The pounding of my fist on Genny’s door seemed to drown out the howling night wind around me. I couldn’t wait for her to answer. Everyone’s safety depended on it.

“Genny!” It’s Marius!” I called out.

Doux wriggled around and poked his head out of my pocket. He watched me beat my fist on the wood almost as if he wished he could help me.

Genny knew something about the manor and Faustine. No one would care that much for a single monument unless they had a good reason. If she knew, then maybe she could help me figure out how to stop what I feared was happening.

As I raised my hand again, the door creaked open. Genny stood in the doorway with a bonnet covering her hair and rubbing her eyes. “What are you doing out here, Marius? It’s late. Go home.”

“Please, Genny. I need to talk to you. It’s important.” I answered breathlessly.

“Well, whatever it is can wait. Now go on home. You’ll freeze to death.” She began to close the door.

I pushed against the door. “What do you know about the manor? Were you a servant there?”

“The manor’s just a story, Marius. Go home.”

“What about the family’s name? De Rom—” I picked my brain for the name I’d heard in Faustine’s chambers. “De Rosamund! What do you know about the De Rosamunds?”

“I know nothing about them. Now please—”

“What about this?” I reached into my pocket and presented the rose to her.

I’d made sure to bring that too. I needed unshakeable proof, but thankfully I had it. I hoped the cold wasn’t too hard on it.

The rose’s blue light lit up Genny’s face like a small lantern. Her eyes went wide. She gasped. “My God.” She covered her mouth, then took the rose in her hands and cradled it like a little bird. “Moonlit Tears.” The light shined brightly from between her fingers. “Where did you get this?”

“I’ll explain later.” I gave her a pleading look. “Now, please. I need your help.”

Genny’s eyes darted from the rose, then to me, then back to the rose. “Come in.”

I obliged.

Genny’s house was small and humble, just enough for one person. There was a small bed with a knitted bed by the hearth. A small candle plus the hearth’s red glow provided a bit of light and warmth in the dark. Genny pulled two chairs from her dining table by the window and gestured for me to sit. I scanned the small room for any signs of ravens. Instead, it all just looked like a small single-room house. Once I was seated, Genny followed suit.

“I couldn’t believe it when you told your story the other day, Marius,” Genny said. She stared into the light bleeding from her palms. “How did you find this?”

“I dreamt it was growing by the statue, so I picked it. Then I woke up with it.” I showed her my hands. “I can’t explain it. But that’s how it happened.”

Genny smirked and laughed bitterly. “That’s what they all say, don’t they? You can’t explain it.” She placed the flower on the kitchen table. “It’s all explainable. They just can’t face the truth.”

“Sorry?”

“They had no idea. Look what it’s brought them.” Genny muttered to herself.

“Genny,” I said sharply. She snapped out of whatever trance she was in. “What do you know about Faustine De Rosamund?”

The name on my lips seemed to catch something in Genny’s head. Her eyes grew distant. Her face seemed drawn, much older than she was. “That is a name I thought I would never hear for the rest of my life.” She whispered.

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“Then you knew her?”

Genny shut her eyes. “Faustine De Rosamund is my little sister.”

My blood froze. There was the howling silence of the wind between us for what felt like an eternity.

I suddenly realized the connection. “Genevive,” I said aloud. “Genevive De Rosamund!” I sat back and rubbed my hair. It was right there the whole time.

“Don’t call me that.” Genny shook her head. “That was another life an eternity ago.”

“If you’re her sister, then you know what’s going on.” I pointed out to the frosted windows. “You know what this is.”

“Yes. What do you want me to do about it?”

“I want your help to go back to her and stop it.”

“It can’t be stopped, Marius,” Genny said flatly.

“You must know something. Don’t you have a spell or some way of going back there?”

“That’s not how that works.” Genny got out of her chair and stared out the window into the snowy night. “When I left that house, I gave up our family’s arts to live a normal life. Our power stagnates when we don’t use it. I haven’t used mine in twenty years. I couldn’t so much as read your palm let alone send you back to the manor.”

“Then you’re just going to give up and freeze to death, then?” I fired back. “You’ll abandon her again?”

“Don’t you dare—” Genny growled murderously. She spun and pointed an accusing finger at me. I leaned back, shocked at her sudden change. Noticing my shock, Genny relaxed. “Do not speak on matters you know nothing about.”

“But you did leave along with your parents. I know that much.”

Genny hung her head. “When she was younger, she was too weak to stand. Father claimed it was a weakness of spirit. That’s what he said about a lot of things.” Her voice was barely audible over the wind. “I watched her grow up in that tomb of a house, watched how they bullied and hurt her. I just stood by and watched it all and did nothing, Marius. I just let it happen.” Genny looked at her hands. They were shaking. “I was so afraid of him that I couldn’t bear to stop it. Even going to Mother wouldn’t have helped. She was just like him, only quieter in her cruelty.”

I watched as Genny held her face in her hands.

“They said she had so much potential. Her power was once in a generation. She was the greatest piano player I’d ever seen. She could’ve changed the world, Marius. And you know what they called her? A disappointment.”

“Why did you leave?”

“I couldn’t stand up to our parents. I was so afraid of them. I didn’t know if I could even help her. So, I left her behind and went with Mother and Father into the village.” Genny wiped her face and turned to me. “But only after we’d left the manor did I finally them the truth: that this was all their fault and they never loved her. For my trouble, they told me to leave them and never return. I tried returning to the manor after that, but I couldn’t find the way back no matter how hard I tried.” Genny strode over to me and gripped my shoulders. “Twenty years I’ve hoped she would return to me. But I knew that would never happen. If I tried harder, then maybe I could find my way. But I’m too weak.”

“You’re not weak.”

“Don’t you dare patronize me!” She shook me hard. Her grip loosened as her hands fell to her sides. “No one could understand.” She murmured.

“Maybe I do, in my way.” I rested a hand on her shoulder. “I know what it’s like to hurt inside and how it makes us do things that we’re ashamed of. But if someone truly cares for you, they’ll forgive you for it. And if someone forgives you, then you can forgive yourself. If I learned anything in the past few months, it’s that.”

“Then you forgive her, the spell will break.” Genny locked eyes with me. “You are a fool, you know.”

I nodded. “I think I’m pretty foolish, yes.”

Genny sighed. “Dear God.” She turned around and rubbed her forehead. “And what makes you think you can do it?”

“If just one person can tell her that she matters, that could be enough. It’s worth a try.”

Genny clasped her hands to her mouth and paced around for a few seconds. “There is one thing. That rose is formed of the pure concentrated essence of the Dream. It is a piece of the Moon’s power. Mother and Father told us that only we were allowed to have the roses because others wouldn’t know what to do with them. As if I should’ve believed their words about anything.” She scoffed.

“What are you suggesting?”

“The manor is stuck in an endless dream controlled by Faustine’s emotions. Only those with a connection to the Dream would be able to enter it. Since that rose is made of the essence of dreams, then there’s a chance you could re-enter it.” Genny tapped her chin. “It should act as a key to bridge the dreaming world to this one. Otherwise, you will be lost in the woods forever.”

I nodded and placed the flower in my pocket.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Genny touched my cheek. “What am I going to tell your family if you don’t come back?”

“Tell them I went to help someone in need. If I die, then it was for someone that mattered.”

“I see.” Genny exhaled. “Then go to the edge of town where your cottage rests. It’s on the boundary of where the Dream meets our world. Go into the woods with that rose and hopefully, you should find your way. If whatever you have is truly strong enough, then it will take you to her.” She pulled me into a hug. “Be careful. And hurry back.” She went to the back and found a lantern, some oil, and matches. “Take these. You’ll need them.”

I nodded and headed for the door.

“And one more thing, Marius,” Genny called to me. “There are worse things out there than the cold. They will do everything they can to keep you from reaching her. Don’t listen to them if you value your life.”

“I won’t.”

“Then go.”