Chapter 17

Echo, echo, echo…

Alex grinned, cupping her hands around her mouth as her voice bounced through the majestic, echoing hall. “Echo, echo, echoooo! I love the aesthetics of this place!”

“Can you not?” Emma muttered.

“Ugh, no fun,” Alex pouted — then caught sight of the throne ahead. Her eyes lit up. “Oh my god, Em. A real throne!”

Before anyone could stop her, she sprinted across the marble floor and plopped down on the ornate chair, legs hanging off one armrest like a gremlin.

“Off with her head!” Alex declared, attempting a dramatic villain voice.

“That is not what I sound like,” Snow said flatly. “That’s more Regina than me.”

Alex thought for a second, then grinned.
“Fine — Off with your ability to accessorize properly!”

Snow just rolled her eyes and walked on, the others following.

“Come on, that was funny,” Alex called, hopping off the throne and skipping after them.

As they wandered the castle’s long, echoing corridors, Alex looked around, awestruck.
“So… seeing as you refer to Regina as the Evil Queen, my only guess is that you’re Snow White.”

Everyone stopped. Hard. And stared at her like she’d just grown horns.

Alex blinked. “What? Is it something I said?”

“You mean to tell me that after all this time… you didn’t know?” Emma asked, incredulous.

Alex threw her hands up. “Oh, I’m so sorry. It’s not like I wasn’t in a coma, then kidnapped and thrown in a cave!”

Snow gave a small smile. “Yes. I’m Snow White.”

Alex squinted at her and stepped closer, circling like she was trying to spot something.

“I don’t see it,” Alex said bluntly.

“Excuse me?” Snow blinked.

“Well, the story goes that the Evil Queen was jealous of Snow’s beauty, right? No offense, but… I don’t get it. Unless Regina had some serious insecurities—though, let’s be honest, that woman does not strike me as insecure.”

Alex turned to Mulan and Aurora.
“Be honest — do you people need glasses? Because I know a great eye doctor.”

“Now is not the time for this,” Emma groaned.

“But it’s a valid question!” Alex insisted.

“Regina was jealous of me. End of story,” Snow said firmly. “Now, just beyond here… should be the nursery.”

Alex opened her mouth for another quip — but Emma’s glare shut it immediately.

They stepped into a dust-covered but surprisingly preserved nursery. Pastel walls. Golden trim. A chandelier hung from the ceiling, and toys lay abandoned as if someone might return for them at any moment.

“Oh my god,” Emma breathed. “I recognize this. From Henry’s book.”

She walked around slowly, taking it in.

“It’s… definitely a room fit for a princess,” Alex muttered. Her eyes landed on the single crib. Her expression fell.

“We’ll stand guard,” Mulan said quietly, guiding Aurora out. “Give you some privacy.”

Snow picked up a small teddy bear and brushed dust off its fur. Her voice was soft. “I never thought I’d see this place again. This room… it was yours.”

Alex moved to a corner, awkward and still. Like she didn’t belong in the scene.

Emma noticed. “Why is there only one crib?”

Snow paused. “We didn’t know you were twins. No one did. The prophecy said I’d have one child, not two.”

Alex mumbled, “Maybe the prophecy wasn’t wrong.”

“If everything hadn’t happened the way it did… we would’ve had a second crib made,” Snow said, gently placing the bear back down.

Emma stood quietly for a moment, her eyes scanning the soft wallpaper and gilded molding. “I wondered what it would’ve been like if we’d grown up here together… in this room, this castle.”

She looked over at Alex and added, “I bet you got it better, though. At least once.”

Alex paused, then gave a short, humorless laugh. “Yeah, well… the walls were never this clean.”

She wandered toward the window, gaze distant, carefully avoiding Emma’s eyes.

Snow looked around, eyes distant. “This was the life you would’ve had. I was going to teach you to walk here. Talk. Dress for your first royal ball.”

Alex snorted, picturing Emma in a poofy pink gown. Emma rolled her eyes.

“We never got to be a family,” Snow said, voice thick with emotion.

Emma stepped in, her tone turning practical. “We have a family. In Storybrooke. And right now they need us. So how do we get this thing to work?”

Alex nodded, trying to lighten the mood. “Do we say magic words or something? Bibble-bobbity-boop?”

Emma joined in. “Or is there, like, an on switch?”

Snow smiled faintly. “It’s more complicated than that. We have to bring it back to the island. Hopefully someone there still has access to enough magic to make it work again.”

Emma stared at the wardrobe. “How are we supposed to carry this thing?”

“She’s right,” Alex chimed in. “Did you see those stairs? I’m all for cardio, but I draw the line at dragging a magical IKEA closet down three floors of royal architecture.”

Just then, a voice rang out behind them.

“With the help of an old friend.”

They turned.

“Lancelot?” Snow’s eyes widened. “What are you doing here?”

Alex clapped him on the shoulder. “Thank god. You take my spot. I’ll cheer you on from the moral high ground.”

Lancelot chuckled. “We heard about the ogre attack. I had to make sure you were alright.”

“Where are Mulan and Aurora?” Snow asked.

“They’re keeping watch. We’ll make camp tonight. In the morning, we’ll head back.”

He turned toward the wardrobe. “So this is it? The portal?”

“This is it,” Snow said. “It’s how Emma — and Alex — escaped the curse.” 

“Geppetto carved it from an enchanted tree,” Snow explained, brushing her fingers over the wooden frame of the wardrobe. “But there’s no magic left in it.”

“A portal this powerful… there must be another way to recharge it,” Lancelot said thoughtfully.

Snow narrowed her eyes slightly. “Why are you so interested in the wardrobe?”

Lancelot hesitated for a beat, then smiled. “Because I know what it’s like to be separated from the ones you love. I just want to get you home — to your husband, and your grandson, Henry.”

The air changed.

In an instant, both Alex and Snow drew their weapons, aiming them straight at Lancelot.

Emma, still catching up, blinked. “Uh — what are you doing?”

“Stay away from him, Emma. He’s not who he says he is,” Snow said sharply.

Emma frowned. “Then who the hell is he?”

Alex rolled her eyes like she was about to sprain something. “Seriously, Em. Did that ogre knock the brain cells right outta your head? Who’s the only person you ever mentioned Henry to?”

Emma’s expression shifted. “Cora.”

A burst of purple smoke engulfed Lancelot — and when it cleared, standing in his place was the one and only Cora.

“The old crone,” Alex muttered.

Cora smirked. “Clever girl,” she said mockingly.

Snow’s face twisted in horror. “Where’s Lancelot?”

“He’s dead,” Cora said casually. “I killed him a long time ago.”

“You’ve been posing as him this entire time?” Snow asked, disgusted.

“Well,” Cora said, twirling a strand of hair. “No one listens to me. But everyone loves a noble hero. Every kingdom needs one, don’t you think?”

Alex scoffed. “That’s some unrealistic fairytale nonsense. If every kingdom needed a hero, then Cinderella’s mice would’ve been knighted by now.”

“I’ve had quite enough of you,” Cora hissed — and flicked her wrist.

Alex was hurled into a bookshelf with a painful CRACK.

“Argh! Son of a bitch — my back!” she groaned, sprawled out among dusty tomes.

“Alex!” Emma shouted.

Snow charged, but Cora caught her mid-stride with a magical blast, slamming her against the wall.

Emma tried to lunge, but another flick sent her flying.

Cora approached Snow, eyes glittering. “Thank you. I’ve been looking for a way over for so long…”

Snow strained against the magic. “Why?”

“I would just love to meet my grandson. Henry,” Cora said with a wicked smile.

Emma stirred. Alex groaned and crawled to her feet, watching as Emma struggled to ignite a flame at the base of the wardrobe.

Alex limped over, helping her sister strike flint.

“Hey, you old prune!” Alex shouted. “Don’t think you’re going anywhere now!”

The wardrobe caught fire — but just as hope flared, Cora shrieked, “No!” and yanked the flames away, hurling the fireball toward Emma.

Suddenly — CLANG!

Mulan burst through the door, sword in hand, slicing through the fireball mid-air.

“I’m not gonna lie,” Alex wheezed. “That was hot.“

All eyes turned to her.

“What? I can’t give a compliment?”

Cora growled. “We’re not done,” she hissed — and vanished in a swirl of purple smoke.

Aurora ran to Emma while Alex helped Snow to her feet.

“You saved me,” Snow said quietly.

“Yeah, well,” Alex muttered, dusting herself off. “Getting killed by a magical sociopath isn’t exactly the way I wanna go out.”

Emma glanced around. “Where is she?”

“Gone,” Snow rasped, rubbing her throat.

“So is our ride,” Emma added bitterly, staring at the smoldering wardrobe.

“Welp,” Alex said, sighing. “There goes that plan. Guess I’m going another three days without a shower. Fantastic. I’m starting to smell like ogre sweat and trauma.”

“Do you ever think about anyone but yourself?” Emma snapped.

Alex stopped in her tracks. “What’s your problem?”

“My problem is that you’re treating all of this like it’s a game.” Emma gestured around the room. “We nearly died, again. Our mom nearly got killed. And you’re acting like we’re on a field trip.”

Alex folded her arms. “Sorry, I didn’t realize sarcasm wasn’t allowed in near-death experiences. Guess I missed the memo.”

“You never take anything seriously. You hide behind jokes and one-liners because you don’t want to deal with anything real.”

“And you act like you’re the only one who’s ever suffered!” Alex snapped. “Like I haven’t lost anything. Like you’re the only person who has scars.”

Emma flinched at the word.

“Please,” she said bitterly. “You got picked, remember? Chosen. Sent off with some happy family while I was stuck in group homes where nobody remembered my name.”

Alex looked away, face hardening.

“I used to wonder what it was like for you,” Emma continued, her voice quieter. “Thought maybe you got the better deal. Turns out I was just the unlucky one.”

Alex clenched her jaw. “Yeah, you keep telling yourself that.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

But Alex just turned and walked away.

Snow stepped between them, firm but gentle. “That’s enough. I just lost a friend today, and I won’t lose my daughters to pointless fighting.”

Emma looked down, shame rising in her chest. Alex stayed still, jaw clenched, avoiding eye contact.

There was a heavy silence.

Emma finally broke it. “I’m sorry I called you selfish. That wasn’t fair.”

Alex didn’t look at her. “Sure.”

Emma hesitated. “I just— I didn’t mean to say what I did about the family thing. I guess I was angry, and it came out wrong.”

Alex nodded slightly, still not facing her. “It’s fine.”

But it didn’t sound fine. Not even close.

Emma opened her mouth to say more, but Alex turned and started toward the door.

Snow moved like she might stop her, but didn’t.

Alex paused in the doorway, one hand on the frame. She glanced back — not at Emma, but at the crib.

“I’ll be outside,” she said quietly, then disappeared down the hall.

Emma watched her go, heart sinking.

Snow touched her shoulder. “She just needs some time.”

Emma nodded, her voice barely a whisper. “Yeah. Maybe we both do.”

Outside the nursery, the hallway was quiet.

Alex leaned against the stone wall, out of view. Her fists were clenched at her sides, her breathing shallow. She wasn’t crying anymore.

Just… quiet.

Emma’s words still echoed in her head:

“You got lucky.”

Alex slowly reached for her ribs, fingertips brushing a spot through her shirt — skin that bore the faded scars no one ever saw. The kind of scars that didn’t come from a fall, or a fight. The kind that stayed long after you were returned.

Lucky, she thought bitterly.

Inside, she could hear muffled voices — Emma crying in Snow’s arms. Their mother whispering something about not missing any more time together. Promises, apologies. Hope.

But Alex stood on the other side of the door.

She looked up at the ceiling, blinking hard. Ingrid’s voice rang out in her mind, like a curse she couldn’t shake:

“Your parents aren’t who you think they are.”

Alex didn’t know what to believe anymore. She didn’t think Snow lied about giving birth to her — and the book even showed that she was born from Snow White.

“So what am I missing?” Alex whispered to herself.

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Finally uploaded a chapter sorry for the wait. I was thinking of starting a new book but take place in Neverland then go off from their. Tell me what you guys think