Page 7

I laughed, surprising both of us. "Perhaps not. But sometimes stupidity and bravery look remarkably similar."

As we emerged from the cypress into the fresh morning air, I saw our surroundings with new eyes. What had started as a simple lesson in forest navigation had become something more of a test of trust, of courage, of understanding.

Looking at Acacia, dirty and exhausted but unbowed, I realized that perhaps the Sacrarium's magic hadn't made such a mistake after all. She might not have been born to the forest, but she had its spirit in her heart.

Four

Acacia

I stumbled through the underbrush, my heart pounding in my chest. The forest whispered around me, leaves rustling with secrets I couldn't understand. I'd only meant to explore a little, to get some air and clear my head after days cooped up in Thornix's tree-home. But now, as the light filtered strangely through the canopy above, I realized I'd wandered much farther than I'd intended.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," I muttered to myself, pushing aside a curtain of vines. "You're gonna get yourself killed out here, Acacia."

But even as fear gnawed at my insides, I couldn't help but marvel at the beauty surrounding me. The terramares had nothing like this. There was a riot of colors and the air was thick with the scent of earth and growing things. It was intoxicating, and despite my better judgment, I pressed on.

That's when I saw it, a clearing bathed in ethereal light. At its center stood a circle of ancient stones, each one taller than me and covered in swirling patterns that seemed to move when I wasn't looking directly at them. The air here felt different,charged with an energy that made the hair on my arms stand on end.

I knew I should turn back. This place practically screameddangerto every instinct I possessed. But curiosity won out, as it so often did. I stepped into the clearing, drawn toward the stone circle like a moth to flame.

As I approached, the patterns on the nearest stone glowed with a soft blue light. Without thinking, I reached out to touch it.

The moment my fingers made contact, the world exploded into chaos. A surge of energy coursed through my body, lifting me off my feet. I heard myself scream, but it sounded distant, as if coming from someone else. Images flashed before my eyes of ancient forests, battles between creatures I couldn't name, and always, always, Thornix's face, looking at me with an expression I couldn't decipher.

Then, as suddenly as it began, it was over. I collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. My skin tingled all over, and I could have sworn I felt the heartbeat of the forest itself pulsing through me.

"Acacia!" Thornix's voice cut through the fog in my mind. He burst into the clearing, his eyes wild with panic. When he saw me lying there, he rushed to my side, kneeling beside me. "What have you done?"

I tried to speak, but my voice wouldn't cooperate. Thornix gathered me into his arms, his touch sending another jolt through my system. He cursed under his breath, a string of words in a language I didn't recognize.

"I told you not to wander off," he said, his voice a mixture of anger and fear. "This grove is sacred, protected by magic older than even I can comprehend. Do you have any idea what you've done?"

I finally found my voice, though it came out as little more than a croak. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I just wanted to explore."

Thornix's expression hardened. "Your recklessness could have gotten you killed. These aren't your terramares, Acacia. The forest doesn't care about your human curiosity. It will destroy you without a second thought if you don't respect its power."

His words stung, mostly because I knew he was right. I'd been stupid, letting my fascination override my common sense. But his condescending tone sparked my temper, pushing aside the lingering effects of whatever had just happened to me.

"Well, excuse me for trying to understand this world you've dragged me into," I snapped, pushing away from him and struggling to my feet. The world swayed alarmingly, but I refused to show weakness. "Maybe if you'd actually teach me something instead of just ordering me around, I wouldn't have to figure things out on my own."

Thornix stood as well, his eyes flashing dangerously. "I've been trying to teach you, but you refuse to listen. You think you know better than someone who's lived in this forest for centuries. Your arrogance is going to get you killed."

"My arrogance?" I laughed bitterly. "That's rich coming from you. You act like you're so superior, like I'm just some dumb human you have to babysit. Did it ever occur to you that maybe I have something to offer too?"

"Like what?" Thornix challenged, stepping closer. "What could you possibly know about this world that I don't?"

"I know what it's like to be an outsider," I shot back, refusing to back down. "To have your whole life turned upside down because some magic decided you belong somewhere else. I know what it's like to feel lost and scared and angry all the time. But you wouldn't understand that, would you? You've probably never left this damn forest in your life."

"You think I don't know what it's like to feel lost?" he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. "To have your life changed in an instant by forces beyond your control? I may be bound to this forest, Acacia, but that doesn't mean I'm free."

The raw honesty in his voice caught me off guard. I'd been so caught up in my anger and resentment that I'd never stopped to consider how this situation might be affecting him. Before I could respond, Thornix caught himself. His expression hardened once more.

"None of that matters now," he said, his tone clipped. "What's done is done. The spell you triggered has bound you even more tightly to this place. To me."

"What?" I gasped, the implications of his words sinking in. "What do you mean, bound me?"

"The magic of this grove is ancient and powerful. It's designed to protect the forest from outsiders. When you touched that stone, it recognized you as a threat and tried to neutralize you."

"Neutralize me?" I repeated, my voice rising in panic. "You mean kill me?"