As my fingertips flitted across its surface, lightly raising from the soft scars I’d always thought looked like eyes in daylight, a trail ofluminescent blue followed in my wake as if I’d somehow painted it with my magic.
“Luca,” I whispered, needing to stop and investigate.
In the seconds it took him to halt, the light faded like it’d never existed. Wondering if I’d imagined it, I leaned over and brushed the narrow trunk again. An army of blue-white speckles trailed my touch like tiny, misting raindrops catching color in the sun—onlyIwas its source of gravity.
Eyes wide and heart brimming with a sense of curious wonder I hadn’t experienced in what seemed like forever, I slipped off Luca and pressed a palm flush against the white bark. A wide grin cracked open with delight as I was instantly greeted by the strange yet stunning magic.
Testing it, I released my palm, then frowned as it faded instantaneously.
Luca shifted to watch me as I placed both hands on the tree. I was rewarded as the trunk began to glow around my splayed fingers, bright enough to illuminate our immediate surroundings in a beautiful pale shade of cobalt.
“Fascinating,” I breathed.
Luca nudged me with his muzzle, clearly curious what else it could do. I stayed still, waiting to see how far the light would spread from my touch, but it never ventured further than an eagle’s feather away from where we were connected.
Head now over my shoulder, Luca huffed.
“Yeah, I thought more would happen too.”
He snorted this time, clearly impatient with this experiment.
“Give me a second,” I said.
Breathing in deeply, I closed my eyes to connect with the forest like I’d done countless times back home. As my breaths steadied and I focused, fear, grief, and endless thoughts pulled forward, begging for the attention they craved—trying to seize the rare moment when I let my guard down.
With no small effort, I let my emotions wash over me like I was a rock in a stream, giving them space to pass by but not take purchase.
I released a long, low breath and allowed the moment to take hold. It didn’t take long before the customary thrumming cadence of magic grew, its presence like a metronome of the land—of all magic that resided within. But despite the Mother’s melody, I had the distinct impression that some of the magic was… stuck—or rather, it couldn’t quite reach something, like a child on their tiptoes fully stretched out for summer fruit that remained just out of grasp.
“I wonder,” I mused aloud.
Keeping my hands firmly on the trunk of the tree, I leaned against Luca to balance myself as I awkwardly removed my boots, then fought with my stockings, rolling them down with the opposite foot until I could finally kick them off.
Once free, I placed the bare soles of my feet on the forest floor.
A shockwave erupted from me, ripping my palms from the tree and throwing me back against Luca. Stunned, I tried to catch my bearings. Luca leaned to the side a fraction as if annoyed he was holding my weight.
“Luca, give me a damn second,” I said, giving my head a quick shake.
He hoofed at the ground and gave a half-whinny.
“Seriously, Lu?—”
My admonishment cut off as I finally saw what he had.
Mouth agape, I stepped out from Luca’s side and took in the sight. Slowly, I spun around in dumbstruck awe.
Infinite delicate tendrils of magic spanned far and wide, showcasing an unseen network of connections I’d innately known existed—and although it was immeasurably more complex in comparison, it reminded me of how Caius’ veins had come alive in the cavern under my touch.
I stood there for the longest time just staring, the sight so enchanting I had to remind myself to breathe, and it wasn’t until thesmall creatures of the night began to rustle again that the trance finally broke.
The iridescent magic remained for almost an hour before it finally faded as if reabsorbed by the Mother. Luca and I had continued to meander deeper in—and stars above it was good to justbe.
No doubt there’d be consequences waiting for me back at the palace for our reckless excursion, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. The truth was, no matter what I decided these days, nothing turned out. So, for tonight, I’d be and let be.
Wanting to walk, I dismounted Luca in a smooth, graceful movement and smiled at how easy it was—apparently there were some benefits to this new body of mine after all.
After a short while, rushing water grabbed my attention and led Luca toward it.
