[Half/Time 01] Half Upon a Time Read Online Free Page B

that much, I’d definitely be coming along. So they carried me in right behind her. Only …” She trailed off briefly, then shrugged. “Only I struggled while we were in that tunnel. I guess the fire wasn’t that stable, ’cause it didn’t take much for me to knock one of the monsters off balance, and they dropped me. Not knowing what else to do, I jumped.”
    She pointed at the picture now painting itself onto the page, of May diving headfirst into the tunnel’s wall, childlike hands reaching out to grab her fleeing form.
    “And that’s all I remember,” she said.
    In the book, three dots appeared, as if the story wasn’t quite finished.
    “That’s when we found you,” Jack said, and a final illustration appeared, showing Jack bent over the unconscious princess, the circle of blue fire still burning in midair, his grandfather looking on with a big smile on his face.
    “Right,” May said. “So if you start talking from here, I should find out why you started making out with me?”
    Jack blushed. “We can probably skip that part.”
    May glared at him for a second, then reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. “Emergency numbers,” she reminded him. “Probably pointless, but who knows.”
    May unfolded the paper, then gasped as a silver necklace slipped out. She caught it as it fell and held it up to get a closer look.
    At the end of the chain was a golden crown. “This is my grandmother’s,” she said quietly. “She never takes it off.”
    Jack frowned. “What does the paper say?”
    May slipped the chain over her head and unfolded the rest of the note. “‘May,’” she read. “‘Keep this hidden. It’s the key to everything.’” She paused, holding up the necklace to examine it.
    “I think I understand,” Jack said. “Keep reading.”
    “‘If I am taken,’” May continued, “‘you’ll find help in the Black Forest. Remember I—’” May stopped reading suddenly, swallowing hard before continuing. “‘Remember I love you always, my beautiful month of May.’” She put the note down and turned to Jack, her eyes wet. “I guess I shouldn’t have shown you the necklace, huh?”
    Jack sighed. “Thanks for the trust. But it all makes sense, Princess. I just can’t believe you didn’t mention the most important part of your story before!”
    “Which part?” May asked, wiping her eyes. “The guy in green?”
    “Not the Huntsman, no,” Jack said. “Though he was my first clue.”
    “The Huntsman?” May repeated. “You know who that guy is?!”
    “Only from stories,” Jack said. “But that’s what I’m talking about. That’s how I know who your grandmother is!”
    May stared back at him. “Who she
is
?” May asked. “But how would you know that? You’ve never met her. She’s not from … wherever here is.”
    “Oh, yes she is,” Jack said. “But she’s been gone for years. This is huge, May!”
    “What are you
talking
about?” May shouted at him.
    Before Jack could answer her, someone banged on the front door. Jack jumped up to open it, wondering why his grandfather didn’t just come in.
    Except it wasn’t his grandfather. Instead, it looked to be about twenty, maybe thirty, of the village boys. And standing at the front of the boys was Robert, the oldest, meanest, and strongest of all the boys in their village—not as much a bully as some kind of horrible tornado of evil.
    “Hey there, Jack,” Robert said with a smile. “Your grandfather’s been telling the whole town that you found yourself a princess.” He looked over Jack’s shoulder to where May stood with a confused look on her face. “Congratulations, Princess. Me and the boys here have come to rescue you!”
    May glanced from Robert to Jack and back again. She started to say something, then looked down at her shirt.
    “Okay, that’s the last time I wear this stupid thing,” she said. “Seriously.”

Chapter 5
    “Don’t you worry, Jack,” Robert said,