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To me, Georgia was as bright and beautiful as the sun glinting along the ocean’s waves. I didn’t want to live without her.

Snapping out of my stupid, I said, "You’re right. I have to do something."

I ran out of my chamber and down the twisting, turning halls of the castle until I found myself suddenly transported just feet away from the front doors. Blessed faerie circles. I could always count on them to take me where I needed to go.

Just ahead, I saw Georgia with her skirts gathered in her hands, running at full tilt toward the castle doors. People in the hallway were staring at both of us, but I didn’t care.

"Wait!" I cried.

She didn’t stop. She was headed down the stairs now.

She was running from me.

"Georgia, please!"

The realization was like a punch to the gut. I had finally ruined things between us. All of my secrets. All of my lies. If only I could explain. Maybe she would understand. I never meant for any of this to happen. Not like this.

I unfurled my wings and prepared to take to the dark night sky. Only, it wasn’t so dark at all. The sun was beginning to rise.

I should stop. I knew I should stop. There might still be time to find cover before the change became unavoidable.

But hiding would mean losing her.

Maybe forever.

So, I kept running. Flying was too dangerous. I could fall out of the sky like a bird with broken wings. The tremors started, and I had to stop running.

To my surprise, Georgia slowed too, and for a moment, my heart felt lighter. She was going to turn around.

I cried out one more time, "Please, Georgia."

But she didn’t turn around.

Instead, he appeared in front of her. The bane of my existence. The blight of the island. The vicious snake I had let into my own Advisory Council. Hawthorne.

Why was he here? Had she called him?

I watched as Hawthorne took Georgia into his arms and held her close. He patted her back soothingly. Then, as if he had known I would be watching, he glanced over her shoulder at me and smirked.

It was evident from the Full Moon Revel that they had met, but I had no idea how deep this relationship went. Of course, Hawthorne didn’t actually like her. I knew that. He loathed all humans, but that wouldn’t stop him from playing with her feelings. He believed fae and human entanglements should be outlawed due to his own unhappy childhood. I had long suspected him guilty of killing his own human mother.

Even if she hated me, I had to get her as far away from him as possible. I started forward on legs that shook and burned like fire, but I wasn’t fast enough.

Hawthorne offered Georgia something in the palm of his hand, and she reached out for it.

"No," I shouted.

But it was too late, Georgia vanished.

And I fell to the ground in despair. With all of my defenses down, the change overcame me quickly. My whole body shuddered, and I transformed into a frog. Right there in front of the castle doors, for all to see.

Including him.

Not minutes later, a shadow engulfed me, and I looked up to see Hawthorne leering over me. "Well, well, well, my king." Acrid sarcasm filled his last word. "Aren’t we looking a bit green?"

"Hawthorne," I hissed.

He inspected his fingernails before sneering down at me. "Save your breath. There’s no need for a fancy speech about saving your crown and kingdom."