Page 15 of Must Love Moss and Moonshine (Moonshine Hollow)
TANSY
I wondered at the moon dragons circling the ancient tree, their shimmering scales catching the light like prisms, casting rainbows across the clearing.
It was breathtaking—an extraordinary sight that tugged at something deep inside me.
My heart swelled, not just for the beauty of it all but for the thoughtfulness of Kellen bringing me here.
This place was magical and sacred, and I felt unworthy to stand in it.
As I turned to look at Kellen, his face was illuminated by the faint glow of the tree’s silver leaves.
His expression held a quiet reverence, his eyes tracing the tree’s intricate patterns as though committing every detail to memory.
He caught me staring. Turning toward me, he gave me a soft, shy smile.
“Thank you, Kellen,” I said softly, the words feeling too small for what he’d given me.
Without a word, he gestured for me to follow him, leading me down a narrow path toward a crystal-clear pool. I trailed behind, my gaze darting between the shimmering water, the tree, the moon dragons, and the plants growing on the bank.
“Is that…” I started, my voice trailing off as I crouched near the pool’s edge.
Kellen knelt beside me, his hand brushing against one of the flowers. “Moonshine plant,” he confirmed. “Rare, powerful, and more valuable than gold.”
“There’s so much,” I said, looking at the plants lining the pool.
“A million coins wouldn’t compare to their worth.” His voice dropped, turning serious. “But they might be worth something far more important.”
I tilted my head, watching him closely. “What’s that?”
“Your memory.” He turned to me, his gaze steady, searching.
The weight of his words settled over me like a shroud, and I realized this wasn’t just about the beauty of the moment.
There was something deeper, something Kellen wasn’t saying—at least, not yet.
My memories held the key to whatever was blooming between Kellen and me.
Right now, it was an emotion I was struggling to bottle up.
But once I knew the truth, knew who I was, where I belonged, and if I belonged to another…
“Yes,” I replied. “That is something.”
Kellen turned back to the glowing plants with a reverence that tugged at my chest. “Only a little can be harvested at a time,” he explained, his voice low and careful, as though speaking too loudly might harm the flowers.
“If we take too much, the entire crop could be ruined. That’s why the moonshine plant must be treated so tenderly.
Its powers are without compare, but the plant itself is incredibly fragile.
It grows here, under the light of the willow, protected by the tiny moon dragons you see flitting about.
This glade must remain sacred and safe. If the wrong eyes ever discovered this place, or worse, tried to harvest the moonshine flower, it would never grow again. ”
He turned to me, his eyes luminous in the ethereal glow. “That’s why no eyes save those of a dryad have ever seen this place…until now.”
A lump rose in my throat, and I struggled to find the right words. “Oh, Kellen… I can’t express how grateful I am.”
Kellen’s smile was gentle and full of unspoken emotions. It told me everything I needed to know. He trusted me, not just because I was Sylvan, but because of who I was.
“Come,” he said, his voice pulling me from my thoughts. “Let’s gather some berries and get to work. Remember, you’re not the only one who needs healing tonight—an injured squirrel is counting on us.”
I glanced at Marvelle, who was perched on a rock near the pool, eyeing the moon dragons with curiosity and wariness. I smiled at the sight of him, feeling a surge of affection for the plucky little creature.
“There’s a small grotto over there,” Kellen continued, pointing toward a sheltered nook at the mountain’s base. “We’ll camp there for the night.”
The grotto was cozy and inviting, with a natural overhang forming a protective roof. In the center was a fire ring, but a strange black rock was at its heart instead of charred wood. I set down my things, pausing to study the stone.
“Have you ever seen a mountain ember before?” Kellen asked, watching me with a knowing look.
“No,” I admitted, crouching closer. “What is it?”
Instead of answering, Kellen turned toward the small moon dragons fluttering near the tree. He summoned a delicate pink moon dragon with iridescent wings with a soft whistle. She landed lightly on his shoulder, her tail curling around his arm.
“My friend,” he murmured to the moon dragon, his tone gentle. “It’s dark, and we need warmth. Can you help us?”
The moon dragon chirped in response and darted toward the black rock. Hovering over it, she took a deep, almost comical breath before exhaling a stream of shimmering pink-and-turquoise flames. The rock sprang to life, glowing with vibrant colors that danced like fire but didn’t burn.
“Fairy flame,” Kellen said, gesturing for me to feel the warmth radiating from the stone. “There’s no danger with this kind of fire—it won’t harm the valley, and it’ll last all night.”
“Amazing,” I whispered, running my fingers near the flame. Its heat was comforting, and the colors were mesmerizing.
Kellen smiled, his face softening in the glow. “Now, let’s get to work.”
While I settled into the grotto, Kellen moved to the moonshine flowers, his hands deft as he carefully plucked the delicate berries.
The small moon dragons swirled around him like curious children, occasionally landing on his shoulders or horns.
There was a tenderness in the way he interacted with them, a kindness that warmed something deep inside me.
Marvelle, too, seemed to be enjoying the adventure.
The squirrel bounded along the pool’s edge, occasionally stopping to drink or sniff at the glowing plants.
The fairy moon dragons found him endlessly fascinating, and more than once, Kellen had to click his tongue in warning when they got too rowdy around his injured companion.
Drawn to the pool’s brilliance, I wandered closer.
The water was so clear it seemed to amplify the light from the tree, creating a magical blue glow.
I noticed shimmering stones lining the bottom as I knelt by the edge.
Reaching in, I plucked a single green crystal and turned it in my hands.
It was stunning piece of forest quartz that reflected every shade of green, brown, and gold imaginable.
The hues reminded me of Kellen’s eyes, and the thought made my heart ache with a feeling I couldn’t quite name.
“Now, what are you going to do with that, lass?” a gruff voice echoed in my mind.
I froze, startled by the sudden memory. The face of a dwarf flickered in my mind’s eye, blurred and indistinct, but his voice was unmistakable.
“I haven’t decided yet,” I had replied in the memory, holding a red topaz.
The dwarf had laughed, a deep, hearty sound. “Well, one thing’s for sure, it’ll buy a lot of ale, so you’d best make up your mind!”
The memory faded, leaving me staring at the forest quartz in my hand. The familiarity of the stone, the ease with which I recognized its name and value, unsettled me. Was I a potion maker? A healer? Why did this knowledge feel so instinctive, so ingrained?
“Sylvie,” Kellen called, his voice breaking through my thoughts. “I have them.”
I returned to the camp to find Kellen holding a handful of moonshine flower berries, their pale silver skins glowing faintly in his palm.
“There are only twelve,” he said, his tone somber. “But it should be enough. I’ll prepare the potion now.”
He gently set Marvelle in a makeshift pouch near the fairy flame and handed the squirrel a leaf. Marvelle nibbled on it reluctantly, his tiny face scrunching at the taste.
Kellen worked with practiced ease, grinding the berries in a clay cup and mixing them with water from his flask. He warmed the mixture by the fairy flame, swirling it carefully before offering it to me.
“So,” I asked, taking the cup. “Will my memories come rushing back all at once, or will it take time?”
Kellen hesitated, his expression conflicted.
“I wish I could tell you. The elders say the moonshine flower can cure almost any ailment, but memory loss… That’s something different.
It may work. It may not. There’s no way to know.
” He managed a faint smile. “At the very least, it’ll likely cure any other small ailments you might have. ”
I laughed softly, lifting the cup to my lips. “To Gaia, to this sacred valley, and to you, Kellen.”
Our eyes met as I drank, his gaze filled with hope and fear. I knew we both wanted the same thing: a future together. I only hoped the potion would make that possible.