Her muscles ached, tears threatening her as she moved forward – trying to outpace something she wasn’t even sure was real. The lingering feeling of her burning skin emerged as words of worship were whispered.

It was too much, and she swam until she reached the familiar shore. She should go to Kaian. She should talk to him about her confession, about the ceremony. She should seek comfort in him, her betrothed. But she couldn’t. No matter how much her mind shouted to head towards the estate, her feet carried her deeper into the heart of the forest, searching for the one person she knew she shouldn’t find.

It was an odd sensation to walk these woods in the daylight. The treeline thickened, concealing her entirely, and she silently begged Ashes to appear.

She trusted her feet to lead her where she needed to go. She trusted whatever lived inside her to guide her forward.

Ten minutes. Twenty minutes. Thirty. An hour. It passed in a blur of aching feet and bruised knees, but finally, she saw a flash of white. A girl gathering brush, alone.

She quickened her pace, refusing to let her slip away.

‘Looks like I found you this time.’

Ashes did not startle, and she simply continued the task she was focused on, never turning to face her. Long gone was the softness of her features she had found a few nights previously. Sapphire fought the urge to frown.

Ashes placed the bundle of sticks on the ground, wiping her hands on her dress, before finally turning to face Sapphire.

‘What are you doing here?’

The question caught her off guard, and she struggled to understand why Ashes was acting so cold.

‘I-I don’t know.’

‘Yes, you do, princess,’ Ashes clapped back, sitting on a large fallen tree trunk.

Sapphire could not help frowning. She was desperate to hear Ashes speak her name again.

‘We had the mourning ceremony today. For the lives lost in the Harvest Storm.’

Ashes looked at her with raised brows as Sapphire continued.

‘And the entire time, my skin … it felt raw against my dress. My nerves were exposed. My blood felt as if it did not suit my body. The Prodigal’s words were stolen by a ringing in my ears.’ She turned to look at the witch with a desperate plea. ‘What is wrong with me?’

‘Nothing is wrong with you.’ The answer was sharp. ‘Maybe the fabrics of the gown disagreed with you.’

Ashes stood, returning her focus to the brush she was collecting, and Sapphire watched her.

‘You might as well say what’s on your mind, princess,’ Ashes called over her shoulder without even a glance in her direction.

‘I think I’m losing my mind.’

The statement caused the witch to stop, her worried stare lingering on Sapphire. A flicker of the girl underneath the mask.

‘Why would you think that?’ Her tone carried an edge that Sapphire rarely heard from Ashes.