On the third night, as the sun had set again and a cold darkness spread through the night, Yelena leaned over the place where they would rest. After nearly a week of this desperate flight, their bodies were worn out, and to keep them at least partially warm, a red flame ignited from the center of her palms, radiating warmth around them like a cozy blanket. Leonard, entranced by the magic, fixed his gaze on the miracle Yelena had conjured before him with such ease and still could not believe the immense power his beloved concealed within her gentle embrace.
As Leonard silently watched this unusual sight, which kept the chill of night at bay, his eyes shone with wonder and an unspoken question. Yelena caught his gaze, and after a moment, she smiled as if she knew the time had come to reveal more of her world to him. She nestled close to him and began to speak softly.
“Imagine, my prince, a light—not the ordinary light of day, but a hidden light, alive and powerful, capable of moving matter that one cannot normally grasp. Such a light is, for reasons unknown, hidden within the cores of stones chosen by nature,” she whispered, her eyes fixed on the dancing flame. “We call this light among us Elúvéris. We, who form the Geomancers’ fellowship, believe that fragments of the gods’ souls have been embodied within these stones, and their powerful aura strengthens ours through them. The stone itself will recognize and select you if you are deemed worthy of its light—or not. That is why there are so few of us.”
Leonard thought that it was precisely this radiant gift that set Yelena apart from all he had ever known. He listened intently, deeply captivated, and his heart beat all the faster when Yelena looked into his eyes and added with a smile, “In you, I saw a brilliance that surpasses many others. It was your aura that drew me that night—it looks like crystal, cold and yet as clear as a mountain spring.”
In that moment, Leonard could scarcely imagine what it meant to be chosen by the light, to have the deepest part of his soul illuminated by a stone. Yelena saw the thoughtfulness on his face and continued, trying to convey what it meant to bear such a strange fate.
“It is not only the power that Elúvéris grants you,” she continued with gravity, and a hidden tear of sadness glistened in her eyes. “It also carries a great responsibility toward the order of the world and the creatures around us. My father did not possess this gift of auras, and when he found out my mother belonged to the Geomancers, he was terrified and left her. He abandoned her, even though she already carried me in her womb at the time. He could not believe that her power could be pure. Instead, he saw it as something inhumanly twisted. And I was to be the monster born of it. Like an insect that must be crushed.”
Leonard saw the pain in her expression and drew her closer. “And where is your brave mother? I promise, I would gladly meet her!” he said with quiet tenderness.
Yelena lowered her eyes, her lips trembling slightly, but when she continued, her words sounded like an ancient legend. “My mother had a heart full of love. She healed many who came to us with her light. People from near and far villages traveled to see her—the sick, the broken, the desperate. And my mother helped each of them with her light, banishing their illnesses and the dark shadows within their souls. I know that people loved her for this, but…” She paused as if searching for courage.
“There was a herbalist among them,” she continued after a moment. “She too healed the sick, but she could never cure with the ease my mother could. That woman burned with envy, consumed by that flame for a long time, and one day, when we thought we were safe, she accused my mother. She told people that my mother was a dark witch and that her light was not a remedy, but a curse that would cripple their children.”
Leonard listened, barely breathing, as Yelena, unmoving, recounted her mother’s fate, and he felt more and more pity for her.
“The place where people had once stood in reverence turned into a hunt for a demon. Those who had loved her came with torches and pitchforks… and under these blows, under their iron tools, my mother died. I was just a little girl, but I saw it all, Leonard. I heard her…”
Yelena rested her head on his shoulder and wiped away glassy tears while he gave her the iron protection of his arms. “From that day, I traveled with the Geomancers, those who knew how to honor the light and, at the same time, how to hide from the world. I came to know those who never settle, knowing they cannot remain in one place for long. People take with outstretched hands if you give only to them, but if you give for too long to others as well, they will strip you to the bone and trample you into the ground like a serpent. The light we bear is too precious and attracts not only those who would gladly receive it but also those who would extinguish or exploit it.”
“And among them, did you find something like family?” Leonard asked gently.
“Yes,” Yelena nodded. “We all share a similar fate and a common path brought us together. Lumila, a wise woman with a bright light, was like a second mother to me, and her daughter Nadie was and is my sister. And then there is Abromer, who has been my faithful protector since childhood, from the time I was left alone.” Yelena spoke Abromer’s name with such warmth that it left a soft sting in Leonard’s heart, though he did not know him. He continued to listen, however.
“It was Abromer who always stood by me, guarding me against danger. He was not an ordinary man but always ensured that no pain or harm reached me. Now, even though I have you, Leonard, I hope I can call upon him to protect us both and lead us to a safer place.”
Leonard could not entirely hide the question visible in his eyes, but Yelena only silently looked at her hands, where the light was forming. “I’ll send him a signal,” she decided, and from her fingers rose a small, glowing flower with tiny leaves, drifting through the night like a beacon. “This flower will tell Abromer where to find us. He will come, do not worry; no one else will catch it.” She whispered a quiet plea into the flower, telling it which direction to go, where to find them, and then sent it on its distant journey with a kiss.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
***
For the next few days, Leonard and Yelena wandered together in the depths of the forest. Leonard hunted game, and Yelena prepared decoctions from the berries she gathered herself, each sip of which revived his strength like drops of living water. Thanks to this, he could stay up all night on watch after a tiring day while she slept in his arms, and he would gently stroke her hair.
It was nearly evening when a thunderous bolt from the sky shook the surrounding trees and startled them both with its powerful presence. Abromer appeared on the edge of their small campsite just as the sun dipped below the horizon, his fiery eyes blazing in the day’s last rays. Leonard felt a slight chill as he took in Abromer’s imposing figure, his fierce gaze, and sharp features resembling a predatory eagle. Abromer’s gaze on Yelena was intense, and there was a heavy tension in the air that stabbed Leonard in the heart with a pang of jealousy. Abromer’s presence was palpable, and the space between them was thick with silence.
He bowed respectfully to Yelena, then approached her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and holding her in a long embrace that Leonard found improper. When he finally let her go, Abromer measured Leonard with a cool look. “Yelena,” he addressed her solemnly, “you have no idea how worried I was for you. Do you realize what your escape means for all of us in the circle? Do you know how many of us you have endangered?” His words carried a deep tension, barely restrained concern. He did not wait for her reply. “So, this is the prince who has turned your life upside down, Yelena?” Abromer narrowed his eyes, looking Leonard up and down. “Leonard, do they call you that because you’re brave like a lion? Welcome… to the ranks of the exiled.” The word exiled was delivered with a sneer, as if to underscore that Leonard’s status had just drastically changed.
“Yes, I am Leonard, son of Eleman, heir to the throne, and likely in your debt. For all you’ve done for Yelena throughout her life, you have my respect. I can hardly find words to express what Yelena means to me—” He hesitated, his gaze softened as it met hers, and he dared to say, “But perhaps I didn’t understand how deeply she was bound to you and what it is that gives her beautiful soul its meaning. That firm bond… which I severed without even asking her.” He turned to Yelena, his voice gentle but steady: “If it is necessary, my love, for you to be free, to protect those close to you… I will let you go and won’t follow.” His eyes held pain but also profound love, which he did not hide even from Abromer. Leonard then allowed himself a faint, bitter smile and added, turning toward Abromer, “Perhaps life will make me a lion here, outside the royal walls. If this was my fate, I accept it.”
“Don’t be foolish, Leonard! Let us speak in private for a moment, if I may ask this favor of you, my dear. And I promise you that I will explain everything to you later, when Abromer and I are on our way to safety.”
With an unpleasant pang in his heart, Leonard nodded reluctantly. He gave Yelena a long look and withdrew with a heavy heart, just enough to give her privacy. He pondered whether to remain nearby or to move away entirely, but something inside him compelled him to stand close by, within earshot, hidden among the trees. His heart pounded with both worry and jealousy as he listened to their conversation from a distance.
After a moment of solitude, Abromer spoke again, his voice filled with reproach, concern, and a hint of pain. “Yelena, why did you have to fall for him of all people? Do you think you can just walk away with him hand in hand, and that our circle won’t be pursued and accused for it?” His gaze wandered to Yelena’s eyes, and when he saw them glistening with tears, he added in a darker tone, “Do you understand that King Eleman will not stop until he finds you or destroys us all? His soldiers are scouring every corner of their land, and the king’s long arms reach far, far beyond its borders. You know they hung Milu by her hair on the very first night after they seized her stone, didn’t you? Her tourmaline was crushed by battle axes, child!”
Yelena let out a gasp through her tears. After a moment, she gathered herself enough to speak, starting in a quavering voice. “Abromer,” she whispered, “I never wanted this… yet my heart has found its place, and I am sure of it. I found a love I never even dreamed of. Moreover, his soul shines like crystal; he’s one of us! You must see it. You can’t possibly understand how much that aura means to me. It never crossed my mind to betray our circle, but… this is a different fate, mine, one I cannot—and will not—abandon!”
Abromer stared at her piercingly, then abruptly looked away. “And that’s all it takes to satisfy you?” he replied coldly. “A fairytale with a prince from a kingdom that then pursues us for her sake… endangering us, with soldiers hunting us down like prey?” He leaned in close, his voice low but insistent. “Yelena, if he truly means so much to you, let him go. I know it will hurt, but we—he will most likely end up in some dungeon, too. Let him go while you still have a chance; otherwise, that crystal will be stained with blood, and you will join your mother. A life among us isn’t meant for one like him; kingdoms and golden thrones don’t come with witches by their side.”
Leonard, hearing every word, held his breath. A painful truth began to take root in his heart. However much he loved her, he knew his presence only drew danger into her life, a life she deserved more than he could offer. His heart broke, but he knew that if he truly loved her, he had to let her go. He swallowed this cruel decision hard… Cautiously, he withdrew, intent on leaving without anyone noticing his departure.
As Leonard was leaving and disappearing into the trees, Yelena looked straight into Abromer’s eyes. “Save yourselves. Save at least them, please. I know I asked too much of you with that blossom… Fate, however, will bring us together again someday, at a different circle, under different circumstances. I will stay with him, even if I must weather the end of the world. Nothing else matters to me besides him, Abromer. Whatever may happen, I will be by his side. If that doesn’t sit well with you, the circle, or the whole world, I cannot be happy if I lose him. And if he’s gone, then I will be, too… If you cannot help us, then leave.”
Abromer’s face darkened, and something bitter flashed in his eyes. “Then, Yelena, I curse you. Your love will ignite the tree that bore you in its branches all this time. You will bring ruin upon us, and only in the grave will we find rest from this damnation… I renounce you forever, and I will no longer hear your call,” he whispered coldly, backing away abruptly. He looked at her one last time, then turned and disappeared into the night, leaving behind the final crackling echo of his presence.
When Yelena returned, tear-stained, to the fire, darkness had already fallen, and the fire was slowly dying out. She turned her head, looking around, only to find that she was alone. Leonard’s presence had vanished. She called his name over and over, as loudly as her trembling voice allowed, and sent out streams of light comets that shattered against the trunks of trees in the dark. Her heart was filled with an icy fear, and deep, wrenching sorrow tore her dreams apart.
Desperate, nearly devoid of reason, she finally lay down nearly naked in the circle of her flames, which embraced her loneliness. She fell asleep, huddled in the heat of her own tears, as if all the light had gone out from her heart.