“You sure about that?”

“One-hundred-percent.” I tighten the reins on my horse—Mauricio—and command him to pull ahead.

Now is not the time to second guess my plan, and the last thing I need is one of my men overhearing the uncertainty in LaFayette’s voice.

We’ve failed at ending this curse time and time again, but I’m confident that this time—the seventeenth—is the charm.

It has to be…

The trail ahead curves and bends past Swan Lake, winding through rows of white-roofed elf homes that overlook their hidden caves. It’s a path I know all too well, and yet, no matter how many times I follow it, it feels longer.

Ahead, a bronze door shimmers under the canopy of an oak tree, marking my first stopping place.

“Hold, Mauricio.” I command, and his hooves halt in the dirt. Patting his side, I hop off the saddle and knock on the door.

“Yes?” The door opens, revealing a pale-faced woman dressed in an ivory gown.

“We’re starting another journey,” I say. “Let’s go.”

“What? Now?” She peers behind me as my men move behind my horse. “You said I wouldn’t have to help you again until you were sure you’d found the right girl.”

“I am sure.” I narrow my eyes. “And you’re not in a position to question me about anything. Ever.”

“Last time I checked, you’re the reason we’re all cursed.”

“You’re just as much to blame as me…” I step closer. “Or have you forgotten exactly what happened that night?”

She groans, still staring at the men, looking as if she’s about to risk my rage and refuse to come along. But then her eyes widen at something in the distance.

“Is that the girl?” she asks.

Huh? I turn around, spotting Belle as she slips through a reed bed, slumping to the ground. It’s her first sign of weakness.

“No.” I shake my head. “She’s my prisoner. I’m using her in exchange for the real girl.”

“She’s so beautiful…” She leans against the frame. “None of the other girls you’ve ever tried looked like that.”

“Those girls are all irrelevant,” I say. “Some of them didn’t even get this far into the journey.”

“I wonder why…” She purses her lips. “Oh, wait. It’s because you’re a ruthless asshole who doesn’t know what true love is.”

“I’m done wasting time with you.” I groan. “How long will it take you to prepare for this trip?”

“A while, since it’s such short notice.” She looks up at the sky. “I have to finish something important before I leave.”

“Anything my men can help you out with?”

“Yes, actually.” She picks up a handful of smooth white stones and presses them into my hand. “I’m baking cakes for two children who are currently wandering the woods. They’ll need the crumbs and these stones to find their way home, and I’ll never be able to live with myself if they get eaten by the witch. Can your men find them and lead them here?”