“I need to speak with Theron,” I continue. “Where is he?”
The corners of her mouth curl ever so slightly, a grin that makes her ageless face seem younger. “Hunting,” she replies, with a hint of amusement.
“Hunting?”
“For the welcome ceremony,” Naïa adds. She steps back after securing the pendant around my neck.
The weight of it settles against my chest. I glance down at the misty blue crystal.I have so many questions. “I see,” I murmur. But in truth, I don’t see at all.
Soon. I will find Theron, and he will tell me everything.
“It is time,” Elder Aïna says.
She doesn’t need to say more. I know what she expects, so I turn to face the others. More vólkins gather near the ancient stone, each bowing as they approach.
“We’ll start with meditation,” Mina says, guiding me deeper into the glade. “It will help you connect with the spirits of the forest and find your inner balance.”
I nod, and my heart beats faster as I take a seat near the stone, my legs crossed and my hands resting on my thighs.
Elder Aïna’s voice is steady as she begins. “Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Feel the energy of the forest flowing through you. Let your mind grow still and listen to the whispers of the trees.”
Following her instructions, I let my eyes fall closed and the cool forest air fill my lungs. As I exhale, I imagine the worriesleaving me. One by one, I gather my thoughts—the questions about my mother, about Ándor, about this strange world I’ve been thrust into—and try to push them away.
The wind brushes against my skin, and the grass beneath my ankles is soft.
Elder Aïna’s voice continues, calm and guiding. “Now, imagine yourself as a tree. Let your roots grow down into the earth. Feel the strength of the ground supporting you.”
I picture it clearly, my roots intertwining with the ancient trees around me. A warmth spreads through me as though the forest is sharing its strength.
“Allow your mind to drift back through time.” Elder Aïna’s voice grows distant. “Feel the presence of those who came before us. They guide and protect us even now.”
The warmth wraps around me like a gentle embrace.
I see a woman standing with her hand resting on a massive wolf’s back. She is beautiful, her hair flowing as though caught in an unseen breeze, her eyes filled with wisdom. The wolf is equally imposing, his gaze intelligent.
“You have come far, my child,” the woman says, her voice serene and so powerful. “You are the key to restoring the balance.”
I feel as though I know her, though I’ve never seen her before. “Who are you?” My voice wavers.
“I am the Mother of All,” she replies. “You carry my legacy within you. The bond you share with the vólkins is ancient and powerful.”
A chill rushes through me. My heart races, but I force myself to ask. “What must I do?”
“You must make the blue rose bloom again,” she says simply.
Before I can respond, a whirlwind of blue petals surrounds me. The air grows cold, then hot, and my body seems to be frozen in place. My breaths come fast and shallow as the stormintensifies, the petals brushing against my skin. Then, just as suddenly as it began, the storm vanishes.
I gasp, my chest heaves as I struggle to regain control, and my heart pounds as the vision fades around me. The moment I can, I open my eyes to the present. The vólkins are watching me. Eyes wide.
“Are you alright, Your Majesty?” Mina asks.
I wipe the sweat from my forehead, my voice shaky. “I don’t... I don’t know.”
The vólkins exchange glances. Elder Aïna steps forward, her expression grave. “Look around you, Ethereal Leader.”
When I do, my breath catches in my throat. Blue roses—dozens of them—surround me.
I turn, looking behind me. More roses. They weren’t here before. Searching for answers, I meet Elder Aïna’s eyes.
