He frowned down at me. “I thought you wanted to destroy that mirror as much as I did.”
“I do. More than you could ever know. Believe me. But I also know my limits.” I swallowed and walked over to the small pool, staring at its shallow depths. “My father wasn’t great at taking time for himself. Watching him overextend himself made me realize you can’t be at your best if you’re constantly going. In a backward kind of way, he taught me the value of taking time for myself, of spending time in nature, spending time with friends,doing things I enjoyed, so that when it came time to do my job, I could be what everyone else needed. I told him he needed to relax more, but he rarely listened. On the days he did, it was like some special treat. He’d take me on adventures, exploring new and beautiful places. Those are my favorite memories with him.”
“He did that for you?” Penn’s voice was hard.
I turned to face him. “Yes. And right now, I know that what I need is a break. Can you handle that?”
Penn nodded. “You win, Lilypad. But we do have to get to work eventually.”
I rolled my eyes. “I know that. Trust me.” I stood and pushed him toward the door. “Now out. I’m not letting you watch me bathe.”
“I thought you said we got to do things we enjoy. What if that’s what I want to do to unwind?”
There he went again, playing his games.
“Then I’d say I remember there being a brothel somewhere around here.”
I shoved him again, then slammed the door behind me before he could see the effect his words had on me. I was going to be naked in this room with only a door separating me and the king of thieves. Good green earth. I hoped when I stepped into the water, it was ice cold.
I walked through the forest,a small one near my castle. It was a sunny day, warm and beautiful out. The trees rustled in the breeze, birds and insects flitting through the sky. I let my hand trail over all the plants, bushes, flowers, leaves, then I held outmy hand and a flower rose up in my palm. I twisted my wrist, the flower sinking down to the ground and planting itself in the soil.
My magic filled me, and I tugged at that spark inside of me, feeling my earth magic flood my veins. I breathed it in and pushed out both hands. The trees around me answered, dipping their branches as if to say hello.
I stopped suddenly when I saw a man standing in front of me. Not just any man. My father.
My feet stood frozen to their spot, my body unable to move.
“Father,” I breathed out, wanting to run to him, to make sure he was real.
He held his arms open, and I struggled, but no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t move.
“No,” I yelled, fighting harder. The more I fought, the more my slippers sunk into the ground. “No!”
A dark shadow loomed over my father as the Huntsman stepped out behind him. He reached out his branches, curling them around my father’s throat.
Tears spilled down my cheeks as I screamed at my father to run, but he just stood there, gesturing for me to come to him while his face turned from red to purple, while the Huntsman squeezed the life from him.
“Lilypad,” a voice said. “Lilypad.”
My eyes fluttered open to complete dark, save for the big round moon hanging in the sky outside our windows. Tears soaked my face, and it took me a minute to remember where I was, who I was with.
“Hey, shhh . . .” that voice said again.
Penn sat next to me on the bed, stroking my hair, so gentle with his touch. “I’m here. It was just a dream.”
“My father,” I got out before I burst into tears.
Penn gathered me up in his arms. “It’s okay. Everything is going to be okay.”
I didn’t know why, but in this moment, I believed him.
He held me like that until my tears subsided. He made to move, but I caught his arm.
“Stay with me. Please.” I didn’t even care that I was whining. I couldn’t handle another nightmare like that. “I can’t be alone right now.”
I scooted over on the bed and lay down. Penn didn’t say a word, and I heard rustling as he slipped under the covers, his big body warm next to mine.
I was just drifting off to sleep when I could’ve sworn I heard him whisper, “Just so you know, you’re not alone.”
