This is wrong. Cinderella as a villain? This isn't how the story goes.
I've never bought into fairy tales—not for a second. They were just twisted illusions, sugarcoated to hide the ugliness of the world we live in—wishful thinking painted in pretty colors, masking the real horrors of reality.
But now, standing here, wide-eyed as chaos unfolded before me, I couldn't pretend any longer. This world... it wasn't just wrong. It was twisted. Dark.
Another group of people was being dragged away, stumbling, helpless. Soldiers yanked them through the dirt like cattle.
The screams. The desperate pleas. Hands clawing at the ground, pleading for mercy.
I swallowed hard. They weren't monsters. These weren't wolves. No, these were people, treating the innocent like dirt.
I stood frozen, throat tight, struggling to breathe. I didn't want to believe it. Didn't want to admit it, but we were trapped in this twisted fairy tale world, and it was real.
God. I clenched my jaw, determination setting in. There was no room for disbelief anymore.
The world around us was crumbling—both literally and figuratively. And there was no time for dismal fantasies.
I swallowed the bile rising in my throat. I wasn't going to die here. Not like this. Not today.
"We need to find the book," I said, my voice firm despite the tightness in my chest. It wavered, but I couldn't afford hesitation.
Chase shot me a look, his eyebrow quirking, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Yeah, right. And how the hell are we supposed to find it? The damn thing didn't even give us any clues."
Frustration gnawed at me, but I didn't show it. He had a point. No map, no directions—just a world hell-bent on destroying us.
"And have you forgotten the wolves?" he added, his voice dark. "How are we going to find it with a pack of flesh-eating monsters roaming around? And we don't even have a weapon."
I clenched my jaw, eyes narrowing. My options were running out. If I was going to survive, I had to take charge—stop being the victim.
"We find a weapon," I snapped, more resolute than I expected. No room for doubt.
Chase chuckled, dry amusement lacing his voice. "You really are something, you know that? Your sheer confidence is a damn wonder."
I didn't flinch. My gaze stayed steady. This wasn't a joke. This was my life.
"If you're not going to, I will," I retorted, a cold edge creeping into my voice. "I can do this on my own."
Chase raised an eyebrow, amusement flickering in his gaze before turning mocking. "Oh, really? Tell me, Miss 'I can do it myself,' can you fight?"
I froze. Shit. He was right. I couldn't just pretend to have the skills to survive this world. I had to face it.
"I can," he continued, stepping closer with a knowing smirk. "I've got experience in martial arts—MMA. I'm a black belt in Taekwondo, by the way. How about you?"
I stiffened, frustration bubbling up. He wasn't wrong. I couldn't fight like he could.
"I— I dabbled in archery," I muttered, quieter than I wanted.
Chase's grin widened, clearly entertained. "An archer, huh? Well, that works in this medieval mess. They do use bows and arrows around here."
I glared at him, exasperation rising. Was he really going to make a joke about this? Our lives were on the line.
But he just kept grinning—so smug, like he was enjoying watching me squirm. I couldn't let him get to me.
"Can you be serious for once?" I hissed, frustration cutting through my voice. "We're talking about survival, Chase. Life and death. Not some damn game!"
Chase raised his hands in mock surrender, still smiling—but now his eyes turned serious. "Oh, I'm serious. Just not sure how you plan on pulling it off. You may be good with a bow, but these aren't just fairy tales we're fighting. This is real, Ryleigh. And in the real world, you need more than a bow to survive."
I gritted my teeth, fists clenched. This wasn't the time for his cynical talk. Survival was all that mattered now.
The story had been twisted, and if I was going to survive, I needed to reset it. All of it.
"We're finding that damn book, Chase," I said, my voice steady, the promise clear. "And I'm going to do it—whether you're with me or not."
For a second, his cocky grin faltered. The sarcasm faded, and I saw something real in his eyes. But he didn't speak.
Instead, he sighed, rolling his eyes as he turned away. "Fine. But we better hope that book's got answers. And fast."
As we trudged onward, the weight of the world pressing down on me, I could feel it—the clock ticking.
This wasn't over. It wasn't even close.
I wasn't going to die here. Not today.
*********************
"Do you know what kind of book we need to find?"
Chase glanced at me, breaking the silence. We'd been on edge the entire trip, eyes scanning for any sign of movement—whether it was from the wolves or the silver soldiers.
We'd barely ducked behind cover when a group of soldiers passed, and I couldn't help but admire how quick Chase was on his feet. Maybe there was some truth to his martial arts claims.
I shook my head, brushing the thought aside. "Not really. But I'm sure it's not sitting out in the open like a treasure waiting to be found."
Chase raised an eyebrow, not buying my indifference. "Are you sure about that?" He stopped suddenly, his gaze locking onto something ahead.
I followed his stare, and my heart skipped a beat.
In front of us, on a stone pedestal, sat a book.
"What the—" I whispered under my breath.
Chase's grin stretched wider, though there was something darker in his eyes. "We must be lucky."
I shot him a skeptical look. "Yeah, sure. Lucky," I muttered, my instincts telling me this wasn't as simple as it seemed.
We moved cautiously, every step deliberate.
As we neared, I kept my senses sharp, scanning for any sign of danger. But for a moment, it felt like the world held its breath. When I was sure the coast was clear, I rushed forward and grabbed the book without a second thought.
The moment my fingers closed around it, I glanced back at Chase. His face was frozen in surprise.
"Run!" I barked, already taking off toward the nearest cover.
Chase hesitated for a beat before following me, cursing under his breath as he sprinted to catch up. We made it to a stream, the rushing water masking our footsteps.
When we slowed, I gasped for air, adrenaline still pulsing through me.
Chase shot me a sharp look. "Why the hell did you do that?"
I shrugged, breathless. "I don't know. It was instinct. What if it disappears or something? I couldn't risk it."
He stared at me, frustration flickering in his eyes, but his voice stayed calm. "Is that why you stole it? What if we trigger something by taking it? What if it's supposed to stay there?"
I winced. Was I being reckless? I hadn't thought of the consequences.
"I— I'm sorry. I acted on impulse."
The words slipped out before I could stop them, and instantly, I regretted it.
Why the hell had I apologized? And to Chase?
Chase's expression softened for a brief moment, something flickering in his eyes. Then, his cocky grin returned.
"Damn. That's the first time I've ever heard you apologize. Guess you're not always the stone-cold badass after all." He leaned against a tree, crossing his arms with a teasing glint in his eyes.
I glared at him, my stomach knotting. Why had I apologized? Why to him?
But the moment lingered, leaving me unsettled.
I chose to ignore him. The only thing that mattered now was the book.
I ran my fingers over its ancient cover, the gold lettering catching what little light there was. The Twisted Fairy Tale—it seemed to pulse, almost as if it were alive, waiting to reveal its secrets.
"Twisted Fairy Tale," I whispered, the title settling over me like a bad omen.
Chase stepped closer, peering over my shoulder. "Well, we've got the book. Now what? What are we supposed to do with it?"
I opened it, the spine creaking as I did. "Next, we start reading. Who knows? There might be something in here—a clue we're missing."
I paused, the silence between us stretching. Something deep inside me told me this was the only way forward. Every second counted.