Xavier followed the winding stone paths through Hearthome's geothermal gardens, steam rising from mineral pools that dotted the terraced landscape. The volcanic vents created pockets of impossible warmth where exotic plants thrived despite the eternal winter beyond the city's walls. Crystalline formations caught the light from below, casting prismatic patterns across the carefully maintained walkways.
He found Calypso by the largest pool, where water bubbled up from deep within the mountain. She sat on the smooth stone edge, her bare feet dangling in the heated water. The wine-red hair marking her as Lady Selene hung loose around her shoulders. She'd traded her noble's gown for a simple white dress, one that seemed to glow in the volcanic light.
She looked smaller than he'd ever seen her. Her eyes stared into the water's depths as if searching for answers in the mineral-rich currents.
