The question seemed to calm Shew down. She hiccupped once more and wiped her own tears. It looked as if she wanted to put a finger on what it really meant to be in love, but she seemed to not find the words. Finally, she put her hand on her heart, leaving Fable a bit puzzled. "All I can say is that I feel him here," Shew said. "Even when he is dead, he is right here inside me. I don't know how to explain it further."
Fable stared at where Shew's heart was for a while. She was embarrassed to put her hand on her own heart, for she knew that no one was in there. As much as she thought it was clichéd, she wondered if anyone was going to be there at all. "Then we have to bring him back." Fable pulled herself out of her own thoughts. It was Shew and Loki who mattered now. If she couldn't find love, it didn't mean she should act envious when she could help someone who had found it. "If Charmwill can be resurrected through his True Name then Loki should be resurrected too. We know his name is Loki Van Helsing now. It's a True Name. All we need is to find the right spell."
"I don't think so," Shew moaned. "He was killed in a dream. No one wakes up from dying in a dream. It's the first rule in the Dreamworld. I'm sure Loki told you that. He is dead for good."
"No, he isn't," a voice declared from the top of the stairs.
Fable and Shew turned to see it was Axel. Fable squinted for a moment to read the words printed on his white t-shirt. It said: Alexus the Great is Never Too Late!
"According to the Brothers Grimm, Loki is in a Sleeping Death, just like Shew was in the books when Prince Charming came and kissed her awake. Did you try kissing Loki?" He turned to Shew.
"I did," Shew replied, her cheeks reddening. "It didn't work."
"Gross!" Axel said. "But you had to try. I kissed him once too outside the Schloss, trying to give him CPR."
"If you're so grossed out, why did you ask her?" Fable frowned.
"Had to see how far people go with True Love." Axel shook his shoulders. "Nah, joking." He waved a hand. "Why don't you girls drag yourself out of the cellar and get up here. I think we need to discuss a few things."
"Like what?" Shew murmured, reluctant to leave Loki's side.
"Like what?" Axel squealed. "Seriously? Like what we're going to do with Charmwill Glimmer's True Name. How Charmwill Glimmer is Wilhelm Carl Grimm. Why Carmilla disguised as our foster mother. Should we look for Cerené in Murano Island to stop the Queen from finding her, and thus controlling the Andersen Mirror? That's if we know who Cerené, the Phoenix, is reincarnated into. So many questions that my head is exploding already, and you're asking me 'like what?'"
"He is right," Fable said. "We have to find some answers, or we won't even have time to save Loki."
"Besides, Alexus the Great"—he pointed proudly at himself—"has an idea what to do next."
"You do?" Shew said.
"Definitely," he said. "I know who can help us bring Loki back."
6
Although everyone was eager to listen to Axel's theory about resurrecting Loki, they had to wait for Shew to wash in the bathroom. She hadn't only been soaked in tears, but also in Cerené's and Loki's blood from the Dreamworld. It seemed like Shew hadn't even slept last night when Axel was snoring and Fable was having nightmares.
As Axel waited in the kitchen, trying to befriend Pickwick, Fable couldn't resist those breadcrumbs at the porch again. She told Axel she was returning in a few, enough time to let Shew wash and refresh. Axel seemed in a hurry with those repeated missed calls and messages he received. He told her that she and Shew had only fifteen minutes before he had to go do something important.
Fable walked as if she were hypnotized, following the breadcrumbs. She still couldn't explain the feeling, nor could she tell what was happening to her. She felt comfortable in her boyish outfit, though.
She kept walking until she reached Loki's car again. This was when she really knew why she was here. It was Carmen. How was Fable capable of hearing the radio when it only played in Loki's presence?
Fable opened the door cautiously. She put in one foot slowly after the other and then sat by the steering wheel. No radio played his time. Fable wondered if there was a way to trigger it, but couldn't think of any. She tapped her fingers on the wheel, giving it a prolonged thought.
"Carmen?" she whispered reluctantly. "Can you hear me?"
Carmen showed no sign of acknowledgment.
"If you do hear me, please answer me," she whispered. "We need all the help we can to get Loki back."
Carmen did nothing.
Fable wondered if she had imagined the radio playing a few minutes ago. She leaned back in her seat and tapped her hands on the wheel. It took her some time to bring herself to kick Carmen like Loki used to. She gave it a feeble kick at first before she followed with a heavier one.
Nothing happened.
Fable rubbed her chin. She let out a defeated sigh then reached to open the door and go back to Candy House.
Carmen's motor sprang to life immediately.