I wake up in a riot of pain.

It is dark and cold. I am lying on my side with my arms tied behind my back, the rough rope chafing my wrists. My feet are tied, too. There is a dull pain behind my eyes.

Where am I?

I raise my head and see dim shapes moving in the shadows. It smells awful here, wherever I am, a smell like sulfur, like burning flesh, like rotting fruit. I try to cough, but there is cloth in my mouth, gagging me.

I can hear the cries of bats, the scurry of small animals. I think I am in a cave. I try to remember where I was last and suddenly it all comes back to me: the witch flying into my room, informing me that the curse didn’t exist. Her nails slicing a piece of my hair to show me this was true. Her laughter like glass breaking. Like nails down my back.

I think of my parents, how they must be worried about me. I think of Alfred, what he might be doing right now. If he even misses me.

I hear the witch laugh somewhere nearby and try to convince myself that somebody will come and save me.