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"You don’t seriously think that lock is going to keep us in?" Maggie gave me a watery smile before fishing through her bedside table. She pulled out a hair pin.

I watched as my baby sister unlocked the door like a seasoned burglar.

"How long have you been doing this?" I asked in astonishment.

Mischief spread across her face. "Since I was eleven years old, and you told me I couldn’t go out on the lawn unattended before sunrise."

"Magnolia!" I chastised.

She shrugged. "Nobody likes to be caged."

"I just wanted you to be safe."

"Funny. That’s what papa just told you."

I joined her at the door. "You’re right. You’re sixteen now. Old enough for a bit more freedom. I promise I’ll try harder to remember that."

She gave me another watery smile. "Come on. Let’s go find Papa."

We made our way to the nearest verandah. It was shadowed by an old oak tree that had grown too large. Its limbs provided cover from two sides. It was our best chance to scale down unseen. That’s when I heard it. A roll of distant thunder.

Magnolia frowned. "It looks like a storm is coming."

Sure enough, the horizon was pitch black, and storm clouds were coming in fast. My heart hammered out an ominous warning. Was it possible Forrest’s secret had been discovered? Was it possible the unseelie were fighting for control of the island?

"Do you think they know about Papa’s plans?" Magnolia asked.

I bit my lip. "I’m not sure."

A bolt of lightning split the sky, and I missed my next foothold on the trellis. I managed to hit the next but at an odd angle. I cried out in pain but continued to hang onto the trellis. Tears pricked my eyes.

"Georgia? Are you okay?" Magnolia called up from a few feet below.

"I think I’ve sprained my ankle," I said miserably.

"Can you go back up?" she asked.

I clung to the trellis. I wasn’t sure my ankle would support my weight, but there really wasn’t another option. I had to go up or down, and up was much closer. "I can do it," I said.

"I’ll meet you back at the top."

"No," I said. "You should keep going. See if you can talk some sense into Papa."

She paused for a moment, then said, "Okay. Wait for me in my room."

I was able to pull myself up to the top of the trellis using my good foot and my hands. Going back over the railing was the hardest part. It hurt.

When I looked back over, I saw Maggie was still waiting. "Go on!" I motioned.

I hopped on one foot into the house.

Back inside, the hallways were cast in shadow. It was midday, so there were no candles lit. The storm clouds were growing outside the window and blocking out the sun. Using the wall as support, I tried to put pressure on my ankle. It hurt, but it was possible. Slowly, I made my way back to Magnolia’s room.

I let go of the wall and hopped to her bed. Then a roll of thunder shook the ground and window panes. Lightning cracked, illuminating the dark bedroom. Someone was waiting in the shadows. My eyes hadn’t quite adjusted to the darkness, but I was beginning to make out a shape and features. My stomach dropped. It couldn’t be.

"B-Briar?" I asked tentatively.

Briar was dead. Gran had told me so. Forrest had confirmed it. So, who or what was this–a ghost, witchcraft, or some sort of fae trick?