I feel like I just stepped out of a dream. Equally the most incredible dream I’ve ever had, but also a nightmare I’ll be reliving forever.

The prince was nothing short of perfect. The way his eyes gleamed playfully, his shy smile, his gentle touch. And that body. I know young girls — as my step mother calls us — aren’t supposed to think like that. But how could I not when I could feel his undeniable strength with his every move?

I’m not a swooner. The first time he held me on his arms was the first time over ever swooned.

The evening Itself was a fairytale. I still have no idea how that Fairy Godmother got me on the guest list, but I had no problem waltzing right into the list heavily guarded building in the realm.

From the moment I walked into the grand hall I was paralyzed by its magnificence. The ceiling was nearly one hundred feet tall, with the most intricate mural of our kingdom painted across it. A diamond chandelier sparkled above the steady stream of guests, casting a cascade of light across the floor.

The tall windows gave way to the most gorgeous view of the palace grounds, a garden that exploded with flowers and spanned for what looked like leagues. Each window was lined with thick velvet drapes the color of dusk.

There was gold everywhere, and I mean everywhere. It framed the prices pieces of art, decorated the tables, and even glittered in the tile below our feet.

It was all so much to take in, especially for someone used to sleeping in an attic that might as well be a broom closet.

As I was busy taking everything in, I saw the prince. A tall, dark, and undeniably handsome man with the greenist eyes I had ever seen. From all the stories I had heard from people passing through our inn, he was a true gentleman. One of the few left, according to the ladies who worked within the castle walls.

The prince could have chosen anyone to dance with that night, but he chose me. I was too busy to see him catch sight of me, but from the whispers I’ve heard from my patrons, he dropped an important conversation with some prince from the Middle East to rush to my side.

I didn’t believe in it until then, but it was love at first sight. He looked deep into my eyes and I could tell he felt the same way.

“What’s your name?” Prince Charming had asked.

“Ella, your highness.” I had replied in a daze.

“Please, Ella, may I have this dance?”

And that was all it took. We danced the night away, laughing together, telling stories, and simply enjoying each other’s company. To say I was whisked off my feet was an understatement.

But just like that, it had to end. The clock struck midnight, and I could feel the magic draining from my every pore. I didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye to Charming, I just sprinted out of there like a chicken running from a fox. The Ella he knew was a glamourous Lady, not some dirty kitchen wench. I wanted him to remeber the regal me, not her.

My nightmares have been fueled by what happened next.

I sprinted down the palace steps and tripped down the steps, shattering one of my glass slippers in the process. The glass shards penetrated my foot, immediately painting the ornate stairs in my blood.

I didn’t think I would be able to walk from there, but my adrenaline must have kicked in because I hopped and slid down the rest of the stairs to my carriage.

Jacque helped load me into the carriage door, and slammed it unceremoniously behind me. I was relieved to be back in the safety of the carriage as the magic poured out of me. It was exhausting, like I had spent the entire day scrubbing the in from top to bottom hundreds of times.

As I road through the bumpy wooded path back to MaLady’s Inn, the ornate carriage began to change. Its porcelain white walls turned orange, seeds and slime covering every inch. My body sunk into what was once a bench, and the entire thing was shrinking rapidly.

It was going to trap me inside if I didn’t get out. Ignoring the pain only foot, I yanked open the door and leaped out of the moving carriage. I landed on the side of my body and heard the unmistakable crack of broken ribs. I couldn’t breathe, my entire body body in shock from the harsh fall.

I escaped not a moment too soon. The pumpkin had returned to normal size, and smashed against a nearby tree. Its guts were splattered everywhere, and I couldn’t help but wonder if mine would have been mixed in with them if I had stayed put.

Jacque and the other mice miraculously escaped any harm, and all of them surrounded me with as worried an expression as a mouse could give.

Thankfully, the inn wasn’t much further ahead, but it still took me a good hour to make it back to my pathetic attic. I collapsed into my rickety bed just as I heard my stepmother and step sisters return from the gala.

Their voices echoed from below, but it was clear they were talking about me. The mystery woman who, as they claim, stole their chances at winning the prince’s heart.