we were from involved booze, walking around, and pretending to be involved in intellectually stimulating conversation. With the table setup, it looked like we were prepared for a formal sit down dinner. Of course, I wasn’t opposed to that because I was starving, but I wouldn’t be able to get up and mingle.
From the stares I was getting, I could tell there were quite a few people who would rather not mingle, but if I could find a few more people like Red, I’d call it good. The lights flicked back on for good, and the room fell silent. Spotlights fell upon the dark stage, surprising me. I hadn’t seen a stage when I walked in, which told me the glamour it was under was done by strong magic.
More fairy lights appeared on the stage, strung across the branches that now filled the entire room. A woman in silhouette walked out from behind the dark purple curtains. She was curvy and walked with a familiar gait. All the hope I had for a successful mixer started going down the drain as I realized who that walk belonged to.
The lights flashed on all of a sudden, blinding in their intensity. On the stage, wearing a slinky red dress, a la Jessica Rabbit, stood Naomi. Long red hair flowed down in waves past her waist. Her blood-red lips were pasted in a polite, friendly smile.
A long, low groan elicited from Belle. “Are you kidding me?” she whispered.
The two guards sitting at our table turned their attention to Belle. I gave her a warning look and mouthed
shhh
to her. Halfhearted applause rang out through the ballroom, and I watched as Naomi’s brilliant smile faltered. She knew the people were tiring of her. I wondered what her game was.
One of her minions ran out onto the stage and handed her a microphone before he scurried away. She held it up to her lips and her smoky voice announced her pleasure at being in attendance of this conference.
Yeah right
, I thought. She droned on for a couple of minutes, thanking the magicians who decorated the ballroom and all of the special people who set everything up. Then, as if she knew right where I was sitting, she turned her gaze to mine.
It should have been impossible. The light shining on her should have been too bright to make out any facial features, yet she was staring right at me. I straightened, on guard and wary.
“And I do have to make a special announcement. After ten long years, Snow White has deigned to make an appearance. Aren’t we all so happy to see her again?”
You could hear a pin drop in the room. Ninety-eight percent of the audience knew exactly what happened to me, and I could only imagine the stories about my disappearance had filtered down to everyone else. I inched my hand down to my waistband, my trigger finger itching to fire if she made one move in my direction.
“What, no applause?” She pouted. “As you know, when Snow
abandoned
her post, I was the only one left who had the smarts and know-how to run a kingdom.” I saw Max stiffen out of the corner of my eye. The gasps of my friends followed this shocking announcement. I felt numb.
How dare she!
I scraped back my chair and stood.
She smiled even wider. “Ah, hello, Snow! I can only imagine how much you wanted to be here for this announcement. After all, it will give you the freedom you’ve been searching for all this time. It must be difficult to be the princess of an unwanted kingdom.”
Anger and embarrassment flooded my body. The accusing stares of my former subjects burned holes in my back. “I’m not sure what announcement you’re talking about, but everyone sitting here knows what happened to me all those years ago.”
Naomi waved a hand at me and made her way down the stage steps. She was coming in my direction, milking her words for all they were worth. “People change, Snow. That was eons ago.” She chuckled, and the audience laughed uncomfortably with her. “Now, I’m sure you want to hear the announcement.”
She slunk over and stood a few feet away, the spotlight
From the stares I was getting, I could tell there were quite a few people who would rather not mingle, but if I could find a few more people like Red, I’d call it good. The lights flicked back on for good, and the room fell silent. Spotlights fell upon the dark stage, surprising me. I hadn’t seen a stage when I walked in, which told me the glamour it was under was done by strong magic.
More fairy lights appeared on the stage, strung across the branches that now filled the entire room. A woman in silhouette walked out from behind the dark purple curtains. She was curvy and walked with a familiar gait. All the hope I had for a successful mixer started going down the drain as I realized who that walk belonged to.
The lights flashed on all of a sudden, blinding in their intensity. On the stage, wearing a slinky red dress, a la Jessica Rabbit, stood Naomi. Long red hair flowed down in waves past her waist. Her blood-red lips were pasted in a polite, friendly smile.
A long, low groan elicited from Belle. “Are you kidding me?” she whispered.
The two guards sitting at our table turned their attention to Belle. I gave her a warning look and mouthed
shhh
to her. Halfhearted applause rang out through the ballroom, and I watched as Naomi’s brilliant smile faltered. She knew the people were tiring of her. I wondered what her game was.
One of her minions ran out onto the stage and handed her a microphone before he scurried away. She held it up to her lips and her smoky voice announced her pleasure at being in attendance of this conference.
Yeah right
, I thought. She droned on for a couple of minutes, thanking the magicians who decorated the ballroom and all of the special people who set everything up. Then, as if she knew right where I was sitting, she turned her gaze to mine.
It should have been impossible. The light shining on her should have been too bright to make out any facial features, yet she was staring right at me. I straightened, on guard and wary.
“And I do have to make a special announcement. After ten long years, Snow White has deigned to make an appearance. Aren’t we all so happy to see her again?”
You could hear a pin drop in the room. Ninety-eight percent of the audience knew exactly what happened to me, and I could only imagine the stories about my disappearance had filtered down to everyone else. I inched my hand down to my waistband, my trigger finger itching to fire if she made one move in my direction.
“What, no applause?” She pouted. “As you know, when Snow
abandoned
her post, I was the only one left who had the smarts and know-how to run a kingdom.” I saw Max stiffen out of the corner of my eye. The gasps of my friends followed this shocking announcement. I felt numb.
How dare she!
I scraped back my chair and stood.
She smiled even wider. “Ah, hello, Snow! I can only imagine how much you wanted to be here for this announcement. After all, it will give you the freedom you’ve been searching for all this time. It must be difficult to be the princess of an unwanted kingdom.”
Anger and embarrassment flooded my body. The accusing stares of my former subjects burned holes in my back. “I’m not sure what announcement you’re talking about, but everyone sitting here knows what happened to me all those years ago.”
Naomi waved a hand at me and made her way down the stage steps. She was coming in my direction, milking her words for all they were worth. “People change, Snow. That was eons ago.” She chuckled, and the audience laughed uncomfortably with her. “Now, I’m sure you want to hear the announcement.”
She slunk over and stood a few feet away, the spotlight
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