We were out in an open field, the fresh breeze brushing against my face as I loosened my ponytail to let the air play with my hair.
We spread out the picnic mats and set the chairs, arranging the food neatly. I sat on one of the chairs while my sisters lay lazily on the mat.
Daisy, though, couldn't stop staring at me. Every time I moved, her eyes followed me — if I picked up a fruit, she stared; if I reached for a drink, she stared; even when I took a napkin, she still stared.
I sighed, finally giving in. "Is there something you'd like to say, big sis?" I asked, trying to sound calm.
"Yes," she said, narrowing her eyes.
"And that is…?" I waited, pretending not to care.
"Fiona, I don't buy your story about what happened in that cave. You looked too relieved when you saw me and Bluebell, and you've been acting strange ever since."
I swallowed the food in my mouth, trying not to look guilty. The last thing I wanted was to relive that bizarre cave moment.
"Cat got your tongue? Talk!" Daisy pressed, her tone sharp.
I forced a nervous smile. "Look, sis, I swear—there was nothing in that cave. Just rocks, walls, and…more rocks and walls and—uh—rocks."
Daisy frowned, clearly unimpressed, but thankfully dropped the topic. I breathed a sigh of relief. If I told them what I really saw in that cave, they'd probably think I'd gone insane.
Bluebell was unusually quiet—though that might've been because she was too busy stuffing her face with candies.
We finished our picnic peacefully and packed up to head home.
We arrived with our guards trailing behind. The car had barely stopped when I jumped out and ran into the house.
"What's her problem?" Bluebell muttered, stretching as she stepped out.
"I'm getting a snack," she said casually.
"What snack? You think you've escaped my wrath?" Daisy said, grabbing her wrist.
"Let me go!" Bluebell yelled, then bit her.
"Ouch! You little brat!" Daisy shouted, shaking her hand.
Bluebell stuck out her tongue and dashed off before Daisy could catch her.
Later That Night...
After a hot shower, I slipped into my nighties and sank into bed, feeling the softness wrap around me like a cloud.
Minutes passed. Then hours. But sleep refused to come. My body felt heavy, like something was chaining me down. My mind replayed the images from the cave—the couple, the glowing light, and him.
Eventually, I drifted off into a restless slumber.
The dream came in flashes—
The cave.
The light.
The man.
Then a voice, calm yet haunting:
"Princess... you need to find them. The darkness is spreading. The monsters are coming... Find them... FIND THEM!"
Princess?
I jolted awake, drenched in sweat, gasping for air. My hands trembled as I wiped my face—only to freeze.
A glowing heart-shaped mark was carved onto my hand.
"What—why are my hands glowing?" I whispered, shaking them in panic. The glow didn't fade.
Then, the temperature in my room dropped. I shivered as my breath fogged in the cold air.
And then, through the dim light—his figure appeared. The same mysterious man from the cave, glowing faintly like some kind of celestial shadow.
"What have you done to me?" I demanded, my voice trembling between anger and fear.