“Oh good, you have returned. I assume the two of you were able to reach an agreement?” Wilhelm said as he entered the room carrying a tray ladened with drinks and snacks.

  “Wilhelm, what is this? Did you empty the whole kitchen?”

  “Jacob, you saw me preparing these earlier." Wilhelm sighed. "I told you I wanted to be ready should we have guests. Now I am ready, and we have guests.”

  Jacob merely stared at his brother as he began arranging the contents of the tray onto the table. There was no bewilderment or exasperation. Just a look that said something had fallen into place in his mind.

  Perhaps it was because Dina had given us such vague instructions when directing us here. Perhaps it was due to the strangeness of our situation. Whatever the reasoning, I had an ever-growing sensation there was more to these brothers than first appeared.

  Rapunzel, Morpheus, and I had been sent here for a reason and whatever that reason was, it lay beneath a layer of unspoken truths.

  Much as I wanted to pry, I knew it would be futile. Pushing Jacob would only cause him to shut down, destroying any progress Rapunzel had made.

  It would not be necessary either, since it was likely that the truth would need to come out before we were able to reach a complete agreement.

  “So, were the two of you able to reach some sort of agreement?” I asked, looking at Rapunzel and Jacob.

  “I believe so,” Rapunzel answered, “or at the very least the start of one. We still have some details to work out.”

  “I need assurances that if we help you, my brother and I will be protected,” Jacob stated.

  I nodded, relieved that he had terms. That meant there was a strong chance he would help us, depending on if we could meet them.

  “I can assure you that no one will know of this meeting or your involvement in our mission. Rapunzel can help reinforce the wards you already have in place, and I can instill other security measures. We do not wish to put either of you in harm's way.”

  Jacob paused in his pacing to look at me questioningly.

  “How do you know about our wards?” he demanded.

  “We could feel them coming in,” Rapunzel explained. “Sensitivity comes with training, and we have had a lot of magical training in our time. Most would not notice such a thing. You crafted them very well.”

  Her words calmed him significantly, releasing some of the tension in his shoulders. His hands continued to twitch and tap, and some uncertainty was written on his face. An unspoken thing weighing on his mind.

  “He worries that word of our location will get out to the rest of our family. We both do,” Wilhelm commented. He was the only one who seemed unperturbed by the conversation going on.

  “Is your family really such a threat?” Rapunzel asked.

  “I would not use the word threat to describe them, but they can certainly be problematic.”

  “That’s an understatement,” Jacob scoffed. “There are several cousins who seem to believe we are holding ourselves back. They claim we could do so much more if we worked our way around the promise our grandfather made to the Table.”

  “They don’t realize the dangers of that. Not like we do.” Jacob’s face turned stony once more.

  “Unfortunately, that is a mentality that has been cropping up more and more,” I grumbled. "People are starting to forget the time before the Table, so they have no context for how dangerous some of that magic is. They don’t fully realize the reason it was given up until it is too late.” I rubbed my temples reflexively, remembering the many times we had to step in to stop people from awakening something they did not understand.

  “Thankfully, most of them are incapable of pulling off magic like that,"Rapunzel added. ... "Most of the spells are useless due to a lack of practice. It still causes no small amount of trouble, though,”

  “That is a large part of why the Rangers exist,” I said. " We are trained to deal with magic like that, among other things. There are some who are not trusting of us, since we possess knowledge few others do, and I understand that. I don’t agree with them when they say knowledge and training should be widely available to everyone, but I understand. There are some things that we share, but others are best kept private.”

  “I think we are beginning to lose sight of our original topic,” Morpheus interjected. We all looked to him as he leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees, hands clasped in front of him. He briefly made eye contact with everyone, lingering a few seconds longer on me.

  “Yes, of course. Back to business." I sat up straighter. "So, you agree that if we take steps to further ensure your safety, you will help us discover what our next step is?”

  “Our wards make it so our family will never find this place, but I would rather not test their ingenuity,” Jacob said.

  “We were supposed to inherit the business, but we didn’t want any part of it,” Wilhelm explained. "Our parents didn’t want that for us either. He never said it, but I know dad saw something that was to come, so he knew we needed a different path to get us where we needed to be. So, we were given the family history while some cousins were given the legacy." He and Jacob exchanged a look. "Those cousins were not happy with this arrangement, wanting to have all the pieces to rebuild the Grimm name to what it was in the time of the old kind.”

  “Weren’t the Grimm’s systematically hunted, imprisoned, or exiled?” Rapunzel asked.

  “Well, yes, but you can’t expect our cousins to focus on that." Jacob rolled his eyes. "They have their own theories on how the Grimm name flourished in the time of the old king. None are true, of course.”

  “Pardon me, but you mentioned your dad knew you needed a different path. And so, you were given the family history?" Morpheus interjected. " I recognize those as meaningful statements, but I must confess the connotation behind them is lost to me. I am not as familiar with magic as my companions.”

  Something was continuing to tug at the back of my mind, waiting for the last pieces to fall into place. My eyes kept shifting over to Wilhelm as odd waves of magic continued to ripple and curl around him. His words continued to echo in my head as I watched the two brothers react to the questions.

  As with before, Jacob looked uncomfortable while Wilhelm looked unfazed.

  “It’s not just skill with enchantment that runs in your family, is it?” Rapunzel asked gently. She was speaking directly to Jacob, who reluctantly met her eyes. He said nothing but his eyes, the slump of his shoulders, and the wringing of his hands spoke volumes.

  “I have heard theories that even though the time of Seers is long past, their blood still travels through some families. Your father had a touch of the gift, didn’t he?” I tried.

  Jacob nodded, refusing to make eye contact.

  “He did not see so much as he sensed, and the knowledge he gleaned was limited. This caused some stir within the family, so he mostly kept things to himself." The words left his lips with great reluctance. "Few know that he carried the gift.”

  “Your father was a Seer?” Morpheus asked, not bothering to hide his shock.

  “There hasn’t been a true Seer in a long time, not like back in the times of old magic," I explained. "What he had was more akin to precognition. It crops up sometimes in certain bloodlines to varying degrees.”

  Morpheus thought for a second before nodding.

  I was only half paying attention to his reaction, though, as a strange look had taken over Jacob's face. My gaze wandered over to Wilhelm and our eyes locked. His eyes held an understanding that went beyond the current conversation.

  “You said he carried the gift. He gave it to you, didn’t he?” Morpheus asked Wilhelm.

  Rapunzel choked briefly on her drink, placing a calming hand on Jacob as he tensed. Even I was caught off guard by the question, though it had been formulating in my head as well.

  “What makes you say that?” Wilhelm asked pleasantly. He was the only one in the room who gave no visible reaction to the question beyond a slight, almost proud smile.

  “Magic is inherited from a person’s parents, same as hair and eye color. Your father carried the gift, it makes sense that one of you would have it as well, to some extent.”

  “Not necessarily,” Jacob said defensively, “and even then, it could be me who inherited it.”

  “But he knew we were coming when you didn’t," Morpheus countered. "He even knew early enough that he was able to prepare almost the perfect amount of food and drink. Even if he didn’t know it would be us specifically, he knew something. That sounds like precognition to me.” Morpheus looked to me as if asking for confirmation that his supposition was correct, but my focus was elsewhere.

  Thoughts raced through my head as the pieces fell into place. Wilhelm's confidence in his foreknowledge. His relaxed recognition of our group. His total serenity and uncanny knack for timing. The magic that rippled and pooled around him. It all felt hauntingly familiar and, finally, I knew why.

  If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  He had not been reading Rapunzel earlier. He had been foreseeing a potential path, checking to see the possible outcomes.

  “Wilhelm is a true Seer,” I said.

  Jacob visibly deflated, though if in relief or defeat I could not say for sure. The tension had certainly left the room, replaced by a feeling that defied description.

  “That’s not possible,” Rapunzel muttered.

  “Not probable, you mean,” Wilhelm said brightly. " It is entirely possible. I am living proof.”

  “There hasn’t been a true Seer since…” Rapunzel’s eyes unfocused as she thought through the history she knew.

  “That we know of,” I interjected. “No one has truly been able to understand how the gift works and is passed down. It has always been rare, and I would imagine some chose not to hone the gift, for as with all old magics it comes with a price.”

  “You are correct, Snow White. I have not sought to push or explore my gift, though I have done some reading on it to better understand what was happening. My father was able to help as well before he fell ill." He looked at Jacob. "We all decided it was best if I kept my gift to myself.”

  “That’s why your father worked to make you the secret keeper instead of having the both of you get involved in the family business," Rapunzel exclaimed. "It gave you leverage and an excuse to distance yourself from the rest of your family. No one else would have reason to know the gift is in your bloodline,”

  “That was the plan, and it worked rather well once we found this place and got the wards set up,” Jacob grumbled.

  “It will still be here when we get back,” Wilhelm said.

  “What do you mean when we get back?”

  “Jacob, you and I both know that we cannot ignore what is going on. They need your knowledge and training. I also know that you will not be able to do your job for worrying about me. So, I will need to be moved somewhere safe while you help them." Wilhelm looked pointedly at me. "I assume you know of a place?”

  “I do,” I replied. “It is not easy to get there but I know the way. A place where a Seer can remain unseen. There will be others there who can protect him.”

  “I have never heard of such a place. How do you know about it?” Rapunzel asked.

  “Dina told me of its existence some time ago," I explained. "Few others are even aware of its possibility. I have not been there myself, but I know how to get there. More importantly, I know how to get Wilhelm there quickly and safely.”

  “Excellent. Now that my part has been taken care of, it's Jacob’s turn. Tell them of the pages.”

  “The what?” The words echoed across the room as Jacob glared at his brother.

  “Wilhelm, you know I can’t just hand out family secrets to strangers.”

  “That is why they have been invited to stay for dinner, which should be ready soon. Once they dine with us, they will officially be our guests and our friends. That should give you enough room to maneuver within the laws of hospitality,” Wilhelm explained, setting down his teacup and rising to his feet.

  “May as well invite them to stay the night. This could take a while.”

  “I did.”

  Stepping into the kitchen, it quickly became apparent that the brother’s knack for enchantment went beyond wards. The air hummed ever so faintly as several of their enchantments were in play at that moment. At some point, they had enchanted most of their cooking implements to function independently of them. Or perhaps their mother or some other family member had. I could not tell myself.

  Rapunzel was thrilled. She let out an audible gasp upon entering the room, eyes alight like a kid in a candy store. Seconds later she was dancing around the brothers, carefully examining some implements not in use. She started asking Jacob questions and soon after they were engrossed in a conversation about the fine details of the enchantments.

  I chuckled. It would be some time before that conversation ended, and it looked as if the brothers had dinner handled.

  “I am going to step outside for a moment to check on the horses. I will be back shortly,” I announced.

  “Dinner shouldn’t be much longer,” Wilhelm said. “We will send an alert once it is ready.”

  “I appreciate that. Morpheus, care to join me?”

  “Certainly.”

  He followed me through the house and across the porch to the stables. The air had cooled off significantly from when we arrived, yet it was not uncomfortable. The sun was just beginning to dip behind the trees. It would not be long until it fell below the horizon, plunging the sky into darkness. It worked out well that the brothers had invited us to stay, otherwise we may have had to camp on their property. And I did not want to think about what other protections they may have out in the woods.

  My mind twisted into racing thoughts and it must have been showing on my face because as we approached the stables, Morpheus grabbed my arm. It was a gentle touch, yet I instinctively called upon the magic around me. The wards hummed in protest. I saw the look of genuine concern on his face and took a deep breath, dissipating the magic. The wards relaxed.

  “Is everything alright?” he asked gently.

  “That depends entirely on your definition of alright,” I replied, pulling him alongside me to continue our walk to the stables.

  “Are you alright?”

  “Yes, I am fine. I was merely lost in thought for a moment. There is a lot to process from that conversation and I have a feeling there is even more to come.”

  “I understand that feeling. Part of me is still processing the story Tinkerbelle told.”

  “Don’t worry, she has that effect on everybody. I am pretty sure it comes from being Fae. Though she is the only Fae I have met so it could just be her.”

  He stared at me like there was something he wanted to say. I waited, keeping my eyes on his.

  “Let’s go see to the horses,” he said finally, stepping away from me and into the stable. Whatever was on his mind, he was not quite ready to address it, and I decided not to push, at least for now.

  Entering the stable, we split up. I checked to see the horses had enough feed and that their hooves were cleaned properly while Morpheus went to double-check the tack. These efforts ended up not being necessary, but they provided a small amount of comfort in their familiarity.

  “Regretting your decision to join us?” I asked, scrapping some leftover gravel out of a hoof. Satisfied, I let the foot drop and gave the horse an affectionate pat. She huffed happily and returned to her dinner.

  “Of course not. I may have a lot of things to catch up on, but honestly, my life has not been this exciting in a while.”

  I stood up abruptly and stared at him over the horse.

  “Really? This is more interesting than life in Wonderland?" I laughed. "Either the stories I heard were greatly exaggerated or you were very sheltered, my prince,” I quipped, eyebrow raised. He looked up with a guilty expression from where he was feeding his horse...something.

  “Your prince? I must say, I am not altogether opposed to that idea, but in answer to your question, all the stories are true,” he admitted. "Wonderland is exactly as strange as you think it is and then some. It is also my home. A place I know like the back of my hand. This place, here and now, is far more interesting and I find myself doing something far more important than I would be doing back home. Plus, the company is wonderful,” he replied with a wink, sneaking his horse what appeared to be another sugar cube. I chuckled.

  “Things are rarely what you expect them to be. Even so, it sounds like you have some interesting stories that you should share sometime.”

  “Sounds like you have some stories of your own to share.”

  “That I do, and we are currently in the middle of a big one. It will take some time to untangle things, if we ever get to the end of this,” I admitted.

  At this point we were both done with our tasks, so he came to stand beside me. I shifted over to allow him some space to lean against the wall next to me. He did so, and I turned to lean on my shoulder to face him.

  “We will get to the end of this,” he said, the confidence in his voice undeniable.

  “When you say it like that, I almost believe you," I admitted. "It's not that I think you’d lie to me, not about something like this. This is big, though, and I can honestly say I have no idea how this will end. Some of these pieces have been in play almost as long as written language." I sighed. "If the book still exists and holds the same power it did during the time of the old king, I don’t want to think about what someone could do with it now.”

  I started to run my hand through my hair, but Morpheus caught it, giving it a gentle squeeze.

  “Thinking that way will accomplish nothing. Focusing on all the things you don’t know will only drive you crazy." He placed his hands on my shoulders. "Take a deep breath. Keep your mind on the here, the now, and the next step you have to take to get to where you want to be.”

  “You sound like your mom.”

  “So you do remember her." He beamed with pride. "Good. I was beginning to think you had forgotten all about me,” he murmured, shifting closer to me.

  “You are rather difficult to forget, my dear, what with those fine features of yours. Even the tricky rules of Wonderland could not erase the traces of your personality.”

  “Do you really find my features fine?” He chuckled.

  “You don't need me to tell you that you are a handsome man, nor that you are intriguing, my prince.”

  “Darling, the only thing you need to tell me is what you need me to do.”

  He spoke with such an intense sincerity that it took me a few seconds to realize there were no conditions to that statement. He was truly willing to do whatever I needed him to do. Whatever I wanted him to do. So unlike this prince of Wonderland but, then again, while others he spoke to as acquaintances he had never treated me as anything other than an equal.

  My mind was abuzz with all the things I could ask but there was only one that felt important.

  “Be honest with me.”

  “Always.”

  “Why me?”

  He hesitated, eyes searching mine from mesmerizingly close. I did not flinch or look away, even as I found myself becoming rather distracted.

  “At first it was duty, but I would be lying if I said I have not found more compelling reasons to remain by your side." He gently brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. "When we were children, it was curiosity that drew me to you but that has long since grown into many other things that I wish to explore. Whenever you are ready, of course.”

  I found myself trapped in his eyes, unable to bring myself to look away. Not that I wanted too.

  It felt like I was seeing a glimpse of the real him for the first time, and while there were many things we had to worry about, at that moment I decided to take a chance and work out the details later.

  I kissed him.

  After the shock wore off, he kissed me back. My arms wrapped around him as he shifted me, my back was against the wall. The years, the worries, the doubts, they all melted away until all that was left was this moment.

  "Ahem."

  I stopped and shook my head.

  “What’s wrong?” Morpheus asked, concern written all over his face as I gently pushed him back. I held up my finger, keeping the other hand planted on his chest.

  Yes, Rapunzel?

  "There you are. I was beginning to worry that you and Morpheus had run away together."

  Like that would ever happen. I just got a little distracted is all.

  "Uhuh, sure. Well, now that I finally have your attention, dinner is ready. The two of you can get back to being distracted later."

  Oh shut up.

  She would be ribbing me about this for days, I just knew it. Shaking my head, I turned my attention back to Morpheus.

  “Duty calls,” I sighed, straightening reluctantly.

  “It would seem so. I thought I recognized that look,” Morpheus chuckled. He absent-mindedly reached up to brush a strand of hair out of my eyes.

  “I am glad we had this conversation, even if the circumstances are not the best.”

  “As am I. There is no one else I would rather face...whatever this is with than you.”

  “Much as I would love to stay, we should probably leave before Rapunzel decides to organize some kind of rescue,” I said, pulling him close for one last kiss before pushing him towards the stable door.

  “She wouldn’t really do that, would she?”

  “Oh, she absolutely would.”