Page 9

I woke one morning to find tiny flowers blooming in my hair. Another day, I absentmindedly reached for a cup of water and found vines curling around my fingers, offering me berries instead. It was beautiful and terrifying in equal measure.

Thornix watched me closely, his expression a mixture of concern and fascination. "The forest is accepting you," he explained one evening as we sat by a small fire outside his tree-home. "It's unusual. Humans don't typically form this kind of connection with the natural world."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" I asked, trying to keep the worry out of my voice.

Thornix was quiet for a long moment, staring into the flames. "I don't know," he admitted finally. "This is uncharted territory. But I promise you, Acacia, I won't let any harm come to you."

The intensity of his voice sent a shiver down my spine. I wanted to believe him, wanted to trust in the connection growing between us. But the memory of my life in the terramares, of the dreams I'd had to abandon, still weighed heavily on me.

"What if I don't want this?" I whispered, voicing the fear that had been gnawing at me. "What if I can't be what you need me to be? What if I can never truly belong here?"

Thornix's eyes met mine, and the vulnerability I saw there took my breath away. "Then we'll figure something out," he said softly. "This match wasn't what either of us expected. But I believe there's a reason for it, even if we can't see it yet."

I wanted to argue, to rail against the idea that some mystical force knew better than I did what I needed. But I was tired of fighting against Thornix, against this new life, against myself.

"I'm scared," I admitted, the words barely audible over the crackling of the fire.

Thornix reached out, hesitating for a moment before gently taking my hand in his. The contact sent a jolt through me, like a current of energy passing between us.

"So am I," he said, his thumb tracing small circles on my palm.

Five

Thornix

I paced the forest floor, my agitation causing the vines in my hair to writhe and twist. The memory of our kiss haunted me, burning through my thoughts like wildfire. Each time I closed my eyes, I felt her lips against mine, tasted her fierce defiance mixed with something sweeter.

"Focus," I muttered to myself, pressing my palm against an ancient oak to ground myself. But even the tree's steady energy couldn't calm the storm inside me.

I had live in relative solitude, finding companionship in the whispers of leaves and the songs of birds. Now, after just a few weeks with Acacia, I felt incomplete when she wasn't near. It was dangerous. Unsettling.

A commotion in the canopy above drew my attention. My heart stopped when I saw her, perched precariously on a branch of the Elder Tree, one of the most sacred and temperamental beings in my territory.

"Acacia!" I shouted, fear turning my voice harsh. "Get down from there immediately!"

She looked down at me, that familiar spark of defiance in her eyes. "Why? You said I needed to learn about the forest. Well, I'm learning!"

"That's not a normal tree," I growled, watching in horror as she climbed higher. The Elder Tree's energy was pulsing with annoyance. "It's ancient and powerful. One wrong move and-"

The branch beneath her foot suddenly withdrew, leaving her scrambling for balance. I moved without thinking, calling to the surrounding trees. Their branches intertwined, creating a net beneath her just as she lost her grip.

She landed safely in the makeshift cradle, but my relief quickly turned to anger. I lowered her to the ground with a thought, stalking toward her as she regained her footing.

"What were you thinking?" I demanded, my voice trembling with barely contained emotion. "Do you have any idea how close you came to-"

"To what?" she challenged, stepping into my space. "To proving I can handle myself in your precious forest? To showing you I'm not some helpless human who needs constant protection?"

"To dying!" I roared, grabbing her shoulders. "That tree could have killed you in an instant! Is that what you want? To throw away your life just to prove a point?"

Her eyes flashed. "Maybe I'm tired of you treating me like a child! Maybe I want you to see me as-"

"As what?" I asked, my voice dropping dangerously low. We were so close now I could feel her breath on my face.

"As your equal," she whispered. "As your mate."

The last of my control snapped. I crushed my lips to hers, pouring all my fear and longing and frustration into the kiss. She responded immediately, her fingers tangling in my vine-woven hair as she pressed herself against me.

This kiss differed from our first. There was no anger now, only raw need. The forest hummed with energy, responding to our passion. Flowers burst into bloom, their sweet scent filling the air.