Page 30 of Cinder's Adventure: Get Me To the Wedding!

Chapter 33

Cinder had done many courageous things in her life, things that many might have considered foolish at times. This wasn’t even the first time she’d jumped from a castle tower many stories high.

But never had she jumped out of a castle tower onto the back of an enormous flying monster.

And yet, with her brain interface flickering with warning upon warning about elevated heart rate and extreme levels of adrenaline, Cinder made her choice.

Without giving herself time to change her mind, she braced her hands on the windowsill and leaped—right as the Jabberwock took flight.

Proceed to Chapter 51.

Chapter 34

As the beast beneath the window opened its mouth and gave a hungry snap with its teeth, Cinder cringed and slowly backed away. In the next moment, the monster had lurched from the stone wall and spread its enormous wings. As it took off after the raven, Cinder, breathless, turned back to face the Erlking.

“I need to find that raven. Do you have a horse I can use?”

An intrigued eyebrow shot upward. “A horse?”

“Yeah, well. A podship would be better, but something tells me one of those is going to be hard to come by around here.”

“More of your strange words… but, yes. I do, in fact, have some of the finest steeds in all the realm. Follow me.”

“Great. Let’s hurry. That bird is getting away.”

He chuckled dryly as he swept from the tower room, back down the spiraling steps, through the great room and out into the main courtyard, lined with stables. And as if he had willed them into being, two enormous black horses stood at the gates. They wore no saddles, no harnesses or bridles, but the Erlking did not hesitate to pull himself with a serpent’s grace onto the back of one of the beasts.

Cinder paused. She wasn’t exactly a skilled rider, and this horse looked like it was built for war. It breathed steam through its nostrils—or was that smoke? And its eyes when they met hers were empty. Soulless.

But it did lookfast, and it was her best chance to get her ring back.

A stable boy scurried forward and set down a stool beside the steed. Squaring her shoulders, Cinder stepped up and swung herself onto the horse’s back, with not nearly as much agility as the Erlking had, but she pretended it was the fault of her cumbersome prosthetics.

“All right,” she said, gripping the horse’s mane. “Let’s go.”

“Yes,” said her companion. “Let’s.”

Something in his tone gave her pause. When Cinder looked over at him, she was startled to see they were no longer alone. An entire contingent of leather-clad warriors had joined them, carrying an assortment of weapons, from crossbows and pikes to broadswords and daggers. Though none of them were quite as striking as their dark leader, they were all achingly handsome, with sharp bone structures and wide eyes that shone like gems.

“Wh-who are these people?” she said, feeling a bit like a lamb that had just been led to slaughter.

“My hunters,” said the Erlking. The castle’s drawbridge groaned as it was lowered, revealing the distant forest. “Perhaps I was wrong before. Perhaps I do have some use for you after all.” His teeth glinted in the moonlight. “Welcome to the wild hunt.”

“The wild wha—?” Cinder’s question devolved into a yelp as her horse charged forward, following the Erlking’s steed over the bridge. Hooves thundered, and a pack of feral hounds swarmed beneath them, their howls and yaps echoing into the night. The world passed by in a blur of shadows and thunder.

Continue to Chapter 53.

Chapter 35

As the Jabberwock tossed its head side to side, Cinder braced herself and jumped from its back. She landed in the thick mud on her hands and knees, sinking up to her wrists with a slurp and squelch.

Catching her breath, she looked up and found herself face-to-face with a pumpkin.

The same leering, slightly decaying pumpkin that now wore the three-pointed jester’s hat.

Shoving herself to her feet, Cinder snatched the hat off the pumpkin with a growl, not caring if she smeared mud all over it. It’d serve that boy right for stealing her ring!

“Cath! Jest!” yelled a new voice.

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