Reidan gazed over the lush garden of roses that surrounded his castle, the roses of a thousand different colors and shapes swaying in the gentle breeze.
The petals of the roses floated gracefully down to the ground like a shower of snowflakes. It was a sight that brought him worry and relief, as it did every day.
But today, something was different.
Reidan squinted in the fading sunlight, trying to make out what it was that had changed. It took him a few moments, but then he saw it: the petals were falling much more slowly than they had since his parents' death.
He frowned, furrowing his brow in confusion. Nothing like this had ever happened before, and he was perplexed by the unusual sight. He had expected the petals to waft down with the same grace and speed, yet today they fell so slowly they seemed to be hovering in the air.
Stepping closer to the roses, his breath caught in his throat. He knew in his bones that something had changed. It was a sign.
His fingers toyed with the fragrant floating petals of the roses, their velvety texture a balm to his worried soul. He had watched as the petals had begun falling when his parents had died, and he knew that once they all fell from this section of the garden, the floating islands would start to drift away and drop one by one.
Reidan hurried to his parents' resting place below the castle, a place of reverence and sorrow for so many years. His heart sank at the sight of their coffins, sealed forever with the silent promise that they would never return. He had always assumed he would be there when they were put to rest. That he could say one last goodbye.
Though he was mourning their loss, Reidan also felt a glimmer of hope as he realized what this meant. Mortana had disrupted their rest—which could only mean that the island had chosen her to be its queen. He knew deep down that she was the one who could save them all.
Reidan left a petal on each of his parents' coffins and made his way back to Mortana's room, intent on talking to her about everything that had happened. Telling her about the spell and what everything meant. But when he arrived, she wasn't there. He searched for her throughout the castle but couldn't find her anywhere. He started to worry—had something happened? Was she safe?
He quickly made his way out of the castle and into the city, searching desperately for any sign of her presence. As he ran through the streets, calling out her name loud enough for everyone in the kingdom to hear it, he prayed that nothing had happened to her or they would all be doomed.
He was frustrated and on the verge of giving up when he heard her voice. It was faint, but there was no other it could be. Following the sound of her voice, he found her standing in the middle of the road.
Reidan hurried over to her as she turned to face him. She was startled by his presence—he could tell just by the way she was standing.
“What are you doing here?” he demanded, his voice a mixture of relief and anger. “Are you crazy? Do you know what could've happened?”
He reached out to grab Mortana's arm, trying to make her return with him. To be somewhere safe. She pulled away, her eyes blazing.
“I'm perfectly fine,” she said firmly. “I can make it back to the castle on my own, and I don't need you to watch over me like some child.”
Reidan was taken aback by her words. Did she not know just how important she was? What was her duty? His fists clenched as he attempted to calm down and think clearly. Of course, she didn't know any of that. That's what he was trying to find her to tell her.
“Mortana,” he said quietly, his anger draining away with his words. “It's not that I think you can't take care of yourself - I just want to ensure you're safe.”
She softened a bit at this and let out a small sigh. “I know,” she said quietly, looking up at him with a small smile. “But I also am in the middle of something, so please... let me go alone.”
He opened his mouth to reply but then shut it again, knowing that he couldn't push her too hard or he would push her away before getting a chance.
Her gaze darted to the ground beside her, and she nervously chewed on her lip. She seemed almost scared, and he wanted to know what had her so concerned. He could feel the tension radiating off her.
Reidan stood there, his head bowed in thought. He was torn between his need to protect Mortana and his wish to show her he trusted her. He raised his head, the decision made.
“I will respect that,” he said softly. “But as soon as you can, meet me in my study. I have something important to talk to you about.”
She peered intently at him, a flicker of curiosity crossing her face before she gave a slow, solemn nod. He turned away, pausing momentarily as he walked away, wondering what she might be up to.