No, she didn’t want to live centuries, but she wasn’t ready to die either.
What she told Orion is what bothered her the most—seeing everyone age and die, generation after generation. In time, she’d also be all alone in the grove. Her tree was only twenty years old and a cypress such as hers could live six hundred years. Basila was already two hundred and seventy-five years old and she was tied to an Ash tree, which only lived to be around three hundred and fifty. All of them would die long before her.
Nina looked up at the dark sky, her throat tightening and tears clouding her vision. She wasn’t certain if Gaia could hear her or not, but Nina made the plea. “I do not want to be attached to a tree anymore. I want to be fully human. I want to live and love.” There was no way of knowing if Gaia even listened anymore, but Nina had to ask and then thought to add. “Thank you for saving me and please, do not think me ungrateful. I just wish to be free, as I want Cassian to feel free to do as he wishes.”
She ended up sitting on the window seat all night, dozing on occasion. Nina knew that she should go to bed, but she didn’t have the energy to move from her place. Her heart longed for Orion and her mind wanted Cassian to be free, and as the sky began to lighten, Nina made a decision.
After putting on the shoes that she rarely wore, and donning a dress that was the closest to what she had seen the women wear at the mansion, she set out through the grove.
This was to be a test. She wanted to see how far she could go before she suffered discomfort or weakness. They didn’t even know if she would die if she left, but Nina wasn’t going to risk going so far that it could happen, especially since she’d had such terrible pain before. That must mean that death follows. Why else would she have no pain one moment and excruciating pain the next? Therefore, she would walk slowly and be aware of what was happening within her body so that she could return to the sacred grove before it was too late.
The trees didn’t even whisper this morning, so the dryads must still be asleep.
It was for the best. Otherwise, they may have tried to stop her.
She passed her tree and smiled. At one time they were the same height. That didn’t last long and now it towered over her.
Finding the break in the boxwoods, she made her way to the cove as she had done so many times to watch the families. This time she didn’t try to hide. She was done hiding.
Once she was clear, Nina took a deep breath and slowly walked toward the orchard. She knew how far she could go, she was just not certain how much farther, which she would test today.
She first came to the apple trees. In any other part of England, the fruit would not yet be ripe, but there were always ripe apples along with peaches, oranges and nearly every fruit imaginable.
Nightshade Manor was a magical place and not just because of witches and nymphs.
Nina paused when she came to the peach tree. This was when she grew weak once before.
For sustenance, she picked the fruit from the tree, took a bite, enjoying the sweetness, remembering the peach Orion had brought her and took another step. Slowly she made her way further into the orchard, remaining strong. Near giddiness almost overwhelmed her. All this time she could go farther than she realized.
Turning a circle, she found that she was behind the mansion and had walked nearly half of the distance to it.
Would it be possible to live there happily with Orion?
Taking a deep breath, Nina stepped again to determine how far she could go, feeling more hopeful than she ever had in her life.
Just as she reached the pear tree, the first pain struck. She grasped her side, nearly doubling over in pain. Turning, she tried to make it back to where she knew it was safe, but the pain continued, spreading through her body as her breaths grew shallow. She tried to breathe deeply but it was impossible. Dropping to her knees, Nina tried to crawl back to the peach tree, but her limbs were weak, and she was growing dizzy as the pain tore through her. Tears streaming as her heart raced with panic, Nina dragged herself across the ground. She reached out for a tree as darkness assailed, her last thought that while she wanted a life beyond the grove, it was never her intention to die.
Twenty-Five
Orion may have taken the brandy with him last night, but he drank only one glass. His mind was too occupied with Nina.
Why would Gaia see that she was saved, and choose her for him if Nina was going to reject him?
He was fairly certain that there was nothing he could say to make her change her mind, and he understood.
As a mortal male, he had no idea what his future may hold or how long he might live, but Nina had clarity of what she faced. In her place, he might reject family and love too. Yes, death was inevitable, but already knowing that you would outlive even great great grandchildren was too much.
There had to be an answer. There must be a way to free her, or at least change her mind to accept him.
As his family knew of no answers, there was only one place to look—the vault. What he needed had to be in one of those journals, or maybe a magical item. Whatever it was, Orion was not going to stop searching until he found it.
After dressing for the day, he made his way to the breakfast room with no intention of spending any more time than necessary and potentially asking Petra for her assistance. Instead, he was met by Cassian.
“Nina is missing.”
Orion’s heart sank. “How can she be missing?”
“I do not know, but she is.”
