sister just had a strong personality and took some warming up. It was important to her that Ingrid live at the castle and be her lady-in-waiting. But when your mother finally saw through Ingrid’s act, it was too late.” His eyes cast downward. “She became ill so soon afterward.”
Snow met eyes with Henri, who had just walked in, but the two said nothing. She had to know the whole story before she broke her father even more. “If she had you under a love spell, how did you wind up here?”
He let go of her hands and motioned to the room they sat in. “I’ve had a lot of time to think about this,” he said. “The details are foggy, of course, but spell or no spell, I think there was always a part of me that resisted her, and maybe she realized that and finally decided to cut me loose. Why she didn’t just have me killed, I don’t know. All I remember is being sent on a diplomatic trip and winding up here. Once I arrived, I couldn’t remember what I was sent to do, and the men who had brought me here disappeared.” His weathered face was grim. “I felt almost a sudden surge of memories—marrying Ingrid, leaving you—and wondered what I had done. I immediately got a horse and prepared to return, but every time I try, an electric bolt sends me back to this very cottage!” Georg said, growing frustrated. “Henri tried to smuggle me through to the kingdom, too, but it’s impossible. Even years later!” He swiped a cup off his table, smashing it to the floor. “I was desperate to get back to you.” He glanced at the rafters and sighed. “To survive, I had to make my peace with the fact that I might not. I’ve become friendly with the nearby villagers after all this time. I make furniture like this table here to have enough to buy food and things.” He pointed to the simple wood table in front of them. “It’s a simple but honest life. I’ve bartered with an enchantress from time to time for spells to keep Ingrid from seeing me.”
“An enchantress?” Snow asked.
“Yes,” her father said. “She has traveled through these parts, which is how I met her. I’m not sure where she resides . . . or even if her spells are working, so I always take precautions when I can. I sometimes fear the queen is still watching me. I wanted Henrich to bring you through the forest so you wouldn’t be seen on the roads. I know I am putting you in danger by bringing you here, but when Henrich described the castle, and meeting a fair maiden, I knew it had to be you. I couldn’t help but beg him to help me see you and warn you about Ingrid. How did you get away from her?”
Snow grabbed her father’s hands. “Father, she tried to have me killed. She sent me out with her huntsman, but he couldn’t go through with it, not after . . .” She paused, her voice choked with emotion. “Father, Mother was not ill. Ingrid had her killed, too, the same way she tried to kill me.”
“No.” Her father’s eyes filled with tears. “Your mother was sick. I saw her in bed . . . didn’t I?”
Snow understood this fog. She’d felt it herself. Memories filled her brain that weren’t really her own. They felt almost tucked in there by someone else. “No. She wasn’t. Not really. I fear Mother was poisoned. Aunt Ingrid tricked us.”
Her father openly wept for some time before he spoke. Snow stroked his hand, unable to speak herself. “My darling Katherine,” he finally whispered. “My love! I’m so sorry I failed you.” Then his eyes sharpened and anger returned to his voice. “That woman is pure evil! After all her sister did for her. I told your mother she couldn’t be trusted! The night before your mother died she came to me, worried about Ingrid’s enchanted mirror. I knew we should have banished her right then! But she wouldn’t let me. Her empathy for her sister was her downfall.”
“Mirror?” Snow’s ears perked up. “Why was she worried about a mirror?”
Georg looked confused again. “There was something about it . . . Katherine said Ingrid spoke to it. Like it was a person. She spoke of how evil it seemed, and how Ingrid seemed so attached. . . . Katherine and I had had