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"Keep going in!" Elise said, sliding off her mount’s back The horse threw his head and shied, the whites of his eyes shohen he got a look at the inco cloud

"Curse you, Falk, and your co when the reins burned her fingers as the horse reared Elise ground her teeth and clung to the reins, pulling the horse forward He snorted and ju the swans hurry down the dirt road that plowed through the forest

They ithin the borders of the woods when Elise took another ," she said, able to see the inco in the forest

Fear ed the nervous horse around the flock, pressuring her swan brothers off the road "Off the trail," she called, whistling at theet their attention

The sere quiet as they waddled off the path and into green underbrush

There was a thundering noise, like the roar of the ocean Elise whirled around The black fog was in the forest, creeping forward like searching fingers

It drew parallel with Elise and the shen the ocean noises grew louder

So black-blue shape topped hite gold flew past like a co faster than it had pursued Elise The coh, and the black cloud huddled to a frightening tar-like core before the co it entirely

There was a deafening peal of thunder, but no lightning

Falk’s horse reared again, swinging wildly around and crashing into a bush as the swans beat their wings

By the time Elise was able to hold her borrowed horse steady, the "comet" stood in the middle of the trail, in line with Elise and her flock

The coly beautiful lady mounted on a black horse Elise hesitated to call it a horse, for while the animal had the structure and face of a horse, its fur wasn’t quite fur Instead the horse appeared to be wrapped by the night sky Its body wasof stars, and its h they didn’t fall and sit straight the way norues of black and blue fire than strands of hair

"You certainly aren’t Gabi, so Princess Elise I may presureat beauty As she watched the rider’s dress, an iridescent shade of gold, turned a faint shade of iridescent green "W-who are you?"

"I aelique"

"You’re an enchantress"

"Correct Your brother, Prince Erick, invited me to Arcainia He asked me to observe your step past Elise to the white swans huddled behind her "It is alright, princes Please, co and tranquil

Elise’s seven swan brothers glided out of the forest, joining Angelique on the road as the enchantress diselique slid her hands under the head of one of the swans, ently stroked it,to it under her breath

Elise waded out of the trees, dragging Falk’s horse with, and watched Falk’s horse snorted at the enchantress’s odd ed eyes