Page 56 of Not Another Happily Ever After

I toss and turn, stirring the carriage as I move to and from the floor in the hopes of finding a creaky floorboard or a squeaky axle. Something to distract from the nothingness. But it’s no use.

Defeated, I lie beneath the posh velvet roof without even the relief of a nightmare to save me from the heaviness of what’s to come.

That is, until, I hear it…faint at first, but most certainly there. A ghostly hum.

A haunted lullaby.

One I know by heart. It’s the very same one that sang me to sleep on many occasions. One I thought I’d never hear again.

I dare not breathe for fear of scaring the lost soul away. Instead, I close my eyes and let the deep, familiar timbre of the ghost’s voice take me somewhere far, far, away.

Somewhere that feels a lot like home.

Chapter

21

I know exactly how many paces to keep between us.

My heart has measured each step a thousand times.

Istir from my slumber, drawn out by the deep timbre of hushed voices. Merrek and Myrrdin must be at it again. I yawn, rubbing my eyes as they adjust to the brightened interior of the carriage.

Huh.We must have moved while I was asleep. I sit up on the bench, stretching my limbs before me, ready to start the day when it hits me?—

We moved.

I freeze, my limbs still sticking straight out. My eyes narrow on the warm glow of pinkish-purple light shining through the rips in the curtains.

Is that?—

No. There’s no way that’ssunlightfrom the Kingdom of Riches peeking through.Right?Is pink even a color cast by the sun?It’s been ages since I’ve seen one of Father’s maps, but I could have sworn the sun-cursed kingdom was a lot farther than this. I thought I might have a few weeks. A few more days at the very least.

Crunch. Crunch.

Heavy footfalls of boots on gravel are audible just outside the door.

Oh, God. What if that’s him? The prince come to claim the one part of me I vowed to never let him have.

My stomach bottoms out as I scramble on all fours to the curtains hanging opposite the carriage door. With trembling fingers I slowly draw the thin material back, bracing myself for—stars?

They’re…stars.I exhale, relaxing my shoulders as I stare up at the twinkling night sky. I’ve never seen a night quite like this one. All of ours back in Kingdom Ruin were littered with clouds and rain, the only bright spots from where the lightning strikes the mountains, or the moon peeks through.

Though, that isn’t the only difference from the gray and gold landscape of home. For just below the distant white lights lies an open field of rolling blue grass, stretching for miles all around us, its cobalt blue waves filled with flitting blade-like wings that glow a fluorescent pink.

“Butterflies,” I breathe. “They’re butterflies!”

I can hardly contain the excitement stirring in my chest as I scramble to my feet.God, Myrrdin must be thrilled!I can picture his face already, stretched wide with a pearly white grin.

“Are you seeing this Myrrdin?” I call out, working the heels of my feet into my slippers before tightening the ruby red ribbon around my neck. “I’ve never seen so many before.”

At least not alive.I think back to Gally’s collection of bubbling pink poisons and chase away the shiver racing down my spine as I slip into the freshly cleaned, and very warm, glittery gown.

Oh, Rhidland you spoil me.

Elated, I reach for the door. “There must be hundreds. I would absolutely love to know more about their wings. Maybe we could?—”

I stop just short of the carriage threshold, letting the door swing free from my hand as I stare, blinking, at the hooded knight pacing a path into the earth just below me.