Page 76 of Not Another Happily Ever After

“You spoiled little thing,” I tease, flicking a few stray raindrops onto his freshly cleaned coat.

His feathered tail flickers with annoyance as he makes quick work of the water I sent flying his way, which raises the question…

“What on earth were you doing in that well?”

Buttons’ big black eyes meet mine just in time to see me fly forward off the bench as the carriage jerks to a stop.

“Hold on!” I think I hear Merrek yell as I stumble to my feet.

There’s a heavythudof boots hitting the rain riddled path before fading off into the distance, and then…nothing. No explanation or quick-witted remark.

It’s the latter that scares me the most.

“Is everything alright out there?” I shout, pulling my skirts up just enough to find two bright red spots on both of my knees.

Silver lining? The stick bug’s made it out unscathed.

I sigh, fixing my skirts before slipping Myrrdin’s friend into my shallow pocket as I shuffle to the carriage window.

“Merrek, are you alright?” I call out once more.

Again, he doesn’t answer.

I pop my head out the window, despite every story I’ve ever read expressly warning me not to do anything of the sort in situations such as these. And looking outside, I can see why. The grayish-blue fog that rolled in with the storm is thicker than before, its heavy presence making each of my breaths feel borrowed.

I hold my mouth closed as I squint into the darkness, but the only thing visible from the carriage are the tall black shadows of crooked trees, their branches cracked and snapped to make the darkened tunnel over our path even more so.

‘Twould be the perfect place for a candle-lit dance.Or an ambush.

I quickly retreat back into the safety of the carriage, where I find Buttons with his spine arched high toward the sky, his tongue flicking madly against the salty air.

“You feel it too, don’t you?” I whisper, crouching so my head sits just below the window on the carriage floor.

Something is wrong.

Someone should have answered by now.

“Myrrdin? Rhidland?” I try calling out again.

Silence.

“Frog?” I shout, the desperation in my voice more evident than before.

Buttons flares his wings, baring his teeth at the door.

I look in time to see the small metal knob turning and suck in what may well be my last breath. I’m fully prepared to use that very air to scream bloody murder when suddenly the door flies open and?—

“Wolfe?” I exhale, though my shoulders remain rigid.

The amber-eyed knight looks taken aback to see me crouched low on the floor. Not that I can’t say the same. For the last time I saw him, he was…well, changed.

“Why are you not with them?” he murmurs to himself.

Still, I answer anyway.

“There was some commotion ahead,” I fidget beneath the intensity of his gaze. “I mean, I assume. I-I didn’t actually see. I was left alone by?—”

“Aye! There you are!”