The forest behind the Castle stretched out like a dark, breathing entity—tall trees rose like ancient guardians, their dense canopies blotting out the already moonless sky. Walking beside the Lord of Versimoil, Anneliese couldn't help but glance around, her eyes narrowing as the darkness pressed closer.
"It's a new moon tonight," she noted inwardly. That explained the weight of the blackness around them.
The only sounds were the soft crunch of dry leaves beneath their feet and the distant, eerie chorus of crickets and unseen forest insects. There was something quietly unnerving about it all. She pulled her arms closer to her body, eyeing Vincenzo.
"Why are we walking here?" she finally asked, unable to mask her unease. "Why not in the Castle gardens?"
Vincenzo looked at her calmly before replying, "Because I want you to get familiar with the land around the Castle—especially this forest."
She gave him a puzzled glance.
He elaborated, "Eventually, you'll need a place to practice your spells. Somewhere private. And… if a day ever comes when danger finds you and I'm not there, this path—this forest—might be your only refuge. I want you to know it well enough to survive on your own."
Anneliese blinked in surprise, then nodded slowly.
He watched her for a moment—how her eyes gave away every flicker of thought. She was so easy to read. Like an open book… his book. A dangerous possessiveness stirred inside him, one he quickly quieted. Locking her away would only widen the distance between them—and right now, he needed to close it.
He changed the subject, voice quieter now. "Have you ever been here before, Anneliese? I don't mean the Castle. I mean anywhere in the Kingdom of Versimoil?"
Her brows furrowed. "No. I always wanted to see other lands, but Papa was… very protective. Over me and Adlina both. He never let us leave the Sicilian Empire—never even let us near the border."
"Why?" he asked, though he already had theories.
She shrugged lightly. "He said it was dangerous. But isn't it common knowledge? No human from the Sicilian Empire willingly enters the Versimoil Kingdom… or any of the other lands—Fairyland, Witchland, Demonland. Most commoners avoid all, except those from higher hierarchy—or the ones who've been settled here for generations."
Vincenzo stopped walking.
There was a shift in his eyes—something unspoken, ready to surface.
"You've been here before," he said. "When you were very little."
Her steps slowed.
"You were in Bridgehallow," he continued. "You destroyed it. With your hands. With fire."
Anneliese stopped completely. Her chest tightened.
"What?" she asked, stunned. "No… I've never even heard of—how do you know it was me?"
"It was you," he said, certain.
When she still looked unsure, he stepped closer, his voice low but unwavering.
"She had dark brown wavy hair. A straight, small nose. Full pink lips. A sharp, oval face—pale as ivory. And eyes—eyes like the moonlit night sky. They seemed aquamarine at first, but when you really looked… they were cosmic. A celestial blue, like the universe."
Color bloomed on her cheeks, turning her face a soft pink that wasn't lost on his night-vision gaze. She cleared her throat and tried to refocus.
"I… I don't remember any of that. I didn't even know I had powers until they appeared in the dungeon. If that girl was me, then… why don't I remember? Why didn't I know?"
Vincenzo gave a half-smile. "You're like a sealed mystery box… and I haven't figured out how to open it yet."
She looked down, uncertain again, and he gently reassured her.
"But you don't have to worry. No matter what you are—who you are—I will never let anyone harm you."
He brushed a loose lock of hair behind her ear.
Anneliese stiffened slightly, caught off guard by the act. Her instinct was to pull away—but she didn't. Something in his voice, in the way he said those words… made her hesitate.
She glanced up at him, eyes searching. For what, she wasn't sure. A lie? A weakness? Or something she didn't want to admit?
"First, we need to trace your lineage. Anything at all that can shed light. We'd start with your parents, but… they're gone. Disappeared, just like the rest of the town."
He noticed something flicker in her expression and asked softly, "What is it?"
"I was going to tell you before…" she said. "When we met at the river—but I didn't get the chance." She took a deep breath. "The night before my town disappeared… Papa said something strange. He told me I was 'a destined child,' and that life wouldn't be easy from now on. There was a sadness in his eyes I didn't understand. And the next day… they were all gone."
Vincenzo went still. "He knew," he murmured. "I think your father knew exactly what was coming. Maybe even more than that."
Anneliese nodded faintly, her voice trembling now. "I wish I'd asked him what he meant. I wish I'd done something. But I didn't ask… and he didn't tell."
The pain in her voice was raw, exposed.
He said nothing at first. Pain like that couldn't be dulled with quick words. And truthfully, this pain might be what keeps her going—what drives her to seek the truth instead of falling apart.
She swallowed hard, barely above a whisper. "Is there any news? About my parents? The townsfolk?"
"No," he answered gently, not wanting to give false hope. "Nothing yet. All we know is… the Dark Witches are behind the vanishings. And they're preparing something. Some kind of sacrificial ritual."
Eventually, they reached a small lake—silent, mirror-like in the dark.
Vincenzo gestured for her to sit. Her legs, still healing, ached from the walk. He could've carried her the whole way—it would've been easier—but he knew she would've resisted. And now that he knew she was the one he'd been searching for since that night in Bridgehallow, he couldn't risk scaring her away by making her feel caged. She needed to move on her own terms, to feel free in this strange new world. Carrying her now would've felt like control. And that wasn't what she needed—not yet.
He sat beside her on the cool grass, the lake's surface rippling faintly under the breath of the wind.
He brought her here for a reason—not just to familiarize her with the forest, but so she wouldn't feel like a prisoner in the Castle. He wanted her to see this world, to claim it. Not because she had no other choice… but because one day, she might choose it.
Vincenzo glanced toward the trees. Something was shifting. He could feel it. The trees whispered to the wind, as if they too were waiting—for the girl who once burned a village to remember who she was. But in the shadows beyond the lake, the forest already knew—this choice would not come without cost.