My Name is Rapunzel(75)

Just as I suspected. “You knew the dragon was Henry all along? Why didn’t you tell me?” I wanted to strangle her.

“Of course I knew, my dear. I was there.” Gretta said, then cocked an eyebrow and laughed. “Don’t you remember? Now, do as I say or something awful might happen to your precious Henry. The dragon in him loves the smell of my brew. What would happen if it were accidentally poisoned? Kind of ironic that it would take a brew that heals people—keeps them young forever—to kill either you or him.”

“You wouldn’t dare!” I yelled again.

“Oh, but I would,” Gretta said. “We had a deal, remember?”

Maybe once and for all I could get some answers. “Why me? Why did the deal have to be with me?”

Gretta shook her head. “I never understood why your father tried so hard to keep your ancestry a secret. I should think he’d be proud that your great, great grandfather was an illustrious sorcerer. He loved his wife so much that he tried to sustain her youth forever. Problem was, something went wrong. The qualities of youth and beauty were passed on to new generations, through the females, but not to her. She died in childbirth not even a full year later.”

“How do you know this?” Somehow I knew the answer, but I had to hear it from her.

“I was that baby, born to your great, great grandmother. Your father was my grandson.”

I slumped into a dining chair. “That would make you…”

“Your great grandmother.”

So many things made sense. How she knew about the power in my hair. Why we lived near her. Why Father allowed her to come. Why she held the deed to half the estate.

And that meant it never would have worked for Mother to bear a baby in my place. That plan had been doomed from the start. Gretta would never have let me go.

And Father knew it.

My head swam. Too much to take in. All betrayal. I dropped my head in my hands and groaned. Henry. All I wanted was to feel Henry’s arms around me, comforting me, assuring me we’d fix it together, but something told me this wasn’t fixable.

“I wanted your hair. We could have easily shared, but you tried to keep it from me. So I had to curse you. Problem is, it can’t be cut because of the curse. So now you must remain with me always.”

I lifted my gaze and stared. I had no words.

“So, now, if you want me to keep that dragon alive—and whether you think so or not, it is up to me—I think it best if you confine yourself to the tower. Don’t worry, I won’t let you starve.” She pointed to a tray on the table that held a large plate of food, with a cup of coffee and a glass of juice.

“This is blackmail.” My voice slumped with my hope.

“Call it what you will, but we had a deal and it’s time you lived up to your end of the agreement. If you try to leave this place, then Henry will no longer be around to protect you.” Gretta smiled. “It didn’t have to be this way. We were happy for a time, the two of us here. But you had to go and ruin everything.”

That witch!

I shoved the tray off the table, letting it crash to the floor, then made my way back to the tower. I could hear Gretta’s cackling laugh echo through the castle until I reached my room.





CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN




I bolted up the stairs. I would not cry—not until I was safe in my room, alone. How dare Gretta threaten me with Henry. After all these years, she had finally gotten one over on me. I had never even dreamed Henry was the dragon.

And Gretta was my great grandmother?

I wiped the tears from my cheeks and stood in front of the window. Henry wouldn't be flying during the day, so I wouldn't be able to see him until tonight. I wished I could talk to him and tell him what Gretta was up to. I had to protect him, like he'd protected me through so many years.

I needed to warn him, but how? I couldn’t climb down the tower, or I'd fall. I was quite sure Gretta would be watching my every move, so I couldn’t sneak out the door. She only wanted my hair, and I would lop it all off if I could. It was only hair. I'd gladly do it so I could be with Henry.

I wanted to lie down and have a good cry.

Happy birthday to me.

What a wonderful way to spend this special day, confined in my tower, the place I called home. I would be by the mailbox by now and Henry would be watching me from the hillside. Oh, how I wanted to go to him and be wrapped in his arms.

John!

John wanted me to meet him tonight. We were supposed to go away together. I couldn't even leave to tell him I'd changed my mind. He'd think I stood him up. I never wanted to hurt his feelings, but now he'd think the worst of me.

A delicate, once-white dress hanging on the opposite door caught my attention. It always looked so perfect hanging there, waiting. Hopeful. My fingers trailed over the silky fabric and lingered on the delicate lace. I squeezed my eyes closed, but not before a single tear escaped. It wasn't the dress's fault.