Blue Heart

Chapter 7. A price to pay

'Lungwort won't help, but this will,' it says, opening its closed fist to show me some strange golden leaves crumpled at the palm of its hand. 'This can be your brother's salvation.'

I glance down at the leaves that are shining softly, like treasured gold in its hand, and then glance up at its empty cloak. Nothing in this world is given, everything comes with a price, and I dread what this creature will demand of me for my brother's salvation.

"What do you want in return?" I ask in a trembling murmur.

'I want a promise.' It hums, pleased that I'm smart enough to know what is really been offered, not a gift, but a trade.

"And what promise do you want me to make?"

'I want a promise that you will be my offering on the day the sun is at its highest, on your eighteen years of return, on Rhiannon's day.'

I am thirteen years old now, I know I can only be considered for an Offering after I have my eighteenth birthday. If I accept this, I might have five years to regret this decision. And I have no idea what it means to be offered to one of these creatures, or what will be taken from me on Rhiannons's day. All I know is that it will take me to Blaewen's heart again and that I might be among the ones that never return from the forest after the Offering Day is over.

"W-what am I going to offer to you at Rhiannons's day?" I ask, fighting back a shiver.

The creature reaches out with the other hand, the one that isn't holding the golden leaves, and trails a scary talon up my nose before it presses a finger into my forehead. Its touch leaves me breathless. I am ice melting under fire, a liquid puddle of warmth beneath its pale cold hand. The smell of oak and honey in the summer breeze invades my senses. The sound of trickling water from a quiet stream rushes into my ears and my body feels renewed and refreshed as if it's been resting over mossy grass sprinkled with morning dew. There are dandelions floating in the air, playing with each other in the wind. Everything feels soft, lovely, and sweet, and I completely forget about the hard and freezing cold I have been submerged in only a moment ago...

There's a flash of a blue mantle flowing in the breeze, and a glimpse of soft brown hair with hazel eyes that glow with a golden glint... I hear laughter and music, people playing in the distance... I feel the scent of wood recently chopped, and hear the crackling of a bonfire... an arrangement from a bouquet of wildflowers flashes into view, and crowns made of lovely vines are being placed on a long feast table...

Happiness and joy are floating in the air, for it is time to celebrate and rejoice... someone takes my hand and pulls me along, I am too dizzy and happy to care where I'm going, so I just follow... into the woods... into rays of golden sunshine... into blissful demise.

I let out a relived sigh and peek through half-open eyelids. The creature's finger is a few inches away from my face, hovering in the air. A bright gold string of light is flowing from my forehead to its fingertip. The air hums around us, vibrating with the energy exchange while its eyes flare with a golden-honey glint. I exhale a shaky breath as the light string leaves my body and flows into the creature. All I see is sunlight and summer's beautiful colors.

The creature is draining my life source, I realize in a paralysis-inducing haze, but summer feels so good under its fingertips that I can't be bothered to try to make it stop.

My heart beats fast and loud as if it's going to burst out of my chest at any moment. Breathing begins to hurt. I can't seem to make air go into my lungs as easily as before, and my heart speeds even more, trying to make up for the lack of air inside. My vision blurs.

This is killing you, Sian.

You have so little right now, and this creature is taking all that is left.