Page 53 of How To Survive This Fairytale

“Hans, we can’t donothing.”

“Youwake her, then.”

With a stubborn set in his jaw, he dismounts his horse and wakes the girl.

She screams.

Shescreamsand leaps to her feet.The donkey’s skin fits over her like a burlap sack, loose and unstructured, tied at the waist with its own forelegs, with the donkey’s head beside her own.With her eyes open, she looks closer to Red’s age than you originally thought, not quite a girl but not nearly a woman yet.

“Don’tfuckwith me,” she shouts, brandishing a rock, “I’ll bash your fucking head in!And you won’t be the first!”

Cyrus stumbles back, lifting his hand in surrender.

“We only wanted to make sure you were all right,” he says.

“Trying to rob me?”She spits at Cyrus’s feet.“Well, I don’t have anything!So go!”

“We’re ambassadors of Queen Gertrude the Silent,” you say.“We’ll be on our way if you’re not in need, Miss.”

Her gaze flicks to you with untamed, animal precision.Before she sees you, she looks ready to throw the rock.

Then shesees you.

“You,” she says.“You’re Palestrina Scarlet’s friend.”

You raise your brows.

“I remember you,” she says.“From the performance.From the inn.”

She lowers the rock.

“Sorry,” she says.

“Where’s the rest of the band?”

“It was time for me to move on.Start a solo act.”

You don’t believe that for a second, but it’s not your story.It’s hers.And it’s up to her whether she tells the truth or not.

“Pal’s good, though,” she says.“Happy.She always spoke highly of you.”

“I’m glad,” you say.Your heart twinges, happy and sad all at once.To keep yourself from lingering in that feeling, you say, “I had no idea you were a person.”

“I like it that way.”

“You put the skin on, and it makes you a donkey?”

Her eyes narrow.“Why do you care how it works?”

Reaching into your saddlebag, you lift out the wolf pelt.

“Because I can give you this,” you offer.“I suspect people are less likely to fuck with a wolf.”

Her eyes light with possibility.Then harden with suspicion.“What do you want in return?”

“Nothing.”

“Bullshit.”