“There’s a place called the Ghost Town. That’s where the Bright Boys live. Not a nice place. I’m heading out in the morning.”

“Why?” Emilie moved closer. She’d hoped when they met there’d be hugs and tears and laughing, but apart from throwing a blanket over her and carting her off, her sister hadn’t so much as held her hand.

“Two days ago, a Bright Boy named Ripper got into the palace and stole something very precious. They do that sort of thing, and it’s a game of keep-away. I always get it back. I rode out immediately after it and ran into Ripper at the border of the Ghost Town. Usually, we just fight it out. I always win. The Bright Boys always die. Then they waft away to the Ghost Town and come back to life. Then I kill them again. But he didn’t want to fight me. He wanted to keep it.”

“What was it?”

“Doesn’t matter. But first, I have to get you to safety.”

Emilie’s stomach dropped. “Why did you rescue me and not Rafe and Jeremy?”

“Because they can take care of themselves,” she said. “And you’re my sister. You’re my responsibility, like it or not.”

“I’m not sure I like it.”

Skya laughed.

“Sorry,” Emilie said. “That was mean. Thank you for saving me from the Bright Boys. They sound terrible.”

“They are. But don’t be afraid. Aurora is watching out for them.”

“I’m not afraid now. With you.” Emilie wasn’t being nice. She meant it. Her sister had speared a fish, cleaned it, started a fire, and all after rescuing Emilie from a forest full of monsters.

“Good.”

“So what happens now?” Emilie asked.

“We’ll camp here tonight. Tomorrow morning, we’ll ride to the Painted Sea. There I’ll put you on my ship. It will take you to the middle of the sea, where no one can reach you or harm you. The Bright Boys don’t go near water if they can help it. That’s the only way to kill them.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll go into the Ghost Town and do what I have to do. If I don’t come back, then you’ll have to decide whether to stay and rule my kingdom or return to your own world. But that’s a choice only you can make.”

“Wait. If you don’t come back? You think you might not make it out of there alive?”

Emilie trembled, and her chest tightened like a giant fist was squeezing it.

“I have no choice. There is someone very, very dangerous in the Ghost Town who can’t be ignored.”

“Does he want to kill you or something? Take over the world?”

“He wants to hurt my prince. He’s done it before. I can’t let him near Rafe. I have to go alone. You understand?”

Slowly, Emilie nodded.

“Something you need to know about Shanandoah. There are no kings here. Never have been. Never will be. If something happens to me, Rafe can rule as prince regent, but he can never be king. I can’t ask you to stay and rule if I’m killed but—”

“Stop, stop. Please,” Emilie begged. Skya went silent. Emilie took a breath. “I just found you.”

“I might come back.”

“You might not.”

Skya shrugged. “Shit happens.”

“Is that how queens talk?”

“It’s how queens from West Virginia talk. Eat. You need to eat. Long day tomorrow.”

Emilie reached into the pouch of her hoodie and pulled out Fritz, who was none the worse for wear. Luckily, he could sleep through a hurricane and/or being gently abducted.

“Who’s that?” Skya asked as Fritz woke up and began to run up and down Emilie’s sleeves.

“Fritz. He’s my fancy rat. I don’t have anyone at home to take care of him, so I just brought him with me.” She picked up a small handful of nuts and let Fritz eat them out of the palm of her hand. When Fritz finished eating, he started to explore, racing through the grass, sniffing, then hopped over to her and wiggled in circles.

“He likes it here,” Emilie said. “He only does that when he’s happy. Nice to see. He’s had a hard life. Lonely. Lashes out when other rats try to get close to him. He’s only hurting himself really.”

“Maybe he just hasn’t met the right rat yet,” Skya said. “That’s what I tell Granny Apple when she asks me when I’m getting married.”

Aurora returned and landed on Skya’s shoulder with a flutter of feathers.

Then the bird hopped off her shoulder and walked toward Fritz, tilting her head left and right, examining the tiny creature. Then she opened her beak.

Emilie snatched Fritz away and held him to her chest.

“Aurora, don’t eat my sister’s friend.”

“Please,” Emilie said. The crow fluttered back up to Skya’s shoulder.

“Kids,” Skya said. “What can you do?”

Emilie smiled when Skya called her “sister” but didn’t say anything.

She released Fritz from her grip and let him play in the tall grass.

“Maybe I could go with you,” Emilie said. “I could help.”

“Can you use a sword?”

“No.”

“Bow and arrow?”

“Jeremy tried to teach me, but I wasn’t very good.”

“Then you can help by doing as I say so I won’t have to worry about you. Eat. Sleep. Then tomorrow, get on the ship—”

“And do nothing while you go alone on a suicide mission. Right. Got it.”