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“Thank you, Birdy.” I wrap my arms around her neck and hug her tight. “You could come with me?” Tears fill my eyes.

“I can’t. She’ll know. And I can’t leave Riven. But Adelaide, I should warn you. He’s the one that she’ll send looking for you. You have to run, and don’t look back. Definitely don’t stop.”

“I won’t,” I promise, releasing her from the hug.

“He knows the forest better than anyone, and once he starts hunting you, he won’t stop until he finds you. It’s who he is. It’s what he was bred to do.”

A shiver runs down my spine.

“Are you afraid?” she asks.

Shaking my head no, I try not to think about what could be out there.

“I know the forest seems like a dangerous place, especially after sunset. The wind is unforgiving, and the trees are like a maze… But I promise you, Adelaide, you will find sanctuary in there. Open not just your eyes but your heart and mind to the possibility that you’re going to see and hear things in the forest that seem impossible, but you have to trust your instincts… trust your heart. Open your heart, and believe what it feels true.”

“What did you say?”

“I said open your heart and believe what it feels true. My mother always used to say that to me as a child.”

“Someone I love very much said something similar once.” Doc… during our last therapy session, and I can’t help but feel like I’m missing pieces of a bigger puzzle because I’m looking at them all up close.

“This is as far as I go.” Her hand finds mine in the darkness, giving it one last squeeze.

“How will I ever repay you for this, Birdy?”

“Just keep running, the woods—that’s your kingdom too. Show it the same kindness you’ve shown me, and it will serve you well.” Her poetic words move me.

“Goodbye, Birdy.” I do as she says. I have nothing left to lose. I run and run, down the dark corridor that leads me away from the castle that should’ve been my home, away from the evil stepmother sitting on my father’s throne, calling herself queen.

I’m not afraid of what’s waiting for me in the Blakk Forest because nothing can compare to the darkness lurking inside these palace walls.

Chapter 11

Riven

“Where is she?” The queen’s angry roar can be heard from the deepest parts of the dungeon to the tallest tower as she storms into the Great Hall. “Where. Is. She?”

“What’s going on?” Birdy pops up next to me. Her less-than-enthusiastic curiosity instantly makes me suspicious.

“Thank God!” I pull her in for a quick hug. “I was locked on the other side. I thought—” I don’t finish the million terrible thoughts I had when I couldn’t get to her… or to Adelaide.

“I’m fine, really.” She hugs me back. “You could almost say I saw it coming.”

“What have you done?” My gut tells me she’s involved. I stepped away for one minute, or was pulled away rather, and came back to pandemonium.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She nervously looks around the room.

“Adelaide. Where is she?”

“I don’t know. Last I saw, she was wrapped up with snake boy over there.” She gestures to where Jhagger is arguing with Marcella. “That was after she almost got pawed to death by one of those Vikings from the Fifth. Oh wait, you were there because your eyes almost popped out of your head.”

Her smile won’t get her out of trouble this time, and I don’t need a reminder about any of the men that Adelaide was forced to dance with tonight.

I’m painfully aware of every single person who touched her tonight. Man or monster.

Which am I?

“Birdy,” I growl out, losing my patience.