"Hello," I whispered.
The little butterfly scurried off, frightened by my booming voice. Within a few moments, it returned, landing on the same lock of hair. I listened to its series of hums and looked to the man for translation.
He let out a soft chuckle. "He says, 'You are very beautiful, but would look better with wings.'"
I couldn't help but laugh at the butterfly's compliment.
As we made our way down the corridor, the butterflies hummed once more, saying their goodbyes before flying back to their homes in the moss.
We came to a stop in front of a peaked wooden door. Intricate carvings of vines and leaves lined the perimeter, leaving space for a strange symbol in the middle: a circle with a thin X crossed through it. The ends of the X extended past the circumference of the circle. I studied the symbol, trying to remember if I had seen it somewhere.
Before I had a chance to file through my mind, the man gave the door a nod, and it opened without so much as a touch to a handle or lock, unlike the ones in Ophidian's Realm.
Walking in first, he looked over his shoulder as I lingered outside. "Not all doors lead to darkness."
Nodding, I grasped his hand and followed him through. The room immediately lit up as we entered, revealing a round area walled in by the same pale trees. Vines spiraled their way around the trunks, sprouting white, purple, and pink flowers as they ascended. The trees slightly arched at the top, creating a tall ceiling with their green leafy branches.
Letting go of the man's hand, I looked around, trying to take in as much as I could. The ground began to sprout warm, green grass, creating a verdant rug beneath our feet. It tickled the underside of my toes, reminding me that I'd lost my boots somewhere along the way.
A few feet ahead, a thin tree sprouted from the lush grass. I watched closely as three more trees shot up near it, winding themselves around one another, creating four posts of a bed. Small, yellow flowers appeared from the branches above and began to weave themselves into a lush blanket.
The magic continued its work around us. A chandelier of branches and buds hung itself from the ceiling. Another tree sprang up from the far corner of the room, bending over backwards into a rounded table.
At the sound of rushing water, I turned, gasping at the sight. A sparkling waterfall flowed behind the bed, descending into a small stream that babbled around the perimeter of the room.
"This room has been waiting a long time," the man said quietly.
"For what?" I asked, still mesmerized.
The man didn't answer, turning toward the door instead.
"Ah, they're here." He gave the door another nod, and it swung open. He looked to me before saying, "Your brother has a very powerful magic within him that he does not yet know of. With it, he was able to warn you of what lay within Ophidian's Realm." He gave me another smile. "Nightmares are only shadows before the light."
I looked at him with wide eyes before I was bombarded by two sets of arms holding me close. The soft click of the door was the only signal that the man had left.
"We were so worried," Claire said in my ear.
I could feel Lyle nodding in agreement. It took a few moments for me to pry them off.
They were both thoroughly clean. So clean, in fact, that their skin sparkled in the sunlight. Lyle had been scrubbed of the filth from Ophidian's Realm and was dressed similarly to the man who had saved my life, minus the suspenders. He even had a new pair of spectacles.
I glanced at Claire to see her wounds from the malum were completely healed. Her eyes were both open and bright, no longer bruised. Her skin no longer bore the claw marks from Ophidian’s vicious creatures. She was also dressed in a long, cream-colored gown embroidered with dark green leaves on the hem. The leaves curled and waved before laying back on the fabric. Her hair was woven into delicate braids, making the brown and white strands look immaculate.
Looking down, I frowned at my attire. I was wearing Lyle's sweater, which was somehow still intact. But the lower half was a mess. The black pants were full of tears and red clay, with one leg completely cut off from the knee down.
I opened my mouth to speak when a tree sprouted up behind me, creating an elegant chair from its soft leaves and branches. Two more sprung up behind Claire and Lyle. We all jumped and gasped before chuckling. With grins, Claire and I sat in our chairs while Lyle inspected his. Tilting his spectacles up and down, he examined the seat until he was convinced it was really there.
Slowly easing himself down, Lyle relaxed. Satisfied, he nodded before looking at me. "Are you all right? I mean, he didn't hurt you, right?" He balled his hand into a tight fist.
Claire frowned before giving him a small nudge, causing Lyle to relax his whitened knuckles. I smirked, remembering that Claire and Lyle had known each other in Barracks before the Seven Choices. But how well had they known each other? I decided to question them later.
"We heard the screaming," she said. "We didn't know what to do."
"Well, it did hurt," I replied frankly. Lyle’s lips turned downward, and Claire let out a laugh. "But" —I placed my hand over the beating heart in my chest— "He saved me. He gave me another chance."
Claire shrugged. "Well, that's what he does."
I furrowed my brows, giving her a look of confusion. She looked at me, then back at Lyle. A message passed between them that I couldn't decipher.
"Addie . . ." Lyle began softly. "You don't know who that was?"
I gave them a blank look.
Claire scoffed before shaking her head. "Addie, that was the Mender."
"What?" My mind traveled back in time. The mallet and chisel. The pounding on my chest. The magic surrounding me in this place. The peace that had cradled my new heart, diminishing any thought of fear or worry. I smiled, realizing what I had missed all along.
Claire let out a sigh. "He was right in front of you, and you didn't even know it."
I placed my hand over my beating heart. "I think I knew it was him. I was just too scared to admit it."
"Why?" Lyle asked. As he leaned forward, a cluster of dark curls fell across his forehead. Like Claire, he didn't know what had happened the past seven years. How Barracks had changed. How I had changed.
Giving him an empathetic smile, I said, "It renounces everything I know. With one realization, everything I've learned is gone in a moment."
"Wouldn't you rather know fact than believe in a fairytale?" a gentle voice asked from the door.
All three of us turned to see a small, chestnut-colored woman, barely the height of my shoulder, looking at us with a kind smile. She practically floated into the room, her footsteps were so light.
Another tree sprouted into a chair for her as she joined us. She placed her hand on the tree, causing white orchids to sprout all around it, then gave a nod. Swaying her head, she pushed her long, ebony hair over her shoulder and sat down. The blue fabric of her gown shimmered, unleashing sparkles into the air as she shifted her feet beneath her, elegantly crossing them.
"Sometimes the fairytales are easier to believe," I said quietly.
The woman gave a small smile. Placing her hand on the chair, she beckoned the twigs upward, and they braided her long hair. We all sat, awestruck, and watched the branches do their work.
"That may be true," she said in her light voice, her dark green eyes staring at me. "But many fairytales derive from fact."
Before I could reply, she hopped down from the chair, her long braid cascading down her back, and stretched her hand toward me. "Come. We have much to do."
I glanced back at Claire and Lyle, who were still staring at the woman's braid. Knowing I had to make the decision on my own, I placed my hand in hers and immediately felt small tingles on my palm.
"My name is Sana," she said, then nodded at the door to the bedroom.
Like it had for the Mender, the door swung open. I remembered the man, or the Mender, saying her name earlier.
"You were there when . . ." I trailed off, placing my o
ther hand over my palpitating new heart.
Sana nodded as we walked down the mossy hallway. The butterflies greeted me once more, planting small kisses all over my face. I let out a laugh as Sana's angelic giggle joined mine. I looked over to see the butterflies wrapping around her head, forming a crown.
"I'm a healer," she said, holding her hand out for one of the butterflies to land on. It bounced around her palm, dancing to an unheard tune. "I help Eman in all of his mendings."
"Eman?" I felt the familiarity of the name on my lips. "I thought he was just the Mender."
Sana laughed again, sounding like a little silver bell. "Mending is what he does. Eman is who he is. But he answers to each one the same."
I nodded, then followed her as we said goodbye to the butterflies. Walking along, we returned to where the first hallway divided into four. Instead of taking me down the main corridor again, Sana turned down the one adjacent to the moss-covered one.
My mouth dropped open as I gawked at the difference between this hallway and the last. The trees were still arched as they had been before, but every few feet, the branches parted into peaked windows.
I gazed out the first window with wonder. A beautiful starry night stared back at me. The intricate balls of fire twinkled like diamonds against the soft black blanketing the sky. Feeling the slight pull of Sana's hand, I reluctantly walked away.
The next window held even more wonder. Soft waves of crystalline water flowed against the glass, trickling down to the edge of the frame. Small, yellow fish with purple spots swam into view. They darted up and down, then left and right, as if unable to decide which direction to go.
"What is all this?” I asked Sana, trying to take in everything from the other side of the window before I was pulled away again.
"Fene Luxus, or the Windows of Light. Some are from the Twelve Lands of Decim; others are from different realms. Eman often walks this hall to remind himself of why he mends."
I looked at her, waiting for an explanation.
Sana gave me a small smile before continuing. "Mending hearts is not an easy task. It takes a toll on the one who is being mended as well as the mender. With every mending, a part of the mender is placed within the heart. It's what protects us from the darkness."
Maybe that was how I could hear Eman’s voice in my head. But I hadn't always had a mended heart, and I'd been hearing him for a while. I wanted to ask Sana about it when a sullen look passed over her otherwise joyful face.
"There used to be many heartmenders within the realms."
"What happened?"
Sana let out a sigh and patted my hand with her free one. "There is much time to learn. Not everything needs to be known in one day."
I held back an irritated grunt and nodded politely. Sana seemed very sweet, and she had helped Eman put me back together again. But I wished everyone would stop being so cryptic and explain at least one thing I didn't know.
As if hearing my thoughts, Sana patted my hand again. "All in good time, Bellata."
I knitted my fingers together. I had heard that name before, but couldn't remember where. As I tried to concentrate, my gazed floated in the direction of the next window.
A cascade of trees stood tall, each one supporting the next as they grew from one another. The light shone through their leaves, glowing down upon a castle, more regal than anything I had read about. Rather than stone, the fortress was made from the trunks of the towering trees.
Releasing Sana's hand, I walked toward the window to get a better look at the breathtaking view.
Intricate corridors and archways created by branches swirled their way throughout the castle, forming small windows, where light poured through. Waterfalls descended from openings in the bark, creating a moat around the base of the trees. The water sparkled as it fell into different pools. I could almost taste its crispness on my lips.
"What is this place?" I whispered.
"We're in Ramni, the home for the wounded. That's Lignum, the home of the Rexus."
I frowned. First the Mender, now the Rexus? Who were all these people, and why hadn't I ever heard of them?
Sana looked over at the window with the same sullen face. "It's said that the Rexus will join forces with the Mender and defeat the Beast once and for all."
"Well," I began. "We know who the Mender is. Who's the Rexus?"
Sana shook her head, allowing some of the small flowers in her braid to come loose and float to the ground. "The Rexus is king over all the realms. He will return and bring peace. Unfortunately, a darkness descended upon this realm many millennia ago, stealing all other knowledge about the Rexus."
"You didn't write your knowledge down anywhere else?"
Sana gave me an empathetic look, reminding me of Claire in Ophidian's Realm—how she knew everything, and I was stupid.
"Our knowledge is not written but given," Sana stated.
I stretched my lips into a thin line.
Sana, noticing my irritation, let out a laugh. "My, you do emit strong emotions, just like he said." She took my hand again, and we continued walking down the hallway. "There is a place located within this realm where all knowledge of all the realms is placed. We don't know why or how, but the knowledge appears there. Sometimes in books, other times in scrolls. But one day, a book went missing. It was the only book we had on the prophecy of the Rexus."
I nodded, not having to ask who took the book. There was only one clothed in darkness I knew of who would want to prevent his own demise.
"What are you going to do?"
Sana let out a small sigh. "Wait."
"For what?"
"For the Rexus."
"But you don't know who he is." I tilted my head, making sure I understood.
"But we do know his mark," she said with a triumphant smile.
I thought back to the mark on the sword. That was the mark of the Mender, the same mark I now wore on my chest. But what was the mark of the Rexus?
"Only one man has been prophesied to bear the mark of the Rexus."
Sana lifted her hand and began drawing in the air. Small puffs of white escaped from her fingertips, creating a circle with a thin X through it.
"But," I said, staring at the symbol, “that was the mark on the door to the room Eman led me to."
"Yes, it was." A smirk came to her face. "Interesting, isn't it?"
I was about to hold Sana up by her tiny little arms and demand she tell me what was going on, when the sound of falling water trickled from ahead. Sana pulled me along until the hallway opened into a giant room.
Large, white trees surrounded us in an open circle. Their branches spread wide, creating a domed ceiling with their silver leaves. Through the spaces between the trees, beautifully clear water sparkled down into a shining pool.
"This is the Pool of Liqua. It will restore your body and mind to the state they were in before the Seven Choices."
I turned back to her. "Will I forget everything that happened?" Ophidian’s Realm was horrible, but I never wanted to forget the strength I found there. Or the friends I had made.
Sana shook her head. "The darkness of Ophidian cannot be easily undone. I'm afraid you will remember all of it, but you will have peace in due time." Before I could ask any further questions, she gave me a small bow and tread to the hallway of the Windows of Light.
I frowned at her exit, thoughts and questions about this new realm still swirling around in my mind. I was ready to follow her down the corridor when the trickle of the pool behind me caught my ear once more. When I turned, the sparkling water beckoned me into its healing waves.
Chapter 40
After I had bathed in the pool, I dried off and dressed before entering the corridor of the Windows of Light once more. I studied Lignum in the distance. If the identity of the Rexus wasn't known, who was living there now? Or was it only a vacant castle, hiding away until the day its master came?
Fluttering footsteps approached, and I whirled around to see Sana standing with an ar
mful of scrolls.
"I see you've enjoyed the pool."
I gave a nod and a smile, pressing my hands against the soft fabric of the tan dress that had been left at the edge of the water. Like Claire’s gown, it had dark green leaves along the hem. I looked down, seeing the tips of my repaired boots peeking out from beneath the beautiful hem. "Yes, it was wonderful. Thank you."
"Did it answer any of your questions?"
My head shot up, and I frowned at her and shook my head. Was it supposed to?
Letting out a small sigh, she smiled again. "Oh, well, I'm sure all will be answered soon. Come, there is someone who wishes to speak with you.”
My heart beat quicker, not with fear, but excitement from the thought of meeting another magical person from this realm.
Sana turned toward the hallway leading to the door with the mark of the Rexus.
I frowned at the door. "I still don't understand how this is my room."
Giving me a knowing grin, the healer nodded at the door, and it opened. The sound of the beautiful waterfall babbled throughout the spacious room, and I longed to walk inside. But before I did, I looked over at Sana.
"Unless . . ." My eyes grew wide.
"You are many things, Bellata. But you are not the Rexus," the gentle voice of Eman said with a chuckle as he stepped up beside Sana, a tattered brown text in his grip.
I frowned once more, slightly insulted. How could he know if I was the Rexus or not? He didn't even know who the Rexus was. Eman laughed heartily, and I could feel my cheeks redden.
“Thank you for your help, Sana,” he said, bowing to the healer. Sana flushed slightly before returning the bow, mumbling about a new herb she needed to plant.
I gave her a quick nod of thanks before Eman glided over the threshold, motioning for me to follow.
My jovial steps soon ceased as I looked at the chairs Lyle and Claire had been sitting in. Their vacancy sent a sad pulse to my heart. I hadn't seen Lyle in seven years. Now that he was saved, I'd barely had a chance to talk to him.
Eman came toward me with an understanding smile before nodding toward the door. With a soft click, it closed behind me, and the heartmender extended his hand.
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