Chaptertwenty-nine
Everly
Mist clings to the earth, swirling beneath my feet as I make my way across the grass. I don’t remember leaving my room, nor how I got down to the garden. My hands instinctively reach out, brushing along the leaves of various plants as I pass, heading deeper into the gardens.
A flicker of movement catches my eye, and I freeze. My heart beats a frantic rhythm against my ribs. Slowly, I turn toward the movement, but nothing is there. I let out a shaky breath, my bare feet sinking into the dew-covered ground as I approach an overgrown bramble bush. Pushing my way past the bush, my night dress snags on the branches, the sound of the delicate fabric tearing. Emerging from the other side, I see something up ahead. I squint at the pale figure that seems to merge with the mist. Flowing white robes float around them, and flashes of silver hair reflect offthe moonlight.
“Hello?” my voice trembles as I call out, cold sweat slicking my skin despite the night’s chill.
In response, singing fills the air. The haunting melody comes from every direction, as though the very wind carries the voices, whispering in a language that is familiar but also completely alien. I stand frozen for a moment, my heart pounding in my ears. Slowly, I begin to turn in a circle, searching for the source, but what I find makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Several ghostly figures materialize from the mist, their faces obscured by swirling fog. They hover at the edges of my vision, the song growing louder, more hypnotic, until I feel my body swaying, almost involuntarily, to the eerie rhythm.
“Who are you?”
“We are the White Witches,” comes the reply, the voices overlapping in a strange harmony, as if they’re all speaking as one.
“The guardians of the land,” another voice adds, this one deeper, more resonant.
The magic feels both ancient and powerful as it moves over me, prickling my skin and sending shivers down my spine. The air feels thick, charged, like the calm before a storm.
Something feels wrong.
How did I even get out here?
A creeping unease twists in my stomach, and I instinctively take a step back, gripping the fabric of my nightdress tightly in my fist.
“Why are you here?” I ask, my voice barely a whisper, more to steady my own nerves than to demand an answer.
Tendrils of mist begin to snake their way up from the ground, curling around my ankles like icy fingers, reaching for me beforethey dissipate, floating away into the night like autumn leaves caught in the wind. The figures don’t move closer, but their presence presses down on me, heavy and foreboding.
“It is you who seeks us, druid,” the voices reply softly.
I blink, confusion flickering through my mind.
Me? Seek them?
My breath catches in my throat, and I can’t seem to form a coherent response. I tighten my grip on my dress, feeling the cool fabric damp with dew as my pulse quickens.
“Everly!” Raiden’s voice shatters the spell, booming through the night with a force that makes me jump.
My pulse skitters wildly as I spin around, nearly losing my balance. My feet slip on the wet grass, and for a heart-stopping second, I think I’m going to fall. I manage to catch myself, but the ghostly figures are gone, swallowed by the mist as if they were never there. Only the faint echo of their singing remains, fading into the night, leaving me alone in the eerie silence.
“Everly!” more voices now ring out into the night.
Several torches flicker into view, their warm light breaking through the thick darkness. I let out a deep sigh, running my hands over my face, trying to ground myself after what just happened. The bramble bush behind me rustles, and I turn to see Kian stepping through, holding up a torch, his silhouette familiar and steady.
“Princess?” His voice carries a mixture of relief and confusion.
“I’m here.” My answer is quiet, almost embarrassed by the situation.
Kian’s eyes sweep over me, and even in the dim light, I can see his brow furrow. “I can see that, but why are you out here in thedead of night . . . barely dressed?” His tone is teasing, but there’s concern laced in it.
I glance down, suddenly realizing the state I’m in. The sheer nightdress, pale pink and almost translucent in the moonlight, leaves little to the imagination. My heart skips a beat, and I feel the heat rush to my face, my ears burning with embarrassment. I cross my arms, trying to cover myself, but it does little to help.
Kian steps forward, placing his torch on the ground. Without a word, he shrugs off his soldier’s jacket and drapes it over my shoulders. The fabric is rough but warm, the scent of leather and the forest clinging to it. He helps me slip my arms into the sleeves, tucking the jacket snugly across my chest, making sure I’m covered completely.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
He grins, his usual charm returning as he looks down at me, the dimple in his cheek making an appearance. “Did Nix teach you nothing?” he teases lightly, but there’s an affection in his voice that makes the words feel like less of a rebuke and more of a gentle reminder.
