lost, everything they had lost. “You seemed sort of stuck up before. I’m sorry I made that assumption.”
Rhiannon smiled. “We all have our armor.” She paused and took another sip of champagne. Her eyes drifted over to the dance floor, and seemed to tighten. When she turned back to Capri, her smile was gone. “You’ll soon learn that not everything is fun and parties on Euphora. What we are responsible for is very serious, and should be treated as such. If you need any help, I’m here for you.”
“Okay.” Capri said softly as Rhiannon stood and walked away, carefully skirting the dance floor where Liam and Blythe were now slow dancing.
She was astonished by how much she had learned in just one night. To know that her fellow Dryads had needed her, had shattered into pieces when she had been stolen, quite simply broke her heart. She knew that there was nothing she could have done to change it, but she hoped there was still time to repair the damage that had been done.
When she went to bed that night, curled up warm inside the bed that was now hers, moonlight casting rays of pale blue light through her white canopy, Capri let the tears of both relief and sorrow fall freely until she drifted off into a wonderfully dreamless sleep.
♦ ♦ ♦
CHAPTER FOUR
The sudden presence of golden sunlight on her face had her waking, her eyes opening slowly and her lips curving in a contented smile. Her bed was so warm, the blankets and pillows so fluffy and soft that it felt like sleeping on a cloud. She had never before slept in a bed this comfortable, and she almost wanted nothing more than to just stay in bed all day.
That was when she remembered where she was, and she sat up with a jolt, pinching her arm so hard she winced. So it’s all still real, I didn’t dream it up, she thought shakily as she released the breath she had been holding in one long whoosh. Thank God, she thought as she felt her eyes well with tears again. Thank God it wasn’t a dream.
She got out of bed and padded into the bathroom to splash some water on her face. When she glanced at herself in the mirror, a huge grin on her face, she had to bite her lip to keep from bouncing up and down with joy. She was here, she was real, and she was home. Her father was alive and well and here with her, and she had a family. It was more than she could have ever hoped to receive in one day, much less at all. But the best part about the whole thing was that her childhood dreams had been based in reality. She hadn’t imagined this place, she hadn’t conjured it up subconsciously to explain away her abandonment issues. No, it had been real, and what she had experienced was real. The castle, the courtyard, the jasmine flowers…everything. If only she could remember more about the person who took her, maybe she could give some kind of closure to her father and the others.
Shaking away the thought, she brushed her hair and finished getting ready, throwing on a plain pair of faded jeans and a white t-shirt. She didn’t own that much clothing and she hoped no one would be offended by her casual attire. She wondered briefly if everyone on Euphora went out into the human world to buy clothing and other necessities, or if they somehow made their own there. Deciding that it was just another mystery she would one day solve about her new home, Capri left her room and headed down the stone steps that lead to the atrium.
Her father had instructed her to meet him in the Atrium in the morning so that she could get started on her training. She felt nervous about it all, hoping that she could live up to whatever expectations everyone had for her.
When she stepped into the Atrium, Clynn was waiting for her. She approached him and he opened his arms, enveloping her in a big hug.
“Good morning, Capri.” Clynn greeted as he released her, his eyes warm and kind. “Would you like something to eat?”
Capri nodded, just then realizing how hungry she was.
He led
Rhiannon smiled. “We all have our armor.” She paused and took another sip of champagne. Her eyes drifted over to the dance floor, and seemed to tighten. When she turned back to Capri, her smile was gone. “You’ll soon learn that not everything is fun and parties on Euphora. What we are responsible for is very serious, and should be treated as such. If you need any help, I’m here for you.”
“Okay.” Capri said softly as Rhiannon stood and walked away, carefully skirting the dance floor where Liam and Blythe were now slow dancing.
She was astonished by how much she had learned in just one night. To know that her fellow Dryads had needed her, had shattered into pieces when she had been stolen, quite simply broke her heart. She knew that there was nothing she could have done to change it, but she hoped there was still time to repair the damage that had been done.
When she went to bed that night, curled up warm inside the bed that was now hers, moonlight casting rays of pale blue light through her white canopy, Capri let the tears of both relief and sorrow fall freely until she drifted off into a wonderfully dreamless sleep.
♦ ♦ ♦
CHAPTER FOUR
The sudden presence of golden sunlight on her face had her waking, her eyes opening slowly and her lips curving in a contented smile. Her bed was so warm, the blankets and pillows so fluffy and soft that it felt like sleeping on a cloud. She had never before slept in a bed this comfortable, and she almost wanted nothing more than to just stay in bed all day.
That was when she remembered where she was, and she sat up with a jolt, pinching her arm so hard she winced. So it’s all still real, I didn’t dream it up, she thought shakily as she released the breath she had been holding in one long whoosh. Thank God, she thought as she felt her eyes well with tears again. Thank God it wasn’t a dream.
She got out of bed and padded into the bathroom to splash some water on her face. When she glanced at herself in the mirror, a huge grin on her face, she had to bite her lip to keep from bouncing up and down with joy. She was here, she was real, and she was home. Her father was alive and well and here with her, and she had a family. It was more than she could have ever hoped to receive in one day, much less at all. But the best part about the whole thing was that her childhood dreams had been based in reality. She hadn’t imagined this place, she hadn’t conjured it up subconsciously to explain away her abandonment issues. No, it had been real, and what she had experienced was real. The castle, the courtyard, the jasmine flowers…everything. If only she could remember more about the person who took her, maybe she could give some kind of closure to her father and the others.
Shaking away the thought, she brushed her hair and finished getting ready, throwing on a plain pair of faded jeans and a white t-shirt. She didn’t own that much clothing and she hoped no one would be offended by her casual attire. She wondered briefly if everyone on Euphora went out into the human world to buy clothing and other necessities, or if they somehow made their own there. Deciding that it was just another mystery she would one day solve about her new home, Capri left her room and headed down the stone steps that lead to the atrium.
Her father had instructed her to meet him in the Atrium in the morning so that she could get started on her training. She felt nervous about it all, hoping that she could live up to whatever expectations everyone had for her.
When she stepped into the Atrium, Clynn was waiting for her. She approached him and he opened his arms, enveloping her in a big hug.
“Good morning, Capri.” Clynn greeted as he released her, his eyes warm and kind. “Would you like something to eat?”
Capri nodded, just then realizing how hungry she was.
He led
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