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“No great news, child. But bear my warning: no one can protect you. Don’t rely on anyone, child. Don’t trust anyone.”
“People usually tell me to work on my trust issues,” I said.
“I’m not a person.”
“Of course. But let’s circle back to my question. Who are my parents? If you’re going to tell me they were murdered, I need the murderers’ names. I don’t take murdering lightly or kindly.”
“I’ve said enough, Princess Celeste,” said the elemental.
“I’m not Celeste, and I’m not a princess.”
“I’ve risked a great deal by revealing the truth of your heritage to you.”
“You only left more puzzles.”
“I can say no more, child,” the elemental said. “My last counsel to you is not to show anyone the Living Flame in you.”
Héctor had mentioned briefly that he’d been looking for the Living Flame in Manhattan, but I didn’t think he and the elemental were talking about the same thing.
“They haven’t recognized the true nature of your flames, but they will when you tame the two opposite forces within you and merge them.”
“You asked me not to trust anyone, then why should I trust you?”
The elemental chuckled.
“I like you, child. If you hadn’t come at the end of my time, I’d have taken you on as my pupil and kept you as my companion.”
I shivered, chilled by those words. I believed that it had the power to do so. This realm was beyond beautiful, but I would rather not be trapped here.
I belonged to the wilderness with my demigods.
I needed to get the fuck out of here before the elemental decided it liked me too much to let me go.
But instead of moving, I asked in concern, “You’re fading. What can I do for you?”
It had been suffering from magical starvation for millennia.
“Nothing you can do,’” said the elemental, a tinge of weariness in its beautiful voice. “Now off you go, child. And you can’t come back here.”
A violent wind shoved me toward the entrance in the tree.
“Wait a second,” I shouted, screaming and kicking, fighting its elemental force. “You never answered my questions about—”
I landed back by the pond, in front of the enormous, round tree, its silver leaves shivering in the chiming wind.
Were I weak-willed and easily manipulated, I’d have believed that the elemental was a fabrication of my imagination. But I was sure I’d been inside the tree, talking to an elemental, despite how the whole scene felt like I’d been in a trance.
I inhaled deeply. Old magic was still potent in the air, like aged fine wine from eons ago, when the Earth had been young and vibrant, as had all powers, energies, and magics.
Leaving, being cut off from the connection I’d felt, physically hurt so much I could barely stand it. And I still needed to clarify a few things.
“Thank you for the courtesy! At least I didn’t fall on my ass,” I murmured as I stepped toward tree trunk and pressed my palm to it, hoping the elemental would open the door one more time.
“Hey, listen—” I started.
“Marigold,” a human voice called.
I snapped my head in the direction of the voice. Marie jogged toward me from the other end of the trail.
