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Hugo turned back to the blackish water. “I don’t believe you.”

“Then jump. Jump and swim. I’ll stand here and watch them drag your soul under. I’ll be hopeless, as the best chance for bothof us to leave this accursed place is pulled under and eviscerated and destroyed.”

Hugo took a deep breath and glared at his reflection in the rippling water. A ghostly image of a hand appeared below the surface and disappeared into the depths. Hugo closed his eyes and bowed his head. He let out a barbaric yawp, all his frustrations built up and exploding to the surface.

“You probably think I’m a monster,” Madeline said as she moved down the dock, her Edwardian boot rapping against the wooden boards. “But I assure you, the best chance for all of us to leave here is if you do exactly what I say.”

Hugo turned to face Madeline. Her face was covered in the same death mask as his. Her brown hair pulled back into a Gibson Girl knot. She stood tall and confident, with her shoulders pulled back. The black mourning dress didn’t touch the ground. A smile formed on her face. She twirled the parasol on her shoulder.

“Why are you doing this?”

“Follow me,” she said, turning back to her awaiting carriage.

The headless driver atop the black carriage held the reins of the pale horses. The Rider and his black festering horse stood by the carriage’s side. The faceless hood of the cloaked figure focused on Hugo, monitoring his every step.

The door of the carriage opened as Madeline approached. She closed her parasol, tucked it under her arm, and entered the carriage. “Are you coming?” she called back to Hugo.

Hugo glanced once more at the water and back at the death coach awaiting him. A fleeting thought of jumping into the water crossed his mind. She could be lying. This could be another test he failed. All he had to do was swim.

Dark spirits moved under the water; only their shadows were visible. It wasn’t worth the risk. He was out of options. Hugo had to make the right move.

His hope clung to the flickering belief that Alice would find a way to get to him before his soul submitted to the third trial. The game wasn’t over yet, but he was down a few goals, and the third period was about to start. The odds were stacked against him.

Still, knowing Alice was trying to reach him was enough hope for him. He had to believe . . . Be patient and fight back against the despair of being trapped here forever. Clawing back into the game one goal at a time. She was coming. It wasn’t over yet. He turned and approached the carriage.

Three knocks rang out into the sky.

“I knew you would make the right choice,” Madeline said as Hugo entered. “Welcome aboard the Cóiste Bodhar. The death coach.”

Hugo focused on the plush and posh interior. The seats were made of black leather, supple and soft. The walls were covered in black velvet. Two benches faced each other. With Madeline on one side, Hugo took the opposite seat.

“Driver,” Madeline said. “You may proceed.”

The door to the carriage closed on its own, and it took off. It jostled with every turn of the wheels on the cobblestone pathway. Hugo braced himself with his hands placed on the seat to prevent himself from being tossed around. Madeline sat poised, her legs crossed beneath her black mourning dress and hands placed on her knees.

“So, you’re Madeline Sinclair?” Hugo asked.

“You know of me?” she asked.

“You’re the founder of Newbury Grove?”

“The one and only. It’s not every day I get a visitor from my town. It makes you special. Well . . . one other thing too.”

“What thing?”

“You drank from the spell, did you not?”

“The spell?” Hugo narrowed his eyes. He knew what spell she was referring to, but he held his poker face to hide his secrets.

“The Lovers’ Kiss. You’re a fortunate man. Very few have drank the spell.” She leaned forward and smiled. “So, did it work?”

Hugo didn’t respond. His face remained as stoic as possible.

Her smile grew as she leaned back. “It did work.”

She paused, turning to her side and biting her lower lip. After a moment, she faced Hugo once more.

Madeline said, “We were close to possessing it once. We tracked it down out west. It was my father, myself, and some vampires. Never trust a vampire.”