I bow myself, showing the proud standing horse the same respect, thanking her for seeing me.
“Would you like to take me to the magic wishing well?” I whisper close to her ear, her head still tilted down.
She nods, almost like she heard the depth in my prayer. I promised Ector not to use my wings, but I could almost predict his reaction if he saw me on the back of a unicorn.
Swinging myself onto the horse’s back, Illysia pets her soft nose, making her feel calm.
“Thank you for everything. Are you sure that you don’t want to come with me? We could get your brother back.” I thankIllysia, thankful for everything she’s done for me in only a few days.
“I can’t.” She says with tears about to spill down her beautiful soft face.
“Why?” I asked, not quite understanding why she wouldn’t want to come with me.
“Someone needs to take care of Daffodil until you return, right?” She smiles, petting the deer’s head.
Before sitting up on the unicorn, my body launches forward and Illysia captures me in her arms. I never wanted to let go of her and I wanted her to be my best friend, my sister for an eternity. She was a blessing that I never wanted to lose.
“I’ll come back. I promise.”
“I hope so.” Both of our jaws wobbled uncontrollably at the thought of leaving each other's side.
After the loss we had been through, both of us losing our dear sibling, we had now found one another. And that was nothing to take for granted.
Leaving her arms, my body almost refusing to let go, we both forced ourselves. I get up on the unicorn and slowly, we take off, leaving Illysia and Daffodil behind.
Riding on the horse’s back, her white fur scraping against my legs and her pink mane flying in the wind, I realize how close I finally am.Soon, she will be back.And for the first time since I left Fairy Village, that thought didn’t make me feel as happy as it had done before.
Because this time, guilt was taking over me.What about Ector?Was I about to let him be a forgotten soul? Was he not as deserving as Esme? Esme got a good life before she passed. She had a lot of friends and a lot of love surrounding her. But Ector didn’t get the chance to experience those things. He never got to feel that type of warmth and caring.
Who am I to steal that from him? He lost his life to protect me. Why do I feel the right to not give it back to him? How could I be soselfish?
With the beautiful white horse galloping through the colorful field, the wind flies by me and makes sure to go through every strand of my hair. And it leaves whispers that don't make this choice easier for me. Because in the end, I had to choose.
Chapter 39
Genevieve
As we drew closer, a huge dark forest loomed before us, making my horse stop in an instant and rear violently. I fell from its back, the breath punched from my lungs as my body slammed into the cold ground.
“Ouch.” I mutter, and when I look up at the beautiful unicorn, she has already taken off. Something must’ve scared her, and I don’t blame her. It looks scary out here, like a place surrounded by death and darkness.
Scrambling to my feet, I brush my hands on the fabric on my hips, not realising that small cuts have appeared on my palms.
After hesitating, I entered the dark forest, dead trees surrounding me along sharp thorns of old roses. The place felt darker than I had imagined. I had imagined something magical, something out of this world. But all I could feel was dusk and dimness along the cold of forgotten souls calling my name.
Hugging my own body in an attempt to feel safer, I try my best to ignore my fear of the dark, a fear that has no right to stop me when I’ve come this far.
Almost tripping over a rock, I felt my hand going through a spider web. In an instant, a scream leaves my mouth as I see a big spider crawling up my arm.
Jumping up and down like a fool, I try to get it off of me, but it refuses, almost as if it’s glued to my body.
Suddenly, I do something I never thought I would. I take it into my palm and gently place it on the ground, only letting myself panic again once I’ve released it.
It’s with carefulness that I move forward, not wanting to get stuck in any thorns, but apparently I’m not careful enough. My new teal dress suddenly rips apart, and pearls spill everywhere.
Not letting myself stop because of such a small issue, I let my feet take small steps forward, only stopping once a huge bush appears ahead of me.
The bush is filled with spiders and insects, and the only way to the other side seems to be through it.
