Page 174 of Unravel Me

"I can show you the trick later," I send him telepathically, and he nods.

"Perfect!" Then he hesitates and adds more solemnly, "All is perfect, Mauro."

I respond with a smile and send him one more telepathic message.

"And let’s keep it that way!"

JARED

Present day

I leave Mauro, Renato, and the others with Tommy in the kitchen and step out onto the patio.

My emotions are so overwhelming that I decide to take a short walk before I explode. For a moment, I catch myself thinking that all of this is almost too beautiful to be true, but I cut that thought short. Why should it be? I definitely need to change the way I think about my life. I deserve this, I’ve waited long enough. I’ve been through hell and back to get to this point, and I’m going to let myself fully embrace it.

I take a deep breath and look up at the sky, watching the clouds drift across it. A flock of birds flies overhead, or maybe they aren't birds at all, but… fairies again?

They look so colorful and light, and I can't help but smile to myself. What an interesting place I've chosen to live!

Then my eyes are drawn to a beautiful, majestic tree growing on the lawn not far from the mansion. An extraordinary one, magical. It seems to radiate a different kind of energy, almost pulsing, casting a subtle golden glow around it.

My heart beats a little faster as I slowly approach it. This is the first time I’m standing beside it alone, and the moment takes my breath away a little.

Renato said that the forest folk communicate with Silvio through it, but I’m not sure if that will work for me, since I’m so new to all this. I approach the tree hesitantly. It’s so beautiful, and even in winter, its branches are covered in a thick canopy of leaves that rustle softly in the wind.

Something tightens in my chest. Almost on tiptoe, I move closer to its thick trunk and gently place my hands against the bark.

The next moment, a soft, gentle energy washes over my heart, and I instantly recognize it as the same energy I felt once before, when Silvio tried to send me a little comfort.

"Thank you for saving my life and for accepting me into this family. I’ll do everything I can to fit in here well. And please, forgive me for everything," I whisper softly.

What I hear in response isn’t exactly a voice. It’s more like… a gentle transmission that somehow takes shape in my mind as words, feelings, and understanding. And I give it Silvio’s gentle voice.

"Everything is all right, child. There is nothing to forgive. Everything is as it should be. Fate led you down a difficult, winding path, but you have finally come home. Now it is time to allow yourself to be happy."

I squeeze my eyes shut, and a tear slips down my cheek. There’s something cleansing about this moment.

"Thank you," I whisper inside my mind, then lean my back against the tree’s rough bark and stand there for a while, simply enjoying the silence and peace.

Something inside me expands. Joy, excitement, and… a feeling of freedom.

It all bursts through me, along with a sense of lightness I’ve never felt before.

Then, unexpectedly, I let out a joyful, silly cry.

"Yiiiippeee yay!"

And I burst out laughing.

The wind rushes against me, lifting loose strands of my hair into the air. The sky above me is wide and open, and I raise my arms toward it, standing there for a moment and soaking in the feeling, just simply breathing, simply being alive.

The darkness stays behind me. I’m stepping into the light.

Finally.

As I stand there, a sound reaches me, and I lower my head. From here, I can see part of the driveway. A car is pulling up and comes to a stop.

For a split second, I feel a needle of uncertainty, but the magical energy of the tree behind me shields me from the instinctive, unfounded fear.