Frankie:
The air outside the castle was sharp and electric, alive with a quiet foreboding that made the hairs on my neck rise.
My breath came out in misty puffs as I walked into the clearing beyond the forest. My mates were trailing just far enough behind to remain unseen, but knowing that did very little to comfort me as every step felt like strolling into our end.
The barren trees surrounding us seemed to lean in, their skeletal branches like claws poised to snatch me away.
My fists ached from the grip I held on them. They burned from the cold despite being hidden beneath my cloak.
Nettie wouldn’t win against me easily, no matter how cunning she was.
My heart thudded in my chest as I stepped into the center of the clearing, waiting for her to come.
And then I felt a ripple thro
