Inside a secluded garden behind a large hut, the air was thick with the scent of damp soil and blooming flowers. A girl with long, dark black hair crouched in front of a cluster of delicate blossoms, her attention lost in their quiet beauty. A circular sunflower-shaped hairpin gleamed in her hair, catching the faint afternoon light. Carrying a small hand bag over her shoulder, its medieval-style fabric embroidered with a breathtaking pattern of flowers multi-colored, as though molded directly from petals themselves.
She seemed at peace, absorbed in her small world of petals and color.
But far behind her, beneath the wide shadow of a great oak tree, Razeal appeared. He stepped out of the darkness like he belonged to it, his pale hair catching the light for only an instant before he melted back into the shade. His eyes narrowed, looking at her back.
And then
