The aftermath of the ball hadn't calmed down when Mabel disappeared. She went into the village disguised as a commoner and took a carriage from there to a particular address.
The road thinned the further the carriage went.
What began as a proper path carved through the outskirts of the kingdom slowly gave way to rough earth, then scattered stones, and finally… nothing at all, but just forest.
The forest was thick and quiet.
Mabel sat inside the carriage without moving. Her hands rested calmly on her lap, even as the wheels dragged over uneven ground.
The driver didn't speak.
He hadn't spoken since she gave him the location.
Most wouldn't attend to her to go through this path, especially when they knew where the road led to. Most people knew what lived beyond these trees.
The forest ahead swallowed light.
The afternoon sun struggled to press through the heavy canopy of twisted branches and ancient trees. Shadows layered over each other, thick and suffocating.
