Page 17 of Monsterland Mayhem

I love that fucking nickname.

She has no idea howbeastlyI can be.

But she will soon.

Very. Fucking. Soon.

CHAPTER FIVE

AILSA

There are purple trees everywhere,their leaves decorated in a crimson shade. I’ve never seen anything like this, and I don’t have time to evaluate their strangeness. Because I’m trying to find Beast.

He ran off a few minutes ago, disappearing into this area of the woods. Yet now I can’t see him anywhere. I push myself harder and faster, trying to find him, all while that strange skull-faced man—Craze—follows.

Monsterland,I think, passing mushroom-like clouds hovering between the abnormal trees.I’m definitely in Monsterland.

Beast must have followed me through that portal hole. However, his stark white fur wasn’t red from the water. He hadn’t been wet at all.

Just like me and my dress,I realize, frowning.

I shake my head.

None of this makes sense. But then, it’s not supposed to.

I’ve always been fascinated by the Monsterland realm, just in a morbid kind of way. The others often spoke about it with reverence, hoping to one day be invited into the Silver King’s court.

That was never my desire. I simply wanted to experience something different.

And, well, I’ve experienced enough.

I’m ready to go home now,I think.I just need to find Beast and?—

The ground falls out from beneath me, drawing a yelp from me as I start spinning down, down,down.

My hair whips around my face, making it hard to see and breathe. My arms and legs pinwheel, much like they did when I went through that strange portal.Oh, not again!

Everything moves faster, the air swirling all around me until everything stops.

And I find myself suspended in… in…Gods, what even is this?It’s sticky, like that glue substance from before, except it’s… it’s stringier. My limbs are all tangled in it, like some sort of weird, gooey web.

Ever so slowly it begins to stretch, my weight pulling me toward the black ground below.

Where Craze is standing with his hands on his hips, legs braced, expression bored. “While you’re hanging there, let’s chat,” he drawls. “You’ve landed in Monsterland, sweetheart. Nothing is what it seems. Everything’s a trick. And you, my darling rabbit, are a beacon for trouble.”

I glare at him. “I’m not yoursweetheartor yourdarling rabbitor any of the other nicknames you’ve given me,” I inform him. “And the only trouble I seem to be in is related to… to… well, I don’t know. But I’m not your anything. I’m just me. Ailsa. Human. And ohhh, let me go!”

That last part is for whatever has a grasp on me, my complaint coming out winded as I struggle against the elastic holding me captive in the air. All that does is stretch it a little more, but not nearly enough to reach the ground.

This is ludicrous,I think angrily.Absolutely mad!

“You’re definitely my something, Ailsa,” he replies, his voice the epitome of calmness. Which is so unfair, given the situation. Because I am definitelynotcalm.

“I don’t even know you,” I tell him.

“No, you don’t,” he says. “But you will.”

“I won’t.”