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“My dearest child, Snow.” The words echoed throughout the room in a singsong voice.

I looked around the elegant room but didn’t see anyone. “Hello?”

“Over here, darling.” A woman stood up from the high-back hunter green chair that was facing the window.

“Mama?” The woman was dressed in a long, flowing navy blue satin gown with a gold ribbon tied around her waist.

She tilted her head to the side and smiled lovingly. “Yes, dear.”

“How? I don’t understand.” I stood frozen in my spot, trying to wrap my head around what I was seeing… what I was hearing.

“No need to worry about that now.” She walked over to me, floating gracefully, and reached down to touch the necklace. “I’m glad you have this. It was a special gift to me on my wedding day.”

“It was?” I looked down at it.

She dropped the necklace and rubbed her hand across my cheek. “Oh, my darling, you are more beautiful than I could have ever imagined.”

My heart fluttered with contentment. She looked like me- soft skin, long dark hair, enormous emerald green eyes. “Thank you, mama.”

She turned and walked back to the chair by the window.

“What is it mama? Why did you come to see me?”

She sighed heavily.

“It’s your father.”

“My father?” I panicked. I had left him alone with that vile woman. Who knows what kind of torture she is inflicting on him as punishment for me. “Is he…”

“He’s alive… for now, but I don’t know for how much longer.”

“I left him there with that wretched woman. She is dreadful. Horrible. I don’t know why he married her.”

“She’s a witch, Snow, and practices in the dark arts.” She sighed.

“A witch?”

“You have to find a way to defeat the dark Queen.”

“How? How do I do that?”

She shook her head and I could tell she was fading away. “There are things you need to know that I cannot tell you, but once you know, you’ll understand everything.”

She was like a fine mist, floating away in a breeze.

“No. Don’t go! Don’t leave me!”

Chapter four

Gage - Hard Days Work

Ascreamechoedthroughoutthe hills that sounded like a cross between a shrilling wingawhomp and a child.

“What was that?” Jace asked with a look of concern spread across his face.

“I don’t give a shit, Jace.” I said matter-of-factly. I wasn’t in the mood for questions with no answer.

“Someone’s in a good mood.” Enzo chimed, bouncing in from who knows where. He propped his elbow on my shoulder, but I shrugged it off.