Laura Helena, the soon-to-be goddess of nature, was silently resting amid the growing grass. She was admiring the small butterfly which bathed itself on a nearby rock.

The gust of wind which skidded by her rustled the weeping willows nearby. It was a quiet day in the Kingdom; Laura knew there had been only one reason for this.

Her father’s dwelling had been broken into almost three times in the past few months. She had become frightened, as the man that had broken in used passages through the garden — right outside of her sleeping chamber. Ever since the second break-in, she was sleeping in the guest room along with her maid. During the night she heard noises and clatter outside, in the hallway — however, she knew she must think nothing of it. If her father, the god of nature, were to find out about these noises, especially during the night, he would set up at least ten guards outside her door, and all through the hallway. She did appreciate his concern, but needed her privacy as well.

Laura breathed deeply, inhaling the scent of the pollen in the air; she knew she was supposed to head back to the kitchen, for her afternoon meal. She pushed herself off the damp ground, and followed the dirt path to the entrance of the kitchen. The scullery maid greeted her as she breathed the aroma of freshly baked bread into her lungs.

A ceremony was to be held that night, in celebration of her new role as goddess of nature. Her mother decided that it was time to give it up; their family was different this way. They felt they should decide when to surrender their places.
Laura did not particularly agree with her parents regarding the celebration — dressing up and being put on display was not her idea of the role she must carry out as the new goddess. However she also wanted to please her parents, and show that she was ready to take on such a responsibility.

She seated herself at the long table, smiling at her family. The chef glided through the doors and set a large platter in the centre of the table. Lifting the lid, he bowed before the family, and retreated to the kitchen to tidy up.
Laura knew the lengths that everyone in the castle was going to, simply for her ceremony. She was not necessarily excited about it, but the reassurance that it would only last a few hours was what kept her from going mad.

When she finished eating, she made her way to her sleeping chamber, with her maid, Maria — she had insisted she find something for her to wear, and wouldn’t let Laura get away with wearing a simple gown as she usually did.
The doors to the armoire opened, and Maria smiled as she regarded the floor-length blue satin gown hanging furthest to the right; Laura tried to keep it hidden as best she could. She never wore it, and never wanted to wear it — she was afraid she might damage it. Her mother had given it to her the day she turned sixteen.

Maria gently lifted the gown from the armoire, and laid it on Laura’s bed. Laura bit her lip nervously.

“Maria... must I wear that one? I know I have another gown in there somewhere-”

Maria shook her head. “You’ve never worn this one, and it would look nice against your skin. Besides, was it not a gift from your mother? She would be offended if you didn’t wear it.” Laura weighed her options, and reluctantly agreed to wear the gown. Maria drew a bath for Laura, and left to finish her chores before the ceremony.

****

A few hours later, Laura was running her fingers over the soft satin of the gown. She slipped into it, and sat in front of her tall mirror as Maria did her hair. The ceremony was run through several times that week, and Laura was told to practice her part repetitively. She robotically recited it in a monotonous, unenthusiastic tone, which made Maria laugh.

She finished preparing, and walked down to the garden, where it was to be held. Laura had an uneasy feeling that wouldn’t settle. She imagined a scene breaking out at her own celebration; a scene caused by the man that had broken in. Her father had ordered three guards to be with her at all times during the ceremony, but she remained uneasy.

The first half went as planned. Laura presented the guests with a speech of appreciation, and her father hosted a feast.

Finally, after eating, Laura stood at the front of the crowd, ready to take on her position.

“I will now end the ceremony by placing the crown of nature on Laura’s head.” The presenter gently laid the golden crown atop Laura’s curls.

“I give you Laura Helena, daughter of Kepheus, the goddess of nature,” he said, and retreated to his place amongst the crowd as the explosive cheering rang in the young goddess' ears.

The garden was clearing as guests filed out and into their carriages. Laura was exhausted from her ceremony, but it was noticeably irritating that night that suddenly, she suffered from insomnia.

As she convinced herself to take a short walk, she fetched a robe from her armoire and crept down the stairs. As she was approaching the front foyer, she heard an outburst of pained screams in the direction of her father’s study.

“Would you stop blubbering? You might awaken my daughter!” Laura ducked into the coat closet and breathed quietly, listening to the hushed urgency of her father’s voice.

“He is in pain, sir. He was lucky I heard him. I was traveling through the woods, by the border. His screaming became louder as I neared, and then I saw him lying on the ground, like this. I’m not absolutely positive, but I could have sworn I saw a huge tiger, or some peculiar creature staggering off in the other direction. Would you be able to… help, in some way, sir? I know it’s a bit sudden, but… he’s injured. He won’t recover for a good two years without fast medical attention…” Laura tuned out, letting the man’s words sink in.

He wanted help from her father, because he was the god of nature, therefore a healer. She listened as the agonized groans became more persistent, and then heard her father mumble an acceptance, allowing him to stay.

She waited until she heard nothing but silence, and silently retreated to her sleeping chamber.

****

The next morning, she made her way to the kitchen for breakfast, where her father greeted her with a warm smile.

“Good morning, Laura. I hope you are ready for your responsibility as goddess of nature. You will begin your training sessions today, in the garden. Now, there is a matter I would like to discuss with you.” Laura raised her brows, though she knew exactly of what he was going to mention.

She sat down at the table, curious of how he was to approach this.

“Father, before we have this discussion, I was meaning to ask you about something. Last night, I was sleeping, but I was awoken by… terrible screaming. I wasn’t positive if I was dreaming… was someone here, in the castle?” she asked innocently.

“You see… that was the subject I was going to discuss with you. Unfortunately, last night… well, a young man, about your age showed up here,” he said. “One of the guards was in his carriage, on his way back to the castle from the supply shop, and found the boy injured on the side of the path. He brought him here, and asked me to try and heal him. He was making noise, because of the pain he was in. I soothed him to sleep with some of my power but--I’m afraid he’s--he’s not well, and I was wondering if you’d like to see him. Because once you start training, I may need your help.” He watched Laura’s expression changing, and waited for her to respond.

“Father, if you’d like, I could learn my healing straight away… and then I’d be prepared to help him.”

“Well, that’s wonderful that you’d like to help out. Thank you, dear,” he said, and smiled once more before exiting the room.

****

Laura headed straight to the healing room, as soon as she finished with her breakfast. She pushed open the doors, and felt immediately warm as she stepped into the large room. It was incredibly bright, with every curtain open. It had been a while since her father had anyone sick stay here. She knew there was only one person in the room.

She looked to the far right of the room, and, sprawled across the bed, was a boy, about her age. He was sleeping, but he somehow managed to frown while doing so.

Laura walked over to the edge of his bed, silently sending sympathy to him. At this moment, he stirred.

“Hello,” Laura said quietly. He opened his eyes slowly, adjusting to the light. “I am Kepheus’ daughter, Laura. I am the new goddess of nature—I will be helping my father heal your injuries.” He didn’t look particularly impressed with what she said. Only in a great deal of pain.

“My name is Jericho,” he said, in a deep, wavering voice. “I was most likely the one who woke you last night. I did get an earful from your father…”

“Oh - yes. Well, I am sorry; he can be slightly... crazy when it comes to me. Are you feeling any better today?” She asked, her eyes on the floor.

“Well, last night I was torn apart by a beast in the woods - the only thing your father could do was put me to sleep. This is the first time I have awoken today, and I don’t feel nearly as dreadful, but I don’t feel quite like dancing,” he said bitterly. “The least he could have done was heal one of my broken legs.”

“You’re not blaming this on my father—”

“I never said I was,” he said, slightly defensive. “I was simply telling you how I’m feeling this morning. Is that not what you asked me?” Laura’s cheeks burned. She let out a small sigh of frustration. “Now, are you going to do something useful, because if not, I suggest you leave,” he said, turning away from her and laying back down.

“I’ll be going to my healing classes now. I will see you this evening. I hope you enjoy your day,” she said, fuming. No one had ever treated her in such a way. She had always been pleasantly spoken to, and, though the situation was not nearly as aggravating as she made it out to be, it was the first time she’d ever felt hostility toward a person.

She turned on her heel and stormed out of the room, letting his sickening chuckles disappear behind her.

****

“Today, you will learn the essential steps in order to tap into your power, with nature. First, you need to be absolutely calm, and only focus on the world around you, within your grasp….” The tutor that was teaching Laura about her power was droning on about the rules which applied to her powers. She was still upset about her encounter with the boy... Jericho. He had spoken to her in such an infuriating way, and she was nowhere near calm.

“Now,” the instructor said, “I would like you to sit cross-legged on the ground. Feel the grass below you, the trees and plants around you... breathe deeply.” She did as he said.

“Clear all thoughts from your mind, and picture a small orb of light, just out of your reach. You are controlling this orb, and you keep it perfectly still.” Laura pictured the orb, small, but overpoweringly bright.

“Now imagine that you transform this orb into a small flower. Watch as it grows, and blooms into a beautiful part of nature.”

She pictured a tiny bud appearing, in place of the orb, and saw a stem grow beneath it; roots disappeared into the ground. She watched it grow larger and larger, until it was in full bloom. She pressed on, watching grow bigger and bigger; and then watched it explode into small bits and pieces of petals and leaves. She heard the instructor gasp, and her eyes shot open. Before her was the exact scene she pictured in her head, complete with her blown-up flower. The instructor gave her a reassuring look.

“I am sure you didn’t mean to do that, Miss Laura. This kind of - activity - takes much practice. I think we are done for the day... I will see you tomorrow, at the same time.” Laura watched as the instructor scrambled to his feet, and bowed, before scurrying away. She shook her head, knowing instantly that Jericho had inched his way into her thoughts, causing her to blow up the flower.

She closed her eyes, determined to try it again. She pictured the orb, burning bright, right before her. She watched the bud appear in place of it, and the stem and roots growing delicately. She watched as the bud burst open, blooming to its fullest extent, and opened her eyes to find it before her. She smiled, and plucked the flower to give to Maria.

That afternoon, Laura approached her father, to tell him about her first lesson. She left the part out, about her blowing up the flower, and he seemed quite proud. However, he looked as if something else was on his mind, and she asked him about it.

“Well,” he said with a sigh, “I must be leaving very soon, on a trip to the next kingdom. It is extremely urgent - I cannot ignore this request. I may be gone a few days - but it is more likely that I’ll be gone a few weeks. I did not want to upset you, or imply that you must heal the boy alone...” Laura felt a pang of guilt as her father’s voice trailed off. She tried as best she could to look surprised, and lifted a hand to his shoulder.

“Father, of course I would never think that. I will heal the boy, and take at least two lessons each day you’re away. I’ll start healing him as soon as possible. My only wish is to make you proud,” she said. When his face brightened, she realized what a convincing speech she’d made.

“Oh, thank you, dear. I’m pleased with your enthusiasm in your powers... and on your first day, nonetheless. I must tell you, however - I am leaving tonight, as soon as I pack away different herbs and medicines for that boy. You’re certain you’ll be able to handle things in my absence?” Laura felt a twinge of panic, but did not let it show.

“Yes, father,” she said, calmly, “I’ll take care of everything.”
“I’m glad. Now, I must prepare for the trip. Take these to the boy,” he said, handing her a small bag of medicinal herbs.

“Of course,” she said. “Oh, and father?” Kepheus looked at her. “His name is Jericho.”

****

Laura was hesitant in her steps as she made her way through the hall to the healing room. She knew Jericho was immediately going to comment on their prior conversation.

“Hello,” she said quietly, as she entered the room. Jericho was sitting up in his bed, reading a withered book.

“Good evening,” he replied, unruffled. “Are you all better now?” he asked her.

“Isn’t that something that I should be asking you? And anyway, you’re the one who was rude earlier.” As soon as she said it, she felt childish.

“Wow, someone’s much grouchier than I thought. What have you brought with you on this fine visit?” he asked, gesturing towards the bag in her hands.

“My father sent me to give them to you. They are medicines, mostly sedatives. Until I heal you completely, there is nothing much else he can give you.”

“Until you heal me? What do you mean by that? You said you were going to help your father heal me.”

“Yes,” she said, irritated, “but he is going away tonight, and most likely will not return until a few weeks’ time.”

“Oh, well, that’s wonderful,” he said, rolling his eyes.

“I’m not precisely excited about healing you, either. But if it is my father’s wish-”

“You must do it, or you won’t be proving yourself, even though it isn’t your responsibility to do his job,” he finished for her.

“I never said that!” Laura said angrily. “You keep trying to twist my words — you think that you know everything about my life, and you don’t! I’m supposed to be healing you, but I can opt out now.”

“That sounds like a pretty nice deal to me,” he said.

“Listen to me. I have more power than you will ever dream of; especially in your state. So I suggest you cooperate, and accept the fact that if it weren’t for me, you would die during your stay in this castle. I’ll be leaving, now. Here,” she said, tossing the herbs onto his lap. “Take as many as you think necessary.” For the second time that day, Laura stormed out of the room and stomped angrily to her sleeping chamber.

****

“He is so annoying, Maria,” Laura said, tearing each pin from her hair.

“Yes, that’s the point,” Maria said, “it’s what draws you to him.” Laura rolled her eyes.


“Maria, have you been reading too many romance novels lately? I just don’t like him. He seems dangerous — and besides, what would he be doing in the woods, in the middle of the night? This just doesn’t seem right,” she said. Maria opened her mouth, but not a word came out — she was no longer looking at Laura, but behind her. Laura turned her head, and saw a man dressed completely in black smash through their window and try to climb inside.

“Get behind me and go into the hall. I have the key,” Maria said, guiding her toward the door.

They ran from the room, and into the hallway where two guards were quickly approaching. Maria locked the door and turned to them.

“It’s happened again,” she said, “someone is trying to break in. I’m afraid they are aware of Laura’s location-” She dropped her voice to a whisper, so that Laura could no longer hear her speak.

Laura’s father turned the corner and was heading for them, with an angry expression on his face.

“What seems to be the commotion? Is everything alright?” he asked, as calmly as he could manage.

“Someone is trying to break in again, sir,” the guard said. Kepheus clenched his fists and twisted to face the door. It was eerily silent.

He snatched the key from Maria’s hand and slowly unlocked the door. He burst into the room, ready to attack, but the only evidence the man had left behind was a gaping hole through the glass window.

“Maybe I should stay here for a few more weeks,” Kepheus said, eyes distant.

“Father, that is completely unnecessary. Nothing is going to happen. Besides, these break-ins have happened over a period of weeks-”

“That is irrelevant. I don’t want to risk anything. You’ll be with guards at all times, until we find out who is doing this and report them to the authorities.”

“But, Father—”

“I don’t want to hear it. It is what’s best. I’ll be off, now. I’ll see you in a while, alright?”

“Alright Father...” Laura said, disappointed. She watched him disappear out the front doors of the palace, and made her way to her lessons in the garden.

****

“I think that you should go to see him again. You’re the only one in charge of his healing,” Maria said, as she ate lunch with Laura.

“Well, I think he should apologize to me first.”

“Laura, that isn’t going to happen until he’s able to walk again,” Maria said, the corners of her lips turning up.

“Very well. I suppose I can try to work one healing remedy I learned today - but I refuse to speak to him about anything else.”

Laura finished eating, and walked (along with four guards) to the doors of the healing room.

“I don’t think it is necessary for you to come inside with me. I need concentration,” Laura told the guards. She was completely lying through her teeth; she simply couldn’t stomach the embarrassment of having guards accompany her everywhere.

Squaring her shoulders, Laura entered the healing room. Immediately, she saw Jericho, propped up, looking out the window. He turned to her, and smiled arrogantly.


“You came for another visit,” he said, trying to catch her gaze. She dropped her eyes.

“I came to try something... I learned a healing remedy today,” she said quietly. She looked at him, seeing a flash of fear in his eyes, which quickly dissolved to amusement.

“Well, I’m very curious as to how this goes. I’ve heard an interesting tale about your last venture to the nature world...” He held back a laugh.

“Oh - right. Well, that was only my first lesson. This will be different,” she said evenly.

“We’ll see,” he replied, and she breathed deeply, stepping to the side of his bed.

“Before I begin, what injury is the worst?” she asked.

“My arm - it’s really badly broken. I think that the bone is setting wrong. The doctor said he wanted to re-break it yesterday, but I knew it would be too painful...” His voice trailed off.


“Alright. Please relax,” she told him, however it was she who needed relaxing. Laura closed her eyes, picturing the small orb of light. She then pictured Jericho’s arm, broken and swollen. She re-created the picture in her mind so that the bone was healed, and set properly. He gasped, and she opened her eyes.

“I don’t feel any pain - it’s healed,” he said stretching out his arm. He stared at it in wonder.

“Yes, well - I'm not so tired. I might be able to heal another injury. What else is bad?”

“My legs are broken. Can you heal them both at the same time?” He asked.

“I can try,” she said.

“Just don’t blow me up,” he replied.

She closed her eyes again, and concentrated on healing his legs. It worked. He swung them over the side of the bed and stood. “Thank you,” he said, beaming at her.

Laura smiled back. “You’re welcome. I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said, and turned towards the door.

“Wait,” he said. She stopped. “Will you meet me in the garden tonight?” Laura considered this.

“Guards follow me everywhere. I can’t,” she said hesitantly.

“If you change your mind, you know where I’ll be. Midnight,” he said, and, without looking back, she quickly exited the room.

****

“I won’t go. I absolutely refuse,” Laura said, as Maria turned down the beds. They had relocated to one of the spare bedrooms on the other side of the castle. It would be safer here, farther from the garden.

“Well, considering someone just broke in... it might not be too safe. But there are guards everywhere! Laura, just do something rebellious for once,” Maria said.

Laura sighed, thinking about Jericho - and the way he treated her. Perhaps he was a troubled boy... maybe there was more to him than just wit and arrogance. With a determined face, she turned towards Maria.

“You’re right. I never have any time to myself. And my father isn’t here. No one will say anything as long as they don’t see me...” She grabbed her overcoat from the hook by the door, and lifted the window at the back wall of the room. With a sideways glance and smile at Maria, she climbed through the window and onto the grass.


She arrived at the garden a minute later, where Jericho sat on a stone bench.“I thought you were followed by guards everywhere,” he said, as he heard her slowly approaching. She sat beside him, and shrugged.

“Why were you in the woods?” she asked suddenly. She watched as his expression remained unchanged. He waited a moment before answering.

“That night, I’d fought with my father. I was so angry, I just left. I packed a bag of food, just in case I wasn’t going to be returning right away.” He spoke about his father in an acid way. “I was walking through the woods, instead of on the road. That’s when the tiger saw me - or smelled the food. He attacked me, and I blacked out. I guess the carriage scared him off.” Laura processed this, and saw sadness in his eyes.

“I’m sorry that happened. But why were you in the woods?” she asked again.

“Because I heard a stream. I needed water; I forgot to take some with me.” Laura nodded, and stared absentmindedly at a nearby tree.

“Where is your father?” Jericho asked her.

“He never actually told me. He just said that he needed to heal someone in a nearby kingdom,” she said.

“I’m sorry he left you here to heal me by yourself,” he said. She looked at him, shaking her head.

“If I’m going to take this responsibility on, I need practice, right?” she said. There was a long silence. Jericho was watching her intensely.

“Why did you want to see me, anyway?” Laura asked. Jericho’s lips turned up at the sides.

“Because I like you.” He said this with such honesty, and no hesitation—it caught her off guard.

“Oh,” she said. He reached for her hand. She looked down, taking a deep breath. Jericho raised his other hand to her face, and then they both jumped apart as the guard’s voice rang through the garden.

“Who’s there?” he demanded loudly. Laura looked at Jericho in panic. Jericho raised a finger to his lips, and yanked her into a bush.

“In the name of Kepheus, I order you to show yourself!” he screamed. Laura didn’t realize she was breathing loudly until Jericho covered her mouth with his hand.

“Who is out there?” another guard asked. Laura waited as a long silence fell through the garden.

“I don’t know. I think they left...” he said.

“Could it be a spy of Aeton’s?” he asked.

“I’ve no idea. Perhaps it was just an animal.” Laura’s breathing slowed as the guards disappeared into the castle. She looked at Jericho, whose brows were drawn together in confusion.

“What is it?” she asked.

“That guard - he said it could be a spy of Aeton’s...” he said slowly.


“Who is Aeton?” Laura asked.

“Aeton is my father.”

“What do you mean, he’s your father?” Laura asked. She narrowed her eyes at him accusingly. “Has your father been sending spies to break into my father’s castle?”

“That’s what I’m trying to find out. Believe me, it’s the first I’ve heard of it,” he said.

“Right, believe you. I’m supposed to believe some idiot who ran through the forest at night, just asking for a tiger to come finish him off? I don’t think so! I knew there was something suspicious about you ever since I first met you,” she said fumingly.

“No, you don’t understand—”

“You’re right. I don’t understand. And I’m not going to depend on you for answers right now.” Laura scrambled to her feet before he could say anything else and scurried to the other side of the castle. She yanked the window up and ducked inside.

“So?” Maria said.

“What?” Laura said, aggravated.

“What happened in the garden?” Maria asked, eyes bright with excitement.

“Those break-ins we’ve been having? Jericho’s father set them up! He sent spies here. His name is Aeton - and I know Jericho has something to do with this. There’s got to be a reason he came here.”

“Who is Aeton? And how do you know he is Jericho’s father?” Maria asked.

“I don’t know who Aeton is. And I know he’s Jericho’s father — he said it himself!”

“Alright, you just need to calm down. Why would Jericho be hiding something? What has he got against Kepheus?” she asked.

“I don’t know. And it doesn’t help that I don’t even know where my father is.” Laura sighed and slumped into a chair.

“Maybe you can figure this out tomorrow. Get some sleep for now,” Maria said, and turned out the light.

****

The next morning, Laura was reluctant to visit Jericho. She’d felt so uneasy ever since she’d returned to her room the night before.

She opened the healing room door slowly, somehow expecting something to jump out at her. The room was still.

She turned her head immediately to her right and saw Jericho, sitting upright and reading.

“Laura, before you start this healing, please let me explain about last night.”

“No,” Laura said stubbornly. She made her way to the side of the bed, ready to heal another injury.

“I’ll tell you the truth about the other night, in the woods. The real reason I was there.” She contemplated this.


“Fine. Explain everything. And don’t deny what you said last night — Aeton is your father, isn’t he?”

“Yes. He is my father. The reason that I was in the woods that night was because we really did have a fight. He wanted me to go on a mission somewhere... he said that he needed someone ‘taken care of'. I refused to do it. He was so angry with my refusal that he hit me. The next thing I knew, I was in the middle of the woods, on the ground, and a tiger was coming at me. The rest you know. The only reason I didn’t say anything was because I thought he might be sending people over here. I realized last night that I was right. Your father might not be healing someone, Laura. He probably ran from this castle to hide, because he knows it isn’t safe.” Laura thought about this.

“He would never leave without taking me with him. If he knew it was dangerous he would never have left me here alone.”

“That’s why this is so confusing to me. If he isn’t hiding,” Jericho said, “than there must be someone bribing him.” Laura narrowed her eyes in confusion.

“But what could someone want with my father?” she asked.


“Laura, your father has more power that can contribute to the human body than any other god in existence. What if someone asked him to heal them, and in return they would get rid of Aeton?” Laura decided that this made perfect sense, but she couldn’t figure out what had happened between Kepheus and Aeton that made them want to kill each other.

“Why would Aeton want my father dead, or vice versa?” Laura asked.

“That’s the only thing I need to figure out. Do you have access to your father’s study?” he asked.

“Why would you need access to his study?” she asked.

“Maybe he left something. A clue, of some sort. Maybe we can try to figure out what happened if we find the right piece of their past.”

“Alright. I suppose we could try to find something,” Laura said. “But what could he possibly have left behind?” Laura asked.

“I guess we'll have to find out,” Jericho said. He climbed out of bed, and headed towards the door.

“Wait,” Laura said, “we can't just walk to his study. The guards will know we're going in there without my father's permission.” Jericho nodded.

“We can say that we're going to the kitchen, and then to the supply room to get more herbs. They won’t want to come along,” he said.

They made their way to the study silently, and Laura reached into her pocket for the key.



“I don’t see how we’re going to find anything that will help,” she said. She unlocked the door, and they entered the dusty room.

“You start on the right side, and I’ll start on the left,” Jericho said. Laura nodded, and saw the tall bookshelves her father kept on the far right side of the room. She sighed, and began looking through different books.

“I found something,” Jericho said. He was holding a small leather book, much like the one he owned. She made her way to the table he was at, and sat down beside him. She looked at its fading colour, and the small strap that held the front together.

“A diary,” she said.

“Yes. Do you think it would be rude to open it?” he asked. She rolled her eyes and released the strap. Jericho opened the journal to the first page, and read aloud:

“Today, Father gave me this journal so that I could record all of my experiences as god of nature. Aeton and I were in the garden when Father called me into the castle. Aeton’s Father came not long after that, and said I would see him tomorrow.
I took lessons today, and learned about manifesting objects of nature. Tomorrow I will learn how to heal a wound. Father says that soon I’ll be able to heal a real person. I’m looking forward to that.”

“They were friends. Kepheus and Aeton were friends,” Jericho said. He flipped a few pages, and read another passage:

“Aeton showed me his journal today. I was disappointed because father said that we were the only family that had the journals. Aeton and I got into a fight in the garden, over whose journal was better. Father spoke to me afterward and told me that I was not to mention the journal to anyone else, that the journals were to be kept secret.”

Jericho flipped more pages, skipping to the middle of the book.

“A new patient arrived today. Her name is Charlotte. Aeton and I were in the garden when we saw her being carried into the castle. We ran inside after her and watched my father place her on a bed and immediately start healing her. She is the most beautiful creature I have ever seen.”

“Oh, of course a woman has to come into the picture,” Jericho said.

“Wait, does that say Charlotte ?” Laura asked.

“Yes. Why? Have you heard the name before?” he asked.

“Well, yes - Charlotte is my mother’s name.”

“Oh. Well, we know that your father met your mother here in the castle. What about Aeton?” Jericho skipped a few more pages.

“Today, Aeton punched me. He said Charlotte is in love with him, and there is nothing I can do about it. Charlotte talked to me yesterday and told me she loves me - I think she is lying to me.”
“So they were fighting over her. Typical,” Jericho said. He flipped more pages.

“Today, Aeton’s father announced that they would me moving away. Charlotte promised me she was not upset and it was I whom she couldn’t live without. Mother gave me her ring and told me to give it to Charlotte . I will ask her to marry me tomorrow at sunset.”

“So that’s how they ended up?” Laura asked. Jericho turned a few more pages.

“There isn’t anything after that entry. Your father must have married her, and then never felt the need to write in it again. But why would he keep it?”

“I don’t know. He said that his father gave it to him; it must have some kind of importance. Laura, your father took your mother with him, didn’t he? She isn’t here, in the castle?”

“No, he did take her with him. Why would he bring her, and not me?”

“Maybe it was a trade-off,” Jericho said.

“A trade-off? What kind of trade-off?”

“Maybe he’s surrendering. Maybe Aeton has been sending men - purposely to scare everyone. What if it wasn’t to steal something? What if his intentions were to steal Charlotte for himself?”

“That is just... ridiculous.”



“And what if it isn’t? Your father may be handing her over to him, right now.”

“He would never do that.”

“Well, it’s either that, or he’s gone to kill him. Or maybe he brought Charlotte along to set a trap - I don’t know. Either way, we have to figure out a way to get out of here. We have to do something.”

“But... what am I supposed to say? We need directions. A map. We can’t just - leave! I can’t even imagine what Maria will say—”
“No! You can’t tell her. Not anyone—it is way too risky. Just wait for me to figure out a plan—”

Just then, they heard voices in the hallway. They seemed to be heading for the study. “Jericho, get in the closet. Now,” Laura said, and they scurried into the small space, listening intently.

The doorknob turned, and a man walked into the room, silently. Laura was peering through the crack in the closet, watching as the man walked around, searching for something.

“Where could it be?” he asked himself. He was rifling through drawers, looking on shelves, frantically searching. Finally he left the room, locking the door behind him. Laura shoved open the door of the closet, and her and Jericho stumbled out, somewhat gasping for air.

He was looking for the diary,” Jericho said, “I guess it’s a good thing we got here before him.”

“Could you see who it was?” Jericho asked.

“No, his face was covered. Come on, let’s get back to the healing room before the guards come looking for me.” They walked slowly back to the room — Jericho was stiff, as his legs had only recently healed. They stopped at the door. There were no guards around.


“Do you trust me?” Jericho asked. Laura dropped her eyes.

“Yes,” she said. He sighed.

“I’m sorry we have to leave. But we can’t just sit here and wait until your father gets back from wherever he is. You understand that, right?” She raised her head.

“Yes. We need to leave soon.” She breathed deeply. “When are we leaving?” She asked.

“I’ll get a few things together, and we’ll leave at dawn. Meet me outside your bedroom window.” She nodded, and turned to leave.

“Laura?” She turned her head. “Don’t be afraid. I’ll make sure nothing happens to you.” As she retreated to her room, she hoped he was telling the truth.

At dawn, Laura gathered her essential things and dressed warmly. It was cool in the kingdom at first light, but very serene.

Laura glanced over at a sleeping Maria before slipping out the window and onto the dewy grass. She swung her bag over her shoulder, and stood waiting for Jericho. A few minutes passed, and then she heard footsteps coming around the corner. She dove into a bush, hoping it was him, and not a pesky guard. She squeezed her eyes shut and listened for an indicative sound to reassure her that he was there waiting.

“You’re a terrible hider, you know,” she heard his gravelly voice say. “Maybe next time we should meet somewhere less noticeable.” She shook her head, prying branches and leaves out of her hair.

“Let’s start walking. Have you eaten?” she asked.

“Yes. Not much, but enough to tide me over until lunch. Oh, I stole this map from the attic last night. I think it’s quite accurate. It shows where my father’s kingdom is, and a few key places we can find water and a bit of food.” Laura nodded, content that she would not have to use her source of figuring out places, through her powers, which was extremely tiring. Jericho led the way, starting with a winding path that led into the forest.

“No, not the forest,” Laura said, shaking her head.

“It’s the only way,” Jericho said. “If we’re ever going to get there, the only way is the forest. It'll be fine, Laura,” he said. She narrowed her eyes at the narrow path, at the tops of the thousand-year-old trees that lined it.

“Would you like me to hold your hand?” he asked teasingly.

“No,” she grumbled, but she wished he would.

****

The winding path, which headed west, grew narrower as morning proceeded into afternoon. Laura’s side ached, and she longed to be back home, still comfortably in the company of Maria. Jericho was pushing on, with great difficulty, Laura could see. She threw many glances in his general direction, occasionally seeing a twist of pain on his face.

“Are you well?” she asked him. “Because... if you’d like - I could try to heal something.”

“I’ll manage,” he said. This ended that particular conversation. The only sound that came from either of them was the large bags on their backs, which rhythmically swung from side to side.
Soon after, they agreed that it was late afternoon, which meant they needed to eat something if they wanted to make it any further before nightfall. They found a small area on the path, where there were large boulders for them to sit. Jericho took out a loaf of bread and some ham for them to share.

“Did you bring any weapons?” he asked, as they ate in companionable silence.

“No. Why would I?” she asked.

“Just... in case,” he replied. “It’s not a big deal. I'm sure there won't be anything we have to worry about.” He paused. “I brought some, though. We might run out of food, so I thought it would be handy for catching supper.”

“Yes - good idea,” she replied. But she knew that if they were to encounter anything worse than a potential meal, they would at least be prepared.
The day dragged on, and Laura’s lungs burned as they hiked up the endless path. Their shadows loomed in front of them, growing longer as the evening pressed on. As evening turned into night, they quickly set up camp a few feet into the forest.

“How much food is left?” Jericho asked her. Laura checked her bag.

“I have a loaf of bread and some ham,” she said, and they shared the leftovers.

“You know,” Jericho said between bites, “They’re going to send out a search party. They probably already have. That means that we set out extremely early in the morning. There’s not much time left.” Laura considered this. It grew darker, until it was pitch black — the only light left was the full moon, and the billions of stars that filled the sky.

“Will this work?” Laura asked, as the fire they’d constructed slowly started dying. “Do you think we'll be able to fix this?”

Jericho sighed and moved closer to her. “I suppose it will. When we get closer I’ll have to start planning what we’ll do — we'll need names. And we have to act as if we're together, to avoid suspicion,” he said. “We're tourists, travelling through the Six Kingdoms on vacation,” he said.

“Do you know how many books I've read in which the main characters chose the same cover story? It isn’t anything new,” Laura said.
“It will have to do for now. Let's get some sleep,” he suggested. Laura nodded, and laid down a blanket she brought.

“I'll sleep on the ground,” she said. “I brought this blanket for you.”
Jericho shook his head. “I would imagine that you’ve never actually slept on a hard surface before. You can have the blanket — I’ll most likely be up during the night, anyway. Insomnia is one of very few faults of mine,” he said, with a sly smile.

“Thank you,” Laura said. She settled on the blanket, using one of her shirts as a pillow. The soft sound of the dying flames was enough to soothe her into a deep sleep.

****

“Laura!”

Laura was jolted awake by the sound of Jericho’s voice. Branches cracked in the distance.

“Laura, I’m sorry to disturb you, but you have to wake up,” he said frantically.

“What?” Laura tiredly sat up, an ache in her back becoming present. She saw Jericho, perched on a branch in a tree. He was squinting in the distance, a fierce look on his face.

“They’re coming — the search party. I can see them from here. We have to move out now if we want to make it to the kingdom.” He climbed down the trunk of the tree, and gathered his things.

“Why do you think they waited a day?” Laura asked. Jericho glanced up at her.

“Maybe they wanted to see if you’d come back. As if you’d run away.”

“Jericho, did anyone visit you other than me?” Laura asked. He sighed.

“No. Your father was the only one who paid any attention to me at all before you did. I guess no one really cared that much. And people probably know where we’re headed, anyway - and where else is there to go?” Laura nodded in agreement.

“Let’s get out of here,” Jericho said. “They’re not on horses, but they're inspecting every inch of this path. We need to make sure we leave nothing behind,” he said. Laura collected the rest of her belongings and they began to walk down the narrow path.
Laura’s entire body hurt after sleeping on the harsh ground. She continued, hard as it was, walking quickly to keep up with Jericho. Laura was surprised when, out of nowhere, a giant snake started slithering toward her.

“Laura, don’t move,” Jericho said. The serpent quickened, heading straight for her foot. A wave of panic washed over her, and she felt her heart speed up.
Jericho pulled out his dagger, ready to attack the snake. But he wasn’t quick enough.

It dove for her ankle, sinking its teeth into her flesh, burning the surface of her skin. She let out a wail of pain, stumbling backwards, and Jericho finally sank the knife into its scales, killing the snake. Laura sank to the ground.

“Laura? Listen to me: do not close your eyes,” he said. She raised her eyes to his face, with much effort, and she began to feel the drowsy effects of the bite. He knelt down in front of her, and lifted her leg to examine her ankle.
“Oh... this is bad. You need medical attention. Laura, can you walk?” he asked her. She tried to analyze his words - they weren’t making any sense. She stared at him, unblinking. He sighed, seemingly making a decision.

“I’m going to carry you, alright?” he asked. All she could do was nod. He lifted her effortlessly into his arms, keeping his eyes on her. She blinked multiple times, resting her head on his chest.

“Laura, you can’t sleep. Please don’t go to sleep now,” he said. His words seemed so far away. She struggled to stay awake.

“Jericho?” she said. Her voice was small and strained. He started walking quickly down the path.

“Yes?”

“Please don't,” she said, clutching his arm.
“Don't what?” he asked in a loud voice, trying to keep her awake.
“Leave,”she said. Jericho was all she had left.

“I won’t, Laura. I’m not going to leave you, I promise,” he said.

“What - what are we going to do?” she asked, suddenly panicked and afraid.

“We’re going to get someone to heal this bite, and then we’re going to the Moon Kingdom to get your father, alright?”

“Okay. Can I please sleep?” she asked.

“No, you have to stay awake. Do you hear me? You need to stay awake for me, Laura.” Her brows drew together in frustration.

“Laura, what’s your favourite colour?” he asked, trying to keep her focused.

“The colour your eyes are,” she blurted, breathing shakily. She felt him laugh, and cursed her stupidity.

“What do you want to eat after this?” Jericho asked. “When you’re healed and you feel better?” he asked her. She closed her eyes.

“Snake,” she replied, and finally surrendered to the darkness.

****

Laura awoke with a massive headache and a throbbing ankle. She stirred and found that she was still in Jericho’s arms.

“It’s so hot,” Laura said. Jericho cradled her in one arm and felt her forehead.

“You have a fever,” he said worriedly. She sighed.

“How much further?” Laura asked.

“I see a cabin up ahead. We’ll try and see if someone is here that can heal you.”

“Jericho, am I going to die?” she asked.

“No,” he said, “of course not. Just don’t go back to sleep. It scares me,” he said. She turned her head, and saw the small cabin where they were headed.

“We’re together,” he said. “We were hiking and a snake bit you. Right?” Jericho asked.

“Right,” Laura said. They approached the door of the cabin. Jericho knocked. There were footsteps from inside, and then the door creaked open, at which a small woman appeared.

“Hello,” Jericho said politely. “My wife and I were hiking today, and we were wondering if you’d be able to help us. She was bitten by a snake - it’s really bad. She has a fever.” The woman studied them, and her eyes dropped to Laura’s ankle.

“I know some healing remedies. Please, come inside,” she said. Jericho walked into the cabin, taking in the cozy interior.

“Lay her on the table,” the woman said, pointing to a wooden dining table, appearing to be of great value. He set Laura gently down, and her hands clung to his shirt. She quickly loosened her grip.

“It is a bad bite,” the woman said, rifling through drawers in her small kitchen, opening and closing cupboards. She gathered a collection of herbs and spices, dropping them into an already boiling pot. Laura turned her attention to Jericho, who was watching her intensely. His hand touched her forehead again, slightly intimately.

The woman rustled around in the kitchen, and then scurried over to them. She motioned for Laura to sit up.

“Drink this,” she said, handing her a mug. Laura downed it, grimacing at the stale taste of the concoction.

“She will be better soon. Take these to break the fever,” she said, and handed Laura three purple berries as she handed her back the mug.

“May we stay here, for an hour, to rest?” Jericho asked.

“Of course,” the woman answered. She went out the back door, giving the two privacy.

“What about the search party?” Laura asked.

“After you fell asleep I started to run. I’m sure we have an hour, at least.” Laura nodded.

“Thank you,” she said. “Most people would have turned me in to that search party. I really don’t want to go back now. My father could be hurt - or worse.”
Jericho nodded. She reached for his hand, sighing. “I feel like I’ve been shot with an arrow. It really hurts,” she said.

“I know. It’ll be alright,” he said. He brushed her hair away from her face. “Please try not to get bitten by snakes in the future,” he said. “If you can help it.” Laura smiled.

“Try not to get mauled by tigers in the future, if you can help it,” she teased. Jericho sat with her, and slowly, the pain started to fade. Still, the minutes dragged on. Laura’s fever broke, and the stabbing pain that ate at her ankle had been replaced with a slight throbbing.

“I feel better. We’re so lucky we had this woman’s help...” Laura said.

“I don’t know what I would have done if we hadn’t,” Jericho said, eyes distant. “You’d be a lot worse right now.” She nodded.

“I think I can start walking again. How long has it been since we got here?” she asked.

“I would say about an hour and a half,” Jericho said. The woman was silently cooking a meal on her tiny stove. Laura sat up, stretching her muscles, and stood beside Jericho.

“Thank you for your hospitality,” Jericho told the woman. “My wife and I must leave now. We appreciate everything you’ve done for us,” he said. The woman smiled.

“Mind those snakes,” she warned. “And take it easy on the rest of your hike,” she added. Jericho nodded, and the pair exited the cottage in time to hear voices not far behind them.

“That would be the search party,” Jericho said. Laura nodded, recognizing the voice of one of her guards. Her brows furrowed, and she cocked her head, listening very intently - and then she relaxed. She was doubtful, but could have sworn she heard the voice of Maria.

The afternoon sun sank lower as it grew cooler. Laura and Jericho were moving quickly now, having no intentions of stopping. Laura’s ankle was almost healed; whatever herbs the mysterious woman had mixed together worked wonders on the snake bite.

“Where is the Moon Kingdom, anyway?” Laura asked.

“Well, the good thing is that it’s right beside the Nature Kingdom, your father’s kingdom. If it were one of the further kingdoms - like the Harbor Kingdom or the Ice Kingdom - it would take so much longer to get there. We probably only have about a day of walking ahead of us before we reach the Moon Kingdom.”

“Have you been to any of the other kingdoms?” Laura asked.

“Once, when I was young, my father took me to the Harbor Kingdom. I don’t remember everything about it - but it was beautiful. We stayed with my aunt and uncle, at Harbor Castle.” Jericho was shaking his head, reminiscing about this small memory.

“Would you ever go back?” Laura asked.

“Yes,” he said. “I thought about it, in the time I was at the castle with you,” he said. The path was getting more rocky — large branches and sticks were strewn across the narrow trail.

“So what made you stay behind?” she asked.

“Well, mostly the fact that I could barely walk. You haven’t forgotten how bad the injuries were already, have you?” he said. She shook her head.

“Well, what else kept you there?” she asked.

“You.” There was a long silence, but Laura felt that it was not at all uncomfortable.

A small, distant rumbling of horses became background noise, prompting them to walk quicker.

“I know I heard a woman’s voice earlier,” Laura said. “I really want to know if it was Maria’s.”

“We can find out, if you like. But we need to be really careful. Okay?” Laura narrowed her eyes.

“I don’t know if we should put ourselves in danger...”

“Don’t worry—it’ll be fine. Just follow me.” He led her back into the trees, further into the forest. A light fog was beginning to form, and it was nearly dusk. Jericho jogged a few more feet, and then latched onto a branch, beginning to climb.

“Are you insane?”

“Come on, just climb up with me. We’ll be able to see everyone who’s there — they won’t be able to see us, right? It’s foggy — just do something rebellious for once.”

“Oh, so sneaking out and leaving the castle before everyone woke up wasn’t rebellious?”


“Shh.” Jericho was squinting his eyes, listening.


Laura shut her mouth, and turned her head towards the way they’d come. There was a small buzzing noise, now. Except not a buzzing of nature — no, this was different. It was a buzzing of humans. And it sounded like they were angry.

Laura started to climb the tree. She needed to see what was happening — if something was wrong, if the guards found out where Laura and Jericho were, where they had been — Laura didn’t want to think about how fast they’d run to find them.

She’d just reached the top branch when Jericho started smiling. She whipped her head around, tried to see any movement.

They were a few hundred feet away. Each one of them was someone Laura had known her whole life. Maria, a few of the recent guards — even her father’s best friend. They were all involved in quite a heated discussion. Laura even caught a few of their words.

“If we keep going, we might just reach a dead end!”

“We have to find the girl. I can’t risk being banished forever just because we didn’t look hard enough—”

“I can’t stay out here forever! I have duties at the castle!” Maria’s voice. “I don’t care about Laura Helena, I never have. She might be Kepheus’ whole world but she is nothing to me. If you all want that stupid diary than you go ahead — it isn’t worth it!” Laura was shocked at Maria’s words. She’d never heard her speak in such a tone; especially when speaking about Laura.

She watched as they finished their conversation, and turned around. They weren’t talking, or arguing — clearly they’d made their decision. They were going home. And Laura could finally get some sleep.

She was numb as she climbed down the tree. Clearly most of her life had been a lie, and she couldn’t help but wonder how to deal with that. Jericho helped her set up camp, and gave her most of his food. The snake bite was almost healed, and she wasn’t as sore as she had been when she woke up that morning.

“I have to wake you every few hours,” Jericho reminded her. “Just so that you know where you are, and who you are.” He smiled.

“Yeah, well... I’m not so sure about who Maria is. She’s the only person I've ever bonded with other than my mother and father. She was always there,” she said. She shrugged, pushing away her food. “I’m not hungry anymore. Thank you, though, for sharing with me. You’ve done so well - I know that if it weren’t you I’d be on my own right now.”


Jericho set up her blanket on the ground. “Why would I leave you to fend for yourself? That would be cruel. Besides, I... I admire you.” She smiled.


“Thank you,” she said. She stretched, yawning, and laid down on her blanket. She got comfortable, watching as Jericho sat on the ground near her. She felt guilty, leaving him with the stiff ground.

“How much further do we have?” she asked.

“It’s only a few miles from here. I can tell,” he said. “Laura, where will you go after this? Will you go home with your parents?” he asked suddenly.

“I’m not sure I will. I don’t have much back there that I want to return to.” He nodded.

“Where will you go?” he asked.

“I don’t know yet. Maybe another kingdom. What about you? Are you staying with your father?”

“Not after everything he’s done,” he said. “Well, if neither of us will go back home, why don’t we travel together?” he asked. Laura considered this.

“I don’t know... where first? How would we get the supplies? And what about food? And I do intend to visit my father frequently-”

“Laura, we can figure it out. We'll find a way to deal with those things. I just - don’t like being on my own. And I’m sure you don’t either.”

“I’ll think about it,” she said, and drifted into a calm sleep.

****

The morning sun beamed down on the campsite and woke Laura, quite early. The birds chirped, and there was a light breeze rolling through the trees. Jericho slept peacefully on the ground, and Laura lightly draped her blanket over him. She grabbed the leftover food and set out some for the both of them.

She decided she would do it — she would go with Jericho. What did she have to lose? Besides, Jericho was set on travelling around the kingdoms, and that was exactly what Laura wanted to do. If she wanted to get away from the nature kingdom for a while, she needed to go with Jericho.

He woke not long after she did; he was surprised to see her up and waiting for him to eat with her.

He told her the plan while they ate. They would make it to the kingdom around dusk; Laura would get to her parents, and get out. Jericho was coming with her, she told him. She’d made up her mind, and he was happy she did.

They walked all day long, many hours on end. Laura was so tired, and was so close to giving up.

And that was when they came to a stop, in front of the tall gates, marking the path, just outside the Kingdom of the Moon.

The tall gates were rusted and old, yet they still shone in the dim light of the moon. Engraved at the top of the gate was a small, crescent shape, resembling the moon. Laura marveled at the sight, and despite her fascination, she was terrified of the thought of going inside.

Jericho stepped forward, looking so relaxed, having probably opened this gate many times in his life. He reached his hand forward, gripping the rusted metal with his hands, and then silently pushed them open. Laura watched as he stepped inside so effortlessly, and tried not to let the fear reach her face.

“It’s alright. There’s no one around,” Jericho assured her. He held out his hand, silently waiting for her to take it. Laura looked at him, standing just feet out of reach, and knew she trusted him. She nodded, and stepped forward into the gate of the Moon Kingdom, taking Jericho’s hand.

He led her into a small village, just a few minute’s walk from the gates. The place was still; so small and serene and Laura was beside herself, wondering how it could look so normal and be so terrifying at the same time. She thought a lot about everything in the small walk - it was so nice to not be running or hurting, and she never wanted to let go of Jericho’s hand. The gesture was small, but she needed him and he needed her, and he promised he wouldn’t leave her.

“Where are we going?” Laura whispered to him.

“To the castle. And just to warn you - looks can be deceiving. Just try not to be put off by the exterior.” She nodded, suddenly feeling uneasy again.

“So you grew up in the castle,” she said. He nodded.

“I had friends in the village, but I stopped seeing them. And I know having a nice place to live is good. Having food and water and clothing is good, too. I saw my friends, and they had all of that; I was so jealous, though - they always got along with their parents. They loved them. But my dad and I... we never got along. My mom was always invisible to him, I could see it. Please believe me Laura,” he said. “I will not go back to live with him. I can’t do it. We want different things. It would just be too hard. Especially when we know he’s the one causing all this trouble for your father and Charlotte.” Laura nodded.

“I’m sorry about everything, Jericho,” she said. “You’ve had bad luck so far. To be honest, I’ve thought a lot about what’s going to happen after this, and I have no idea what we’re going to do. But I don’t want to go back either. I love my father, and I want to help him, but I won’t go back when this is over.” He stopped in front of a small fountain, in what Laura presumed to be the town square. He faced her, and smiled sincerely.

“What do you want to do when we’re done here?” he asked.

“I want to go places. I want to go to all of the kingdoms with you.” Jericho was beaming.

“It is so nice to hear you say that,” he said. Laura could no longer stand it; she closed the distance between them and kissed him. She could tell he was surprised, but not in a bad way. It was like all of the tension was broken, and everything was right, and she belonged. She was upset when he broke off far too quickly.

“Later,” he said. She nodded, and they continued walking. A few minutes later, they rounded a corner, and Laura’s eyes widened at the sight before her.

A very tall castle, it was — complete with pillars and gates, and everything you would find at a castle. But everything was dark; it was as if the entire place had been covered in a black sheet and left to sit, forgotten about. Directly above, it seemed, the moon hovered over the huge palace, adding a spooky feeling. Another reason not to want to go any closer. She knew she needed to do this; she knew she would. But Laura had never felt like this in her entire life — full of adrenaline and fear and determination.

Jericho tightened his grip on her hand, and they began to walk up the path. The gates stood open, motionless in the cool wind of the night. They crept up to the castle, and Laura felt a chill as they fell into the shadows. Jericho led her around the side of the castle, to a dark window. He pulled it open, and climbed inside. Laura climbed in after him, and they closed the window silently.

“Where are we?” Laura asked.

“My bedroom,” Jericho answered. It was dark; Laura could only see the faint outline of a bed, and a closet. She wondered why he wouldn’t want a larger space, but didn’t want to ask.

They opened the door, and crept out into the hallway. There were candles lit along the wall, beside each door. It was time for Laura to find out which door her father was behind.

“I need to get in touch with my powers,” she said. “I have to know where he is so I can get to him,” Laura said. He nodded.

They walked down the long hallway and Jericho opened a door around a corner. Inside the room were small candles, and a tiny bed. Jericho closed the door, and Laura sat on the floor. She closed her eyes, and tapped into her power. She imagined the small orb of light, as she had many times, and this time imagined it opening at one side, allowing her to look inside. She imagined it showing her events, giving her answers to the things she did not know.

Suddenly she saw it: her father, tired and hungry, in a small space. Underground — she knew he was underground, but she didn’t know exactly where yet. She studied the blurring picture of her father, and couldn’t understand; finally, she gathered all of her power at once, and channeled it into this image. Finally, it became clear.
A tree. He was underneath a tree, somewhere behind the castle. Why? She couldn’t imagine. But she needed to get to him quickly. Her eyes shot open, and saw Jericho standing over her, a worried look on his face.

“We have to go. Is there a window in here?” Laura asked.

“Why do we need a window?” he asked.

“My father is underground somewhere outside. Under a tree. Do you know about this tree, or is this the first you’ve heard of it?” she asked.

“The tree — there is a tree out there. And I used to play in it sometimes. That's where your father must be. Let's go,” he said.

They found a window in the back of the room, and hurriedly unlatched it. Jericho was halfway out the window, Laura already starting to walk behind the castle when she heard a booming voice from inside the room.

“What do you think you’re doing, boy?” Aeton said.

“Go,” he whispered. “It’s by the stables,” she nodded, and touched his arm before sprinting towards the back of the castle. She could still hear the loud voice of Aeton; he was very powerful. Oblivious, maybe, but he was powerful. She ran towards the stables in the grassy backyard, and saw the tall willow tree. She pushed harder; the only thing on her mind was running. She finally made it.
The silent evening’s tranquility seemed unreal to her — she was racing and breathing hard, and the world around her seemed completely unaware. She would have thought, being on the brink of insanity, that her connection to nature would have a storm brewing by now. Still, the night stayed immobile and she was the exact opposite.

She pushed away leaves and branches, finally finding the thick trunk of the tree. She saw a small golden latch, the only barrier between her and her father. The only way to break it was to use her powers again. Between closing her eyes and getting herself ready, a thought slipped into her mind: when this was over, she was certain she would need a long nap.

She pictured the orb, this time stronger than ever. She imagined it smashing open the lock, and it obeyed. She opened her eyes and relief coursed through her when the lock was nothing but gold dust fleeing in the wind.

She shoved open the door, and dropped into the small tree. She saw, in the dim moonlight, her father, sitting in a corner, barely able to move his head to look at her.

“Laura?” he said weakly.

“Father!” she exclaimed. “We need to go; Aeton will know what is going on. Can you walk? What happened?” suddenly her mind was racing, and more questions kept appearing in her mind.

“You should not be here. Aeton is a dangerous man. He has your mother.” Laura nodded.

“Where is she?”

“Well, I’m not positive, but I think she is in the tower. I saw - I saw her one last time when we came here. Aeton was so happy at her arrival... and I saw him glance towards the tower.” He started shaking his head furiously. “Don’t go there — is the boy with you?” he asked.

“Yes, Jericho’s here. But Aeton’s talking to him... he didn’t sound happy. I don’t know when Jericho will be able to get away and find me. Father, I have to find her. I need to get you both safe, and then-” she stopped. She couldn’t tell him she wouldn’t go back with him, back home. “And then we can worry about other things.” He nodded.

“I can handle it. I can climb. Besides, Aeton is busy. I’ll be fine,” she said, as convincingly as she could. “I’ll be back with mother before you notice I’m gone.” He mumbled an agreement — how could he argue with her? He knew it was safer for her to get Charlotte and then escape rather than have Laura underground with him.

Laura hugged him quickly, and then snaked her way through the opening. She saw that, despite the recent silence of the night, the wind had picked up. The clouds were rolling in. The sky was black. She could smell it in the air. A storm was brewing.

She glanced at the huge castle. In the distance, at the far end, she saw a tower. Not too tall; it did not outsize the castle itself. But it was frightening. It was so isolated, and Laura knew her mother must feel abandoned and worried sick.

Laura glanced back the way she came, from the room Jericho was in. She panicked for a split second; she didn’t want to be halfway there and then get caught. But there was no time to panic, and she didn’t want to risk being seen so out in the open. So she stopped thinking, and ran towards the tower, towards her mother, and didn’t dare stop.

Laura ran so fast that her lungs burned with exhaustion. She was gasping for air and her limbs ached. She knew she would have been able to do this with food in her stomach and more sleep; but she wanted to give up, to give in to the need for rest. She was so tired; the darkness was pulling her under. She could feel the pressure, weighing her down. But she had to keep going—she could not afford to give up. Her life depended on it.

When she started to climb the tower she felt accomplished. She dug her hands into the cracks in the cement, scraping her legs and arms on the way up. She’d taken many lessons for this at the castle, but under pressure it was much more difficult.

She ascended the side of the tower, and finally reached the top window, where she saw her mother sitting in a chair. She pounded on the glass, afraid she might tumble off at any moment. Her mother jumped in her seat; she looked up at the window, at Laura.

Her face was pain. Laura could see this, anyone could have seen it. She rose from her small chair and opened the window, quietly, to avoid attracting attention.

“Mother,” Laura said, trying to catch her breath. She dropped into the room, completely unmotivated to move. Her mother returned to her chair, and turned it around to face her.

“What are you doing here?” her mother asked. Laura was immediately hurt, confused as to why her mother would question her arrival.

“How could I not be here?” she asked. Her mother frowned.

“This is a dangerous place. You could get hurt,” her mother said.

“I am very aware of that. People keep telling me, and I know. Believe me, I know,” she said.

“You don’t know anything, Laura. You have no idea what it’s like here - you need to go.”

“What about father? What were you planning on doing about him?” she asked. “He is underground right now. Underneath a tree. He is without food or water, and you’re not going to do anything about it?” Her mother was silent. “Do you even want to leave this place? Or are you really happy here? Because it doesn’t look like you’re having a wonderful time to me.” Her mother sighed.

“Laura, you need to leave, now. Don’t make me alert the guards, because—”

“Oh, so now you’re going to alert the guards. On your own daughter? I think you really have changed, mother.”

“I love Aeton. I always have—nothing will change that. Not even your father. He was just in the way - all those years. Do you know what it’s like to pretend to love someone, Laura?”

Laura was completely awestruck. She could not believe her mother would say such a thing.

“No, mother. I don't; I hope I never do. Because that isn't what you do. It’s cheating — just an easy way out, really. I know that you would have gone after Aeton. I know that if it weren't for father, you would've gone. But why didn't you, mother? Were you too afraid? Too young, maybe? Because I know that you did love father, even if it were just for a while. You want what you can't have. And that is exactly what Aeton has been. I know you regret this, coming here, with father. But there is no taking it back. I'll leave you here, now,” Laura said, dropping her eyes. “But don't you ever say I didn't offer to take you away from this miserable place.”

Laura walked slowly to the window, ready to climb out, when the door burst open. A steaming Aeton took two strides to the window and whirled Laura around by her shoulder.

“Who are you?” he demanded. Laura narrowed her eyes.

“I am Charlotte and Kepheus’ daughter.” She was no longer afraid of this man — she had more power than he ever would.

“Are you?” he said, rather amused. He turned to Charlotte. “Is this true?”

“No,” she said, quite seriously. “This girl is an imposter. I was just about to alert you.” He sighed heavily.

“You’re lucky I’m in a good mood today. Otherwise I’d have you executed,” he said. He started to laugh. More guards appeared in the doorway, joining in, as if it were a light joke he’d just made.

“Get the girl out of here, and make sure she leaves these gates.” She’d had enough. She closed her eyes, picturing the orb of light, and shoved it toward Aeton and his ridiculous guards. She knocked them down, one by one, and made sure they were unconscious before opening her eyes.

One last time, she looked at her mother. “I wish you and Aeton a very happy life, mother. I probably won’t see you again,” she said. Her mother looked very upset, but she’d already offered, and Charlotte hadn’t said a word.

Laura stepped carefully around the guards on her way out the door. The moment they were clear she sprinted for the stairs, hurrying towards the bottom. She always felt as if she should be looking over her shoulder, in case one woke up. But she knew there was no room for panic; only the forceful drive of her running. She ran back to the window she’d left, knocking on the window. Jericho was in there, and he ran to open it.

“I'll explain everything to you later, but right now we need to get my father and leave. My mother chose to stay here.” He nodded, asking no questions, just snatching the bag he’d recently packed with supplies before climbing out the window.

They jogged to the tree, and Laura lowered herself into the opening. Her father was standing, ready to leave. He gave her a questioning look.

“Where is your mother?” he asked.

“She isn't coming with us. She doesn't... want to leave.” He nodded.

“I figured that might be the case. She's always loved Aeton.” Laura threw him a sad smile.

“We have to go, though. Right now. I took care of Aeton and his men - but only for a little while. They’re going to wake up, and we can’t afford to be here when that happens. Do you have everything you came here with?” she asked.

“No, they took everything I had when we arrived.” Laura nodded.

“I'll help you out,” she said. When they were finally above ground, Jericho was growing impatient.

“We need to leave, right now,” he said. She nodded, and dropped her voice to a whisper.

“Let me just tell him I'm not going with him,” she said. “I'll heal his injuries so he can walk to the stable, and get a horse.”

“Alright. I'll be by the stables.”
Laura turned toward her father, and closed her eyes. She pictured the orb of light, healing light, and soothed his pain. She healed his legs, enabling him to walk, and then healed more serious wounds.

“Thank you,” he said.

“Father, I'm not - I won’t be going with you, back home.”

“I know,” he said. “You're better off exploring, anyway.” She shook her head.

“What do you mean?” she asked. “I thought you'd be angry.”

“I'm not angry. I was like you — I wanted to do the same thing. But when Charlotte came along... well, she didn’t want the same things that I did. So I
stayed at home. But you have someone, now, who wants the same things. Jericho-” he seemed to try out the name, to see how it sounded. Laura knew he was only used to calling him "the boy". “Well, he wants to travel, doesn’t he?” he asked. She nodded. “I guess I can't argue with this. I approve - but you must come back and visit me sometimes. I need to hear your stories,” he said, smiling.

“Thank you, father,” she said. Each of them chose a horse, and said their goodbyes before they went their separate ways. She saw the way Jericho was polite to Kepheus, the way he looked up to him. She shed a few tears before climbing onto her horse, the final indication of their parting being the fading sound of the hooves.

“Where are we headed?” Jericho asked, as they exited the town gates on the opposite side they’d come in.

“I think I want to go to Harbor Kingdom. Or maybe the Ice Kingdom. What about you?” she asked.

“Anywhere,” he said. “As long as I’m with you.” Laura smiled, content with her small, safe atmosphere she shared with Jericho.

She knew that they’d come looking, though, Aeton and his men. Laura and Jericho wouldn’t be left alone for a while. But for now, the only thing to do was enjoy the calm daybreak, leaving behind Aeton and his frightening kingdom. The only thing to do was to keep going.

There were a lot of unanswered questions, she couldn’t deny that. What was the significance of her father’s journal? And why did everyone give up on that search? She didn’t want to have to face Maria for a while. She needed this time away. She could finally breathe.

Laura Helena, the goddess of nature, was silently riding into the sunrise with Jericho as the Moon descended out of sight, and dissolved completely into the sky.