Page 2

Two

Acacia

I stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind me with enough force to rattle the windows. The late afternoon sun beat down on the terramares, casting long shadows across the dusty streets. My feet carried me forward without a destination, fueled by a rage that threatened to consume me.

"Acacia!" My father's voice called out from behind, but I didn't slow down. I couldn't bear to look at him right now, not after what he'd just told me.

Matched. To a wood nymph, of all creatures. The word echoed in my mind like a death sentence.

I quickened my pace, weaving through the narrow alleys between the ramshackle buildings of our human colony.

The smell of dinner cooking wafted from open windows, a cruel reminder of the normal life I'd just lost. Faces peered out at me as I passed, curious about the commotion, but I ignored them all.

My best friend Lily's house came into view, and I made a beeline for it. She'd understand. She had to. I pounded on the door, my chest heaving from exertion and emotion.

Lily opened the door, her eyes widening at the sight of me. "Acacia? What's wrong?"

I pushed past her into the house, pacing the small living room like a caged animal. "They matched me, Lily. To a fucking wood nymph."

"What?" Lily gasped, closing the door. "But I thought... I mean, we all did the testing, but..."

"But what?" I whirled on her. "Did you think it wouldn't happen to one of us? That we'd all just keep living our lives here, pretending the monsters don't control everything?"

Lily flinched at my tone, and I immediately felt guilty. It wasn't her fault. None of this was her fault.

"I'm sorry," I said, collapsing onto her worn couch. "I just can't believe this is happening."

Lily sat beside me, placing a comforting hand on my arm. "Tell me everything."

So I did. I told her about coming home to find my father waiting for me, his face a mix of excitement and apprehension. How he'd sat me down and explained that the results of my DNA test had come back. That I had a match, a strong one, with a wood nymph named Thornix.

"A wood nymph?" Lily repeated, her brow furrowed. "I didn't even know they participated in the matching program."

"Apparently, they do," I said bitterly. "And now I'm supposed to just pack up my life and go live in the forest with some tree-hugging monster?"

Lily was quiet for a moment, biting her lower lip. "Maybe it won't be so bad? I mean, wood nymphs are supposed to be beautiful, right? And connected to nature and stuff."

I shot her an incredulous look. "Are you serious right now? I don't care if he's the most gorgeous creature in Magnus Terra. This isn't what I want for my life, Lily. You know that."

And she knew. We'd spent countless nights whispering our dreams to each other, imagining a future where humans could live freely, without the constant oversight of monster districts. I'd always been the more vocal one, the one who dared to question why things had to be the way they were.

"What about your plans?" Lily asked softly. "To find a place where humans could thrive on their own?"

I laughed, but there was no humor in it. "Shattered. Just like that." I snapped my fingers for emphasis. "How am I supposed to change anything when I'm tied to a wood nymph for the rest of my life?"

Lily opened her mouth to respond, but a knock at the door interrupted us. We both froze, knowing who it had to be.

"Acacia?" My father's voice called through the door. "I know you're in there. Please, we need to talk about this."

I groaned, burying my face in my hands. "I can't deal with him right now."

Lily squeezed my shoulder. "You can't avoid this forever. Maybe you should hear him out?"

I wanted to argue, to tell her she was wrong. But deep down, I knew she was right. I couldn't run from this, no matter how much I wanted to. With a heavy sigh, I nodded to Lily, who went to open the door.

My father stepped inside, his weathered face lined with concern. "Acacia, please. Let's go home and discuss this calmly."

I stood up, crossing my arms over my chest. "There's nothing to discuss. I'm not doing it."

My father's expression hardened. "This isn't a choice, Acacia. The match has been made. The Sacrarium's magic has spoken."

"Magic?" I scoffed. "It's just advanced technology, Dad. DNA sequencing and compatibility algorithms. There's nothing magical about it."

"Whatever you want to call it," he said, his patience clearly wearing thin, "the result is the same. You have a match, and you have a duty to honor it."

"A duty?" My voice rose. "I didn't ask for this! I only took that stupid test because everyone else was doing it. Because you encouraged me to!"

"I encouraged you because I want a better life for you!" My father's composure finally cracked. "Do you think I want to see you struggle here in the terramares for the rest of your life? This match is an opportunity, Acacia. A chance for something more."

I laughed bitterly. "More what? More oppression? More control over my life?"

"More freedom!" He insisted. "The wood nymphs live differently than we do here. They have their own territories, their own ways. You could have a life there that you could never have here."

His words hit me like a punch to the gut. Because deep down, in a place I didn't want to acknowledge, I knew he was right. Life in the terramares was hard, with limited resources and constant oversight from the monster districts. But still...

"I don't want to marry a monster," I said, my voice small.

My father's expression softened. He crossed the room and placed his hands on my shoulders. "I know this isn't what you imagined for yourself. But sometimes the path to our dreams takes unexpected turns."

I wanted to argue more, to rail against the unfairness of it all. But I was tired. So tired. I let my father lead me out of Lily's house, promising her I'd talk to her later.

The walk home was silent, the weight of my new reality settling over me like a shroud. As we approached our house, I finally spoke.

"When do I have to leave?"

My father sighed. "The summons from the Sacrarium arrived this morning. We're expected there in three days."

Three days. Seventy-two hours to say goodbye to everything I'd ever known. To prepare myself for a life I'd never wanted.

The next few days passed in a blur. I packed what few belongings I wanted to take with me, said tearful goodbyes to friends, and tried to memorize every detail of the only home I'd ever known. Through it all, a simmering anger burned in my chest, fueled by fear and resentment.

Before I knew it, we were standing before the imposing gates of the Sacrarium. The ancient structure loomed over us, its stone walls seeming to pulse with an energy I couldn't explain. My father squeezed my hand reassuringly as solemn-faced attendants led inside us.

The binding ceremony was a haze of unfamiliar rituals and words I didn't understand. And then, suddenly, he was there. Thornix. My mate.

He was unlike anything I'd ever seen before. Tall and lithe, with skin that seemed to shimmer with an inner light. His hair was a wild tangle of vines and leaves, and his eyes, god, his eyes. They were pools of liquid moonlight, ancient and knowing.

He was beautiful. And terrifying.

As we stood side by side, his hand wrapped around mine in a grip that was both firm and gentle, I couldn't help but feel a sense of betrayal.

This wasn't how my life was supposed to go.

I was supposed to change things, to find a way for humans to live freely.

Instead, I was being bound to a creature I didn't know or understand.

The ceremony ended, and they ushered out of the Sacrarium. My father hugged me tightly, whispering words of encouragement that I barely heard. And then, just like that, I was alone with Thornix.

He led me towards the edge of the forest, his movements graceful and silent. I stumbled along behind him, already feeling out of place.

"We have a long journey ahead," he said, his voice low and musical. "Are you prepared to travel?"

I wanted to scream. I needed to tell him I wasn't ready for this. Instead, I just nodded stiffly.

As we entered the forest, the world came alive. Trees whispered secrets to each other in the wind, and creatures darted through the underbrush, their eyes gleaming in the fading light. It was both beautiful and terrifying, a world so different from the one I knew.

We walked for what felt like hours, with the forest growing denser and wilder with each step. I was exhausted, my feet aching in shoes that weren't made for this kind of terrain. But I refused to complain, to show any weakness in front of this creature who was now, apparently, my mate.

Finally, Thornix stopped in a small clearing. "We'll rest here for the night," he said, gesturing to a massive tree that seemed to pulse with life.

I stared at him blankly. "Rest where? There's nothing here but trees."

A flicker of amusement passed over his face. "This is my home," he said, placing a hand on the trunk of the enormous tree. As if in response to his touch, part of the bark seemed to melt away, revealing an opening.

I peered inside, my eyes widening in disbelief. The interior of the tree was hollow, forming a cozy living space with furniture that seemed to grow organically from the walls. It was beautiful, in an alien sort of way.

"You live inside a tree?" I asked, unable to keep the skepticism from my voice.

Thornix's expression hardened slightly. "This is not just a tree. It is a living, breathing part of the forest. And now, it is your home as well."

I bristled at his tone. "I already have a home. Back in the terramares. Where things make sense."

"The terramares are no longer your home," he said, his voice maddeningly calm. "This is where you belong now."

"I don't belong here!" I snapped, my frustration finally boiling over. "I don't belong with you! This whole thing is ridiculous. I'm a human, not some... some forest sprite!"