Drip. Drip.

  Her ear twitched. With each twitch, a subtle splash vibrated. The soothing warmth of the water washed over her body. Even the front half exposed out of the water melted with comfort. Her eyes opened to dimly lit purple darkness. From above, tree roots sprawled downward, almost surrounding her in a root-like cage. Every branch lit with a bulb of colored fluorescent light. Few were purple and even fewer were golden. The majority were blue and yellow lights. Each light flickered like a burn bug’s rear in the dead of night. As they drifted towards the wall, the intricate design caught Anemone’s attention.

  Sigils, runes, letters, and geometric notes covered one side of the wall. On the other side was a large painted mural of some sort. Waves of soldiers rushed towards the center, ready to battle. Meanwhile, in the center, three beasts stood above the carnage. Each of them commands the forces of nature, halting the violence. One was a winged creature with a beak on four legs that commanded the heavens. Thunder and the winds surrounded its body as if it were the embodiment of the storm. To its left was another quadrupedal creature with jagged tusks. Its large, hulking body was as tough as the mountains it threw towards the soldiers. On its right, below the winged monster, was a serpent with a broad, fishlike face. The ocean cowers beneath its presence. And between all the beasts was a single sword.

  “I’m wet, and there’s that old Aos-Si Wars mural…It's been forever since my last visit.”

  She had seen this place more than she had wanted to as a child. This was a sacred place where even Aronia had lain inside. However, it could not cure her heat-haze. It did, however, do wonders for fatigue and most wounds. Be they physical or mental.

  “How did I get her… the last thing I remember was an alley.”

  The last thing Anemone remembered was heading to the Fourth District. Florentina, in the priestess chambers, was her next stop. She is near there now. But how she got there escaped her. Only the view of a cloudy sky and a shadowy alley stuck in her mind.

  “You’re awake,” a voice called to her. “You’d better be glad that lad found you in that alleyway, Ninlil.”

  It was the naturally condescending tone in her voice that gave it away. Or maybe it was the smell of cherries and apples that smelled as thick as syrup. And with that undernote of spice that punched your nostrils, Anemone knew who was before her. Even with the veil covering their face, Anemone knew who walked towards her, praying in Pre-Aos-Si tongues. If not for this priestess, much of Tir-noNog’s history would have vanished along with her grandparents. Anemone kept her eyes closed, avoiding those sharp and wrinkled golden eyes locked on her.

  “Well, hello, Florentina,” Anemone sassed. “Nice to see you as well.”

  When she turned her head, Anemone saw long, faded red hair soaked by the water. Florentina sat down stiff and erect for someone who was almost two-hundred cycles. The priestesses held a purple stone beaded necklace. All stones pressed between her slender fingers. They rotated smoothly as if on a count of ten. The silence that passed after each click furrowed Anemone’s brows. As she tried to get up, nothing happened. It was as if she no longer had control over her body.

  Anemone huffed, “Who are you talking about? What happened?”

  “You tell me. A youth named Rowan found you unconscious behind the Roots, Elixirs, and Brews. Your body was in absolute distress. I never pegged you for a drunk like her.”

  “Thank the Celestials for Gaia’s Aqua Vitae,” Anemone looked away.

  “Hmph. You should be more than grateful for the healing powers of the Gaian springs.”

  As unreceptive as her body was, it still winced at that sentence. A ‘drunk like her’ was the phrase that made Anemone’s face flush with heat. Holding her tongue was the best she could muster. As stuffy as Hibernica could be sometimes, she was a thousand times more approachable than Florentina. Anemone could only imagine what Florentina assumed she was doing, besides drinking. But she knew that was not the case. And hearing that Rowan was the one who found her? Anemone turned her face away.

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  “Fantastic… the drooling slacker found me.”

  Her cheeks grew red with embarrassment. How could the elf who slept during the written exam be the one to save her? She shook her head and pushed away the thought of him being so courteous. But for him to be in such a secluded area was beyond strange. Especially since he was in foreign territory. Anyone with common sense would know how to stick to main roads. Even if there were detours for construction. Suspicious was what he was.

  “Florentina? You said Rowan found me? How did I get here?”

  “I was told the elf nearly fumbled over his words as he explained the situation to a nearby Abor Magna soldier. How he found you in such an undignified state, I’d like to know,” Florentina scoffed.

  Like a dagger, the word undignified pierced Anemone’s chest. With what little strength she had, Anemone rolled to her side. It was the easiest way to avoid the glare of Florentina. As thick as that veil was, it was impossible to avoid her judgmental eyes. They were more than enough to make you hop out of your skin. Whoever came across Rowan carrying her probably gave him a hard time.

  “I could only imagine how he’d handle that…”

  Anemone laughed. The conversation with him about carrying her unconscious body? His face was, without a doubt, priceless. When she met him again, Anemone made a note to herself. Thanking him was the least she could do. Either way, Anemone was glad she had arrived at the Gaian Springs and not elsewhere. Even if Florentina was yapping in her ear.

  “As brazen as it may have been for a royal to be carried in such a state… You should be grateful. It could have been someone unsavory instead, Anemone,” Florentina said.

  Florentina’s hand gently placed itself on Anemone’s hand. Anemone looked back at Florentina. As Florentina pinched Anemone’s cheek, she wore a fake smile to laugh it off. Even without seeing Florentina’s face knew why she was worried. It could have been worse, and it would not have been the first time. Being royalty meant it was bound to happen at some point, and it did. At least twice as a child. Recently, though, it was not a usual ransom situation.

  “Was I really just leverage to flee TirNog?”

  L’wah had grabbed her to prevent anyone from attacking him. If neither Aronia nor Rubus had shown up, would she have been in danger? That night, he told her he had no intention of harming her. But now? Her gut said otherwise. Or at least she thought it did.

  “Wait, why was I thinking about that denizen just now?”

  A sudden pain in her abdomen and on the right side of her head said otherwise. Anemone took a deep breath, shuffling her thoughts to the side. Slowly, she regained feeling in her fingers. It was thanks to the honeyed healing waters of the Gaian Springs.

  “I hope you’re not worried about being here. Anemone?” said Florentina.

  Anemone exhaled.

  “Now, why would I be worried about that?”

  “This is a place for all to come and heal. You aren’t so talented that you’d curse these waters.”

  Florentina cut through her. Even though she was not thinking about it now, that was a constant thought. Knowing that these springs had always helped her taste left a bitter taste. This spring was a place Anemone had visited often as a child, much like Aronia. Yet it hardly soothed Aronia’s pain. Priestesses brought many of the chronically ill patients. For prayer and healing. Everyone but her. If any fae knew these waters had blessed Anemone, they might have started another myth. One of her tainting the spring’s waters. There were already words of being the reason for the shrinking barrier. Her stomach churned at the thought of giving her kind more ammo to speak on.

  “Are you trying to make me feel worse?”

  “I’m a priestess nearly two centuries older than you. My words should say more than that.”

  “Thank you for your kind words, oh Great Guardian Priestess of Gaia’s Splendor. Lauma be blessed.”

  “You’re just like your mother.”

  “Titania? Me? Are you sure?”

  Florentina nodded.

  “Yes. I am sure. She was—always focused on something other than the present. Everything else just steals her attention.”

  “Everything sounds about right. Everything but my life.”

  “Nin—Anemone. To rule over others is a tremendous task. Few carry this burden.”

  “And am I not a worthy burden?”

  Anemone softly smashed her fist into the ground.

  “I’m tired of this…”

  “Tired of what?” Florentina asked.

  “I’m tired of everything… of feeling anything.”

  Silence overtook the room. Her heart sank. Florentina shook her head before letting out a huff of air. Then she spoke.

  “I can see you’re having a hard time.”

  “More than usual?” asked Anemone.

  Florentina looked towards the sky as if she were looking for the right thing to say. Or even if she wanted to resist smacking Anemone. It was hard to tell since it was well and often prompted a reaction from her.

  “It’s time I told you more about the Night of Prismatic Embers. The night that changed the world,”