Belle needs me…
Childish laughter echoes through the trees again, and I lose my nerve at last, throwing down my bags. I hold out my knife, whirling on the spot. “Show yourself!”
The giggling stops, leaving nothing but the taunting wind.
I tighten my grasp on the handle of my blade. If only I had my sword, but I lost it a few miles back.
“Cowards. Can’t even face me!”
More silence, and I scoff, bending down to pick up my bags.
Something jumps out at me, knocking me off my feet, and I look up in time to see a tiny, childlike figure vanishing behind a tree.
Theyaretaunting me, making me believe that I’m going crazy, but I’ll have the last laugh.
I grip my knife tighter, hoping they see the threat. This knife is steel, and steel is an alloy of iron. I am ready this time.
Another blurred shape darts out from the trees, shoving me hard against the ground, and my knife fumbles from my fingers.
Horrid little things!
They peal with laughter, and I find my iron cross within the folds of my skirt.
Another solid push to the ground, and the cross slips from my fingers, disappearing beneath the undergrowth with my knife.
These faeries simply are too quick for me. They’re small, so I can hardly make them out.
Crawling on my hands and knees, I gasp for air, counting down as I prepare for battle with an unseen enemy.
I only came here looking for my aunt. A woman I have yet to meet, but I truly mean these creatures no harm.
Surely, they must see that. Yet they don’t care… They just want to make me suffer. Mother was right about the Fae. They truly are wicked.
Still, I refuse to give up. They will not make a fool out of me.
Climbing to my feet, I face the creatures head-on. But then I gasp when I spy a horse’s silhouette up ahead. There’s no mistaking it now.
“Belle!”
I rush forward, tears streaming from my eyes.
The horse turns her head my way, but I won’t stop until I reach her side. “Thank goodness! I thought—”
The ground gives way beneath me, and I find myself tumbling into deep water.
I didn’t even see that marsh, hidden by the mist.
And the thing I thought was Belle? Well, it turned out to be a monster with a mane of seaweed and sharp, needle-pointed teeth.
It wasn’t a horse after all, but one ofthem.It tricked me, and now it will gladly drown me.
I try to swim away from the Fae horse with glowing red eyes and piercing fangs, but I may as well be swimming in tar. My limbs won’t move.
This is the end. I really am going to die.
Something darts into the murky water, skewering the creature’s eye, and I try to scream. But only bubbles escape.
Before I sink to the bottomless depths of the marsh, a hand grips the back of my cloak, yanking me up to the surface.
