Page 1 of Forever Entwined

PROLOGUE

ISABELLA

Every great fairy tale has one thing in common:

A sad, lonely girl, dreaming of her Prince Charming riding in on his noble steed to slay the monsters and save her.

But what happens when the story isn't that simple? What happens when the prince has his own monsters to slay. Or when the princess gets whisked off into a nightmare rather than a fantasy?

Nathaniel Scott opened my eyes to the possibility of love at first sight, or should I say, love at first fall. He showed me that one moment can change everything.

But before I can tell you where our story leads us… I have to explain where it all began: in an abandoned old cabin in the middle of nowhere Washington.

CHAPTER ONE

ISABELLA

SIX YEARS AGO

AGE 12

No dragon is in sight, but a tea kettle is steaming out its shiny steel nostril. I stare at the page of my notepad where I’m doodling possible names for the villain trapping the beautiful princessIsabellahere in this cabin in the middle of Nowhere Washington.

I blow out a breath. It’s official. I’m going out of my mind. Like a caged animal, I wander the two small rooms, staring at the cracked walls with its peeled paint. It always smells like old gym socks stuffed with lemons here. I’m compiling a checklist of all the flaws and issues to keep myself from pacing a hole in the creaky floor.The place is old, like, crone old.

A steel kettle sets out on the one burner that still works. I only know that because Pops made oatmeal for me and my cousins before they abandoned me here. Okay, not abandon. I have everything I would need if I was fifty.

After what feels like an eternity of pacing, my attention is grabbed by the sheer beauty of the world outside, beckoning through the grand window. An idea hits me.I could go explore the woods. That will help pass the time, for sure.Even though Pops told me not to leave the cabin while they hunt,

I’ll just take a short walk. Besides, they’re usually out until sunset. I could have gone with Pops and my cousins I guess, but no thanks. I shudder, Bambi’s mother flashing through my mind.

Sure, I promised Pops I wouldn’t leave the cabin while they hunt, but that was before I realized how boring it is here. It’s kind of my parents’ fault. They knew Nana wouldn’t be available to watch me, and Pops comes to this cabin at the same time every year.

I throw caution to the wind, lifting my chin with my new found defiance. Wearing my favorite pink, fur-lined coat, along with my comfy rubber boots that Nana brought me especially for this trip, I walk out the door.

Eyeing the old cell phone left for emergencies, I swipe it off the table and stuff it into my coat pocket for safekeeping.With all my necessities in hand, I head toward the door and swing it open. Without a specific plan, I am captivated by the stunning beauty of the clear blue sky, making me lose focus.

While I walk, I fixate on the melody of nature: the gentle breezes rustling through the tree branches, songbirds chirping, and squirrels chattering.

Alright, I admit, it’s beautiful here. I inhale a deep breath, tilting my face toward the morning sun while the wind ruffles my hair. Rays of light filter through the gaps in the canopy, casting playful shadows on the forest floor.

I watch for landmarks to help find my way back to the cabin, especially after I notice the other cabins scattered around the area. They look more rundown than ours, one choked by vines and thorns like the castle inSleeping Beauty.Letting me know it’s been abandoned for years.

Paw prints dot the ground in front of me, and I dip from the gravel road to follow them. Wouldn’t it be fun to bond with the animal who made them? Living my Snow-White adventure, I spot a cute white rabbit with a pink trembling nose. I want to pet it, but just as I bend down to do just that, it darts away. I trail him again, but this time when I get close, he zigzags for the cover of the woods. A laugh bubbles up, and I chase after my reluctant bunny friend until it vanishes into a hole near a tall oak. That’s when I realize how dark it’s gotten compared to earlier.Crap.I spin around, praying I’ll spot something I recognize. Nothing. My little woodland adventure just took a not-so-great turn.

My pulse races, and panic floods through me.

My parents send me here to Washington practically every weekend, summer, and school break, so you’d think I’d be more familiar with the area, but I’m not. I prefer to stay in town, relaxing, painting, or baking at home with Nana while my cousins brave the wilderness here at the cabin with Pops.

I spin around a few times and spot a somewhat familiar clearing. Frustrated, I turn around, hoping to find my original path. Calling Pops for rescue crosses my mind, but I resist, knowing how disappointed he would be about me leaving the house.

Sinking to the ground, I relax for a beat, forcing myself to take long, slow breaths.I can do it. Think, Izzy, think. You may not know these woods, but you can't let fear win.

Allowing my stubbornness to guide me, my eyes land on a large tree off to my right with a few low-hanging branches beckoning me. Climbing seems like the most logical solution. I can probably spot the roof of the cabin from way up there, or at least the roof ofacabin—civilization.

I step back, assessing the tree for the quickest and safest way to the top. One of the branches is plenty wide enough for me to stand on, but it has no good handholds above it. Another branch is iffy, but it has plenty of branches to ladder myself up afterward.

I don’t give myself time to argue, so I walk to the tree and reach for the iffy branch. I don’t need to stand on it very long, and on the way back down, I can use the other side of the tree. It’s thinner towards the top.

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