Chapter Thirty-Three

***Kieran***

I am a male of all worlds and none. But my birthplace, my mother, is this forest.

I chose to Winnow us out of the Castle. There are many paths we could have taken but time tonight is short. I want the Offering to see as much as she can.

“I’ve seen the city before,” the Offering is saying from behind me. We are almost at the clearing, but already she is complaining. So human of her.

“We’re not going to the city,” I respond over my shoulder. She’s so short I have to slow my pace to almost a crawl. Normally I’d find it irritating, but I have to admit, it is sort of…endearing.

“Then where are we going?”

I don’t respond.

“The forests are dangerous at night, you know,” she calls, and I snort.

“There is nothing more dangerous in this forest than me,” I reply back, and Xaden stalks us from the shadows.

With only three hours left before the ceremony, you have to be safe.

After about ten minutes of walking, the Offering whines again. “Is this a hidden part of the Ceremony? Making me walk to the wolves themselves?”

I laugh a little bit at this. Actually laugh, and I never fucking laugh.

“See for yourself,” I growl, pushing back the last of the bush.

The Offering stops at the path, her eyes wide and mouth agape. “Kieran,” is all she says, taking in the space.

I’ve never heard my name spoken like that before. Not in a very, very long time.

As the night deepens and the ritual site glows with newfound light, I take Remi’s hand and lead her deeper into the forest. The air around us is charged with magic, humming with the energy we have awakened. We walk in silence, the path ahead winding through ancient trees, their branches arching overhead like a cathedral’s ceiling.

After a while, we reach a grove where the trees part, revealing a breathtaking sight. The forest floor and the leaves above are adorned with bioluminescent fungi and plants, casting a soft, ethereal glow in shades of blue and green. Vines dangle from the branches, their flowers glowing like stars, and the fireflies dance in the air, their lights flickering in a mesmerizing display.

Remi gasps, her eyes wide with wonder. “It’s beautiful,” she whispers.

“It is,” I agree, my gaze sweeping over the luminous forest. “You should have seen it centuries ago. It glowed twice as bright.”

A shadow of sadness crosses her face as she takes in the diminished glow. “What happened?” she asks softly.

“The magic that protects these lands has been fading,” I explain. “Ever since the flower was picked, it has been dying.”

We walk further, and she suddenly stops and points ahead. “Are those…people?”

I follow her gaze and see the faint outlines of figures moving among the trees, their forms blending with the bioluminescent glow. “Yes,” I say. “There’s another population here, a hidden one.”

Her eyes widen in surprise. “Who are they?”

“They are the forest dwellers,” I explain. “A hidden community that has lived here for centuries. They are the guardians of this land, protectors of the magic that flows through it. I was raised here among them.”

“You were raised here?” she asks, her voice filled with curiosity.

I nod. “Yes. I was orphaned as a child, and they took me in. They taught me about the forest, its magic, and how to protect it. This is my…home.”
The closest thing I have to it, anyway.

She looks at me, her expression softening. “I felt like an orphan too,” she confesses. “The forest was the only place I found solace. My sisters bullied me, and I never felt like anyone wanted me around.”

Her words strike a chord within me, and I feel a pang of empathy. I want to say something comforting, to let her know she isn’t alone, but before I can, a little girl emerges from the trees and runs up to Remi, taking her hand and pulling her away with a giggle.

I watch as Remi lets herself be led by the child, her face lighting up with a genuine smile. The natives gather around her, welcoming her with open arms. She interacts with them effortlessly, her laughter mingling with theirs, and for the first time, I see her truly at ease.

A sense of warmth spreads through me as I observe the scene. The forest dwellers have always been kind and accepting, and seeing Remi find a place among them fills me with hope. Perhaps, in this hidden community, she will find the belonging she has always longed for.

As I stand there, lost in thought, my second-in-command approaches me.

“Kieran,” Xaden says, approaching in silence. “The Witches will be here in one hour. We need to go back.”

I glance at Remi, feeling a heavy sense of guilt. She’s about to be sacrificed, and there’s nothing I can do to change her fate. As I turn to follow Xaden, the Chief of the tribe approaches us. He is an imposing figure, his presence commanding respect.

Because of my magic, he’s encased in good health. But that health is fading, along with my bones.

“Chief,” I greet him with a nod.

“King Kerian,” he replies, “Xaden.” The Chief's brown eyes shift to Remi. “It’s a miracle she saved my son.”

Confusion washes over me. “What do you mean?” I ask, glancing at Xaden whose face has dropped slightly.

The Chief looks at Remi with a mixture of reverence and gratitude. “My son was run out of the forest by an enemy tribe. He almost died. He was being hunted until he ran into her.”

Xaden and I exchange bewildered glances. “What happened then?” I ask.

The Chief’s expression turns solemn. “He tried to jump into the river to swim across and get back home quickly. But our Sacrifice, by divine miracle, parted the river and saved my son.”

“What the fuck?” Xaden mutters under his breath, mirroring my shock.

“Wait a second,” I say, my mind racing. “Did you say she parted the river?”

The Chief nods, a look of awe on his face. “Yes.” He pats me on the back. “She truly is the sacrifice we’ve been looking for. Gods bless us all.”
I look at Remi, my heart pounding. She stands there, unaware of the significance of her actions, her face lit up with joy as she plays with the children.
Remi has magic.

This changes everything.

“She will touch the blessed water, be the drink of life itself,” I barely fucking hear the prophecy words emanating from the Chief as he walks back to his house.

“Remi,” I call, and from across the bonfire, the Offering looks up. The little girl and the little boy she was playing with scatter, fleeing from my rage as they should.

“Come here,” I command her, “now.”