Etan nodded to him, keeping his thoughts to himself for once.

As we came upon the border, I could see dozens of men outside the window. Some saluted, showing their respect, while others simply gawked. I feared that maybe one of them would connect me to the girl who had allegedly driven her king to madness, that they’d demand that I get out of the carriage and go back to him.

No one did.

I’d walked into this journey willingly. More than that, I’d chased it down. But that one incident made me aware that I wasn’t just crossing a border; I was stepping into a different world.

“It should be smooth sailing to the manor,” Etan said when we were clear of the crowd.

Scarlet placed the knife that she’d kept tucked under her demure little hands beneath the folds of her skirts again. I shook my head; what exactly had she planned to do with that anyway? Mother reached over and wrapped an arm around me. “One obstacle down, countless more to go,” she joked.

And, for what it was worth, I laughed.

Two

IT TOOK THE BETTER PART of the day moving at a much faster pace than we had previously taken to make it to the Northcotts’ manor. I knew we were getting close when Scarlet started paying attention to things outside the carriage and almost smiling, as if the area brought back happy memories.

The transformation of the climate and terrain happened quickly, as if acting by some unseen trigger. There were many rolling fields, the wind making the tall grass dance before us. We passed several rows of windmills that were taking advantage of the never-ending source of power that blew across the roads and up into the carriage. And then there were interesting little pockets of forests, with trees growing in small patches, as if they were huddling together in one place to keep warm.

Finally, the driver turned, leading the carriage between two rows of tall trees that lined a drive and led up to the front of a manor. Spotlights of sun filtered through the branches, making even the plainest objects sparkle. The way the stones that lined the drive had been worn round, the way the ivy climbed to the very top of the sides of the house, told me what I already knew: this family had been here forever.

Mother had been lost in thought the majority of the ride, but she finally let a glimmer of a smile reach her lips. As we neared the house, she poked her head out of the side window in the most unladylike fashion, waving with a fresh level of enthusiasm.

“Jovana!” she called, bounding down from the carriage as soon as we had come to a stop.

“Oh, Whitley, I’ve been so worried! How was the trip? Were the roads bad? Scarlet! I’m so happy to see you!” Jovana gushed upon seeing her niece, not waiting for answers to her questions.