Chapter 57

HAZEL

Nora had left to continue working but she said I could stay in her room for as long as I wanted. I got into reading her book, it was a fairytale about a water elf who fell in love with a forest elf. They were rivals with great responsibilities to their own land and people but their love didn’t dim with the time they were forced to stay apart—if anything it grew until the pain of being separated was stronger than their love for each other. As a result of their wounded hearts, the oceans turned into chaos with waves so big they covered entire cities. The forest slowly died, the tree crowns hung as though on a tired neck and the colors turned grey from decay.

Their families came together to save what was left and decided to let the two lovers wed—this was the short version of the story but one thing I noticed was that I smiled through every page. It was painfully beautiful and magical, a romanticized world where love overcame everything.

I closed the book and pu