Page 297 of Elemental Becoming

Back then, it had sounded impossible. Now, with Calryx and all four Elements humming beneath my skin, I realize I’m living the dream he used to talk about. The thought is both strange and humbling.

I’ll have to ask Lyra if she’s heard anything from her parents. She always seems to know more about what’s happening back home than I do.

Ahead of us, nestled among the autumn trees, a pool of water comes into view.

The surface is so still and clear it looks like glass. The reflection of the fiery canopy ripples only slightly in the breeze, as though the water holds the season itself within its depths. Smooth stone borders the pool, and weathered benches rest beneath the trees on either side.

The entire place feels untouched, suspended in time. A sanctuary hidden from the rest of the world.

I slow my steps, drawn to the peacefulness of it. The changing world moves around the pool, yet the water remains calm and undisturbed, reflecting the canopy of color.

A massive oak tree stands beside it, its trunk so wide that two of me couldn’t have wrapped our arms around it. Golden leaves shimmer overhead, and the air beneath its branches smells of bark, earth, and autumn. The tree is monolithic, ancient enough to feel like a guardian watching over this hidden corner of the gardens.

Thane leads me to the nearest bench, his fingers lingering in mine.

In the pool, large orange fish drift lazily beneath the surface, their bright scales flashing as they weave through the water. Maybe a dozen or more, their movements unhurried, as though nothing beyond this quiet place exists.

The water is so clear I can see every ripple they create.

My gaze drifts back to the oak. Something about it tugs at amemory.

It reminds me of the oak tree at the outpost, the one I often sat under when I needed quiet. When the weight of everything felt too much and the noise of the world pressed in too close.

I can still recall the rough bark beneath my fingertips. The way its roots twisted through the earth. The sense of peace I always found there.

For a fleeting moment, I wonder if the outpost remains unchanged. Or if time has reshaped it in the weeks since we left, the way it reshapes everything. Including me.

Lately, it feels as though we’re running out of both time and peace.

The thought lingers, a hollow ache of loss, before I push it aside. Some things endure. Like ancient trees, cherished memories, and the people who help us find our way back to ourselves.

Thane’s voice pulls me back.

“Those are Koi,” he says, nodding toward the fish.

I watch the fish glide beneath the water’s surface, their bright scales flashing beneath the water.

“They look peaceful.”

“They are,” Thane agrees. “They’re meant to bring luck and perseverance.”

I arch a brow. “You believe that?”

His lips curve slightly. “No. But I like watching them.”

Something about that makes me smile. Thane, the Warlord of the realm, standing in a garden watching koi fish. The image doesn’t fit the version of him most people know, but it fits the man I’ve come to love.

A moment later, he lowers himself onto the nearest bench, straddling it the same way he rides his stallion. Without a word, he reaches for me and guides me down beside him.

His grasp is secure, a quiet strength that settles me without aword. And then he takes my other hand in his as well, enclosing both of mine in the warmth of his palms.

I glance down at them.

His hands are larger than mine, scarred and calloused from years of wielding a blade. Mine are smaller, but no longer untouched by battle.

The contrast in the size of our hands is striking.

When I look back up, I find him watching me. Studying. Not with the easy attention of a man enjoying a quiet morning, but with a concentration that makes me wonder what he’s turning over in his mind.