A New Day Dawning

DAISY.

I don't want to leave her like this.

Despite all the horrible things she's done, Elyana saved Bastian. I know one good deed does not excuse the crimes of her past, but I want to believe that she is more than her mistakes. I want to believe she can be more than what the black magic made her. I know she is. I saw it in her eyes when she told me her name.

But Bastian's words echo in my mind. His eyes hold a mixture of determination and sadness, and it's clear he's grappling with his own conflicted feelings about leaving his mother behind.

I have a family of my own to think of. The last time I saw Luke and Alice, they were leading the Shades away from us to buy us some time. I have to believe they made it long enough for ELyana to call back her Shades and redirect the dark magic.

It's hard for me to wrap my head around everything that's happened. From discovering Bastian's true identity to facing the Witch of the Dark herself, it's been a whirlwind of emotions and revelations. As we walk away from her, I can't shake the feeling this is the beginning of a new chapter rather than the end of an old one.

The dark magic that broke Elyana's mind is still inside her. Bastian's black wolf is still a part of him. And me? Frankly, I've lost track of who and what I am, but I have demons of my own. I suppose we all do.

As we make our way through the forest, the clouds suddenly part, and sunlight bathes the Valley of Elysium. The vibrant colors of the flowers and the lush greenery around us seem to come to life, a stark contrast to the darkness I was starting to grow accustomed to.

"Do..." I begin as we walk through the forest, my voice hesitant. "Do you think she'll be okay?"

"I don't know."

Fair answer.

There's a heaviness in his tone, and I can't help but feel a pang of sympathy for both of them. Bastian and Elyana share a complicated history, one that's shrouded in pain and mistakes. But as I look at him, I see a son who still cares deeply for his mother, despite everything.

We continue walking in silence, the forest gradually thinning as we make our way further from the little hut in the woods. The path is uneven beneath our feet, but with each step, I can feel my strength returning. The ache in my heart is still there, but it's no longer overwhelming.

"You meant it, didn't you?" I ask Bastian, but I'm mumbling to myself, and he arches a brow at me.

"Which part?"

"Well, all of it, I guess. But I meant... the bit about coming back for your mother."

"Yes. The first time I left, I thought my absence would make it easier for her to let go. I'm hoping this time, knowing that I will return for her will give her something to hold on to. Something good."

"Sounds like a terrible idea," I smile and squeeze his hand. "Can I come too?"

Bastian stops walking, turning to face me with surprise in his eyes. For a moment, he seems taken aback by my request. But then he returns my smile, and something hopeful gleams in his green eyes that makes my chest feel lighter.

"Well, terrible ideas are your specialty, after all," he smirks, and the familiarity of our banter is like a balm on the wounds in my mind. His smile softens into something more sincere and tender as he looks at me with awe. "I wouldn't want to face the darkness without you, princess."

"Then it's a good thing you don't have to. Plus, I can think of three misfits that would be deeply offended if you don't invite them to tag along on your next adventure."

And as if on cue, a familiar voice echoes in my mind, breaking through my thoughts.

‘Daisy? Bastian? Can you hear me?’

I close my eyes for a moment, my heart lifting as I open myself to the mindlink.

‘Alice!’ I project my thoughts, relief flooding my words. ‘Are you both okay?’

Her response is swift, and I can feel her own relief and excitement tickling my thoughts.

‘We're all good, boss. We were giving the Shades a run for their money when they suddenly just... poofed. I'm guessing you had something to do with that.’

A smile tugs at my lips as I respond. ‘What can I say? It looks like we've all been busy.’

‘Luke and I started heading back south after the Shades disintegrated, but we can head back up to the Ash Coven's ruins and meet you.’

I glance over at Bastian.

‘No. Best to keep heading south. Let's leave the ghosts of this valley to rest for a while. Let's meet back at Margaret's cottage and check in with Matt. With the Shades gone, it should be safe to shift into wolf form, so we'll be able to get across faster.’

‘So, the Witch... she's gone?’

I didn't come to this valley to kill anyone, and the truth behind the Witch of the Dark is so much more complicated than I could have foreseen.

‘No. She's... working through some stuff.’

I can almost feel Alice's bemusement through the telepathic link.

‘Don't tell me that instead of fighting the big, bad, powerful Witch of the Dark, you just talked her out of cursing the world? Let me guess; she didn't need to die; she just needed therapy.’

I snort at the comment, and Bastian shoots me a curious look.

‘Something like that. Just shut up and head south. We'll meet you at Margaret's.’

‘Copy that, boss, but you should know I'm expecting a full and detailed update on what went down once you guys catch up to us.’

"Everything alright?" Bastian asks, snapping me out of the mental conversation.

"Yeah. Alice and Luke are okay. We're all going to meet up at Margaret's. I think if we travel in wolf form, we should be able to get there tonight. What do you think?" I ask cautiously.

"In wolf form?" he repeats. I'm half-expecting him to protest a plan that involves him using his black wolf to get across the valley, but instead, his words catch me by surprise. "So you're telling me that Alice is going to have to let Luke ride her?"

I have to bite my lip to hold back my laughter at the thought. The tension between those two has become palpable, but something about picturing the nightwalker ridding Alice's wolf as though she were a pony is beyond comical.

Gods, I needed to laugh.

Seeing the humor on Bastian's face is a weight off my shoulders, and it's comforting to know that we're both still crazy enough to giggle about silly things together in the midst of danger and drama.

My smile wavers on my lips as I look at my mate, and an odd thought crosses my mind.

"You're doing it again," Bastian sighs.

"I know, I know. I'm making a face." I roll my eyes. "I was just thinking... maybe you could take me, too. I mean, your wolf is faster and stronger than the rest, and... it's not that I can't keep up with you, obviously." I smile nervously, feeling oddly self-conscious about the request. "But I want to see it properly."

Not in the middle of a fight or in the blur of the forest. Bastian promised he wouldn't hide himself from me anymore, and I want to get to know every part of him. I need him to know he's not going to scare me off.

My friends are safe. The curse on the valley is gone, and if the plague has been undone, just like the Shades, then we have a bit of time to spare. Just long enough for one more bad idea.

"Princess, the black wolf... he's not exactly tame."

"That's okay." I smile, and Bastian's eyes suddenly reflect the mischief in my own. "Neither am I."