Emily blinked, bewildered. “Really?” she whispered, as if afraid to hope.

“Really,” Alexander confirmed, offering his hand. Emily hesitated for a second but then took it, feeling the warmth seep into her cold fingers.

As they drove away, the vibrant world outside the car window slowly began to filter back into Emily’s senses. She watched the streets with wide eyes, clutching her teddy bear as if it were a life raft. Alexander spoke gently, asking her about her favorite stories, her favorite games, and soon, the car was filled with the sound of her small voice.

They arrived at a sprawling estate, surrounded by gardens that seemed to stretch to the horizon. Emily gasped, her troubles momentarily forgotten. It was a place straight out of a fairy tale, a world she’d seen only in picture books.