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A dora's cart waited out front in the early morning light. "I'm going to stay behind a few days to sell these off in the city, so I won't be back right away," Theo said as he heaved up a crate full of flowers. "Don't panic when I don't immediately return. I'll come back in a week, alright?"

"You have enough arrows?" Luna asked. "Bullets won't work in the veil if things go wrong."

"Yep, more than enough," he said, nodding to his full quiver already loaded on the cart. "And I got my knife on my waist."

"Be wary of people on your journey," Luna said, looking up at the sky. "The stars aren't hostile, but they aren't peaceful either."

"Yes, yes. I will be very wary," he said with a sigh. Luna had already told him this multiple times as he got ready.

"Theo, you about ready?" Adora called excitedly. She had pale skin and brown hair that hung in loose curls under a summer hat. Her little buttercup yellow dress fluttered slightly in the light spring breeze as she waved to the girls. "I want to get going."

Coralie hugged him tight and spoke in a quiet voice. "Keep your promise."

"Always do," he said, squeezing her back and then Luna. "You put the gold away in the safe and tell no one about it. I love you both."

With that, he hopped on the cart, waved goodbye, and headed off into the western forest down a dusty road.

They rocked along for a few hours not talking much. The only sound was the clop of the chestnut-colored mustang's hooves, Adora turning pages in her book, and the ambient noise of the woods as the sun slowly made its way across the sky.

"You need me to hold the reins?" Adora offered, snapping her book closed. "You can rest if you need to."

"No, it's fine. We'll be in the next city soon. I'll sleep when we get there. You doing okay over there? I know this isn't the most entertaining ride."

"I have my book. Here, have some water." She leaned back and passed him her canteen. "Be honest with me, do you really believe the stories of a nightly fog that takes you to another world?" she asked as she watched him drink.

"Of course, I believe. It's real," Theo said simply. He went to take a gulp, and a canary shot out of the thick trees towards him. It flitted around aggressively and startled him so much he nearly dropped the water all together. Luckily, he held on to it.

He took another swig and passed it back. "You know, that's where I get my enchanted plants." He knew where this was going. People always were in one of two groups. Most were fearful believers of the veil who were disgusted that he walked in it willingly. Then there was a small, loud minority of skeptics. They felt superior for not believing and assumed those who claimed to go in were con men. Adora and her father were clearly the latter.

"Please, I know you only say that and crossbreed them. I'm not judging. It's good business. I don't understand how so many people believe in this silly myth is true." She scoffed. "If it's real, then why have so few people seen it when it lurks in our forest every night?"

"It's five miles deep and, on top of that, most humans struggle to see it."

"Struggle to see it?" she frowned. "That sounds like an excuse."

"I assume it's because of its magic but if it's to the left, they look right. If it's right in front of them, they look down and turn back."

"Well then how do people end up in it at all?" She huffed. "It doesn't make sense."

"Practice." A wash of sleepiness washed over Theo, and he squeezed his eyes shut and opened to try and wake up. "My parents practiced and had us going in and out at a young age so it's natural to my family. That said most people end up in it by accident. They're running from something and accidentally crash into it, or they happen to be on the road when the fog comes, and it swallows them. The veil is full of unwilling travelers."

"Our town is so superstitious," she said with a condescending laugh.

"How do you explain the stained if it's all superstition?"

"I assume many paint it on for attention." She glanced at him. "Or for sales, in your case. Like I said, I don't judge it. You should make a living like everyone else."

"Right. My glow has definitely made people flock to my cart." He chuckled. "How do you explain the people that vanish? What about the bodies that are found torn apart by some unknown animal no one's ever seen? Or their grieving families, for that matter? Are they all lying?" He shrugged. "My parents died in the veil, and I assure you, my grief and their deaths were very real."

"I mean no offense, but the bodies and lifelong disappearance are because of regular animals. Wolves with pups, bears waking from hibernation. Hence the increased spring deaths. It's sad, really, but I think if you're careful, you can make it through, but many are unlucky. Nature is unforgiving. There's no magic to it."

"And the ones who come back years later saying they were lost in the fog?" He yawned and regretted taking the job after a night of not sleeping at all.

"What about them? They're runaways who come home." She rolled her eyes. "My mom ran before I was born. At seventeen she left home and a year later she came back. She claimed she was lost in the veil for a long time but eventually stopped speaking of it altogether no matter how much people ask. I still wonder what made her leave home and why she lied. My dad guesses it was lover since she was rumored to be in love with a woman in a town over. I think she's embarrassed young love got the best of her."

Theo remembered the glow on Mrs. Fallon's neck. Poor girl. A year out there must've been terrifying. "You know, those who return may not say anything because they don't want to be made fun of or dismissed. It must be isolating to be lost and afraid for so long and then scoffed at when you return. If your mom survived such a thing, you should be proud of her."

"Let's say I believe the veil flows to the west in the spring, the south in the summer, east in fall, and north in winter which, I might add, sounds ridiculous. Why don't magical beings come pouring out into our streets every spring? No one has ever met an enchanted creature. There's been no fae, no strange animals. Nothing comes out."

"Don't know," he said with another yawn. "Perhaps the veil is more interesting than our world. Whether its wolves or the veil, I don't want to run into anything dangerous. All I want is to get you to Beaumont safely and get myself home with no fuss."

"I suppose that's fair." She was quiet for a bit watching the horse ahead of them trudge on. After a while she offered her canteen again. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have insulted your parents' memory like that regardless of how I feel."

"It's fine." He brought the canteen to his lips and abruptly, the horse reared back as if it saw something in the empty rode. Theo quickly took a gulp and tossed the canteen back so he could wrangle the horse. "Let's agree to disagree tonight. We have a few hours until Red Brook. We'll rest there tonight since it's to the south and out of the path of the veil. We're making good time." He shook his head again to keep himself awake. "I hope we get there quick."

"I should hold the reins while you take a nap. I need you awake to get us a hotel and help me unload."

"You've never traveled there. It's best if I stay...." He was so sleepy he lost his train of thought for a second but did his best to pick it back up. "I was paid to keep you safe. That's what I'm going to do."

"You, know Theo, I am sorry about this, but you're definitely going to fall asleep in about a minute or so."

"No, I just... I just," he blinked slower now.

"You just drink water from strangers when you don't know its contents." She had a smug smile as she set her book aside and effortlessly took the reins from his hands. "You took large gulps, and it was quite potent, so enjoy the slumber. Don't worry, it's harmless. You'll just pass out for a little while."

Panic rose in his chest. You drugged me! He tried to force the words out and reach for the reins, but his arms were heavy, and his lips wouldn't part. All he could do was grunt in frustration.

"I know you're mad. I know you're going to panic because you believe all the stories, but I promise when you wake up, we'll be in Beaumont safe and sound. You'll still get your money, and I won't tell my mom if you don't."

He plunged into sleep, and his last thought was Luna warning him to be wary of people.