“Silas... wake up...”

The chimera could not remember the last time he had slept so many hours, and so deeply, untroubled by the fear of what might happen the next day when he finally opened his eyes.

He did not even have nightmares, or anything like it, as so many other times he had dreamed that he was plunging irremediably into the void with nothing to hold on to, and no one to hold out his hand, only to wake up with a wild pulse, just before touching the rocky ground of the mountain.

But this time, it was quite the opposite. Now he was floating with his arms spread out like a bird's wings, passing over a sea of emerald leaves gently stirred by a warm breeze beneath a generous sun.

“Silas...” he heard Olivia's voice again coming from somewhere.

“Olivia... I don't see you... where are you?”

“Here beside you.”

His eyes felt heavy, and everything went dark again.

When he woke up, they were still inside the tree, although he didn't lose his calm, as he felt Olivia's presence nearby and that, for some reason, comforted him.

“Silas...”

“Yes, I'm awake,” he whispered still sleepy, feeling Olivia's hands around him.

“Ah... I think we've overslept.”

Silas yawned in response.

“We should go out now,” she continued. “Since I woke up I've been trying to listen for men or horses nearby, but they seem to be gone.”

“All right... How long have we been in here?”

“A few hours probably...” Olivia started to move. “Don't let go of me, while I make the jump.”

“Got it.”

He sensed Olivia's body rocking back and forth, as if she was gaining traction. Suddenly, she jumped, and the darkness was extinguished by a white light that forced him to close his eyes tightly. The warmth inside the tree abandoned him, and gave way to the fresh morning breeze.

He felt his mousy fingers break free from Olivia's clothing, and he flew off. While falling, he managed to open his eyes, and watched the trees spin around him.

Olivia had failed to land on her legs, which caused them both to roll off. Silas spun a couple of times in the air, before landing on all four legs. She, meanwhile, lay on her back breathing heavily, but still appeared to be uninjured.

Silas took a deep breath of the forest air, relieved, although he immediately noticed that there was something odd about the surroundings. Something had changed. He looked around wondering what the inexplicable strangeness was.

Suddenly, he understood.

The snow was gone. Not even puddles remained, nor any sign of winter. The forest floor was now covered with a green blanket of freshly grown grass, while the leaves on the trees shone more brightly. He could now hear the cheerful chirping of birds, smell the trail of animals that had awakened from hibernation, while in the distance he saw a scattered clump of flower fairies passing by and fading away in the thicket.

It must have been the magic of the elves, he supposed, but he was immediately alerted by a whimper from Olivia, who had also noticed the change.

“Oh, no...” she said.

“It's a bit early for spring,” he remarked.

He saw her bite her lips before replying.

“No. It's just that we're actually the ones who woke up late.”

Silas needed a moment to grasp what she was saying.

“What do you mean?” he asked, in disbelief.

“That it hasn't been hours... but days... or maybe weeks.”

“What?” the mouse, surprised, jumped up, and stood on its hind legs.

Olivia, as if she had a headache, massaged her temples with both hands.

“Someone told me that, if I wasn't careful, it could happen, and... it really did.”

It would never have occurred to Silas that such a thing could be possible.

“We've been sleeping for days!?” he exclaimed.

“Yes... it seems so...”

“But how!?”

She lowered her arms, and let out a sigh.

“I'm so sorry... It's never happened to me before. It was the only thing I could think of so they wouldn't find us.”

“And-and now?”

“Now, well, we go on. We'll be a little later than we thought.”

“Just a little?!”

“Calm down, Silas, it's no use. What's done is done. Now we have to find something to eat to regain our strength and...”

She stopped suddenly, and turned in on herself. Silas also stopped his little ears, as he sensed a strange presence. The breeze began to blow with more intensity, and caused the leaves to rustle, producing a deafening noise.

“Olivia...” said a soft woman's voice that seemed to come from the breeze itself, which sent a shiver down his spine.

“No, leave me alone!” Olivia shouted.

“Olivia...” the voice repeated.

“Silas, run!”

But Silas couldn't run because unfamiliar hands grabbed him from behind, and lifted him off the ground. His limbs were left hanging in the air unable to respond. He tried to transform into a fox, but it was as if those same hands were blocking his power.

Could she be a wizard?

“Olivia...” Silas now felt the voice grow louder and clearer, and realized that the one speaking was the same person who had caught him.

“Let him go!” Olivia exclaimed angrily in front of him with her fists clenched.

“Olivia, dear, why are you scared, can't you see it's me?” asked the woman.

Silas watched as Olivia's chest slowly swelled with air, as if she was struggling to breathe.

“I told you to let him go.”

The woman took a deep breath before letting out a slight reprimand.

“Is that the way to welcome me?”

Olivia's gaze swung back and forth between Silas and the woman. Finally, she lowered her eyes, as if embarrassed, though for some reason Silas thought she was shying away from his gaze and not the woman's.

She took a few seconds before responding.

“Excuse me, mother. I was surprised. It's nice to see you again.”

Silas gasped.

Mother? That woman was the Countess? Wasn't she dead? And besides, what was she doing in the forest? At no time had Olivia mentioned anything about her. She had only spoken of her father, and Silas had already drawn his own conclusions.

The woman's voice resumed the soft tone of the beginning.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“No, my dear. Forgive me for taking so long to wake you up. You were sleeping so sweetly that I couldn't help but watch you for a while. After all, throughout your life I had few opportunities to rock you to sleep, and tuck you in, as only a mother could.”

Olivia said nothing more. Nor did the woman make any attempt to move toward her.

Mothers are supposed to hug their children, Silas thought strangely. Like his own mother, who came out to greet him every time he returned from his training with the elders, or like when she wrapped him in her arms, while they played catch in the valleys. At night too, especially in winter, to keep him warm.

Maybe female humans were different.

“After so many days of sleep, you must be hungry,” Olivia's mother continued. “I have brought something with me to help you regain your strength. Come closer, and let's talk about this new adventure of yours.”

Having said that, Silas heard footsteps in the grass, as if other people were approaching.

“I will if you let him go,” Olivia replied.

“I'm afraid he'll get lost, he's so small, and the forest is so big.”

“Silas...” Olivia looked him straight in the eyes. “Do you promise not to run away?”

From her intense gaze, Silas understood that, even if he wanted to, he couldn't do it.

“I promise,” he answered.

His captor let out a soft chuckle that seemed completely forced to him.

“Well... if it's a promise...”

Her fingers loosened around him. Without wasting any time, he jumped up, and ran to Olivia, who took him in her hands again, pressing him to her chest. As if he was a precious thing, he could not stop noticing.

“Interesting pet you got yourself,” the woman commented.

Silas turned his head to look at her, as he had not been able to see her face until now.

Out of surprise, he couldn't help but twitch between Olivia's fingers.

In front of them stood a woman younger than he had imagined. She didn't appear to be much older than Olivia, which confused him. He looked at her hair the color of the sun's glare reflected on the snow, her wrinkle-free skin, her pointed nose and ears, and, finally, her strange violet-colored eyes.

An elf, there was no doubt about it!

But then... how could it be that Olivia...?

“He is not my pet," Olivia answered the elf dryly.

“My apologies,” the elf arched her eyebrows slightly. “His behavior has misled me. I thought chimeras were more feisty. It must be because he is nothing more than a cub.”

Silas' fear was replaced by an indignation that grew with every word that emanated from that delicate but incisive mouth.

She advanced towards them, dragging her long green dress over the grass, producing a soft rustling sound as she passed. Behind her came a procession of ten other elves, dressed in light-colored and silver robes, who set about the task of spreading on the ground a delicate white tablecloth with embroidered leaf details. On it they began to serve plates with fruits of all colors and shapes, tubers, nuts, cakes, and bottles of drink.

Once their task was finished, they walked away as quietly as they had come.

Silas' stomach began to growl, as soon as he saw that abundant feast, but he would never eat anything that had passed through the hands of any of those strange creatures.

The elf sat down on one end of the tablecloth, and patted the cloth to tell Olivia to sit down. The girl did so, freeing Silas who curled up on one side, partly for protection, partly so that her body would block his view of the food.

The elf looked very pleased.

“We must take advantage of the occasion. This is the first time we are alone without your father,” she said. “You know, he came to see me several days ago to inquire about your whereabouts.”

“And what did you tell him?” Olivia's voice sounded anxious.

“Well, that I didn't know, and it was true. I didn't know where you were at the time, because I hadn't even bothered to look for you yet,” she giggled again, and then returned her eyes to the chimera. “Your friend seems nervous.”

Silas' body tensed up even more, and he looked her straight in the eyes to show her that he wasn't afraid.

“Don't worry, little one,” said the elf. “What happened before was a joke. The dragon's curse prevents me from hurting you any more than you can hurt me, unless, of course, you want to suffer the consequences. I can assure you that neither I, nor any of my race, have anything against chimeras. Our true enemies were the giants, while you... were nothing more than mere slaves. Besides... you are my daughter's friend and, therefore, my guest. My name is Daephennya and I am the Lady who rules this forest.”

To top it off, it was not even just any other elf, but the very one they had been trying to evade since they had entered the forest.

Discouraged by this new revelation, Silas looked at the girl as if asking a silent question.

“I am half elf,” she admitted with a sad look on her face.

Until that moment, Silas did not know why, but he had kept a small, and illogical, hope burning that there could be another explanation for the relationship between the two women. With those words, his fear had been confirmed.

Half elf, half human. The blood of the two most treacherous races that had ever walked these lands coexisted inside Olivia's body. All that time talking about conspiracies, as if it were nothing, and she had deliberately decided to omit that important detail.

It was his chance. If the elf could not harm him, then, he had no reason to stay there. Olivia had betrayed him, he owed her nothing.

However, he did not move, and concluded that, since he was presented with this unusual opportunity, it would be best to listen to the whole conversation to acquire more information that could be useful for his eventual revenge.

No, he assured himself, that had nothing to do with Olivia.

“That's right,” Daephennya continued. “More than seventeen years ago I fell in love with her father and, despite my initial resistance, I could not help but pursue him...”

“My father says that you tricked him,” replied Olivia.

“He only speaks from pain, since we can't live together. Something very human, that's why I forgive him that unjust grudge he feels towards me,” she looked at Silas again. “You see, little one, I cannot leave this forest. If I did, I would lose my immortality. Because of that her father became very protective, and prevented me from being a part of her life. But now that my daughter has grown up, it's time to make up for my absence.”

Hearing no comment from Olivia, the elf continued speaking.

“I would have kept you, but I was afraid that the forest was not the right place for you. You were always precious to me. You are special, the first of your kind.”

“I don't want to be special...” Olivia spoke in whispers, as if trying hard not to raise her voice. “I never asked to be. I want to be like everyone else.”

“I'm not an Alchemist, I cannot change your nature... But I can do this.”

As soon as she said that, Daephennya raised her hand in Olivia's direction.

From his place on the floor, Silas noticed how the girl's disheveled locks grew and shortened by a few inches, until they lined up perfectly at the same height, giving her a more presentable appearance.

She took both hands to feel her hair to make sure what her mother had done to it.

“If you want, I can grow it back,” the elf offered.

Olivia shook her head.

“No, I like it the way it is.”

The elf raised her hands in surrender, though exhibiting an amused look.

“As you wish...” she sighed. “It's hard for me to understand, but I accept your decision. Your hair is so beautiful, the same color as your father's... I feel sorry for you. It wouldn't cost me anything...”

“Does this mean that you are... an architect?” Olivia interrupted her, perhaps wanting to change the topic of conversation, although she sounded a bit curious.

The elf's lips quirked into a pleased smile.

“Ah... you've noticed. Yes, I am an Architect, but nothing compared to the power of my grandfather, Willondal, the Elven King. He was a true Architect, who with his own hands could create new creatures never seen before... until the Blue Dragon took his life...

“I know... I am sorry.”

Daephennya raised a hand to dismiss the matter.

“It has been a long time, even for me. The past can no longer return. It is enough for me to be the protector of this forest, that is what my powers are for. I live in the present, and my present is you. Though it thrills me to think of what is to come. It remains to be seen what you have inherited from me. Your outward appearance, for now, is the living reflection of Alaric.

Silas couldn't help but notice a certain bitterness in that last statement, and wondered if Olivia sensed the same thing he did.

“I don't know if I want to live forever,” said the girl.

“We won't know that for a long time...” Daephennya's gaze darkened. “It saddens me that the very idea repels you... To me, you are a miracle. Ever since the first humans arrived in these lands, I have devoted a big part of my existence to going against my two brothers, who were always opposed to the union of our races. But it was not until I met your father that I understood what I had to do. He will never forgive me, but my intentions were noble. You are destined to unite two races that otherwise could never have been united. I have made my decisions as a woman, as a mother, but also as a ruler. I have my duties, and you, when you become queen, will finally understand that.

Ah, thought Silas, there's the catch. The damn elf is using Olivia as a pawn. She can't get out of the forest, but she can spread her influence through her daughter.

Olivia, wake up.

He wanted to say that, but Silas didn't trust the woman's words. It would be better to share his thoughts later.

“My father doesn't want me to be queen,” Olivia told her.

"Your father loves you too much, and can't see beyond his own selfishness. But, for me, the worst thing is not his disinterest in the future of our land, but that he is preventing you from reaching your true potential."

“I think you expect too much from me. So far I have not demonstrated any great talent for magic.”

Daephennya stood up, and moved towards her. Silas instinctively stepped back.

The elf then spun on herself tightly, causing the edges of her dress to lift, like a bell, while her flower-adorned hair floated in the air, and gave off a soft perfume. From her chest emanated several golden lines, similar to those that the two wizards in the tower had made emanate from his own body. Like that time, the lines swirled around them until they formed a spiral of golden branches, covered with leaves, flowers and strange symbols.

“This is my Code,” said the elf, and pointed to a spot on the spiral “See that over there?”

Silas remembered that symbol well. That was the second time he had seen it, although all his life had heard of it. The seal of the Dragon. A dark patch of knots and intertwined thorns that ruined the perfect beauty of the golden spiral.

“Elves, giants, chimeras, hybrids, even the gentle sirenians, we have carried this curse for centuries.”

Daephennya shook her arm, and the spiral dissolved.

“But you, Olivia...”

With another sudden movement of her arm, the elf made new golden lines begin to emerge from Olivia's chest. Like the previous spiral, they began to intertwine, but this time creating a different pattern than Silas had expected.

What manifested in front of them resembled the drawings that he and his brothers had once drawn in the mountain caves, when they had the unprecedented idea of painting the sky dotted with stars.

Only this time it was a single five-pointed star drawn in a single stroke within a perfect circle.Silas studied the shape carefully, but nowhere could he find any sign of the Dragon's seal. He looked in the direction of Olivia, whose eyes mingled the golden glow of the star with her own uncertainty.

“You are unique, Olivia,” said the elf. “Never say otherwise. Some ignorant people will consider you a monster, but when that happens, remember my words. Even though you are half human, you are a direct descendant of the Elf King. I have created you, as before my grandfather was able to create the hybrids. But you are different. Something much more beautiful. You are a witch. The first witch in the history of Terrarkana.”