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G olden light blinded me, but I couldn’t shield my eyes. My arms were frozen at my sides. I was falling, hitting the ground with a loud thud, unable to wake, unable to move. I tried to call out for help, but my mouth wouldn’t form the words.

I could feel the presence of others around me, but I couldn’t turn to look.

Shapes and shadows flickered against a bright light.

The air was heavy and humid, smelling like a sweet, summer morning.

I was being pulled by an unknown force, unable to orient myself.

Layers of melodic whispers echoed around me. And then… darkness swallowed me.

I startled awake, heart pounding. As I came to my senses, I was shocked to see the sun clear across the sky, hours from setting.

How long had I slept? With a gasp, I remembered what day it was—where I was supposed to be.

The Debut—had I missed it? Cara was going to be in trouble for covering for me—Adeline would be fired.

I anxiously scanned my surroundings, wondering how I’d ended up facing the wall I’d been lying against.

I stood too fast, bracing myself as a wave of dizziness crashed over me. It had been too long since I’d eaten. My corset was too tight. A wonderfully disastrous birthday, indeed.

With some relief, I realized my headache was gone. Once the stars in my vision stopped moving, I hurdled towards the door and ran. I leapt through the brush as fast as I could, being careful not to rip my dress .

I’m an idiot. Everything Thea thinks of me is true.

I followed the hidden trail towards the gravel path, growing increasingly frantic when I couldn’t find it.

Perhaps my rattled brain had gone the wrong direction.

Feeling disoriented, I glanced behind me, up at the pine trees, the forest floor, then towards the sky.

I recognized nothing. This was a place I frequented often—I’d never gotten lost before.

I decided to backtrack and go slower this time, noting a patch of unfamiliar yellow flowers. They appeared to be glowing . Bending down, I examined one. How strange… they were glowing. Maybe new seeds had blown in on the wind from a faraway land.

As I reached down to pluck one, I heard a twig snap behind me. I whirled around, expecting to see a guard. Ophelia probably had a whole brigade out searching for me.

No one was there.

“Hello?” I called out, circling slowly. No response. I continued to search for the garden path.

Snap.

A louder crunch this time. I was not alone. Paranoia crept in. I bent down to grab a stick—a poor excuse for a weapon. I felt ridiculous, bracing myself for battle in a ball gown. If I did have to run, this monstrosity was going to weigh me down.

“Can anybody hear me?” I asked tentatively. “I’ve managed to lose sight of the path and would appreciate some help!”

Silence. Followed by a low growl.

I turned towards the source of the noise and saw an unrecognizable creature.

It was reminiscent to a wolf, but distinctly different—distinctly larger .

It grinned at me with long, sharp teeth that extended past its jaws.

Shaggy, rust-colored fur covered its hunched body, matted in what appeared to be blood.

Its eyes were big and round with milky white centers. As the beast moved closer, I noticed that it walked with an uneven gate, as if injured or ill. I yelled, waving my weapon, but it was undeterred, moving steadily forward.

I heard another snap .

Turning, I saw a second set of milky eyes staring at me… and then another. I was being hunted. There were at least four of them, circling me… inch ing closer. I took a moment to assess my best option for survival, then committed.

I ran towards them, yelling at the top of my lungs. I hit one with my stick, hoping my surprise attack would be enough to spook them.

And then I ran for my life.

They were yipping and howling to one another. The sound was high-pitched and haunting. They were communicating, forming a plan.

I could hear them all around me, but couldn’t see them. Adrenaline pumped through me as I tried to find a tree I could climb—a spot I could hide.

The forest was thick with thorny underbrush and large roots jetting out from the ground. The trees were too tall to gain any kind of foothold. My dress was slowing me down. I wanted to rip it off, but that would take too much time.

The baying had stopped. Did that mean they were moving in for the kill? Terror hit me like a bolt of lightning.

I’d never been this deep in the forest before and recognized nothing. I tried to arc back and lose them, but could feel them gaining on me.

My heart beat wildly as my feet crunched over branches and leaves. I was so loud, so clumsy. They flew through the forest thicket like they were made for it, while I was sluggish and awkward in comparison. Such easy prey.

Was this truly how I died? In a tattered ballgown in the middle of the woods? I picked up my pace, but my dress snagged on a branch and I fell hard, rolling my ankle. I tried to stand up, but crumpled to the ground instead—panting and defeated.

I let out a string of curse words and backed myself against a tree trunk as they closed in around me.

Tongues wagging, they seemed to be savoring the moment.

One of them snapped at me, spittle flying from its jaws.

I swung my stick and it retreated. They were waiting for me to make a mistake—to weaken. I swung my stick again.

Closing my eyes, I contemplated giving up.

My breathing was strained and erratic as I struggled to suck down enough air.

A sharp ache in my lungs told me I was still alive—for now.

The pain would be much worse when they began tearing me apart though.

Would they go for a quick kill or start with my intestines ?

If I could just make it out of the forest and into the light, surely they wouldn’t follow me into the open, where there was people and music. I’d never wanted to be in the middle of a crowd more. Rallying my last burst of fight, I planted my feet and snarled at my attackers.

My eyes were open, but all I saw was inky darkness, like someone had extinguished the sun. I panicked, wondering if I was somehow already dead, but then I heard a whimper… followed by six distinct snaps.

The world went silent. I couldn’t see, but I could smell. Beyond the smell of bone marrow and wet dog, there was a fresh aroma of… rain and cedar. It was soothing, reminding me of the misty morning walks I used to take with my mother, back when we lived in a simple cabin in the woods.

Was I dead? Was this the after-life?

A dark haze swirled towards the sky as the forest began to reappear, dissipating faster than any natural fog.

Mist twisted around me like water circling a drain, as if I was standing in the eye of a storm.

My eyes re-adjusted and I saw six animals spread out around me.

Their heads were bent at awkward angles, feet still twitching.

I grimaced as I took in their vacant expressions. My heart was thudding so loudly, I could barely make out the muffled voices approaching. I straightened my posture and held my weapon close to my chest, while my muscles tremored with fatigue.

A man with golden auburn hair, the color of polished bronze, appeared on horseback.

The sun illuminated him through the trees as he emerged from the shadows.

He was so beautiful—so god-like—that I was nearly blinded by his brilliance.

I closed my eyes and then reopened them to see if I was hallucinating.

He dismounted and strode towards me, flashing a cheshire grin as he said, “I’ve always wanted to rescue a damsel in distress.”