Keeping Fantasia: The Third Book of the Fantasia Series

Chapter 132: Bite Me

She rounded on Mirabel. "If Uncle Bruno is anything like Wendy, then he's better off dead. And if Oogie Boogie was real, your uncle would already be maggot meat!"

Without warning, she smashed her martini glass  at Mirabel's feet. "Guards! Get this girl off my set! And take her family too! Except for the pretty one – " She smirked at Isabella. "We like pretty girls here. Anyway – throw them out! Now!"

"No!" Mirabel clutched Bruno's portrait as the guards corralled her family. "This is a total injustice! Oogie Boogie is real! He has my uncle! He – "

The audience pelted her with trash – hats, coins, nipple covers, and anything they could throw.

Infuriated, Mirabel made a final attempt to be heard.

"If you don't believe me, then turn around! Virana Fang is in the audience! King Arthur integrated her three years ago for murdering an ambassador! She's working for Oogie Boogie! She's a spy! She's – "

Virana Fang stood. Wendy caught the movement  as Mirabel was removed from the stage.

"Help my uncle!" Mirabel shouted. "Please Lady Shadow Worker! Don't let Oogie Boogie eat him! Don't let Virana Fang win! Save my Uncle Brun – "

Mirabel's pleas faded. Powerless to help, Wendy searched the audience for Virana.

She and Arista Triton were evacuating, using the pandemonium as cover.

Wendy gripped her right hand. She wished Shadow wasn't locked in her sewing basket. The urge to apprehend Virana was overwhelming, but she couldn't do it without Shadow –

Abruptly, Virana turned, as if she sensed Wendy's indecision. She held Wendy's gaze but there was something....off. Virana's eyes were moving, but they were vacant, like specimens floating in formaldehyde.

And with every other blink...they would flicker black.

Wendy's initial assumptions bubbled into a full blown accusation: somehow  Virana was involved with shadow magic. Namaari and Raya were right. Virana had information that only Wendy could obtain.

Impulsively, Wendy took several steps, intent on leaving the interview and interrogating Virana.

But Tinkerbell reeled her back.

"Down horsey." Tinkerbell wrenched her skirt. "Sit like a good girl."

Wendy twisted free. "You – "

"Wowwwww!" Tinkerbell faced the audience. "What a crazy diaper baby, huh?! Can we all agree that Mirabel Madrigal is sexually frustrated?"

The audience cackled. Tinkerbell laughed invitingly at Isabella, the only remaining member of the Madrigal family. Isabella smiled, but was wringing buttercups in her lap.

"Clearly Mirabel Madrigal was planted by King Arthur!" Tinkerbell shuddered. "It just goes to show you how deceitful Fantasia's government is! King Arthur will lie through his ass to – "

"You should believe Mirabel." Wendy interrupted. "You should believe everything she said. Something is wrong in Fantasia and if we don't act now..."

She looked to her fellow guardians. "There will be another war."

The guardians felt something stir within them. Their souls had been bound to Fantasia since they were christened, nearly half a lifetime ago. Call it experience from the previous wars, or a spiritual connection, but they knew Wendy was right.

Fantasia was rotting from the inside, and like a cancer, there wouldn't be symptoms until it was too late.

The audience was silent. Stone cold.