The unicorn’s eyes remained blank as Sioni shuddered. She walked quickly back toward the unicorn’s glade, confused as to what she’d seen. She had never seen thorn bushes like that before, never dreamed that something so horrible could befall her love. Her love, Alfred…

What was he doing just now? Was he looking for her, or was Helen right? Had he found someone new at the ball, more regal and elegant than Sioni? Had he finally found the real princess that he wanted? Her head buzzed with questions, and she soon lost track of where she was heading. She grew more and more frightened as the light faded from the sky.

She was about to give up, to concede defeat to the forest and lay her head down on a rock, when she saw light up ahead. She looked down, and realized she’d stumbled upon an old footpath. As she hurried down the tiny rock pathway, the lights grew more numerous, and a town came into view. She emerged from the forest near a woodcutter’s shed, logs stacked to one side of a small house.

She’d found it.