“Do you mean like fairies and witches?” Mina asked.

“Your world drew them like moths to flame. The Grimm Brothers realized this. Somehow the brothers found a gate to the Fae plane and confronted the ruling Fae, or as some call them, Fates. They demanded that the Fae return to their own plane. Now, the Fae love games more than anything and they take great pleasure in toying with humans.”

“Well that much is obvious,” she said.

“Touche,” Jared replied, winking at her. “But the older ones, that’s who you need to worry about. They love to feed off human emotions and energy. It’s addicting to them, like the purest kind of drug.”

“You can imagine, these older beings weren’t about to return to their own world easily. But the Fae also love stories. So a challenge was issued to the brothers: if they could complete a list of quests based on their favorite stories, then the Fae would be drawn back to their own world and the gates closed forever. If they didn’t, then the gates would stay open.

“The brothers discussed at length what to do, for the quests were numerous. They couldn't possibly achieve all of them in their lifetime. So they agreed, on the condition that if they couldn't finish the quests then the next of their bloodline would be given a chance.”

“It sounds too easy,” Mina commented.

“It was of course, but the ruling Fates were crafty. Fae can’t lie, you know. But they can, and do, manipulate the truth.”

“What’s the difference?” Mina asked.

“Like, if you asked me if you were ugly, I couldn’t say yes, but I might tell you that you’ll probably never be prom queen.”

“Pfft. Like I’d want to be.”

“Only if Brody Carmichael were king.”

Mina threw a stick at him, feeling the heat rush into her face.

“Mina, what I’m saying is, the Fates tricked your great ancestors. What the brothers didn't know was that the quests would start over from the beginning if the chosen Grimm couldn't complete them.”

“But that's not fair! I shouldn’t have to be shouldered with their unfinished business. My family wouldn't be cursed if they were able to finish where the others left off. The gate could have been closed long ago and I would still have my father! I HATE this. I hate the Fae!” Mina let out a frustrated growl.

Jared's eyes darkened at her words, and Mina pinched her lips closed in remorse.

“Yes, the Fae are crafty. They don't want the gates closed. It means their playground would be off limits and they couldn’t toy with the humans. So the Fae continually try to impede the Grimm’s progress. They learned to hide their essence between planes and appear human, normal. But if you were able to see onto the next plane, you would see them for what they really are.”

“You mean I would see that Grey Tail isn’t human.”

Jared nodded. “Grey Tail is very much a Fae wolf, and like all wolves, they do run in packs.”

Mina shivered and rubbed her hands together over the fire.

“And what do you look like on the next plane?”

“Imagine me now, except twice as handsome.”

“Yeah, right.” Mina smiled for a moment, but the thought of facing others like Grey Tail truly scared her. Swallowing, she tried to regain focus on what Jared was saying. The clue to beating the curse lay somewhere with him, she knew it. “So what about the Story? You, my mother, everyone keeps referring to the Story as if it’s a living breathing thing.”

“It wasn’t at first, but it is now. And it’s very dangerous.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Well, when the ruling Fates set forth the quests for Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, they kept a record of the tales on the Fae plane as their way to keep an eye on the brothers' progress. I told you the Fae love stories, and they loved to read the completed tales as the brothers finished each one. But anything that resides within the Fae plane that long eventually gains power, and it did. It became self-aware, a Fae in its own right, known as the Story. It liked the attention it was receiving from the Fae, so the Story began to interfere on its own and set up the tales for the Grimm descendants as a way to gain more power.”

“It doesn’t sound real. This sounds made up.” Mina bit the inside of her cheek.

“Believe me, I know how unbelievable it is. Over the years the Story grew on its own. It became obsessed with recreating the Fae tales, even forcing the occupants to participate so it could grow more powerful.”

“And the ruling Fates don't care?”

“Hardly. The Fates became bored after the Grimm brothers passed on and cared little about their descendants. Few were entertaining enough for them, they … petered out too quickly. Maybe if someone came close to breaking what you call the Grimm curse, they might peek their head out of the throne room and look, but not likely.

“Did my father know all of this?” she asked.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because he didn’t ask for help.”

“And I did? When did I ask for help?

“In the alley, you called and you got me.”

“And you are?”

“Not important. All you need to know is that you’re lucky you’re so cute, and I decided to help you.”

“But not prom queen cute.”

“Definitely not.”

They both smiled, but Mina realized with a start that he’d never answered her question.

“So about the Grimoire,” Jared continued. “It was initially a token bestowed upon the brothers by a sprite. She didn't agree with the Fae running amok in the human world – not all of us do, you know. So instead of impeding the brothers like so many other Fae, she became their ally. She stole the Story when it was new in power and split it, in an attempt to limit the damage. She essentially made its doppelganger and gave it to the Grimm brothers as a guidebook. Only when you split a powerful object, the lines of good versus evil aren't separated equally, and there are always side effects.”

“Let me get this straight. So you’re saying that the Grimoire is like the Good Witch of the East, here on the human plane, here to help me, and guide me. While the Story is the same Wicked Witch of the West, only more powerful and evil, and essentially wants to kill me?”

“More or less, that about sums it up.”

“Yikes. I really am doomed.”

“I wouldn't say it wants to kill you. It wants you to complete the tales. Remember, the more you complete, the stronger it becomes. I just don't think it wants you to complete all of them.”

“So how do I know how to complete the tales?”

“Some of it is based on intuition. The Grimm were always a smart bunch, or so they say. And through years of participating in the story, Grimm descendants seem to have their own kind of magic. You’ll pick up on things, notice coincidences. A coincidence is often a sign that something in the Fae world is interacting on this plane.”

Mina thought about showing up at the Carmichael’s, and Brody running over her bike. Coincidence, or was it more likely the Fae meddling in her affairs? After a few moments, Jared got to his feet and changed the wooden sword into a small knife, and began explaining different ways to hold the knife and how to use the forearm to block downward thrusts. He ran her through some exercises and then asked her to attack him.