LOGINAvery’s POVBy the time I got back to the greenhouse, I had mostly talked myself out of what I had seen—or thought I had seen—in the forest. It was probably just my brain playing tricks on me, turning a knot in a tree into something that didn’t exist at all after months of stress and a mostly-sleepl
The path I took curved away from the main grounds and into the older part of the woods, where the trees were more gnarled, their roots sticking out of the ground like tendrils ready to ensnare your feet as you walked.I knew this part of the forest from ten years ago. I’d collected here almost every
Avery’s POV“It’s fine,” Gideon said. “Just a scratch.”He said that as he pressed the cloth to his side, the fabric staining with blood.I huffed, uncapping the small tub of ointment that I’d used for my neck earlier that night. Outside, crickets chirped beneath the window and an owl hooted somewhe
“It’s not like him,” Melissa said, as if reading my mind. “I’ve known Sebastian for a long time, and he’s been in dark places before, but this is different. He seems…” She shook her head. “I don’t know. Off.”“What am I supposed to do about it?” I asked.“I thought maybe if you reached out to him, e
Avery’s POVI frowned, running my fingers over the pendant. I distinctly recalled Gideon taking it off and setting it on the vanity. I didn’t recall putting it back on. But now, here it was, sitting against my skin, still irritating it, still red and itchy.“Huh. I must have put it back on when I go
Avery’s POVI called my mother that night, sitting in front of my vanity as I got ready for dinner. She picked up on the first ring.“Were you sitting by the phone?” I teased.“No,” she said. “I was just… It’s good to hear your voice, Avery.”I smiled. “You too, Mom. Sorry I haven’t called in a bit.
Gideon was right next to me again, his handsome face inches from mine, and he didn’t look happy. “Explain.” he grated out between clenched teeth. “Uh…” I stammered. Why did he have to be all up in my space? “Ok. Why did you want to come to Silvermoon today?” Gideon exhaled slowly, but indulged
I didn’t have an immediate answer, so I just indicated for her to follow me out into the garden once more. I handed her a hoe and led her over to where the diseased plants were. “These plants are sick, so we need to pull them up and burn them.” I instructed, handing her a pair of gloves and puttin
“Who told you that the angelica flowers were traditional?” Gideon asked, voice flat. I hesitated. I knew who it had been, but I didn’t want to implicate her. It had been Madelyn who had given me the info and allayed my suspicions when I’d found the unusual flowers. From our conversation the ot
Avery’s POVI awoke slowly, like swimming up through deep water.There was a strange, metallic taste in my mouth, and my head pounded. I was laying on a hard surface. Dirt, perhaps? My limbs felt far-away and heavy. They didn’t respond to my attempts to move.All I could do was lay here.Weariness







