Dax stands up and gives me his arm, “Shall we, my lady?”
I smile up at him and take his arm.
“Dani… please be careful,” Carter says, worry etched across his face.
“Yeah, babe, be careful. Don’t knock the bitch out,” Jules winks at me.
I glance at Amelia, and she smiles with his lips pursed… something is off. “Come on, Kil.” Killian stands up and tosses money on the table.
The three of us find a quiet, empty alleyway. Almost instantly, I find myself wrapped up in the tendrils of their shadows. They wrap around me like a comforting embrace, and my mind quiets.
When my vision comes back a few moments later, we are right outside the Keepers of the Mist community, which is tucked away in the woods.
Before we start walking, Dax and Killian hide themselves in their shadows. “We will be right here, little dove,” Dax says as his shadows unfurl from him, gliding over my skin and delicately tracing the contours of my face.
I close my eyes, inhaling deeply, savoring the earthy scent of damp leaves and moss that fills the air. Then, with a determination that steadies my heart, I begin to walk forward.
“It’s that one,” I say, pointing.
I ascend the worn wooden steps; the old boards creak with every step I take.
Before I can even raise my hand to knock, the door swings open. Elaine stands there, a beacon of vitality, smiling at me like she knew I was coming.
“Dani… I knew you’d come. Please, come in,” she gestures for me to walk inside.
As I step over the threshold, a wave of unease washes over me. The musty scent of mothballs fills my senses as if this house has been vacated for ages. It wraps around me, making my stomach churn and my heart race.
My gaze drifts around the dimly lit room. The furniture, cloaked in a crinkly, translucent plastic, looks like it’s been frozen in time, untouched and unwelcoming. The few scattered decorations barely hint at personal touches; the space feels more like a museum than a home.
Elaine notices my discomfort. “I like to keep things very clean,” she explains, a touch of pride lacing her words. “Hence the smell and the furniture wrap. Please, take a seat. I’ll make us some tea.” With that, she gestures toward a stiff-looking chair. I sit, feeling the chill of the plastic beneath me, and brace myself for what’s to come.
Tea… Yeah fucking right. I’m not drinking that.
“I hope you’ve come to accept the truth, Dani,” Elaine’s voice calls from the kitchen, her tone steady yet laced with concern. The sound of the soft clinking of glasses being retrieved from the cabinets fills my ears.
“I, ugh… I have some questions for you,” I reply, my voice wavering slightly.
A warm, reassuring pressure rubs across my shoulder—Killian’s touch is unmistakable and grounding amidst my uncertainty.
Elaine glides into the room, balancing a delicate tray with a steaming pot of tea and two empty cups. Her gaze flickers around me, cautious and probing as if she can feel the unspoken presence of Dax and Killian.
My heart quickens, an unsettling rhythm echoing in my chest.
“Why haven’t you aged a bit?” I blurt, the question spilling out. “Is it Octavia? Is she using magic to keep you young?”
“Right to the questions, I see. Here,” she pours the tea from the pot into my mug and then into hers.
I put my hand up, declining her glass, “I’m not thirsty,” I say firmly. “But it’s nice and warm. You don’t want to catch a cold!” I grit my teeth. “I said, I’m not fucking thirsty.”
She sits up straight, holding her chin high. “No need for the vulgarities, Danika.”
“Just answer my questions. You’ve been absent my entire life... the least you could do is be honest with me.”
Elaine lets out a deep sigh. “Very well then,” she mutters, taking a delicate sip of her tea and tossing a sideways glance at my glass.
I roll my eyes in response.
“Yes. For 31 years, Octavia has generously given me the gift of youth. This began right after you entered the world.” She sets her tea down deliberately, the porcelain clinking softly against the wooden table, and crosses her legs with an air of practiced elegance. “To be honest, you were quite the dilemma. I didn’t want to be pregnant, yet your father was adamant about having you. You quite literally upended my existence, altering my body forever. The moment you were born, I left, seeking refuge here.”
