18
Good Things
I woke near a crackling fire at dawn. Kishan was warming his hands.
I shifted and groaned, “Hey.”
“Hey, yourself. How do you feel?”
“Umm . . . I’m feeling better actually.”
He grunted. “You started healing as soon as we entered this place.”
“How long have I been asleep?”
“About twelve hours. You healed here almost as fast as Ren and I do outside.”
I stretched my legs and was relieved. The pain was bad, but an infection was worse. I had been sort of counting on Kishan’s amulet to fix me, but it wasn’t working like Mr. Kadam had said. Maybe Kishan’s piece did something different. I’d gotten lucky.
“I’m starving. What’s for breakfast?” I asked.
“What would you like?”
“Hmm . . . how about some chocolate chip pancakes with a tall glass of milk.”
“Sounds good. I’ll have the same thing.”
Kishan asked the Golden Fruit to make our meal, and he hunkered down next to me to eat. I was still feeling weak and when he pulled me closer so I could lean against him, I didn’t protest. Instead, I dug happily into my pancakes.
“So, Kishan, where are we?”
“Not sure. About a mile past the spirit gate.”
“You carried me through?”
“Yes.” He set down his plate and put his arm around me. “I was afraid you would die.”
“Apparently my coming back from the dead is a common theme in these mythical cities.”
“I hope this is the last time you come close.”
“Me too. Thanks. For everything.”
“You’re welcome. By the way, it seems I can maintain human form here like Ren did in Kishkindha.”
“Really? How does it feel?”
“Strange. I’m not used to it. I keep waiting for the tiger to take over. I can still become a tiger if I wish, but I don’t have to take that form.”
“The same thing happened to Ren. Well, enjoy it while it lasts. Ren changed back the minute we left Kishkindha.”
He mumbled something and started going through the backpack.
“Can you hand me the prophecy and Mr. Kadam’s notes?” I asked. “The first order of business is to find the omphalos stone, the navel stone, the stone of prophecy. We look into it, and it shows us where to find the tree. It looks like a football standing on end with a hole in the top.”
“And what does a football look like?”
“Hmm, I guess you’d say it’s oblong shaped, but more pointy on the ends.” I stood up on shaky legs.
“Don’t you think you should rest a little bit longer?”
“I feel pretty well rested, besides, the faster we can find the stone, the sooner we can rescue Ren.”
“Alright, but we’ll go slowly. It’s pretty warm here. Wouldn’t you like to change out of your snow gear first?”
I looked down at my ripped pants. “Right.”
Kishan had removed my coat, but I was sweating in my insulated pants. He’d already changed and was now wearing jeans, hiking boots, and a black T-shirt.
“Don’t you get sick of black?”
He shrugged. “It just feels right.”
“Hmm.”
“I’ll scope out the area and see if I can find a trail for us to follow while you change.” He grinned. “And don’t worry. I won’t be peeking.”
“You’d better not.”
He laughed and walked off through the grass toward the tree line. As I changed, I marveled at my torn pants. That bear really did a number on me. I checked my leg and calf. There was no wound. Not even a scar. The skin was healthy and pink, as if it had never been damaged.
By the time Kishan came back, I’d washed using the best thing I could come up with—a pot of warm rose tea courtesy of the Golden Fruit and a T-shirt. I poured the rest of the rose tea through my hair, brushed it out, and braided it into a long tail that hung down my back. I’d just changed into a long-sleeved T-shirt, jeans, and hiking boots to match Kishan, when he hollered out a warning and strode into the camp. He looked me up and down with masculine approval, and smiled.
“What are you grinning at?”
“You. You look much better.”
“Ha. What I wouldn’t give for a shower, but I do feel better.”
“I found a creek that runs near the tree line with a game trail. I think that might be a good place to start. Shall we?”
I nodded while he shouldered the backpack and headed for the trees. When we got to the creek, I marveled at how beautiful it was. Gorgeous flowers sprung up near rocks and tree trunks. I recognized narcissus growing by the creek and told Kishan the story of the handsome man from Greek mythology who fell in love with his own reflection.
He listened with rapt attention, and we were both so involved with the story that we didn’t notice the animals. We were being followed by forest creatures. We stopped, and a pair of rabbits hopped up to look at us curiously. Squirrels leapt from tree to tree to get nearer, as if to listen to the story. They jumped to a branch that bent with their weight and brought them just a few feet from us. The woods were full of creatures. I saw foxes, deer, and birds of all kinds. I held out my hand, and a beautiful red cardinal flew down and perched delicately on my finger.
Kishan held out an arm and a golden eyed hawk flew from the top of the tree to balance on his forearm. I walked up to a fox that fearlessly watched my approach. Stretching out a hand, I stroked its soft, furry head.
“I feel like Snow White! This is amazing! What is this place?”
He laughed. “Paradise. Remember?”
We walked all day, escorted at times by a variety of animal companions. In the afternoon, we emerged from the forest to find horses grazing in a meadow full of wildflowers. I plucked stems to make a bouquet as we walked. The horses trotted over to investigate.
Kishan fed them apples from a nearby tree while I braided flowers in the mane of a beautiful white mare. They walked alongside us for a while as we continued.
In the early evening, we saw a structure of some kind at the base of a large hill. Kishan wanted to make camp for the night and explore it the next day.
That night, I lay on my side in the sleeping bag with a hand tucked under my cheek and said to Kishan, “It’s like the Garden of Eden. I never imagined such a place existed.”
“Ah, but if I recall, there was a snake in the garden.”
“Well, if there wasn’t one here before, there’s one here now.”
I peeked at Fanindra. Her golden coils were still hard and unmoving where she rested near my head. I looked at Kishan who was poking the fire with a stick.
“Hey, aren’t you tired? We walked pretty far today. Don’t you want to sleep?”
He glanced over at me. “I’ll sleep soon.”
“Oh. Okay. I’ll save you some room.”
“Kelsey, I think it would be wise for me to sleep on the other side of the fire. You should be warm enough here by yourself.”
I looked at him curiously. “That’s true, but there’s plenty of room, and I promise not to snore.”
He laughed nervously. “It’s not that. I’m a man all the time now, and it would be hard for me to sleep with you and not . . . hold you. Sleeping near you as a tiger is fine, but sleeping near you as a man is different.”
“Ah, I once said the same thing to Ren. You’re right. I should’ve thought of that and not put you in an uncomfortable position.”
He snorted wryly. “I wasn’t worried about being uncomfortable. I was worried about getting a little too comfortable.”
“Right.” Now I was nervous. “So, umm . . . do you want to take the sleeping bag then? I can use my quilt.”
“No. I’ll be fine, bilauta.”
After a few minutes, Kishan settled himself on the other side of the fire. He cushioned his hands behind his head and said, “Tell me another Greek story.”
“Okay.” I thought for a moment. “There was once a beautiful nymph named Chloris who cared for flowers and nurtured the spring by willing the buds of trees to blossom. Her long blonde hair smelled like roses and was always adorned with a halo of flowers. Her skin was as soft as flower petals. Her lips were puckered and pink like peonies and her cheeks—soft blushing orchids. She was beloved by all who knew her, yet she longed for a companion, a man that could appreciate her passion for flowers and who would give her life deeper meaning.
“One afternoon, she was working with the calla lilies and felt a warm breeze blow through her hair. A man stepped into her meadow and stood admiring her garden. He was handsome with dark, windswept hair and wore a purple cloak. He didn’t see her at first; she watched him from a leafy bower as he walked among the flowers. The daffodils raised their heads at his approach. He cupped a rosebud between his hands to inhale its fragrance, and it unfurled its petals and bloomed in his palms. The lilies quivered delicately at his touch, and the tulips bent toward him on their long stems.
“Chloris was surprised. Her flowers usually responded only to her. The spears of lavender tried to twine themselves about his legs as he passed by. She folded her arms and frowned at them. The gladiolas all opened at once instead of taking turns like they were supposed to, and the sweet peas danced back and forth, trying to get his attention. She gasped softly when she saw the creeping phlox try to uproot itself.
“‘That’s enough!’ she said. ‘You all behave yourselves!’
“The man turned and spied her hiding among the leaves. ‘Come out,’ he beckoned. ‘I will not harm you.’
“She sighed, pushed aside the gardenia plants, and stepped barefooted into the sunshine, pressing her toes into the grass.
“A small breeze blew through the garden as the man sucked in a soft breath. Chloris was more beautiful than any of the flowers he’d come to admire. He immediately fell in love with her and dropped to his knees before her. She beseeched him to stand. He did, and the warm wind shuffled his cloak, lifted it, and enfolded both of them in its purple billows. She laughed and offered him a silver rose blossom. Smiling he twisted off the petals, tossing them into the air.
“She was upset at first, but then he twirled his finger and the rose petals swirled around them in a tunnel of wind. She clapped her hands in delight as she watched the petals dance. ‘Who are you?’ she asked.
“‘My name is Zephryus,’ he said. ‘I am the west wind.’ He offered her his hand. When she placed her hand in his, he pulled her close and kissed her. Stroking her soft cheek with his fingertips, he said, ‘I have traveled the world for centuries, yet you are the loveliest maiden I have ever seen. Please, tell me. What is your name?’
“Blushing, she answered, ‘Chloris.’
“He folded her small hands in his and made a vow. ‘I will return next spring. I wish to take you for my bride. If you’ll have me.’
“Chloris nodded shyly. He kissed her again, and the purple cloak swirled around him. ‘Until we meet next year then, my Flora.’ The wind blew him quickly away.
“She prepared for his arrival all year. Her garden was more beautiful than it had ever been, the flowers happier. Whenever she thought of him, she felt the kiss of his breeze brush her cheek. The next spring, he returned to find his beautiful bride waiting for him, and they wed surrounded by thousands of blossoms. They had a happy marriage. She tended the gardens while her husband’s west wind gently scattered the pollen every spring.
“Their gardens were the most beautiful, the most renowned, and people came from all over the world to admire them. They delighted in each other, and their love was bounteous. They had a child together named Carpus, which means ‘fruit.’”
I paused. “Kishan?” I heard a light snore come from the other side of the fire. I wondered when he’d fallen asleep. I whispered softly, “Goodnight, Kishan.”
The next morning, I woke to a munching sound above my head. I looked up at a tall, yellow body with black circles and hissed, “Kishan. Wake up!”
“I’m already awake and watching, Kells. Don’t be afraid. It won’t hurt you.”
“It’s a giraffe!”
“Yes. And there are some gorillas moving in the trees over there.”
I quietly shifted and saw a family of gorillas pulling fruit off a tree. “Will they attack?”
“They aren’t responding like normal gorillas, but there’s one way to find out. Stay here.”
He disappeared in the trees and emerged a moment later in tiger form. He walked up to the giraffe. It blinked long-lashed eyes at him then calmly went back to plucking leaves off the tree tops with its tongue. When he moved toward the gorillas, the same thing happened. They watched him lazily and chattered among themselves. Then they went back to their breakfast, even when he approached one of their babies.
Kishan shifted back to a man, staring thoughtfully at the animals. “Hmm. Very interesting. They’re not afraid of me at all.”
I started breaking camp. “You lost your hiking clothes, Mister. You’re back in black.”
“No, I didn’t. I left them back there in the trees. I’ll be back.”
After breakfast, we hiked to the large structure we’d seen the day before. It was huge, made of wood, and obviously very old. A large rotting incline led up into it. As we got nearer, I exclaimed, “It’s a boat!”
“I don’t think so, Kells. It’s too big to be a boat.”
“It is, Kishan. I think it’s the ark!”
“The what?”
“The ark—as in Noah’s ark. Remember when Mr. Kadam talked about all the flood myths? Well, if this really is the mountain where Noah landed, then that must be what’s left of his boat! Come on!”
We made our way up to the massive wooden structure and peeked inside. I wanted to climb in and look around, but Kishan cautioned me.
“Wait, Kells. The wood’s rotting. Let me go first and test it out.” He disappeared into the gaping maw of the edifice and emerged a few minutes later. “I think it will be safe enough if you stay right behind me.”
I followed him in. It was dark, but where the wood had fallen out of the ceiling, jagged gaps let the sunshine through. I had expected to see stalls of some kind to keep the animals contained, but there were none to be found. It did have a few levels with wooden steps, but Kishan thought the stairs would be too dangerous. I pulled out a camera and snapped a few pictures for Mr. Kadam.
Later, as we left the wooden relic, I said, “Kishan . . . I have a theory. I think that Noah’s ark did land here and the animals we’ve seen are descendents from those original animals. Maybe that’s why they act differently. They haven’t lived anywhere but here.”
“Just because an animal lives in paradise doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have any instincts. Instincts are very powerful. The instinct to protect your territory, to hunt for food, and to . . .” he looked at me pointedly, “find a mate can be overwhelming.”
I cleared my throat. “Right. But, food’s abundant here, and I’m sure there are plenty of,” I waved my hand in the air, “mates to go around.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Perhaps. But how do you know it’s always like this? Maybe the winter comes at a different time here.”
“Maybe, but I don’t think so. I’ve seen flowers growing that bloom in the spring, but I’ve also seen flowers that bloom in the fall. It’s strange. It’s almost like the best of everything. The animals are all perfect and well fed.”
“Yes, but we haven’t seen any predators yet.”
“That’s true. We’ll keep an eye out.”
I took out a notebook and started categorizing the things we’d seen. The place really was like a paradise, and from all appearances, Kishan and I seemed to be the only two people here. The fresh fragrance of flowers, apples, citrus, and grass hung in the air. The air was a perfect temperature—not too hot and not too cold.
It seemed like a well-kept garden. I couldn’t see anything resembling a weed. It would be impossible for this type of landscape to maintain itself naturally, I thought. We found a perfect bird’s nest with speckled blue eggs. The bird parents sat chirping happily, not upset at all as we came closer to inspect their eggs.
I also made a list of every animal we came in contact with. By the early afternoon, we’d seen hundreds of different animals that I knew shouldn’t be living in this kind of environment—elephants, camels, and even kangaroos.
Late afternoon was when we saw our first predators—a pride of lions. Kishan had smelled them a mile from their lands, and we decided to go in for a closer look. He made me climb a tree while he investigated. Finally, he came back with a look of astonishment.
“There’s a large herd of antelope near the pride but they graze right next to the cats! I saw a lioness eating something red that I assumed was meat but it turns out that it was fruit. The lions were eating apples.”
I started to climb down. Kishan caught me around my waist and lowered me the rest of the way.
“Ah ha! So my theory was correct. This really is like the Garden of Eden. The animals don’t hunt.”
“It appears you were right. Still, just to be safe, I’d like to put some distance between us and the lions before we camp.”
Later, we saw other predators—wolves, panthers, bears, and even another tiger. They made no moves against us. In fact, the wolves were as friendly as dogs and approached us to be petted.
Kishan grunted, “This is strange. It’s unnerving.”
“I know what you mean, but . . . I like it. I wish Ren could see this place.”
Kishan didn’t respond except to urge me to leave the wolf pack and move on.
At dusk, we stumbled into a clearing in the middle of a forest that was full of daffodils. We’d just started to set up camp when I heard the soft, haunting music of a flute. We both froze. It was the first evidence of people.
“What should we do?” I asked.
“Let me go look.”
“I think we should both go.”
He shrugged, and I trailed quickly behind him. We followed the lingering notes of the mysterious sound and found the source of the music sitting on a raised stone near a brook, playing a reed pipe. The creature held his pipes gently between two hands and blew air softly between pursed lips. As we hesitantly approached, he stopped playing and smiled at us.
His eyes were bright green and set in a handsome face. His shoulder-length silver hair hung loosely down his back. Two small, brown, velvety horns peeped out of the top of his shiny tresses, reminding me of young deer just growing antlers. He was slightly smaller than an average human, and his skin was white with a slight lilac tint. He was barefoot but wore pants that looked like they were made from doeskin. His long-sleeved shirt was the color of a pomegranate.
He hung his pipes around his neck and looked at us. “Hello.”
Kishan replied warily, “Hello.”
“I’ve been waiting for you to come. We’ve all been waiting.”
I asked, “Who’s we?”
“Well, me for one. Then there’s the Silvanae and the fairies.”
Puzzled, Kishan asked, “You’ve been expecting us?”
“Oh, yes. For a long time, in fact. You must be tired. Come with me, and we’ll provide you with some refreshment.”
Kishan stood rooted to the ground. I stepped around him.
“Hi. I’m Kelsey.”
“Nice to meet you. My name’s Faunus.”
“Faunus? I’ve heard that name before.”
“Have you?”
“Yes! You’re Pan!”
“Pan? No. I’m definitely Faunus. At least, that’s what my family tells me. Come along.”
He stood up, hopped over a rock, and disappeared through the woods on a stone path. I turned around and took Kishan’s hand. “Come on. I trust him.”
“I don’t.”
I squeezed his hand and whispered, “It’s okay. I think you could take him.” Kishan tightened his grip on my hand and allowed me to lead him after our guide.
We followed Faunus through the leafy trees and soon heard the tinkling laughter of many people. As we neared the settlement, I realized that the sound was nothing I’d ever heard people make before. It was unearthly.
“Faunus . . . what are Silvanae?”
“They are the tree people, the tree nymphs.”
“Tree nymphs?”
“Yes. You have no tree people where you come from?”
“No. We have no fairies either.”
He seemed confused. “What kind of people emerge from a tree when it splits?”
“No one emerges as far as I know. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a tree split unless lightning hit it or someone chopped it down.”
He stopped in mid-stride. “Your people chop down trees?”
“In my land? Yes, they do.”
He shook his head sadly. “I’m very glad I live here. Those poor trees. What would happen to all the future generations, I wonder.”
I looked at Kishan, who shook his head imperceptibly before he led us on.
As darkness fell, we stepped under a wide arch full of hundreds of miniature climbing roses in all varieties of color and entered the village of the Silvanae. Lanterns hung from ropy vines that draped down from the largest trees I’d ever seen. The small lights inside the lanterns bobbed up and down in their glass houses, each one a different vivid color—pink, silver, turquoise, orange, yellow, and violet. On closer inspection, I saw the lights were living creatures. They were fairies!
“Kishan! Look! They glow like lightning bugs!”
The fairies looked like large butterflies, but their glow did not come from their bodies. The soft light emanated from their colorful wings, which opened and closed lazily as the creatures sat perched on a wooden mount.
I pointed at one. “Are those—?”
“Fairy lights? Yes. They have two-hour shifts on lantern duty in the evenings. They like to read on duty. Keeps ’em awake. If they fall asleep, their lights go out.”
I mumbled, “Right. Of course.”
He led us farther into the settlement. The small cottages were made of fibrous woven plants and were set in a circular fashion around a grassy space. The center area had been set for a banquet. A giant tree stood behind each hut; the towering limbs reached over and across, twining their branches together with their neighboring trees, creating a beautiful green bower overhead.
Faunus raised his pipe and blew a happy melody. Slight-framed, willowy people streamed out of their cottages and hopped down from hiding places in the foliage.
“Come. Come and meet those we have been waiting for. This is Kelsey and this is Kishan. Let us bid them welcome.”
Shining faces came closer. They were all silver-haired and had green eyes like Faunus. Beautiful males and females were dressed in shimmering gossamer clothing in the bright colors of the flowers that grew everywhere.
Faunus turned to me. “Would you like to eat first or bathe first?”
Surprised, I said, “Bathe first. If that’s alright.”
He bowed. “Of course. Anthracia, Phiale, and Deiopea, will you take Kelsey to the women’s bathing shallows?”
Three lovely Silvanae approached me shyly from the group. Two took my hands while the third led me out of the clearing and into the forest. Kishan scowled at me, obviously unhappy about our separation, but I noticed he was soon escorted away too, in a different direction.
The women were slightly smaller than Faunus, about a head shorter than me. My escorts followed a path colorfully lit by helpful fairies until we came upon a round, sunken pool fed by a small brook. The water dropped down from larger stones to smaller, and then dropped to the pool, creating a diminutive, hidden spray of water. It worked like a wide faucet that was constantly running.
They removed my backpack and disappeared while I took off the rest of my clothing and stepped into the pool. It was surprisingly warm. A long, submerged stone too convenient to be natural, ran along the arch inside the pool, serving as a stepping stone and then as a seating stone once I was in the water.
After I’d wet my hair, the three nymphs returned and brought bowls of fragrant liquids. They let me pick the fragrance I liked and handed me a mossy ball that functioned like a loofah. I scrubbed the dirt from my skin with the fragrant soap while Phiale soaped through my hair with three different products, having me rinse under the small waterfall each time.
The fairy lights glowed warmly. By the time I stepped out of the pool and the women wrapped my body and hair with soft cloth, my skin and scalp were tingling, and I felt relaxed and refreshed. Anthracia massaged perfumed lotion into my skin while Phiale worked on my hair. Deiopea disappeared briefly and returned with a beautiful celadon green gossamer dress embroidered with shimmering flowers.
I reached out to touch the dress. “It’s lovely! The embroidery is so fine that the flowers look real.”
She giggled. “They are real.”
“They can’t be! How did you sew them in?”
“We didn’t sew them. We grew them in. We asked them to be a part of this dress, and they agreed.”
Anthracia asked, “Do you not like it?”
“No. I love it! I would be very happy to wear it.”
They all smiled and hummed contentedly as they worked on me. When they were finished, they brought out a silvered mirror set in an oval frame carved with looping flowers.
“What do you think, Kelsey? Is your appearance satisfactory?”
I stared at the person in the mirror. “Is that me?”
They erupted in tinkling giggles. “Yes, of course, it’s you.”
I stood transfixed. The barefoot woman staring back at me had large brown doe’s eyes and soft creamy white skin that glowed with good health. Sparkling green eye shadow enhanced my eyes, and my lashes were long and dark. My lips shone with apple red gloss, and my cheeks were a becoming pink. The green gossamer dress was in the Grecian style, which made me look curvier than I was. It was draped over my shoulders, wrapped around my waist, and fell to the ground in long folds. My hair hung loose and wavy down my back, ending just above my waist. I hadn’t realized that my hair had grown so long. It was adorned with flowers and butterfly wings.
The wings moved slightly. Were there fairies holding my hair in wavy twists?
“Oh! The fairies don’t need to stay in my hair. I’m sure there are other things they would rather do.”
Phiale shook her head. “Nonsense. They are honored to hold the tresses of one as fair as you. They say your hair is beautiful and soft, and it’s like resting in a cloud. They are happiest when they serve. Please let them stay.”
I smiled. “Alright, but just through the dinner.”
The three Silvanae women fussed and primped over me for several more minutes and then declared me presentable. We started back to the village. Just before we reached the banquet area, Deiopea handed me a fragrant bunch of flowers to carry.
“Uh . . . I’m not getting married or anything like that, right?”
“Married? Why no.”
Phiale said, “Do you want to get married?”
I waved my hand. “Oh no, I just asked because of the beautiful dress and the bouquet of flowers.”
“Those are the marriage customs of your land?”
“Yes.”
Deiopea tittered, “Well, if you did want to marry, your man does look very handsome.”
The three ladies fell into giggles again and pointed to the banquet table where Kishan sat, obviously frustrated. They bounced to the table before disappearing into the silver-haired group. I had to admit, Deiopea was right. Kishan did look very handsome. They’d dressed him in white pants and a blue gossamer shirt made of the same material as mine. He had bathed too. I laughed out loud as he looked uneasily around at the Silvanae, obviously feeling out of place.
He must have heard me because he looked up and scanned the crowd. His eyes lit on me and flew past, still searching. Kishan didn’t recognize me! I laughed again. This time, his eyes darted back to me and stayed. Slowly rising, he made his way to me. He looked me up and down with a big grin on his face and let out a whoop of laughter.
Annoyed, I asked, “What are you laughing at?”
He took both of my hands in his and looked in my eyes. “Nothing at all, Kelsey. You are the most enchanting creature I’ve ever seen in my life.”
“Oh. Thank you. But why did you laugh?”
“I laughed because I’m the lucky one who gets to see you like this, to be with you in this paradise while Ren had to be chased by monkeys and fight needle trees. Obviously, I got the better quest.”
“Undeniably you did, at least, so far. But, I forbid you to tease him about this.”
“Are you kidding? I plan on taking your picture and explaining everything to him in great detail. In fact, stay right there.” Kishan disappeared and came back with a camera.
I frowned. “Kishan.”
“Ren would want a picture. Believe me. Now smile and hold your flowers.” He took several shots then slipped the small camera in his pocket and took my hand. “You’re beautiful, Kelsey.”
I blushed at the compliment, but a feeling of melancholy stole over me. I thought about Ren. He would have loved this place. It was a scene right out of Midsummer Night’s Dream. He would have been the handsome Oberon to my Titania.
Kishan touched my face. “The sadness is back again. It breaks my heart, Kells.” He leaned over and kissed my cheek softly. “Will you do me the honor of accompanying me to dinner, apsaras rajkumari?”
I tried to snap out of it and smiled. “Yes, if you tell me what you just called me.”
His golden eyes twinkled. “I called you ‘princess,’ ‘fairy princess’ to be exact.”
I laughed. “Then what would you call yourself?”
“I am the handsome prince, naturally.” He tucked my arm through his and helped me sit. Faunus took a chair across from us, sitting next to a lovely Silvanae.
“May I introduce our sovereign?”
“Of course,” I said.
“Kelsey and Kishan, meet Dryope, titular queen of the Silvanae.”
She nodded delicately and smiled, then announced, “It is time for the feasting! Enjoy!”
I didn’t know where to begin. Plates of delicate lace cookies and honey cakes were placed next to fluffy lemon meringue tarts, platters of stewed fruits in sugary syrups, baby quiches, and cinnamon crepes. I scooped up a helping of dandelion salad with dried fruits and lime dressing and a portion of an apple, onion, and mushroom galette with baked stilton cheese. Other dishes of sugar plum pudding, blueberry scones, pumpkin cups with cream-cheese filling, soft rolls with creamy butter, and fruited jams and jellies were also brought out.
We drank honeyed flower nectar and watermelon spritzes. Kishan handed me a fruit appetizer. It was a tiny nutty pastry cup filled with raspberries and topped with fresh cream. All the food was small except for the final pastry—a gigantic strawberry shortcake. Red glaze dripped down the sides of the white cake, which was filled with sweet red berries and fluffy custard. It was topped with mounds of whipped cream, had a dusting of sugar on top, and was served with milk.
When we were finished, I leaned over to Kishan and said, “I had no idea vegetarians ate this well.”
He laughed and scooped up another helping of the shortcake.
I dabbed my lips with my napkin. “Faunus, may I ask you a question?”
He nodded.
“We found the ruins of the ark. Do you know about Noah and the animals here?”
“Oh! Do you mean the boat? Yes, we saw the boat settle in the hills, and all manner of creatures emerged. Many of them left our realm and entered your world, including the people who were in it. Some of the creatures decided to stay. Others had generations of descendents and then returned to us. We agreed to let all of them remain if they followed the law of our land—that no one creature may hurt another.”
“That’s . . . amazing.”
“Yes, it’s wonderful to have had so many of the animals return to us. They find peace here.”
“So do we. Faunus . . . we are here seeking something called the omphalos stone or the navel stone. Have you ever seen it?”
All the Silvanae shook their heads as Faunus answered, “No. I’m afraid we don’t know of such a stone.”
“What about a giant tree thousands of feet tall?”
He considered for a moment, and then shook his head. “No. If there is such a tree or such a stone, they reside outside of our realm.”
“You mean back in my world?”
“Not necessarily. There are other parts of this world that we have no control over. As long as you walk our lands beneath our trees you are safe, but once you leave their shelter we can no longer protect you.”
“I see.” I sank back in disappointment.
He brightened, “However, you may find your answer if you sleep in the Grove of Dreams. It’s a special place to us. If we have a difficult question that needs to be answered or if we need direction, we sleep there and can find the answer or see a dream of the future and realize the question wasn’t so important after all.”
“Could we please give it a try?”
“Of course! We will take you.”
A group of excited Silvanae began chattering at the other end of the table.
“How momentous that you came at this time! One of the trees is splitting!” Faunus explained. “Come and see, Kelsey and Kishan. Come and see the birth of a tree nymph.”
Kishan held my hand while Faunus guided us behind one of the cottages to the tree behind it. The whole town waited, humming quietly, at the base of the tree.
Faunus whispered, “These trees were here before your Noah and his boat of animals landed. They have given birth to many generations of Silvanae. Each cottage that you see is set before a family tree. This means that all who live in the cottage were born from the mother tree behind it. It’s getting close to time. Look up. See how the other trees offer their support?”
I glanced up at the leafy bower overhead, and it did look as if the branches were squeezing the leafy fingers of the tree that was straining nearby. It made wooden groaning and popping sounds as the leaves trembled above us.
The tree nymphs seemed to be focused on a large, knobby mound that bulged near a low branch. The tree shuddered as the long branch quivered. After several intense moments of listening to the deep rumbles of the tree and watching the trunk expand and contract, so slowly that I wouldn’t have noticed if I wasn’t paying attention, the bottom branch broke off from the enormous trunk with a terrible crack.
A hush fell over the assembly. The branch hung loosely, touching the ground near us, held on by only the bark of the tree. Tucked in the space where the base of the branch met the trunk was a small silver head.
A group of Silvanae approached and cooed, speaking softly to the small being resting in the tree. They gently lifted it out and wrapped it in a blanket. One member of the group lifted the small Silvanae baby in the air and announced, “It’s a boy!” They disappeared into the cottage while everyone cheered. Another group of Silvanae carefully removed the quivering limb from the tree and spread a creamy salve over the broken oval in the trunk where the branch had been.
Silvanae began to dance around the tree, and tiny fairies flew up into the top and lit up all the branches with their fluttering wings. When the celebration was over, it was late.
As Faunus walked us to the Grove of Dreams, I asked him, “So now we know where the Silvanae come from, but what about the fairies? Are they born from trees too?”
He laughed. “No. Fairies are born of roses. When the bloom is spent, we leave it to seed. A bud swells, and when the time is right, a fairy is born with wings the color of the bloom.”
“Do you live forever?”
“No. We’re not immortal, but we do live a long time. When a Silvanae dies, his body is laid to rest in the roots of the mother tree, and his memories become a part of future generations. Fairies die only if their rose plant does, so they can live a long time, but they are awake only in the evenings. During the day, they find a flower to rest on and their bodies change into morning dew. At night, they turn back into fairies again. Ah, here we are, the Grove of Dreams.”
He’d led us into a secluded area. It looked like a fairy honeymoon suite. Tall trees supported a leafy bed that hung from vines. Baskets of fragrant flowers hung from each corner of the grove. Gossamer pillows and bedding were embroidered with swirling vines and leaves. A group of fairies who had followed us in took their places in the lanterns.
“The four large trees that support the bower stand one in each direction—north, south, east, and west. The best dreams are had when the head points west so you wake with the sun in the east. Good luck to you and sweet dreams.” He smiled and was off, taking two fairies with him.
I shifted uncomfortably. “Umm, this is a little awkward.”
Kishan was staring at the bed like it was a mortal enemy. He turned to me and gallantly bowed. “Not to worry, Kelsey. I will be sleeping on the ground.”
“Right. But, uh, what if you’re the one who has the dream?”
“Do you think it matters if I’m in the bed or not?”
“I have no idea, but just in case, I think you better join me.”
He stiffened. “Fine. But we’re sleeping back to back.”
“Deal.”
I climbed in first and sank into the soft feather bed and pillow. The bed shifted back and forth like a hammock. Kishan muttered as he stowed the backpack. I caught snippets of phrases. There was something about fairy princesses, and how does she expect me to sleep, and Ren better appreciate, etc., etc. I stifled a laugh and rolled onto my side. He pulled the gossamer cover over me, and then I felt the bed sway as he lay next to me.
As a breeze softly stirred my hair, I heard Kishan sputter, “Keep your hair on your side, Kells. It tickles.”
I laughed. “Sorry.”
I pulled my hair over my shoulder. He muttered some more, something about more than a man can bear and shifted quietly. I fell asleep quickly and had vivid dreams of Ren.
In one dream, he didn’t know me and turned away from me. In another he was laughing and happy. We were together again, and he held me close and whispered that he loved me. I dreamed of a long rope lit with fire and a black pearl necklace. In another dream, I was underwater swimming alongside Ren, while we were surrounded by schools of colorful fish.
Despite dreaming very clearly, there was no hint of the omphalos stone. I woke disappointed and found I was sleeping nose to nose with Kishan. He had his arm draped over me, and his head was pillowed on my hair, pinning me to the bed.
I shoved him. “Kishan. Kishan! Wake up!”
He woke only halfway and pulled me closer. “Shh, go back to sleep. It’s not morning yet.”
“Yes, it is morning.” I pushed against his ribs. “Time to wake up. Come on!”
“Okay, honey, but how about a kiss first? A man needs some motivation to get out of bed.”
“That kind of motivation keeps a man in bed. I’m not kissing you. Now get up.”
He woke with a start. Confused, he groaned and rubbed his eyes. “Kelsey?”
“Yes, Kelsey. Who’ve you been dreaming about? Durga?”
He froze and blinked a couple of times. “That is none of your business. But, for your information, I did have a dream about the omphalos stone.”
“You did? Where is it?”
“I can’t really describe it. I’ll have to show you.”
“Okay.” I hopped out of the bed and adjusted my dress.
Kishan watched me and commented, “You’re prettier now than you were last night.”
I laughed. “Yeah, right. I wonder why you dreamed of the omphalos stone, and I didn’t.”
“Perhaps you went to bed last night with different questions in your mind.”
My mouth fell open. He was right. I hadn’t thought about the stone at all before I slept. My thoughts were entirely focused on Ren.
He watched me curiously. “And what did you dream about last night, Kells?”
“That’s none of your business either.”
He narrowed his eyes and scowled. “Forget it. I think I can figure it out on my own.”
Kishan took the lead in walking back to the Silvanae village. A short distance away, he stopped and ran back to the Grove of Dreams. “Be right back. I forgot something,” he hollered over his shoulder.
When he returned, Kishan was grinning from ear to ear, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get him to tell me what had made him so happy.