepped into the office in the first place. She hadn’t even spoken a word! But that was the way of things at the Magical Mirror Society. Their spies saw all, heard all, knew all. One didn’t ask how. If one were to discover how, that one most likely wouldn’t see the next dawn.</p>
<p>“I-I see. So, she’s still alive,” Agatha said as she gathered her skirts and seated herself. In what little light there was, she made out the brief glow of a cigar as a tentacle of smoke curled into the air.“I-I see. So, she’s still alive,” Agatha said as she gathered her skirts and seated herself. In what little light there was, she made out the brief glow of a cigar as a tentacle of smoke curled into the air.</p>
<p>“She’s a crafty one,” said the low male voice again. </p>
<p>“I’m discovering that myself,” Agatha agreed. “All the more reason for me to be rid of her before she gets to me first. But how?”</p>
<p>“We’re not in the business of murder here at the Society,” said the voice, “but our Mirrors can find out where she is and where her vulnerabilities lie. What you do with that information is your business. Expect a report from us within three days.”</p>
<p>Then the owner of the voice vanished. At least, it seemed that way. Agatha couldn’t really be sure. </p>
<p>On the way home, visions of foul play danced in her mind.

The Truth About the Glass, Part 22

Monday, November 7th, 2011

Back at the Nameless Castle, things were not so grand as they tend to be in the fairy tales.</p>
<p>The beast’s castle was haunted, for one thing. You don’t collect enough skeletons to build a fence without gaining some restless spirits along the way. Constance would’ve been all right with this if they were proper howlers, but no. These ghosts were the bored and clinging sort.</p>
<p>Would Madam care for a cup of tea? one would ask.</p>
<p>“No, thank you,” Constance would say. “You can’t even hold a tea pot, so I don’t know why you bother offering.</p>
<p>Perhaps a bit of cake, then?</p>
<p>There were also blood stains on the walls, which made our heroine nervous for her own sake. The bed in her assigned room bore the indentation of someone who had lain in it for quite some time, as if they had died in it and been forgotten until it was time to change the sheets for someone new.<br />
 The ghastly stench of the place was indescribable. Constance couldn’t decide if she was relieved or angry that her host had left her alone in the dark.</p>
<p>Constance hated to admit it, but she was feeling a change in priorities. Revenge might have to wait in favor of escape. Day 22

The Truth About the Glass, Part 21

Sunday, November 6th, 2011

Meanwhile, Constance’s stepmother felt uneasy. The huntsman hadn’t returned with proof of his success. In fact, he hadn’t returned at all! Agatha’s hands burned with desire for her late stepdaughter’s inheritance, and they burned even more upon the arrival of an invitation from the palace. </p>
<p>The king was holding his annual ball, and everyone from the household of her late husband was invited to attend. Many wealthy bachelors attended the ball every year, and Agatha’s two daughters were very much available. Unfortunately, neither was a particularly great beauty, and the cost of improving their looks would be astronomical. </p>
<p>And where was Constance? Was she gone for good, or would she resurface at a most inopportune moment? </p>
<p>It was time, Agatha decided, for a visit to the Magical Mirror Society.The Magical Mirror Society - Secrets, Spies, Truth, No Lies

The Truth About the Glass, Part 20

Saturday, November 5th, 2011

Constance felt queasy. She did not have a quick fix for this one. Why hadn’t she even thought of love being the cure? Well, because she usually skipped the mushy parts in fairy tales.That was why. </p>
<p>“You know what? Never mind. I can’t afford your price. I’ll just be on my way then. Maybe the goblins will help me,” she mumbled with a weak smile as she backed away from the beast.</p>
<p>“NOT SO FAST!” he roared. And when he saw her simultaneously and instantaneously aim her pistol and whip out her switch blade, he sighed and said, “You can’t kill me with those things. Don’t you think it’s been tried? That’s the way these curses work. You can’t win. You can’t quit early. And you call yourself an expert!”</p>
<p>“A hobbiest,” Constance corrected. </p>
<p>“Well, anyway, I’m not letting you go. I could eat you, but there’s no telling when another girl will come along, and you’ve at least got motivation to try to love me.”“It’s not going to happen,” Constance said stubbornly.</p>
<p>“You’re no prize yourself, you know.”</p>
<p>“I think I liked you better when you were threatening me.”</p>
<p>Just then, a rat scampered past, and quick as a whip, the beast grabbed it and pulled its meat right out of its fur, just like pulling bread out of a bag. Then he slurped the bones clean and tossed the fur at Constance’s feet.</p>
<p>“How’s that for a threat?” he said menacingly.</p>
<p>Constance gulped. “Th-that’ll do nicely,” she said.</p>
<p>“Good,” said the beast, “Because I’d prefer not to eat you, but I’m not promising I won’t. As ugly as I am now, I’m a whole lot uglier when I’m twirling your brains around on my fork.”

The Truth About the Glass, Part 19

Friday, November 4th, 2011

“If you really want to break my curse and acquire my assistance,” began the beast...“You’re going to have to fall in love with me.”

The Truth About the Glass, Part 18

Thursday, November 3rd, 2011

Anyone else might jump at such a surprise. “Eeeeek!” might be the utterance of any other young lady. But Constance was Constance and, as such, was merely annoyed at the eavesdropping. </p>
<p>“Well, that’s a fine how-do-you-do!” she snapped. “Which are you? A magical beast or a beastly man?”</p>
<p>“I’m about to grab your guts for garnish, that’s what I am!” snarled the beast. With his gargantuan  stature, hairiness, snaggled-toothiness and awful clawfulness, his threat was more convincing than it sounds in print.</p>
<p>“There’s a point to my question, you know, and if you murder me, you’ll never get to know it.” said Constance. </p>
<p>“Anyway,” she added, producing a little silver pistol, “I have a quick trigger finger, so you won’t even get as far as that.”</p>
<p>The beast growled a little and then motioned for his trespasser to continue and be quick about it.“You see,” Constance continued calmly, “if you’re a magical beast, I can ensure you’re well fed forever. If you’re a cursed man, I’m willing to find you a cure.“</p>
<p>“Oh?” said the beast doubtfully. “And what’s in it for you then? Breaking the spell, that is. As if you could. As if you would.”</p>
<p>And here Constance grinned.</p>
<p>“I want you to help me get rid of my wicked stepmother. Permanently.”</p>
<p>The beast scowled in thought (that’s what beasts do when they think). </p>
<p>“All right,” he said at last, “but I’ll only help you if you break my spell first. That is, if you can.”</p>
<p>Constance patted her handbag and winked. “I’m something of a dark arts hobbiest. I’ve got something for everything.”</p>
<p>“Oh, you’ve got the cure, all right. But you won’t like it,” said the beast.</p>
<p>And this was where the beast grinned and Constance didn’t.

The Truth About the Glass, Part 17

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011

“Gee whiz!” gasped Constance when she discovered just exactly where she stood. </p>
<p>The Nameless Castle was tall and crumbly and parts of it tumbly with parapets guarded by gargoyles so eroded they looked like winged lumps. Dead leaves and vines and other things grew like veins over the face of the place, and the stone path leading up to the doors probably hadn’t been walked since the last visitor was added to front gateway. Which, by the look of the bones, hadn’t been for decades. But oh! What majesty the castle must once have had. What royalty must have graced its grounds!</p>
<p>“What a dump,” Constance said to herself.</p>
<p>“WHAT AN INTERESTING CHOICE OF WORDS, SEEING AS MY CASTLE MAY VERY WELL BE A DUMPING GROUND FOR YOUR UNINVITED CARCASS, VAGRANT!” roared a great and terrible voice… </p>
<p>from directly…</p>
<p>BEHIND HER.

The Truth About the Glass continued! Part 16

Tuesday, November 1st, 2011

Thank you, everyone, for your patience while I relocated over the past month! Now, as promised, the continuation of Constance's mad journey...

Happy Halloween

Monday, October 31st, 2011

Just a little something for you on the best day of the year. Remember, the second half of 31 Days of Halloween resumes tomorrow (now that I'm finally all moved and settled)!

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31 Days will be continued!

Wednesday, October 19th, 2011

I'm discovering my own limitations. This business of packing for a move, writing a second book, answering questions as to the whereabouts of Boy (it's coming! Hold your horses!), and trying to do a new installment of 31 Days of Halloween every day is proving somewhat impossible. And since there's a fixed deadline for the whole moving-to-another-part-of-town that's approaching  faster than a truck full of chickens toward two men carrying a glass pane at exactly the wrong time... I'm giving it my priority.

I will pick up Constance's misadventures on November 1st (or what I like to call Second October 1st). I will also post a little somethingsomething on Halloween (the real one). It probably won't be animated because that would take more time than I have, but there will be something.

Thanks for waiting!


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