Conifers

The steady clopping of horse hooves was the first thing Evangeline heard as she slowly regained consciousness.

Then suddenly the remembrance of everything came crashing back to her mind. The gemstones. The purple orb… the explosion—

Her eyes snapped open and her heart hammered.

She looked around frantically.

She was in a carriage. It had to be, no cars were moved by horses now were they?

The comfortable velvet seats beneath her felt far too luxurious, and when she looked down at herself, her breath caught in her chest.

Her dress was stunning, a simplistic midnight blue dress with delicate golden embroidery decorating the bodice.

The fabric was soft and heavy, It hugged her waist, flared out at the hips, and dipped just enough at the neckline to be immodest without being scandalous.

Her hands few to her face and she patted herself like a lunatic as a new wave of panic flooded her veins. She was alive and nothing was hurting… The explosion hadn't killed her.

"What the hell," she whispered with a shaky voice.

She leaned toward the window and pushed aside the curtain letting in the rays of sun. The scenery outside looked like something out of a dream— or perhaps a historical romance novel.

Endless greenery stretched as far as the eye could see. Butterflies flitted between wildflowers, birds chirped sweet melodies, and sunlight filtered through the leaves of towering trees.

It was… peaceful… ethereal even.

The chaos of the purple orb, Giovanni's face twisted in primal fear, the sound of gunfire—it all felt like so distant now.

But this? This felt way too perfect.

Then, as if on cue, her system pinged.

The purple holographic screen popped up in front of her, and Hadley's grinning face filled it, relief flooded her system at the sight of something familiar.

"See?" Hadley said, "I told you to trust me didn't I?."

Evangeline gritted her teeth, her frustration rose. "Trust you? Well you can start by telling me where the hell I am, what is going on?!" she ignored the fact that she now had a posh and proper accent, refining her words.

Hadley leaned her chin on her hand, looking thoroughly amused. "Calm down, darling. We are in the year 1762, in the kingdom of Macedonia."

Evangeline froze, blinking rapidly. "I'm sorry, what?"

Hadley's grin widened. "You are on your way to meet the vampire king because you are betrothed to the crown prince."

Evangeline's jaw dropped. "I'm what?!"

The carriage came to a sudden halt, nearly throwing her forward.

"Oh, shit," she muttered, realizing how loud she had yelled.

The footman appeared at the window, his face filled with concern. "Is everything alright, my lady?"

Evangeline forced a bright smile onto her face, even as her heart raced. "Oh, yes! Everything's fine. It was just an annoying bee. But it's gone now."

The footman blinked but he nodded curtly, and stepped away.

The carriage started moving again, but Evangeline barely noticed. She glared at Hadley, who was laughing so hard that she was practically wiping tears from her eyes.

"What do you mean I'm betrothed?" Evangeline whispered harshly, her voice trembling with panic.

Hadley waved a hand, still giggling. "Relax. It's what the system needs right now. Just go with it."

"Go with it?" Evangeline nearly screeched. "You expect me to marry some prince I've never met?!"

Hadley shrugged. "It's that, or I can send you back to Giovanni. I'm sure he'd love to have a lovely chat with those knives he keeps in his torture chamber."

Evangeline's blood ran cold. "Fine," she snapped, slumping back into the seat. "But can you at least explain why I still look like Rivera? Whose body am I even in?"

Hadley's grin turned sly. "Oh, darling, this time you didn't take anyone's place. As far as this world is concerned, you've always been here. Isn't that fun?"

Evangeline groaned, rubbing her temples. "Nothing about this makes sense."

"It doesn't have to," Hadley said cheerfully. "Now enjoy the ride. You'll love what's coming next."

The terrain outside began to change. The greenery grew denser, the wildflowers giving way to smooth, vibrant lawns.

The trees arched overhead that had their branches intertwined with clusters of purple blossoms which filtered the sunlight into a soft, golden haze.

Evangeline couldn't stop staring, her frustration was momentarily forgotten as the breathtaking scenery unfolded before her.

Then the carriage slowed, and her breath hitched as she saw it.

A massive black gate loomed ahead, guarded by soldiers in pristine uniforms. The gates creaked open slowly, revealing a path lined with perfectly trimmed towering conifers and cute hedges that were so flawless they didn't even look real.

The road was cobbled, the kind of road that spoke of the wealth and elegance of its owners.

Flowers in every imaginable color bordered the path, their sweet fragrance drifting into the carriage.

Evangeline leaned closer to the window, her lips parting in awe.

The path led to the heart of the estate and it was a magnificent central palace that looked as ahough it fell straight out of a gorgeous fantasy novel. Its stone walls gleamed in the sunlight, and the tall towering spires looked as though they touched the sky.

The carriage came to a stop in front of the grand entrance, where two massive wooden doors stood waiting.

The footman opened the carriage door, and Evangeline stepped out, trying to appear as graceful as possible. Her legs felt shaky, and she cursed the weight of her dress, but she lifted it slightly like she had seen in movies and began walking toward the doors.

The air was fresher than anything she'd ever breathed, the kind of air that made her lungs feel clean. The birds chirped, the leaves rustled gently in the breeze, and the sun warmed her skin.

It was too perfect. Too beautiful.

But as she approached the massive doors, her chest tightened.

It was opened up before she could even knock.