Before she knew what was happening, the unicorn was tearing through the trees, faster and faster, impossibly fast, so that the landscape became nothing more than a blur.

It was all Sioni could do to hold on tight to the unicorn’s silky mane and wrap her legs tight about its flanks. The unicorn raced through the forest with a purpose, what purpose Sioni knew not, but somehow she was willing to place all of her trust in this hitherto mythological creature.

As they reached the part of the forest that was darker, dense with the low-lying canopy of trees that stretched their long arms out menacingly towards Sioni, the unicorn slowed until it came to a stop.

Sioni looked around her, wondering where she was. This forest seemed never-ending. Would she ever see her home again? Would she ever see her parents, or Alfred, for that matter, again? She had half a mind to give her parents a stern talking to. If they hadn’t locked her up in that tower, she wouldn’t be in this mess in the first place.

And as for Alfred…