Aoife’s face flushes bright pink as her gaze seems to land everywhere but on Sorin. Despite being decidedly lacking in the clothing department, he seems unfazed by the cold. If it’s a result of his vampire blood, I wish I had a drop or two right about now. It’s been ages since I felt my toes or fingers, and I’m pretty sure my nose has frostbite.

“Where have you been?” Toivo asks.

“Stuck here. Same as you,” Sorin says. “I tracked the magic north to the stones. Crossed over. Didn’t realize it was a one-way ticket.”

“We’re trapped here?” Morgan asks.

“Seems so. I’ve been searching for a way out. Haven’t found one.” Sorin shrugs. “There’s strange magic here. Could be a spell or maybe the forest itself. Either way, we’re stuck.” Sorin might not have fangs anymore, but he still looks like he wants to bite.

“Trapped.” Aoife hangs her head between her knees.

“I might not be,” I say, before my brain has time to process the thought growing in my head. “Magic doesn’t work the same on me. Maybe I can find a way out.”

Toivo looks at me for a good long while, his brow furrowed and his hair gathering snow. I don’t need his permission to try this, but I want him to acknowledge me and say it’s the only chance we’ve got.

“Might work,” he says as if it causes him physical pain, then switches to Finnish so only I understand. “But you have to promise me that if you can get out, you go. Don’t wait for us or try to get us out too. If you can find a way, you take it and you get to Mom and Dad as fast as you can. They’ll know what to do.”

“But we’ll all—”

“Taika!” Toivo meets my gaze without any of his usual animosity. “You want to help, right? You want to save Natalie and Hannah, right? Then know this is the best chance we’ve got.”

“Okay, I’ll go,” I say in English. “And I’ll go straight to Mom and Dad.” I barely get the words out before the reddish blur barrels into Toivo, knocking him sideways into the snow. The maahinen is back.

“Run, Taika!” Toivo yells.

With a snarl, Sorin leaps after the creature, changing midair into his wolf form. It’s breathtaking but I don’t have the time to marvel at his shape-shifting abilities.

“Please, get help!” Morgan says.

For a moment, I still hesitate. For a moment, I consider staying just because Toivo wants me to go. But this is it, this is my one chance to do something helpful and not be completely useless.

23

“Please help me,” I whisper, not sure who my words are meant for. “Please let me get out. Please let me help my friends.” I scream the last bit at the forest.