“Didn’t the king force you to go on this voyage?” Owen asked dryly.
“Yes,” Lewis muttered, his expression twisted in a grimace. “Sadistic bastard. He probably uses cardio as a torture technique.”
He wasn’t the only one drained. Cirrus, usually quick with a quip, barely had the energy to keep his head up. Owen carried himself with his usual poise, but even he couldn’t mask the exhaustion darkening the skin under his eyes. Every part of Vivienne ached. The canyon’s dust clung to her sweat-slicked skin, turning her into a walking layer of salty, gritty mud. Every step chafed. Every breath a small rebellion against her fatigue.
"The waterfalls are getting louder, that means we’re close, right?" Lewis mumbled, dragging his sleeve across his face. "Please tell me we’re close. I don’t care if it’s a lie."
As they rounded a bend, the world ahead transformed. The thick foliage parted, revealing a breathtaking vale. A crystalline lagoon shimmered under freckles of sunlight, cradled at the base of the mountainside. A smaller waterfall spilled over jagged rocks, feeding the river in a misty cascade. The sounds of rushing water and the scent of damp earth caressed their senses. Lush greenery framed the scene—towering ferns, leafy vines, and flowers of impossible color. It was an oasis in the midst of an unforgiving landscape.
Vivienne’s jaw dropped, momentarily forgetting the weight in her limbs. “It’s… stunning.”
Cirrus exhaled, the tension in his shoulders easing. “Looks like we finally caught a break.”
“We need rest,” Owen said, sweeping the group and assessing their battered state. “And a rinse… or two.”
Lewis didn’t need more encouragement. He broke into a hobbling jog, already tugging off his boots as he headed for the water. Vivienne chuckled, shaking her head as she slowed near a cluster of enormous flowers flanking the path. Their broad petals curled outward in a halo of deep violet, encircling a faintly luminescent orange center. The thick green stalks swayed with the breeze. Their scent was inebriating—sugar on bricks after fresh rain.
She leaned closer to breathe them in?—
PTHHH-CHOOFF!
The bloom sneezed. A puff of bright orange pollen exploded onto her face and chest. She gasped, staggering back, waving her hands uselessly through the cloud. The flower’s outburst rippled down the line. One by one, each bloom puffed, sending a neon storm of pollen over the entire group.
The scent intensified, cloying and overwhelming. Vivienne’s head spun as the mist overtook the air around them. She wiped at her face, blinking rapidly, but the fine powder clung to her like a second skin. A slow, bubbling laugh escaped her throat, unbidden.
Then she heard them—Lewis, Cirrus, and Owen, all laughing, hard.
Lewis yanked off his glasses, revealing a perfect, untouched outline of skin around his eyes, making the rest of his face a tangerine mask. He gaped at them before collapsing into wheezing laughter.
“Gods,” Cirrus choked between cackles, clutching his ribs. “We look ridiculous.”
Vivienne doubled over, her sides aching, helpless against the absurdity. Tears of mirth streaked trails through the pollen coating her cheeks. It had been so long since they’d laughed—really laughed.
Lewis wiped at his face, still giggling. “Wait… is anyone else… seeing…?”
Vivienne’s head snapped up. She turned to look, but her vision swam. A dizzying lightness bloomed in her chest, tingling down her limbs. The world warped at the edges, blurring like ripples on water. The vibrant rainforest twisted, colors bleeding together.
Her knees buckled.
She barely heard Owen calling her name before everything disintegrated into darkness.
35
The offending clang of bells shattered the silence, wrenching Vivienne from oblivion. Blinking against the blinding light, Vivienne found herself sitting on the worn stone steps of the Cathedral of Althera in Vantner. The imposing structure lay behind her, its alabaster spires piercing the sky, its stained-glass windows glinting in the sun.
Her inhale abandoned her lungs as she glanced down at herself. A gown of delicate white lace draped over her frame, cinched at the waist and wrists with traditional blue ribbons. Her hair had been woven into an intricate coronet, strands interlaced with matching blue silk. She reached up and her fingers met the soft wreath of flowers crowning her head. Vivienne squinted as the sun reflected off a large diamond ring.I’m dressed for a wedding. Dressed for my own wedding.
"Are you ready, dear?"
Vivienne turned toward the comforting, honeyed voice. Relief flooded her chest at the sight of Johanna standing behind her, clad in a regal sapphire-blue gown. Beside her, Briar twirled in an emerald dress, nearly spilling the contents of her wicker basket.
“Yeah, slowpoke,” Briar teased, her dark curls bouncing. “I’ve got petals to throw, you know!”
Vivienne sprang forward, pulling her into a crushing embrace. “Briar!” she breathed, clutching the girl against her, inhaling the sweet scent of lavender and sun-warmed earth.
“You’re going to mess up my hair!” Briar squirmed in her arms. “Why are you being so weird?”
“I just haven’t seen you in so long.” Vivienne loosened her grip, allowing her cousin to step back.
