3. Chapter 3
three
Silas escorted me out of Ranger HQ. When we emerged into the fresh, shadowy air of The Forest, I breathed out a deep sigh of relief.
Some of the tension that had been crammed inside my body while I’d been trapped in that sterile white room, seeped out now that I was back in nature, my happy place.
I kicked off my shoes, let my toes bury themselves in the dirt and grass.
I took a few more slow breaths, soaking in the dappled sunlight and the creaks and cracks from critters crawling through the underbrush.
Silas stood silently by my side until I was ready to move.
I took his hand, and we strolled toward the castle. When we arrived at the river’s edge, I saw the outline of Liza scampering across the bridge. She grinned when she saw me.
“If you don’t mind, I need to speak to Liza,” I told Silas. “After, I’ll probably head to Lily’s bungalow. There’s no sense wasting time, seeing as I need to get back to the cottage with enough time to review my manuscripts tonight. I’ll meet you there later?”
Silas pressed a kiss to my lips in answer and made me promise to be careful. I watched as he took the path toward Wisteria Cottage as Liza sidled up next to me in his absence. When she reached my side, she carefully, cautiously, slipped her tiny hand in mine.
We stood there, watching the setting sun together in silence.
The castle rose bone-white in the sky. Daisies nodded in the breeze, and the river pooled beside it, glassy-clear, the surface revealing the color of every stone along the bottom.
No restless souls tonight, no moon portals—just peace.
It looked as though it had always belonged here.
The warmth of Liza’s callused, child-sized hand in mine was comforting, a pleasant weight tied to a responsibility that felt so wonderful and terrifying all at once.
To have the trust of this little girl was something special; to know that my actions could affect whether she was safe on this island or not was something else. A tug that pulled hard against me.
“How are you?” I finally asked once the sun had more thoroughly set, and she slipped her hand out of mine. “How do you feel after seeing your mom last night?”
“I’ll miss her, but she’s where she belongs. I know some part of her is still with me.” Liza gave a small smile. “The spirits are much better off now, all thanks to you.”
“Thanks to all of us.” I gently ruffled her hair. “Will you let me know if you hear from her again, or any other spirits, especially if they’re relaying information that could be useful with everything that’s happening now?”
“Of course.”
“Have you heard from your mother since she passed through the portal?”
Liza shook her head. “I still sense her, but not in the same way. I sense her in the way most people mean it. Like you might remember a loved one, feel their general presence around you. I slept deeply in the castle, no dreams of any sort.”
I waited because Liza hiccupped and looked at the river as if there was more to say.
“Do you want to ask me something else?” Liza eventually wondered. “You seem like you’re trying not to talk. Are you wondering if I can talk to spirits on command? Or are you wondering if I can communicate with those evil smoke creatures that appeared last night?”
“Both? Either?” I said. “But you don’t owe me any explanations, either. I don’t want to involve you in something so adult when you’re so young. However, if you do want to talk about it, I’m here to listen.”
“I…” Liza shook her head, dug at a bit of rock with her bare, dirty toe. “I don’t talk about my gift much. Most people don’t understand it. They either think I’m weird, or they’re scared of me.”
“Trust me, I get it.”
“I know you do,” Liza whispered. “We’re kind of alike in that way.”
“I’m going to be honest about something, Liza,” I said. “I’m worried that your gift could make you a target. There’s a lot happening right now that involves the spirit world. I’m worried your ability to commune with the spirits could put you at risk.”
“I can take care of myself,” Liza said. “But also, since I haven’t told many people about my gift, there are very few that know about it.”
“I think it would be a good idea to keep your gift quiet for now,” I said. “Not out of shame, but to protect you. I’d hate for someone to try and use your gift as a weapon.”
“If I keep it a secret, maybe you could use it as a weapon against them,” Liza suggested hopefully. “I want to help, too, Alessia.”
I squeezed this innocent, magnificent girl to my chest for a long moment. “You are generous and brave. I will let you know, but for now, I’d prefer you keep your distance from anything involving the spirits. Just in case.”
“I can do that.”
“Do you have someplace to stay for the next while?” I asked. “You’re welcome at the castle or Wisteria Cottage. The cottage is small, but I’d be happy to have you.”
“No, I’d rather stay with my people,” Liza said. “I love living in The Forest. It’s part of who I am. We all take care of one another, so I’ll be safe there.”
I knew Liza was right about where she belonged. I could see it in the sun-kissed bronze of her skin, the calluses on her feet, the sinewy muscles that carried her through the treetops like a primate. She belonged to the shrouded cloak of The Forest, and I wouldn’t be the one to pull her away.
“Do you have any experience with the blood moon?” I asked. “Or how it might affect your connection with the spirits?”
“No, I don’t know anything about that. I know my mom, or her spirit, always felt closer on a full moon.
” Liza gave a nostalgic smile. “I’d make it a point to sit outside on those nights because I knew she was with me.
So it’s possible there’s something to the cycles of the moon and the spirit realm, but I don’t really know the details.
” She paused, looked up at me. “Do you think that’s when the next attack will happen? ”
“I don’t know. We’re still putting the pieces together after last night, and honestly, we’re just getting started.” It was my turn to hesitate as I looked at her. “Do you ever wonder what it would be like to enter a spirit realm as a human?”
“That’s a dangerous question.” Liza frowned. “I don’t think it’s a very welcoming place for people with beating hearts.”
“That seems to be the general consensus, from what I’ve heard.”
“Why would you want to go to the spirit realm?”
“It’s not that I want to; I’m just wondering if it’s even possible.”
“Nothing’s impossible with magic.” Liza looked away, not quite meeting my eyes.
“You believe it’s possible,” I said. “What makes you say that?”
“It doesn’t matter. Even if I thought it was possible, I still think it’s a death sentence.”
“I know the Forest Dwellers are big on stories and legends. Do any of these stories you’ve heard passed down mention mortals crossing over to the underworld?”
“Yeah, of course. I’m sure you’ve heard the stories too, even where you’re from.”
Indeed, I was familiar with Persephone and Hades, but in the way I was familiar with Santa Claus. It was a whole new thing to think of their situation as a reality instead of a fairy tale told to children at night to explain the change in seasons.
“If you learn anything,” I said softly, “or if you find a way to cross to the underworld, will you tell me?”
“I’m not sure that’s wise,” Liza said. “I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”
“I understand. But if it’s our only option…”
Liza’s pout deepened, but in sadness, not in petulance. “If it comes to that, then yes, I would tell you. But I should be going now. My people will be wanting to know I’m okay.”
I gave Liza a quick peck on the forehead before watching her vanish into the trees. I had the sneaking suspicion that Liza knew more than she was saying. I only hoped she’d share the knowledge in time, if it came to that.
As evening settled in for good, I headed south toward Lily’s bungalow, skirting around the edge of The Forest in favor of a more lit path. Even as a Fae Queen, I didn’t relish flirting with the creatures of The Forest after dark, especially with so many unwanted appearances lately.
I found Lily in her storeroom, humming over vials larger than I’d ever seen—one nearly the size of a gallon jug. She seemed in better spirits than I would have expected, all things considered.
“When I get this right,” Lily announced at my arrival, “we’ll need a lot of it.”
I slid onto a chair in front of the table without a word, preferring to just watch and observe.
I never tired of studying Lily’s movements when she was creating a potion.
The way she moved through her storeroom with such intense focus and passion, shifting and corking and pouring liquids out of fragile glass vials and vases; she moved with such grace it looked like an orchestrated ballet. One that took no effort on her part.
“So this potion is basically a modified freeze ray. I mentioned before I had issues getting the spirits to freeze so our weapons could work on them, but I think I’ve resolved that issue.
” Lily held up a vial for me to examine.
“Now, this should work as intended. If the user is close enough to use it on a spirit enemy, it should freeze them long enough for our regular spells to work on their spirit form.”
“That’s helpful,” I said. “Not only for the freezing part, but because it lets us use weapons and defenses already at our disposal.”
“That’s the idea. It’s not perfect yet, and I wouldn’t deploy it in bulk.” Frustration tinged Lily’s voice, an unfamiliar sound coming from her. She was usually so upbeat and patient, so this was a sure sign she wasn’t immune to the stress pressing on all of us. “But it’s getting there.”
“You’ll get it. You’re brilliant,” I assured her. “And you have the best assistant.”
I heard Gus sneeze in the other room. I figured it was his version of saying thank you.
“How are you feeling after today?” Lily asked. “It was a big day for you.”