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I scramble toward him, but before I make it two feet, Nick bolts upright. His head whips from side to side. He draws in a sharp breath through his nose, almost as if he’s scenting the air, before his gaze lands on Toto.

"Oh my god!" She presses a hand to her mouth, her chest rising and falling rapidly. "You're alive."

She throws herself into his arms.

Nick catches her automatically, but something about the way he moves makes the hairs on the back of my neck rise. He’s too stiff. Too precise.

He sits with his back unnaturally straight, holding himself completely still, except for the hand he runs through Toto’s hair.

“I’m okay. I’m here,” he murmurs as she buries her face in his chest.

"You were dead," she sobs, pulling back to look at him like she can't believe he's talking to her. "You didn't have a heartbeat." She wraps her arms around him again, refusing to let go.

"I'm okay," Nick repeats as he leans in to sniff her hair. His eyes roll back in ecstasy.

Toto pulls back with a watery laugh, wiping away her tears. "I'm so glad you're alive."

Nick stares at her, breathing heavily, and I can't tell if he's going to kiss her or attack her. Toto's eyes dart to his lips—I know what she's hoping for.

Do it, Nick, I urge silently. Now is not the time, but I’m more than willing to share the woman I love with the two men who love her as much as I do.

Nick leans forward, jerking slightly as he tries and fails to hold back.

He freezes as a loud, animalistic moan comes from nearby.

Toto's eyes widen. "Leo!"

She leaps to her feet and runs toward what looks like a large, furry boulder to the left. I squint at it and realize it's moving.

"Nick." I shake my head to clear the fog. Moving to all fours, I try to stand. "What happened?"

"Granger. Is that you?"

I look up to see Nick staring at me, his eyes wide, his mouth open in shock.

"Course it’s me." I frown. "Did you hit your head?"

Nick swallows. "No. I, um, you—"

“What?”

"You look like a scarecrow."

I sit back on my knees and look down at myself again. Straw. I’m stuffed with fucking straw. "What the fuck happened to me?"

Nick looks down at himself for the first time. “Not just you. We changed. When we crossed the border.”

"Permanently?" I shout.

Nick shrugs.

I crawl toward the border, trying to wrap my brain around what has happened to us. The barrier shimmers faintly in front of me, barely perceptible.

Nick comes to stand beside me. “Only one way to find out.”

He steps through the barrier into Fable Forest.

Nothing.