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Chapter 4

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"It's marvelous," my sister rubs her hands together, her eyes sparkling. "Finally something interesting in this village! Do you think he was a prince?" I stare at her, speechless, as she twirls around the room, listing her theories.

It's anything but wonderful. Someone has crossed the fences, or worse, has been trapped in the forest, but by whom? Why? I shudder at the thought of his green eyes on me. A piercing and clear green. Such a rare color.

The face of the stranger from my dreams emerges once again, and I force myself to banish both of them from my mind. "I had a restless night, maybe I imagined it," my voice doesn't convince myself, and I close my eyes for a moment, unintentionally thinking of the green of his eyes, his calm demeanor. My twin takes a seat beside me and intertwines our fingers. "I wish I had been there." "And I wish I hadn't seen anything at all," I reply. "What should we do?" I look at her before continuing, "We should talk to Father or Master Pumperblup."

"No, absolutely not!" Her response startles me. She seems so certain in her answer, as if she was waiting for me to propose that alternative. "Isa—" "They would cancel the ball, impose a lockdown, imagine the consequences for something you think you saw, something you're not even convinced of yourself." She bites her lip, contemplating our options. Her porcelain hand caresses the cover of her book, and I try to breathe normally. Don't panic. "It's the first time someone has seen something from the woods." That's the only thing I can say. My sister remains silent, her gaze lost in the void beyond the windowpane. "Isabella?" I gently question her. She turns to me, her amber eyes meeting mine. "For now, we say nothing. Let's wait until the Solstice Ball is over. Until then, let's enjoy today without thinking about it." I am surprised by her suggestion. Knowing my sister, with news like this, she would have rushed towards the forest in hopes of catching a glimpse. If what I saw is real, it could confirm her beliefs.

Could I be mistaken? No. Magic doesn't exist. Our village has its superstitions, its legends, but it's a typical, ordinary village. No magic, no wizards. If such magic existed, its proof would have already been presented, beyond children's tales.

His green eyes on mine, his brown leather attire accentuating his muscular build, the bow in his hand. The smirk starting to form on his lips. Did it really happen? I'm already letting my imagination take over my memory. Why did that face appear to me? Was what I thought I saw really there? "And then?" I ask her, pushing the overly detailed portrait I'm forming of the stranger out of my thoughts. She approaches me once again, framing my face with her hands. "Tomorrow, we'll decide." Then she adds, "Together."

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