—Eyleen Ársa
Noël
“Imiss the leaf spirits,” I say as we walk toward something that makes Theron tense every time I ask about it.What is this place?
“You can summon them whenever you want,” he replies, his voice calm as he holds up a low branch to clear the path for me.
After everything we’ve been through, I feel strong,alive. Our healing session made me feel like a new person. His saliva definitely heals more than open wounds.
“Can I? Do I just... call them?” I ask.
He nods, his steps slowing until he stops entirely.
I stop too, taking in the beauty of the forest around us. The trees sway in the breeze, their leaves are bright and beautifulgreen. We’re beyond the barrier now, and it’s so refreshing to walk freely.
Eyes closed, I fill my lungs, letting the forest’s energy seep into me. Nature feels like home—thisfeels like home.Soon, all women will be home.By the goddesses, I swear it.
“My dear leaf spirits, please, come to me,” I whisper.
A gentle breeze brushes against my skin, and I hear the quiet, tinkling laughter of the spirits, so sweet and pure it makes my heart sing.
They appear, flying toward us with tiny arms full of colorful petals, they’re as joyous as I remember.
“Theron.”
He tears his gaze away from the leaf spirits, and his expression shifts as he turns to me.
“You’ve noticed,” he says.
“There are blue rose petals among them,” I reply, reaching out to take one. The petal feels cool against my fingers, its glow faint but unmistakable. I know well what a blue rose petal looks like.
“Blue roses do not grow without purpose, do they?” I repeat his words from when we first met.
“They do not,” he confirms. “That is why we’re here.”
I glance down at the petal in my hand. Something about this unsettles me.My leaf spirits, show me the source.
The spirits circle around me. Their tiny voices blend with the wind. Suddenly, they jolt forward.
Heart pounding, I follow them. There’s a strange sensation in my chest, like some part of me is trying to tear itself free, pulling me toward something I need to know.
I sprint after the spirits, my brows knitting as I scan the blur of the woods around me. Each step feels faster, like I’m moving beyond my own limits. My legs drive me forward.
What is this?
The forest changes, every sound sharper, every texture more vivid. I feel the stones underfoot before I even step on them, hear every leaf shiver in the wind. Even the air tastes different.
What’s happening to me?
And then I catch the scent. It wraps around me like a memory I can’t place. Blue roses. My chest tightens. I look around, my gaze darting between the trees, but I don’t stop running. Where is it? Where?
I skid to a halt. My voice is raw as I shout, demanding an answer, “Where!” The word echoes through the forest.Home.
The spirits tug at my gown, and I don’t question them. I run. The pull in my chest grows stronger, guiding me as much as they do. The crystal on my pendant, Ándor’s crystal, begins to pulse against my skin.
My eyes widen as I move forward, the forest giving way to something I can’t yet see.
What is going on?
