Ivy's POV
I waited until my father disappeared from the clearing before collapsing onto the soft grass. Closing my eyes, I reached deep within myself, desperate for guidance. "Grandmother, I need your help," I whispered into the stillness. The forest around me held its breath, and a sudden chill skittered down my spine. When I opened my eyes, she was there—or at least, her spirit was—gracefully settling before me.
Her striking silver and black braid swung forward as she lowered herself, and instinctively I reached out to touch it. My fingers passed through the strands like mist. "I'm not truly here, Ivy," she explained, her voice ethereal yet familiar. "When you call with need, I can send my spirit to you. But the barriers between worlds cannot be crossed physically. I can't feel the earth beneath us or experience the breeze that's playing with your hair."
"But you seem so..." I couldn't find the right words.
