Page 11 of To Die For

My stomach twists.

Burlap takes a step forward, fog swirling around his boots. The sound of his breath grows rougher, more human. He finishes the thought in a low rumble.

“And when we catch you…” He leans closer. “You’re ours.”

The words hang there, and I swallow hard. My pulse kicks faster. Ishouldscream. I should bolt for the path behind them, push past, tear through the corn. I shouldwantout.

But I don’t move.

Because the way they’re watching me—silent, waiting, hungry for my answer—lights something inside my chest that I don’t recognize. Something sharp. Something bright.

My wings rustle when I breathe.

Black Mask takes a half step forward. “Choose, Lila.” The White Mask’s head tilts, the white grin catching the light. Burlap’s hands flex, like he’s already itching to reach out and grab me.

The fog closes in until I can barely see my feet. My heart feels like it’s trying to break free from my ribs. I look at each of them, one by one, and the air seems to hum.

Leave.

Run.

Freedom on one side.

Desire on the other.

And somewhere in the middle, me, a trembling fairy, glitter fading, pulse burning.

I draw a breath that scrapes my lungs raw. “If I run…” I manage, voice shaking but steady enough, “I don’t plan to make it easy.”

White Mask’s laugh slides through the dark, low and satisfied.

Burlap straightens. Black Mask doesn’t move, but I canfeelthe shift, the tension winding tighter. He nods once, slow. “Good,” he says. “It wouldn’t be fun if you did.”

The fog swallows their shapes again.

Somewhere, a timer starts to tick… Or maybe it’s just my heartbeat.

CHAPTER 8

LILA

Ibreak into a run, shoes sinking into the soft ground with every step, the mud grabbing at my heels like fingers.

The corn blurs past on either side, tall and suffocating, the stalks reaching out like claws. Fog licks at my legs, thick and cold, making everything feel slower, heavier.

I don’t look back. Ican’tlook back.

I just run.

Left.

Right.

Another left.

I don’t know where I’m going.

There’s no plan anymore. Just blind, pulsing panic, flooding my chest and limbs like ice water. My legs burn. My lungs ache. My wings snag on something behind me, tearing with a sickening rip that makes me stumble. I choke on a sob.