I woke with the sensation that the world had changed while I slept.Sunlight filtered through the curtains with a different warmth—more intense—as if the island were breathing in another way. I felt lighter in body, yet more exposed, as though an invisible layer of me had been stripped away during the night.
The garden was still there, silent, but altered. The scent was stronger, intoxicating, as if each flower had left its mark on the air. I went to the window and saw the flowers closed, asleep, as if they were guarding a secret only I knew.
I remembered the kiss.
The brush of his lips. The suspended gravity. The pulse of the flowers aligning with our hearts.
I pressed a hand to my chest, and the echo of that heartbeat was still there—quiet, but steady.
Melyra was waiting for me at the foot of the stairs, as if she knew I wouldn't be long.
—Good morning, my child —she said with a calm smile.
—Did something happen last night? —I asked, trying to sound casual.
—Something is happening —she replied, and her eyes lit up—. The village has felt the change. The ground trembled near the cliffs. The sea is restless. And some say they saw lights in the northern forest.
I swallowed.
—Is that good or bad?
—It depends —she said—. It depends on what is waking up.
As we spoke, the front door opened, letting in two figures I hadn't seen before.
A young woman with braided hair and light eyes, dressed in simple garments in shades of green, stepped forward with a serene gait. Beside her, a taller man with a reserved expression and silent movements walked as if he were measuring the ground with every step.
—This is Lyanna —Melyra said—. Our healer from the greenhouse. And this is Jaxx, one of the village's oldest explorers.
Lyanna smiled at me. It wasn't an ordinary smile. It was as if she could see more of me than I myself knew.
—It's an honor to meet you, Sereniah —she said, with a gentle bow.
Jaxx merely inclined his head, his eyes assessing me in silence—not with distrust, but with something that felt like… recognition.
Before I could respond, Melyra added:
—They've come because tonight, at dusk, the Festival of New Blood will begin.
—The what? —I asked, blinking.
Before Melyra could answer, Jaxx stepped forward, his voice deep, echoing through the room.
—The Festival of New Blood —he explained—. It is one of the island's oldest rituals. It is held when something in the fabric of life here changes irreversibly. It doesn't happen often… and it isn't always a cause for celebration.
I looked at him, intrigued.
—What kind of changes?
Jaxx lowered his gaze for a moment, as if weighing his words.
—Sometimes, the awakening of a lost lineage. Sometimes, the arrival of someone who was never meant to set foot on this land… but whom the island accepts. New Blood is that: renewal… or the beginning of the end.
A chill ran down my spine.
—And how do you celebrate it?
Jaxx smiled, but it wasn't a joyful one.
—With fire, with promises, with trials. The island will ask for something tonight. It always does.
A heavy silence fell between us.
It was then that Melyra spoke again, softening the tension.
—That's why Lyanna is here. To help you prepare.
I glanced at her. Something in her gaze told me the worst had yet to be said.
The word irreversible echoed in my mind.
Had I changed that much? Or was this only the beginning?
And somewhere in the house, like a dull echo in my senses, I knew that Declan felt it too.
Lyanna helped me prepare for the festival. Her hands were quick, efficient, yet her touch was surprisingly delicate. As she braided fresh flowers into my hair, she whispered:
—When a flower blooms out of season, the entire forest trembles. Remember that tonight.
I didn't know whether it was a warning or a blessing.