When best friends Claire and Jo wake up trapped in a fantasy romance novel, Claire thinks it's a dream come true while Jo knows it's her worst nightmare - especially after they are almost killed by a monster and end up on the wrong end of a handsome...
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I'D NEVER RIDDEN a horse before. I'd never even been close to one until now. It only took me twenty minutes into the ride to realize I hated them. I hated the jostling, how impossible it was to judge the way the animal's next step would land, but most importantly: the awkward and constant bumping between myself and the psycho who killed a monster.
His name was Nicolo. That was what the other guy – Prince Elric – called him. Elric was a prince, and he said Nicolo was a knight. A Chief Monster Extinguisher, apparently.
Sir Nicolo sat behind me, arms bracketed around my sides to hold the reins and guide the massive horse as it lumbered through the woods. I tried my best to sit up straight and avoid any contact whatsoever, but there was the occasional jerking motion that messed up my balance and had my back colliding into his chest, or had his arm brush against me, and I honestly couldn't decide if I wanted to die from embarrassment or wheel around and punch him next. My knuckles still throbbed from punching the other guy – a prince! – but I could do it again. I would do it again if these weirdos tried anything.
I glanced down at the man's hands gripping the reins, and the dark ichor spattered across his gloves. Every time I blinked, I could see that monster staring at us through its hollow eye sockets. I could hear its hiss rasping in my ear –
At least nothing else weird happened yet, though. Nicolo hadn't said a word since the clearing, but Prince Elric more than made up for that. The dude couldn't stop talking, whether it was about the kingdom we were fast approaching, life in his country of Larnwick, or desperately trying to be funny enough to make Claire laugh.
This had to be a fever-dream. It had to be. But there was that monster. My worst nightmares couldn't create something like that, and even then, I would've forced myself awake before it could attack. And we wouldn't still be trapped here.
"We'll reach the capital city of Norcrest soon," Prince Elric said. "In fact, it's just over the next hill. I'm sure you're both anxious to retire. If you'd like, I can launch a search party for your horses and things."
"Cool," I muttered, disinterested.
"Yes, it is," the prince said. Frowning, I cut him a look, only to be met with Claire's furious shut-up-right-now eyes and even more serious or-so-help-me frown. "With us being positioned further north, closest to the Ramdall Mountains, our autumns arrive quickly. Is the climate here different than Velein, Lady Claire?"
Claire's cold gaze snapped in half as soon as she tried to crane her neck around to look at the prince. "Oh yes, Your Highness. Velein can hold onto its warm, especially in the southern region."
Who even was this person sitting on a horse next to me? Certainly not Claire, the girl who would crawl out of her skin at the thought of lying. And yet she was here, speaking like she was from Game of Thrones and glaring at me for having the audacity to not get it. I didn't know what was going on, and I was terrified to ask. All I could do, for once, was let her lead.
