After a long moment she heads away.

"Arcadia, the Summer Court, is close." They walked for hours through the forest, which always seemed to be closing in on them. In the corners of their eyes, branches, leaves, even tree trunks moved and shifted, reaching out for them. Sometimes they'd pass a tree or bush, only to see the same one farther down the path. Laughter echoed from the canopy overhead, and strange lights winked and bobbed in the distance. Once, a fox peeked at them from beneath a fallen log, a human skull perched on its head. None of this bothered Grimalkin, who trotted down the forest trail with his tail up, never looking back to see if she followed

She follows the cat.

Night had descended, and the enormous blue moon was high overhead, when Grimalkin stopped, flattening his ears. With a hiss, he slipped off the trail and vanished into a patch of ferns.

She looks around in confusion.

There was a pair of rider that approached, glowing bright in the darkness. Their mounts were grey and silver, and the hooves didn't touch the ground as they broke into a canter, straight for Lin.

She stares at them.

As they got closer, the riders grew visible: tall and elegant, with sharp features and coppery hair ties into a tail. They wore silver mail that flashed in the moonlight and carried long, thing blades at their sides. The horses surrounded her, snorting steam, their breath hanging in the air like clouds, Atop their mounts, the knights glared down with unnatural beauty, their features too fine and delicate to be real. "Are you Linna?" one of them asked, his voice high and clear like a flute. His eyes flashed, the color of the summer sky.

She nods.

"You will come with us. His Majesty King Oberon, Lord of the Summer Court, has sent for you."