in its place. George poked her with his horn.
“Ouch!” she cried, rubbing the small of her back where he’d stabbed her.
“Apple!” he grumped.
“Witch first,” she shot back. George blew spit in her face. Ava made the conscious decision to throw away her stuffed unicorn, Rainbow, the minute she got home.
“George, is that you?” a melodious voice asked. A young, beautiful woman stepped out from behind the cottage. Her hair was a golden blonde, braided with a colorful array of wildflowers all the way down her back. Her eyes were cornflower blue and deeply kind. The woman wore a long white dress that flowed delicately over her body. Her smile was like the sun, and she beamed at George as he approached her with a nuzzle. She hugged him close. When she pulled away, she finally cast her gaze at the travelers.
“You’ve brought me some visitors, I see,” she said, and George glanced back at them with a huff before heading to the back of the house, presumably to find more grass. The witch laughed.
“Don’t mind George. Unicorns are grumpy by nature. It’s part of what makes them so beautiful.”
If you say so, Ava thought. The witch approached her and took both her hands. Her skin was warm and soft, her energy flowing like the touch of a soothing mother. Ava wanted to throw herself into the woman’s arms and let her fix everything like her own mother used to do, but she held back.
“It’s good to see you, Ava. I see Avalon has taken good care of you during your time here. Hello, Avalon. Hello, Hunter.”
“You know us?” Ava asked. The witch nodded.
“I do. My name is Espera. In some languages it means Hope. And hope has a place in all realms. I saw what those little sprites did to you and your love. And now you seek a way back to him and back home.”
“Yes, please!” Ava cried. Espera kissed her gently on the cheek.
“Be right back,” she said, rushing into her cottage on bare feet. Ava stared in bewilderment at her new friends. Hunter looked impatient for his own remedy, stepping from one foot to the other. Finally, Espera returned with a small glass vial in her hand. She held it out to Ava.
“This is the essence of portal sprite. One drop will take you through the portal and on your way. You will have a choice to make now, Ava, because you can either choose to go home, or you can choose to find Mason. I can tell you that the two are in far different places right now, and that Mason could desperately use your help.” Ava’s heart sank. Mason was in trouble. And he wasn’t here. Espera took her hands again.
“Don’t lose courage. You are brave and can handle this situation that you find yourself. Go find your love and make the world your own.”
Ava smiled and thanked her, backing away. If Hunter wanted his chance, now was the time. He cleared his throat.
“Excuse me, Lady Espera, but…”
Espera held up a hand. Her expression was sad.
“Hunter of the Greenbow Shire, I know what you seek. Unfortunately, I do not have what you need. There is only one person who can save your mother from her grief and it is not you or I. I am deeply sorry,” she said. Hunter stood frozen, his eyes an agonizing tableau of anguish. Espera took his hands this time.
“Do not despair, Hunter. She may one day save herself from her inner demons. I will keep her in my prayers. It’s not much, but any positive energy could be the right amount to help her—one simply never knows.”
“But…there must be a way, please! I’ve come so far to find you. I can’t walk away with nothing. This is my last chance!” His eyes were wild and desperate. His outburst had no effect on the witch.
“You know the truth, Hunter. You have always known it. You must learn to accept what cannot be changed and learn to live with the blessings that you do have. You have the power in you. I’m afraid comfort is all that I can bestow,” Espera said, her words kind, but firm.
After a pause, Hunter swallowed hard and
“Ouch!” she cried, rubbing the small of her back where he’d stabbed her.
“Apple!” he grumped.
“Witch first,” she shot back. George blew spit in her face. Ava made the conscious decision to throw away her stuffed unicorn, Rainbow, the minute she got home.
“George, is that you?” a melodious voice asked. A young, beautiful woman stepped out from behind the cottage. Her hair was a golden blonde, braided with a colorful array of wildflowers all the way down her back. Her eyes were cornflower blue and deeply kind. The woman wore a long white dress that flowed delicately over her body. Her smile was like the sun, and she beamed at George as he approached her with a nuzzle. She hugged him close. When she pulled away, she finally cast her gaze at the travelers.
“You’ve brought me some visitors, I see,” she said, and George glanced back at them with a huff before heading to the back of the house, presumably to find more grass. The witch laughed.
“Don’t mind George. Unicorns are grumpy by nature. It’s part of what makes them so beautiful.”
If you say so, Ava thought. The witch approached her and took both her hands. Her skin was warm and soft, her energy flowing like the touch of a soothing mother. Ava wanted to throw herself into the woman’s arms and let her fix everything like her own mother used to do, but she held back.
“It’s good to see you, Ava. I see Avalon has taken good care of you during your time here. Hello, Avalon. Hello, Hunter.”
“You know us?” Ava asked. The witch nodded.
“I do. My name is Espera. In some languages it means Hope. And hope has a place in all realms. I saw what those little sprites did to you and your love. And now you seek a way back to him and back home.”
“Yes, please!” Ava cried. Espera kissed her gently on the cheek.
“Be right back,” she said, rushing into her cottage on bare feet. Ava stared in bewilderment at her new friends. Hunter looked impatient for his own remedy, stepping from one foot to the other. Finally, Espera returned with a small glass vial in her hand. She held it out to Ava.
“This is the essence of portal sprite. One drop will take you through the portal and on your way. You will have a choice to make now, Ava, because you can either choose to go home, or you can choose to find Mason. I can tell you that the two are in far different places right now, and that Mason could desperately use your help.” Ava’s heart sank. Mason was in trouble. And he wasn’t here. Espera took her hands again.
“Don’t lose courage. You are brave and can handle this situation that you find yourself. Go find your love and make the world your own.”
Ava smiled and thanked her, backing away. If Hunter wanted his chance, now was the time. He cleared his throat.
“Excuse me, Lady Espera, but…”
Espera held up a hand. Her expression was sad.
“Hunter of the Greenbow Shire, I know what you seek. Unfortunately, I do not have what you need. There is only one person who can save your mother from her grief and it is not you or I. I am deeply sorry,” she said. Hunter stood frozen, his eyes an agonizing tableau of anguish. Espera took his hands this time.
“Do not despair, Hunter. She may one day save herself from her inner demons. I will keep her in my prayers. It’s not much, but any positive energy could be the right amount to help her—one simply never knows.”
“But…there must be a way, please! I’ve come so far to find you. I can’t walk away with nothing. This is my last chance!” His eyes were wild and desperate. His outburst had no effect on the witch.
“You know the truth, Hunter. You have always known it. You must learn to accept what cannot be changed and learn to live with the blessings that you do have. You have the power in you. I’m afraid comfort is all that I can bestow,” Espera said, her words kind, but firm.
After a pause, Hunter swallowed hard and
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