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“Lumaria’s capital,” Rowan says. “It’s not far from here.”

My breath catches as a memory strikes—vivid and clear. I'm in a grandstand, the roar of the crowd filling the air as I gaze down at Theron. Wearing gleaming armor, he grins up at me, accepting my favor with a flourish. “Thank you, Princess.” He winks. “I’ll be sure to win now.”

“See that you do,” I tease back. “I think the people of Lumaria will enjoy seeing my brave Stag Prince, their future king, win the tournament.”

He takes my hand. “I won’t let you down.” He smiles as he presses a kiss to the top of knuckles.

I inhale sharply. “I remember now,” the words leave my lips in a hushed whisper. Lifting my gaze to Ren, I meet his eyes evenly. “I’m Princess Rapunzel of Lumaria. And I was engaged to Prince Theron of Sylvalis to unite our two kingdoms.”

“Are you certain?” Rielle asks.

“Yes.” My voice shakes as I trace my fingers over the map. “Valora—the capital. That's where we have to go. That's my home.”

“It’s about two day’s ride from here.” Rowan looks at me. “We’ll send a raven with a message to your family, announcing that we’re on our way.”

“Do you know them?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “Despite sharing a border, we don't often deal with Lumaria.”

“Why not?”

“Lumarians...” Rowan hesitates. “They tend not to trust Fox Shifters. They think we're crafty. Cunning. Not to be relied upon or trusted.”

The irony is bitter, considering the betrayal I’ve suffered at Ren’s hand. I glance at him, seeing the brief flash of pain in his expression. The room feels stifling suddenly, and I take a small step back, excusing myself. “I should return to my chambers.”

Even as I say this, I know it’s technically Ren’s room, but I’m sure he’ll be sleeping somewhere else tonight after what happened between us.

When I reach my chambers again, I sit on the edge of the bed. Finik’s head pops up from his nest, and he hops from his blankets to my side, his little nose and whiskers twitching as he gazes up at me.

Picking him up, I cuddle him to my chest, trying but failing to hold back my tears.

A gentle knock sounds, and Rielle slips inside. “Forgive my intrusion,” she says. “But I wanted to speak with you before you leave.”

Sniffling, I wipe away the moisture on my cheeks. “It’s all right. What did you wish to talk about?”

“I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry.” She takes a seat beside me. “About what happened between you and Ren.”

“It’s not your fault,” I murmur.

“I know.” She takes my hand. “I just wanted you to know that I’m here for you, Rapunzel. Even if things don’t work out between you and my brother, I still wish to be your friend.”

“Thank you, Rielle.” Although some of my memory has returned, it’s still incomplete. Ren was the one person I thought I could count on, but after what happened, I feel so lost and alone. For her to offer her friendship means everything right now. “You have no idea how much that means to me.”

“I wish I could go with you,” she says. “But my parents will not allow all three of us to go.” She sighs. “But don’t worry. You’ll be quite safe. Rowan and Ren will escort you to your home. Andthey’ll have plenty of guards that you won’t need to worry about the Goblin witch or any Troll raiders.”

“Troll raiders?”

She nods. “Their lands border ours. They often travel in bands four or five strong, preying on small convoys or lone travelers. It’s how Ren got his scar.”

I knew Fox females rejected him because of this mark, but he never told me how he got it in the first place. “What happened?”

“It was a Troll attack,” Rielle says, her voice quiet. “Ren was out running in his Fox form with his betrothed.” Unexpected jealousy rears its ugly head at the thought of Ren with someone else. “They were ambushed. Ren saved her, but he gained that scar in the battle. Afterward, she rejected him for it… even though he’d earned it by protecting her.”

Anger swells my chest. “Ren is a good person. How could she just leave him like that?” My heart aches for him all over again. “I can’t imagine how terrible that must have been.”

Rielle nods. “Their betrothal was arranged by our parents. They barely knew each other, but that was no excuse.” She lifts her gaze to mine. “And I know he hurt you, Rapunzel, but I also know how deeply he regrets it. Do you think you might be able to forgive him?”

A maelstrom of emotions swirls deep within. My feelings for him are still so strong, and yet I can’t forget his betrayal. “My heart is broken but, I cannot deny that I still—” I shake my head, unable to speak through my sadness. Drawing in a deep breath, I straighten. “I need to find my family, regain my past, and maybe then… I can forgive.”