Previous Chapters

A month had passed since the harvest festival and the group had awkwardly settled back into a semi-normal routine given their new circumstances. Kael had felt uncomfortable about his continued presence, believing that the family needed to move on as a unit in his absence. Shortly after the harvest festival, he suggested that he find another place to live, but was firmly shut down and convinced to stay put exactly where he was. Kael had become an honorary member of the Reed family and Prea’s welcome return was not going to change that fact; Prea, Alvie and Carr would not let it.

Prea’s presence could not be kept a secret for long and the group slowly spread the news of her return and condition around town. Life was taken one moment at a time to avoid any more overwhelming situations. Like the seasons, it was a time of transition and change.

“Prea, I have to go pick a few things up,” Alvie announced the day before All Hallows Eve. “Do you want to come with?”

“Sure,” Prea answered and the two prepared to leave. “What do we need to get?”

“Oh, just a few things for the holiday. We can get pumpkins and gourds at Willow’s farm. And a few items of food for tomorrow night. Then we can stop and see Beda, if you’d like.”

“That’s fine,” Prea said and they left.

The weather had steadily gotten colder since the harvest festival. The wind held a chill, the days grew darker and the leaves fell from the trees. It would be a relatively long outing given Willow’s farm wasn’t near any of the other stops.

“How are you doing?” Alvie wondered as they walked.

“Today? Or in general?”

“Either. Both.”

“It’s getting easier,” Prea admitted, pulling her blonde braid over her shoulder. “The staring doesn’t bother quite so much.”

“Has anything felt familiar? Any flickers or memories of the past?”

Prea had seen things, felt things, but nothing particularly familiar. “Nature feels familiar, fire especially. This land. Not much else.”

“That makes some amount of sense. That connection is deep down in blood and bone. I don’t think you can ever be rid of it.”

“Is it like that for you?” Prea asked, looking sideways at Alvie.

“I’ve tried to deny it for a very long time, but yes. It’s a part of me, something that will always be. I’ve only recently begun to accept that fact.”

“Why did you try to deny it?”

“I thought it was the reason for all my problems, so I blamed it.”

“What made you change your mind?”

“Your return,” Alvie said simply. “That brought back a little of my faith.”

They made it to Willow’s farm and picked out their pumpkins before completing the rest of their errands at the market and bakery. Then they stopped in on Beda.

“Hello, you two,” Beda greeted as the girls entered the shop. “I see you’ve been shopping.”

“Yes, we have,” Prea answered. “Though I’m not sure why we have pumpkins.”

“The pumpkins are for carving,” Beda explained, leaning against the counter. “Mainly for decoration. There are tales about them warding off evil spirits, but who knows if that’s true.”

Alvie laughed. “Those, I believe, are actually not true, Beda. Other things? Yes. That? No.”

“Any-way,” Beda drawled with a wave of her hand. “How are you two doing today?”

The sisters exchanged a look. “We’re both doing good,” Alvie answered with a smile. “The festival’s providing a much needed distraction.”

“Are you excited?” Beda asked Prea.

“It’s hard not to be when everybody else is, especially Carr. He’s been explaining the holiday and the festival. He assures me it’s going to be fun,” she answered with her own grin.

“Oh, it will be,” Beda promised, her eyes glittering.

* * *

Kael leaned against the doorway, watching as Alvie and Carr sat on the floor of the kitchen with Prea, showing her how to carve faces into the pumpkins and gourds. It was finally All Hallows Eve and they were carrying out the usual traditions. Carr had his hand inside a pumpkin and he was scraping out the gooey, seedy center. Once they all started carving out their own gourd, the seeds and goop started flying across the room as an all-out war began between the siblings. Kael remained on the sidelines and out of the fray but was soon dragged into the melee.

Laughter, squealing and screaming, the sweet sounds of a happy family, filled the room even after all parties surrendered and the carving resumed. Everyone was covered in pumpkin guts, seeds strung into hair and stuck to clothing. But smiles were present on all faces and the enjoyment just continued. When they were finished, each placed their carving onto the table so all could be admired. Alvie had gone with classic, Carr with scary and Prea went artistic.

Prea and Kael began the cleanup as Alvie scooted Carr out of the room. “Come on, bud, let’s get you cleaned off,” Alvie ordered lightly and exited after him. As Prea kneeled on the floor gathering the carving remains, Kael pulled some of the seeds and guts out of her blonde hair. 

“Having fun?” he asked, smiling.

Prea looked up into his teasing blue eyes. “Yes, I am,” she laughed. “What about you?”

“I can honestly say that I’ve never had more fun on All Hallows Eve before in my life,” he confessed. “Holidays weren’t all that important in my house growing up.”

“Really? That’s too bad,” Prea replied. “Not that I can remember any holidays of my past,” she muttered as an afterthought.

They completed the rest of the cleanup in silence, before they ended and found themselves looking into each other’s eyes. Whenever she looked at him straight on like this, butterflies rustled and flitted within his stomach. He loved her more with every passing day and right now his love for her clouded his mind completely.

“Do you know what the night holds for us?” Prea asked, breaking the silence.

“Umm. I’m not quite sure what the tradition is here, but I believe there’s going to be a bonfire in the schoolyard. There might be something about costumes and dancing…we’ll have to wait and see,” Kael answered vaguely.

“Costumes?” Prea asked incredulously. “Where am I going to find a costume in an afternoon?”

“I think they may have a surprise for you,” Kael chuckled, as he tilted his head toward the door. “Don’t worry about it, just enjoy it.”

* * *

Morning turned to afternoon, afternoon to evening; food was gathered and cooked in preparation for the night’s festivities. As the setting sun painted the land in a warm glow, the Reed family arranged their carved pumpkins and gourds just outside the front door. Satisfied with their placement, the siblings headed to the woods to fulfill another family tradition.

As twilight fell, the Reed children crossed into the enchanting forest behind their house, hands laden with supplies. A few feet into the trees, Alvie found an acceptable limb and hung a homemade lantern from the branch. Prea and Carr followed suit, the three of them hanging lanterns every few feet, creating a path through the trees in the coming darkness until they reached the cliff side. On the way back, they lit the lanterns, bathing groups of trees in glowing pools of light. Later they would go to the cliff, allowing their parents to join them in the festivities.

Before returning to the house, Prea looked back over her shoulder at the illuminated forest which held an ethereal beauty within its wooded soul. The glow called to her, a beacon in the dark expanse of her mind. It wanted her to remember, to see the truth and know it was real. But nothing came, so Prea strode away from the call and back into the house.

As soon as she entered, Prea was whisked away by her sister and Beda to their bedroom upstairs. Kael followed in their footsteps, retreating to his own room where his costume lay on the end of his bed. Beda, with help from Alvie and Dal, had made the perfect costumes for all of them.

* * *

“What are you doing?” Prea asked as the three entered the room the sisters shared.

“Getting ready, of course,” Beda said simply.

“Kael said there were costumes…” Prea’s voice trailed off.

“Yes, but they’re all taken care of. Don’t you worry,” Alvie added lightly.

“How did you? When did you?” She couldn’t even form any more words as Beda and Alvie pulled out the hidden garments.

“Sit,” Beda ordered and Prea obeyed, sitting before a mirror. Beda quickly went to work, gathering, twirling and pinning Prea’s blonde waves into a beautifully constructed mass atop her head.

“Ooh, pretty,” Alvie added when Beda had finished.

“Yes. She doesn’t need much else.”

“No, just a little of the things I whipped up.”

“What kinds of things?” Prea wondered.

“Oh, you’ll see,” Alvie answered and pulled out a few colorful jars. A swipe of black pigment to her lashes, a dusting of pink and golden flecks to her cheeks and a swish of rose to her lips was all she needed. “Look.”

Prea turned back to the mirror and was shocked by her reflection. Her eyes and lips were of no worry, but she was uncomfortable with the large scar across the side of her face. She feared the flecks would highlight the fresh skin still a striking pink against her pale complexion. But, surprisingly, the scar wasn’t the focus.

“All right. Time to get dressed,” Beda instructed, holding up Prea’s dress for her to see. “Tonight you are Aylin, the moon herself. Come on, we don’t have all day.”

Prea stood speechless and mesmerized as she took in the beautiful costume before her. It was simple, yet stunning, and held her focus as she began to strip off her normal, everyday clothes.

She froze when the others gasped. “What? What’s wrong?”

Alvie’s eyes were wide and had not moved from Prea’s stomach where another jagged pink scar ran across the side of her middle.

“We just…weren’t expecting…” Beda trailed off, still staring. This was the first time they had seen so much of her skin and neither had realized how extensive Prea’s injuries had been.

“Sorry,” Prea muttered self-consciously.

“Why? You have nothing to apologize for,” Beda assured her.

“Yes,” Alvie whispered when she finally got her voice back. “It just means you’ve survived. And you’re here. With us.”

“Back where you’re meant to be,” Beda added. “With family.”

* * *

Kael changed into his simple tunic and trousers, grabbed the golden mask that accompanied it and returned downstairs. He was greeted by an enthusiastic Carr dressed in green and brown, a bow and quiver of arrows slung across his back. His mask and hat rested haphazardly on the table.

Carr was in an animated conversation with Dal, who was also dressed in a tunic and trousers, his white and brown, with a crown of leaves in his hair and a lute in his hand.

“Hello, Dal. How are you?” Kael asked and shook Dal’s hand in greeting.

“I’m good. Carr was just showing me his bow and arrows, weren’t you, Carr?” Dal responded as Carr nodded his agreement. “I have to ask, Kael, what is your costume exactly?”

Kael laughed. “I was going to ask you the same thing. Tonight, I am Ciro, the sun himself. And you are…” he trailed off.

“I am a satyr, a lord of the forest,” Dal replied, bending slightly at the waist.

Footsteps echoed above and the boys turned, eagerly waiting for the girls to join them. Beda came into view first, a vision of red, yellow and orange. The colorful streaks of breezy fabric wrapped around her body, leaving tendrils flowing behind her like blazing streamers. Her bright hair was wild about her face and her flaming mask was clutched in her hand. Beda was a sight to behold, the incarnation of fire before them and even her cool eyes sparked as her laughter filled the room.

Alvie followed a step behind, a vision in her own right, but quite the opposite of Beda’s boldness. Instead, Alvie was dressed in a soft green frock that gave the impression she was gliding on air. Flowers, butterflies and vinery accented the garment and were laced through her braided brown hair. Her face glittered in the muted light of the house making her skin glisten and her eyes glow. She embodied the delicacy, beauty and subtle strength of nature. But it was love that shone from her very core and a smile brightened her face as her eyes met Dal’s across the room.

Beda and Alvie crossed the space, joining the boys as they watched Prea appear at the bottom of the stairs. Kael’s mouth dropped and his heart stopped for the impossibly long time it took for Prea to lift her eyes to meet his own.

Prea was an elegant dream compared to the others. She was clad in a simple white gown that hung gracefully from her shoulders, gently clinging to her bust before the fabric fell perfectly around her in slight waves that skimmed the tops of her toes. Her blonde waves were gathered into a crown atop her head and her pale skin seemed illuminated from within. She looked uncertain as she held her mask in both hands, fiddling with it slightly. She stroked the fabric, ensuring that everything was in place.

“How do I look?” Prea murmured nervously.

“You look…you look…” Kael stammered, his heart now beating fiercely in his chest.

“You look really pretty, Prea,” Carr interjected with a giant smile. You could always count on him.

“You really do, Prea,” Alvie added and Prea sighed, letting her shoulders drop as her self-consciousness slowly melted away.

Beda moved towards the window, peeking out, and announced, “It’s time to go.”

Everyone put on their masks and the girls quickly threw on shoes before the group headed out the door. Once outside, night enveloped them as a crisp breeze blew past, ruffling clothes and hair in the process. The girls shivered, their arms and décolletage exposed to the elements, but that wouldn’t last long. Just like the harvest festival, the bonfire was going to be lit in the schoolyard and the adjoining village green would handle the overflow.

Music and voices wafted up and down the streets of Beech, trailing off as they reached the group. Carr couldn’t contain his excitement and he ran off ahead as Beda called for him to slow down. He didn’t listen and soon disappeared around a corner, laughing. The group turned the same corner soon after, arriving at the town celebration just as Carr ran back towards them.

“Happy All Hallows Eve,” Carr exclaimed to the rest, brandishing his bow before running off once more to find his friends. It was a joint affair, keeping track of him; the remaining five each had an eye on the energetic boy, always aware of Carr’s location in the massive crowd.

Voices and laughter, greetings and general merriment came from all around, circling them on the friendly autumn wind. Beda was called away, the colors of her dress glistening like flaming waves in the glow of the neighboring embers. That left the sisters and their dates standing awkwardly on the edge of the party. Prea looked at her sister, seeing and feeling the happiness and true love radiating off of her in waves.

“Go,” she whispered to her sister.

Alvie turned. “What?”

“Go on,” Prea repeated, indicating the growing crowd in front of them. “Go. Have some fun. You deserve it,” she continued.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, sweetheart. I’m sure. We’ll be fine. Go,” she ordered, sounding exactly like the big sister Alvie grew up with.

She was something, Kael thought. He studied her throughout, even as she continued to watch her younger sister and his eyes followed her gaze as she sought out Carr in the masses. Feeling Kael’s stare, she looked up into his masked eyes. The deep blue oceans bore down on her through the glittering golden mask decorated with little suns in what appeared to be wonder or maybe it was admiration.

“What?” she wondered.

“No…nothing,” he stammered as this was the first time she had looked directly at him with her mask on. She stole his breath away, her gleaming green eyes the one bit of color on her face, highlighted by the silver mask adorned with little moons. “I just…you look beautiful,” he finished simply.

“Thank you.” Prea dropped her eyes, blushing beneath her mask. “You don’t look too bad yourself,” she said, lifting her eyes back to his. “So…we’re Aylin and Ciro, correct?”

“Yes. Didn’t they tell you?”

“They did. I just wondered how they came up with the costumes.”

“You told me once about the dream. The one where you saw them. You told me they were gorgeous, ethereal and dressed in simple white garments. So I told Beda. She fashioned these as well as the masks. I thought you might like it,” he added shyly.

“I do. It was very thoughtful,” she said and looked towards the fire.

Without thinking, Kael grabbed Prea’s hand and pulled her through the crowd toward the enormous bonfire. As they neared the frolicking flames, the music became clearer and they saw games being played as well as fortunes being told through tarot and other traditional means. All Hallows Eve was a time where the veils between this world and the next, between the past and the present, were thin, making it easier to communicate with those who had passed and see the possibilities the future may hold for those who remained behind.

He led her close to the warmth, relieving her shivering, and drew her into his arms. Her eyes widened in surprise and Kael smiled in satisfaction. He spun them around in step with the music as he led them toward the other twirling couples. Kael had no idea how to dance, but he held her tight, grateful for the excuse to be close. So they whirled amongst the other pairs, spinning with no thoughts or expectations, just living in the moment.

The music morphed, the dancing shifted and the two continued to live in their own beautiful little world. Soon Prea and Kael silently agreed to step back from the dancing flames. They didn’t speak, just watched the happy couples move freely in the swaying glow of the embers. Kael focused on the couples, but Prea’s eyes latched onto the changing colors and the swirling ribbons of fire.

Her mind cleared; nothing else mattered as the blaze lured her in. A flash sparked in her mind, the image of a different fire. This…trance felt familiar. Prea stifled a gasp as raw, burning emotion flooded her system. She couldn’t distinguish it at first; it was an unknown feeling. But she recognized it soon enough and was overcome with the immensity of love flowing through her veins as tears grew in her eyes. She closed her eyes and tried to take a deep, calming breath but another image flashed behind her eyelids; an outline of a couple clad in white with white hair fading back into the night.

Prea’s head was spinning and the air around her felt thinner; she could only take shallow breaths. It was too much – the music and the crackling of the fire, the footsteps of the dancers and the orchestra of voices, the smoky air cut by the brisk whipping wind.

Prea let instinct take over and she bolted from her spot beside Kael. Somewhere deep in her mind she heard him calling after her, following her through the crowd, but she dodged and slipped between everyone, reaching the dark empty street opposite the schoolyard. Once she was free of the crowd, Prea flew down the street as if invisible wings had sprouted from her back.

* * *

Kael sprinted after his fleeing love, knocking into people here and there. He tripped and lost his balance but the crowd was too dense to let him fall. His eyes lost track of Prea and, though he was tall, he couldn’t see over the masses. A hand reached out of nowhere, grasping his arm and pulling him to a stop. Kael spun to see who the hand belonged to and found Beda staring at him, eyes full of concern and eyebrows raised in a silent question. Kael tore his eyes away from her, scanning the spot he last saw Prea, but it was too late. I’ll never be able to catch her now, he thought and turned back to Beda.

“One second we were standing together by the bonfire, the next she was darting through the crowd without so much as a word,” Kael said by way of explanation.

Beda’s eyes narrowed, her hand still on his arm. “What do you mean?”

“I mean she just ran away and I lost sight of her in the crowd,” he said, his voice rising with anxiety. Beda was quiet for a minute and briefly looked around at the faces of the people surrounding them. She took a deep breath and squeezed his arm lightly to get his attention.

“Don’t worry, Kael. She’ll be fine,” Beda assured him. “Let her be.”

“But she still doesn’t remember her life, what if she gets lost…or hurt…or…” He couldn’t even bring himself to finish the sentence. “I can’t lose her again, Beda.”

“I know, Kael. But I also know my friend. Even if she doesn’t remember her past, she’s still the same person. I trust her and her instincts,” Beda promised. “Come on. Let’s find the others.”

* * *

Her limp momentarily forgotten, Prea didn’t slow, didn’t stop running through the darkness until she neared her destination. The cold wind nipped at her, blowing her hair out of place and shooting shivers down her spine. She tugged at her hair until it was falling freely down her back as she crossed through the shadows of trees beneath the glowing lanterns and into the forest. The dim light was bright enough to see by as twigs and leaves cracked and crunched under the weight of her footsteps, but the sounds barely registered. The air stilled within the confines of the woods, the gooseflesh ceasing to spread across her skin. Her fingers trailed against the scratchy bark, calling up images of another walk in different woods.

Prea’s feet stepped into the last pool of warm light at the tree line leading out to the cliffs. She stopped beneath the lantern, surprised at what she saw and at the same time not. A ghostly woman dressed in white stood with her back to the trees, facing the black sea dotted with the reflections of stars on its calm surface. Prea felt the presence of the luminous being and knew who the woman was before she turned. Still, Prea couldn’t help but gasp as the woman spun, her white blonde hair fluttering on the sea breeze. She held her hand out in reception.

“Welcome, my daughter. I’ve been waiting for you.”