Chapter 20

T wo days later, I realized I still had the same silly sham of a smile plastered on my face even when Greyson spoke about the Harvest with a glint in his eyes.

The Blood Moon Harvest was their sacred time to honor their god, the Earth Creator. Every year during the winter, they gathered to bring in the new moon. When the moon turned red like their blood, they ran and hunted their kill until the sun bled into the midnight moon. Each kill brought them closer to their god. It was more important now since the shifters had forgotten how to wield the magic they once had, even before my father slathered them.

The Blood Moon Harvest started about thirty minutes ago. On the edge of the gathering area, I sat by myself, as usual, at one of the old picnic tables. When I first stepped out of Grey’s home, I was puzzled, but he told me the only decorations I would see were the regalia they wore during the harvest and a red awning covering the picnic tables. A variety of meats, bread, and vegetables were surrounded by empty cups that were discarded everywhere as the pack drank their outrageously bitter beer. Ms. Kincaid would surely fall over if I told her their harvest wasn’t decorated to an inch of its life.

All the men were dressed in their vivid leather regalia bottoms that broke away at the sides when they went for their midnight moon run. The females had something similar. Their red and yellow regalia dresses snapped along the side streams. Everyone had their hair in a bun with red and yellow feathers tucked into their buns. Fanned out behind their head, it reminded me of the sunset here just before the darkness chased the reddish-yellow sun away.

The elders wouldn’t be joining the midnight run, so they dressed differently from the rest of the pack. They donned the same dress and bottom regalia but with long red capes and had the same bright yellow phoenix in their capes. A massive headpiece finished their outfit with the same feathers as the pack, except they were lined up down the middle, splitting their heads in halves, except for the oldest elder, whose headpiece resembled a great white wolf with ears that hung low down to his elbow. He stood strong as he watched the others. It was as if he was a principal watching over his students. I suppose that was accurate since the Pack held their elders in high regard.

Watching the rest of the pack as the thumping beat of the drums uplifted the dancers as their lean bodies became entangled with the music. In the middle of the gathering area, I’d almost lost balance on the old, rickety bench, from swaying to the flute’s energetic melody. Children paraded behind the adults with their scrawny arms flaring in the air. Their infectious giggles thundered in my ears. I wanted to join them, but I was already met with the common repulsed look that was reserved especially for me. Greyson, Hawk, and Kathleen were huddled together as the music died down. Sensing my staring, Greyson turned and winked at me, causing my breath to hitch in my throat. Some elders participated in their traditional dance made me miss home.

One of the children stopped in front of the refreshment table, filling their plates with food. She couldn’t have been older than nine years old with her small tongue peeking out of the corner of her mouth as she struggled with the plate and juggled her drink. I didn’t think twice but to help the small girl as I leaped from the bench and offered help.

“Hey, how about I help you to your seat?”

The young girl stared at me with her gray eyes widened. Her red curly hair was askew as a light breeze sent them scattering. She was on the verge of tears as she stared at me like I was a monster. I never wanted to flee away from somewhere, but I did now.

“Get away from my daughter!” A woman identical to the small girl stomped over and grabbed her daughter’s arm, sending some of the juice to decorate the girl’s regalia. Opening my mouth, I wanted to apologize or curse her out. I’m not sure, but she didn’t wait for me to explain as she dragged the girl away to the other side of the clearing where the pack members sat.

My arms wrapped around my stomach as I returned to my seat, kicking the floor that was littered with cups from the packs of brews. In less than two weeks, I had become more unsure of myself. Was it my fault the pack hated me? What could I do to make this work? Despite everything, I needed him. I racked my brain for the answer, but was it enough? I wasn’t sure. The only time I felt like myself was when I was with Greyson or tucked away in the small bedroom of his home. The only good thing that came out of this was that my deranged voice had disappeared.

“Don’t mind, cranky Red.” Looking up to see the oldest elder with his headpiece gone. The reddish-brown hue of his skin was beautiful against the moonlight. “Do you mind if I keep you company?”

I shook my head. My eyebrow crept up as a smile touched my face. Even though I didn't mind sitting by myself, someone wanting to sit next to me made the hot tears behind my eyes blur my vision. Luckily, when the old, rickety bench groaned and shifted as the elder sat down next to me. I wiped my eyes before he could notice the tears. His warmth, mixed in with his smokey scent, filled my nostrils. He reminded me of Tou-sin Square during our festival when we smoked the meat during the town harvests. It made me long to leave Greyson here and just fall into my madness…well, just a little.

“I’m sorry to be rude, but I forgot your name.”

A warm smile engulfed his wrinkled face. “My name is Alo Bird, and excuse my tardiness in meeting you.”

Something about the older man reminded me of home. Back when I didn’t have to worry about the dreaded curse or filling my mother’s shoes. When I could run for hours on end in the wooded areas until the Golden Army caught me and dragged me back to the castle.

“My name is Kaydian. I’m... with Greyson.”

“You mean you’re his Hiema. His twin soul.”

Heat crept up my neck at the term of endearment coming out of Alo’s mouth. I was slightly mortified that he had overheard Greyson’s nickname for me.

“Ah, no need to be bashful, young one. Swiftwater already told me all about you.”

“Oh,” I said, holding my head down to cover my scorched face against my curly hair.

A silence fell amongst us as we watched the pack line up to start their midnight run. Greyson trudged over to us. He looked glorious when he was happy, and I couldn’t help but stare at the way every muscle contracted and bounced as he ran over. A lone bead of sweat formed on his skin, beckoning me to lick it off of his chest. My thighs dug into the bench as I clenched my throbbing pussy. I have done many foolish things in my life, but at this very moment, I would definitely throw myself on the table and offer myself up to Greyson…in front of everyone, with no shame or regret at all.

If only I had one of those rubber penises that I read about in the Houston newspaper.

Greyson kissed my cheek. He smelled like grass, beer, and lemon. The scent wasn’t supposed to turn me on, but here I sat with my essence wetting my inner thighs. Greyson sniffed the air and paused. A scarlet color painted his cheeks as he shifted uncomfortably. Elder Alo chuckled at Greyson—us. If I could die of embarrassment, I would have done so right now.

“Young love! I remember those days.” Alo said as he winked at both of us. “Go ahead, Swiftwater. Your tethered soul will be safe with us. We will be in the temple when you get back.”

Kathleen jogged up to our little group, and I couldn’t help but flush at the memory of her and Samantha’s tryst in the woods.

“Hey, Kaydian. Do you mind if we grab your mate?” Kathleen said as I got up to hug her. The words couldn’t form in my mind, so I just nodded instead. She bowed and greeted Elder Alo and grabbed Greyson, who she had to all but drag across the dirt clearing into the forest while he stared mindlessly back at me. Leaving Elder Alo to chuckle at him.

“Shall we?” Elder Alo held out his arm for me, and something deep inside of me didn’t want to disappoint him, so I snaked my arm inside the crook of his arm. Just the minor touch sent a surge of warmth through my body, and soon, I wasn’t able to feel the chilly air.

We approached the second larger building in the village. Nothing was special about the outside, but my skin puckered as soon as Elder Alo opened the double doors for me. The temple was blocked off to me because I wasn’t a shifter, and I respected their rules. I was too nice to tell Greyson that their sacred building held no interest to me, but with Elder Alo by my side, my curiosity peeked.

The inside of the temple was nothing like I’d expected. History packed the walls of the dimly lit room. Wood and citrus filled the room. A lazy smile crept up my face. The scent reminded me of Merrell’s book and art store. Paintings filled the walls of lost times with mini statues on several tiered shelves. Someone made four long benches that formed a circle in the middle of the room. Just enough to seat the pack leader and some elders. The mammoth-sized wood fireplace already had the room warm as my body slowly melted into the warmth. I could kick myself for not exploring it before tonight.

One of the powder paintings had a woman with long, curly brown hair that framed her oval face. The woman’s face wasn’t average by any means, but her honey drew eyes with citrine tugged at my soul. She was dressed in regalia similar to what the female Pack members wore today for the harvest. Her headpiece was the yellow canary that I’ve seen on the totem pole. Behind her was a striking man who was the carbon copy of Greyson, except his dark eyes were almost black, his skin the color of the sunset during the summer, and his broad upper body filled out his red regalia. His massive hand engulfed the woman’s shoulder. You could tell they were mates because their gazes mirrored one another. Both their eyes told a story of passion, love, and possessiveness. A shiver ran through me at the mere thought as I stood wishing that I was the woman in the painting.

“Come sit beside me, and I can tell you about the paintings. Swiftwater mentioned you love art and books. I can see he wasn’t lying.” He chuckled.

My eyes were glued to the paintings as I studied the other vibrant hues and textures. It wasn’t until it turned to find Elder Alo on the bench that I noticed I had all but abandoned him and floated to the painting. I couldn’t help it. They were all so captivating as they pulled at my spirit. My hand itched to reach out and touch every brush stroke, but I knew that would be disrespectful. That was the last thing I wanted to do. Greyson would never forgive me.

“Sorry, the paintings are just so awe-inspiring. If I’d known what laid in here, I might have snuck in to view them,” I said honestly.

My hand shot out to cover my mouth. Loose lips strike again! Elder Alo chuckled.

“It’s okay! I’ll keep your secret. Plus, it’s an honor.” He bowed his head slightly. When he rose, he had a smile on his thin lips. “I painted many of our artwork here, and I dabbled in sculpture here or there. Most of them were made by Greyson’s mother, Mary Ann.”

“Shit,” I muttered. Just the mere thought of the shifters being able to practice art freely without being judged was unheard of in our coven. I had to bite my tongue to keep my jealous remarks to myself.

He continued, “The Swiftwater’s founded this little piece of heaven for us when the shifters split into different tribes five thousand years ago after the first shifter war.” He shook his head and sighed. “The Swiftwater’s didn’t want any part of the brutal war. So, Greyson’s first great-grandfather packed up and headed west with about two hundred of his supporters, including my family, and found these woods. At the time, we occupied the entire woods from the edge of the San Claude to the River until the humans built closer to the woods. It was our getaway to keep us out of sight of the witches, but we had forgotten the common enemy we shared, humans. Little by little, our wooded area shrank as bulldozers and humans cut down the trees and claim our area with their box homes.”

“It wasn’t until Greyson’s second grandfather went down to San Claude and purchase the land that the killing of the forest ended…or so we were made to believe. Between the witch’s coven killing half of our population and the humans pushing their way onto our lands…This is all that we have left. The witches hunted us down again, and we fought back until we couldn’t. The pack became tired of the fight, and King Thibodeaux poisoned the majority of the land with his magic…or should I say, the Queen’s magic. How could we compete? I could only salvage these art pieces before we were pushed into this small clearing. Luckily, we can still hunt, and when we make enough money selling at the market, we can buy food from the human stores.”

Elder Alo paused and sighed. His wide shoulders shook. “We were once rulers of the woods and had no need to sell because we fed from the land. No one would ever cross the thicket of bushes, but now it seems like no one is afraid anymore. Just the other day, we found a couple of humans in our territory, skinny dipping in the river. I didn’t have the strength to chase them away.”

My arms hung limp at my sides. Elder Alo had been nothing but nice to me so far. If only he knew my parents ignited the last shifter war.

Would he hate me? Or better yet, would I be surprised?

Elder Alo seemed to sense my wayward thoughts as he placed his weathered, russet hand under my chin and lifted it until I had no choice but to face him. His brown eyes spoke of wisdom that most hadn’t obtain.

“We all have a duty to fulfill, whether it’s from the gods, goddesses, or the Earth Creator. Although I may have hated the way it happened, I knew there would come a time when the tension between the witches and other supernatural’s reached a boiling point. Sadly, we weren’t on the winning side. I went away to explore the human world and to learn more about humans and our packs. My time, though short, amongst the humans was knowledgeable. It opened my eyes and heart to something we often overlook, destiny. I realized we all play a part in the future, whether good or bad, and we all must follow what has been put before us. Greyson is a lot like his father. Soft-hearted and sometimes lets his feelings muddle his mind.”

My eyes ran as I watched a slow smile appear on Elder Alo’s face. He wiped the wayward tear that escaped my eyes. Could he have known my destiny? No, not possible, I thought, shaking my head. He doesn’t consort with goddesses, anyway.

“Greyson’s dad, Tyee, fell hard for Mary Ann. He went to visit some rogue shifters pack a couple of years after the second war and found her in the town. She was so tiny you could make out the bones in her chest. She barely had a scent to her because she seemed to have almost withered away. Tyee always confided in me, as many others often do, that she walked the streets half naked, muttering that “Henry will pay”. When she arrived at the village, it took a month for her to get back to normal.

“Is that her in the picture?”

“Yes, that’s Mary Ann Muller. She was the first witch we let into the pack because she was Tyee’s fated mate.”

I blinked a few tears away.

My mind was slowly processing the story Elder Alo told me. Mary Ann was a Muller. My head shook. There was no way that Henry Muller had a sibling. I would have studied her in my Royal classes like I had our previous royals. Elder Alo cocked his head as I sat there with my mouth agape. He probably thought I was stupid as I sat there, puttering my rejection.

“Your parents and the other witch coven members erased her from everything. She was cast away like she was nothing more than a Mixling…someone expendable. But when she came out of her stupor, she didn’t want to talk about the past, deeming it “irrelevant” but I could see in those cat like eyes that it was far from the truth. I guess we all are born with that silly need to hide our ugly past.

Elder Alo finished and hummed. The song was low and peaceful as it floated from his throat to my ears. Even though he wasn’t aware of the downward spiral taking place inside of me, my heart raced, and my palms became slippery. Would he turn me in? My magic quaked deep inside of my chest as it prepared itself to fight, transport me, or flee from me. With my luck, the latter would be true.

“I—How did you know?”

“I knew before you arrived here that you would be a witch. The Earth Creator gifted my family with the ability to see glimpses of the future. I never see the entire picture, but just enough to put two and two together. I knew about what lay in front of us when your parents showed up on that bleak rainy march.” Elder Alo’s smile returned. “Plus, that deodorizer doesn’t fool me. I think the magic shield you first arrived with was more effective, but luck is on your side, young queen. Many of the newer pack members are not well-trained to spot witches since most hardly use the magic we can access anymore. Pity! The hate for witches caused most of us to lose our connection to it. I still do a little, but Greyson can do so much but refuse to dishonor his mother.”

“Why? How does using his magic dishonor his mother? Wouldn’t that be the opposite?”

“No, Mary Ann was strict, and she refused to use her magic. She instilled into Greyson that magic was horrible to have and to never to use it, not even if you were dying. He’d never even cast it before, but his father cemented things by banning him from using magic altogether.”

I opened my mouth to speak but was interrupted as Greyson and Hawk opened the door to the Sanctuary. My mind wanted to ask more questions about Greyson’s mother and his father, but it seemed this was all I would get for today. I knew I would be back because this was the most I had heard about Greyson or his family.

Just before Greyson and Hawk reached our sitting spot, Elder Alo leaned close to me and whispered, “You look just like your mother, and despite our ‘bad blood’ I truly admired her. It’s time for you to stop hiding and fulfill your destinies, no matter what or who may stand in your way. Heed the vision the Three Sisters had given to you. You’re the sun, Princess Kaydian.”

Greyson and Hawk made it over to us. Sweat dripped down their chest and dampened their regalia bottoms.

“Thank you, Elder Alo, for keeping Kaydian company,” Greyson said as he bowed.

“It was my honor to be in the presence of greatness.”

If I didn’t die from shame tonight, I surely would from Elder Alo inflating my ego. My face was feverish as Greyson took my hand, pulling me up to hug me. Which should have repulsed me because he was drenched in sweat, but it only made my magic flutter in my chest. As we said our goodbyes to Elder Alo, I took one last glance at the painting that once pulled me in that left me puzzled, and now…the stunning art left a bitter taste in my mouth. So many secrets laid within the powdered paint. Unease sat heavily on my chest like someone was holding me down in the muddy dirt paths.

Greyson, none the wiser, kissed the back of my hand, drawing my attention back to him. A lazy smile gathered on his face as we headed out to home…his home, not mine . I thought as the pack members that milled around turned their backs, ignoring us as we walked by. I was silent as we walked Hawk to his place, which was next to Greyson’s. As we made the short distance to his place, my mind played with the idea of just leaving him here and going home, apologizing to my mother about disappearing and try to fix the broken pieces of the puzzle.

Back to my home.

Back to the ordinary.

Back to being safe and, mostly, respected.

Heed the visions the Three Sisters have given to you.

Fresh as snow. Blood will decorate the throne. For power is never given but taken.

Celestoria has four journeys, but only three will survive. The fourth will meet a death by the sun.

But I couldn’t get Elder Alo’s words out of my head. How did someone, a shifter, no less, know about the Three Sisters? Which led me to believe that getting Greyson to go home with me would be a thousand times harder. Youna! Haven’t I been through enough?

Now I was even more confused as I thought about the neglected riddles.

I sat on the old yellow couch as Greyson washed off the grime that was caked on his skin. Even though I’d seen him naked before, he always asked me to step out of the room. It’s gotten to a point where I just sat and waited for him like a fool, as Merrell would have said.

Ten minutes later, Greyson was done getting ready for bed. I played with waiting until we got some rest to ask him, but my mind won the battle. The questions piled up and clawed at my brain to be let out.

“Why didn’t you tell me about your mother?”

Greyson stopped at the tiny bed and flopped down, causing the bed to groan under his weight. Gone was his smile from our walk in place, a deep frown.

“Because I’m not ready to talk about her,” he said with a shrug. His tall frame filled out the mattress when he laid down. “Let’s get some rest. We both had a long night.”

My veins were scorching from his flippant attitude as he waved off my concern like it wasn’t something of importance.

“No,” I said and snatched the pillow from underneath his head. “I won’t sleep until I have answers…and I mean it. I can just open up the portal and go home!”

“I promise–” Greyson said, but one look at my twisted face shut him up. I allowed him to skim over the truth ever since I arrived here. Hell, I even let him talk me into staying one more night and then another like the gullible witch that I was. I could understand why he didn’t want to talk about it because if I were in his shoes, I think I would do the same.

“You can’t be angry with me about not wanting to spill all of my secrets when you yourself won’t tell me anything about your family. All I know is you’re from the worst coven,” he continued.

I guess the pot is calling the kettle black.

Exhaling deeply as I dragged my feet to the other side of the bed, curled up in between Greyson’s firm body as his arm held me close to him. My free arm stretched out over his upper body as my head rested on his chest. The lemongrass scent filled my nostrils, clearing my thoughts. Greyson was right.

“Listen, I know…” I didn’t know how to find the right words. I’d have years of royal training, but nothing prepared me to deal with my own feelings. “I’m sorry, and if I’m being honest, I feel blindsided.”

Minutes ticked by as we laid there together in the dark, staring at the wall. His even breaths matched my beating heart. Everything I dreamt of in a mate…my future…my life, had shifted to a staggering degree.

“My mother was the most beautiful person in the village. Inside and out. We spent every single waking hour together when I wasn’t at school, and I loved it. She managed the garden when it was thriving. My mother taught me about nature and how we can all learn to adapt and live together, so there won’t be any more ego-driven wars. It wasn’t until later in my life that she taught me about the witches history, not a lot, but just enough to keep me in the know. I used to beg her to teach me how to use my magic, but she always turned stony-faced and swept the conversation under the rug and said, ‘You don’t need magic because you’re going to be as stubborn and powerful as your father .’ She evaded the subject so much that I left it alone and replaced it with learning how to sculpt statues, and that became our hobby. It bonded us and made us closer than we already were, much to my dad’s disappointment, but I think he was just jealous.” Greyson paused. He trembled under my arm, drawing my attention to his face as a lone tear slid down his beautiful face, and I swept it away. “The last summer before she was murdered, my father, mother, and I finally got to get away, for the first time, from the pack. I had been asking my parents forever to see the emporium in New York. I used to spend time reading about it in the human newspaper and hearing them gloat about it. My father, who was a man of few words, was awestruck when we arrived in New York. My mother and I popped in and out of the stores without caring about the stares we were receiving because of our ratty clothing. After a while, my poor father basically pulled us away because “he couldn’t take it anymore.” It wasn’t until we found a spot by our campgrounds that my dad became paranoid. He checked the area three times before we could settle in for the night.”

Greyson’s arm that was wrapped around me tightened, bringing me closer to him. The skin where his thumb drew circles on my lower back left a trail of heat with each pass.

“Nothing happened that night. My mother begged him to rest, but my father just said, ‘ You guys sleep while I keep watch.’ We—I thought he was just being too protective of my mother, but I think he sensed something out there. Even though shifters can wield magic as much as a common witch can, we have long forgotten how to use it in fear that the coven members would find us and completely wipe us out. That has been ingrained in my head from a young age. But the way my father was on edge when we left the campsite made me nervous. I begged Mother to use her magic just once to make sure we were okay, but they both shut me down, saying I was just worried because my dad was. The closer we got back to the pack, the more my parents relaxed, and I did the same…of course, that was our downfall. The following day after school, I ran to our garden to search for my mother, only to find her dead with a gaping hole in her chest. Her red essence poured out of the hole was fresh, and her heart was missing. I think that’s why our crop can only grow in that little clearing. Her blood offered us a lasting gift. No matter how many times I attended a smudging ritual, our cleansing ritual, I couldn’t get the image out of my head.”

Greyson sighed as he continued. “My father became lost and became a stranger to me and the other pack members. Until he ended his life by shifting on his tiny boat, capsizing the boat. His soul was lost to the sea. My dad knew our wolves couldn’t swim in deep water. Elder Alo said it was meant to be this way. He missed my mother and hated himself for not protecting her enough. That’s when I stopped caring to learn about witches, my tainted side. And since we’re being honest, that’s why I had a hard time when we first met. I should have known because Elder Alo once told me I would know ultimate joy but no peace.”

A war between my head and my heart took place inside of me. I didn’t want to make Greyson hate me even more than he might do unconsciously, and to be honest, as I laid against his chest listening to the soft thudding of his heart, I wouldn’t blame him.

A blanket of quietness engulfs us as I laid on Greyson’s chest. His breathing was so slow which brought me some peace to me in the darkness. When I opened my mouth, I knew how I would craft my story.

“My parents are complicated.” I chuckled, but it sounded awkward to my ears. “They met young and when they both awakened, it was no surprise to my maternal grandparents or the coven that they were to be tethered soulmates. My mother had me much later than most in my family, but she always told me she knew when it was the right time for me to enter the world. I chalked it up to her being full of herself, but I think deep down I knew she was right. My grandparents died, willingly, when I was six…this may sound callous, but I’m glad they passed on because it made my mother and I closer. We traveled all over the world and saw so many cultures and people that it influenced me to paint as a way to capture my time. That’s when I realized I couldn’t—didn’t want to stop painting. It was a way to escape. But then Roy—classes started, and my mother taught me for half the day. The other half was foundational classes. I had to cut down on my paintings.”

“What about your dad?”

“My parents were like night and day. We all used to do everything together. If you saw me, you saw my parents. He’s what I would call a semi-traditionalist. It was the old way or the highway, unless it directly affected him. He was a soft marshmallow when he was around me. I could get away with so much stuff when I was younger.” I stopped to chuckle. “One time I got caught sneaking a human book out of his library. I was almost in the clear, but when I closed the door to his office, he was standing there with his eyebrow cocked and shaking his head. He made me write an essay on the book as punishment, but he didn’t tell my mother. She would have died if she knew I was reading human books back then. Those were good times. Then something changed. It was clear as day. I was so absorbed in him that I couldn’t see the cracks in him. I had once chalked it up to my father having no one else after killing his family, but I was wrong. Now, I see all the cracks in his beautiful face.”

Greyson stopped drawing circles the moment I said those last words . Did I spill too much?

“Your father killed his parents? That’s so—” He hadn’t finished his statement, but he shook his head.

“Yeah, I even thought it was excessive, but my father’s side hated my mother. So much they denounced my father and went around saying he was an embarrassment for straying from their belief of abolishing the old and outdated ruling system. So, my father had to make a choice, his mate or his family. Needless to say, I’m here, but they’re not.” I gave a nonchalant shrug. “I only have one living relative, my mother’s last living uncle, Uncle Fabien, and my mother goes to see him in the Bayou twice a year. I went once and determined it was not for me. Between the mosquitoes, snakes, and the ‘gators. No thank you.”

Greyson chuckled. “What did your parents do? From the sounds of it, they were important.”

“They worked in the castle.” I said hurriedly. Forcing a yawn, I buried my face into Greyson’s chest. So, he couldn’t see how I squeezed my eyes shut so hard that my eyeballs knocked behind my eyelids. A long stretch of comfortable silence found its way into the small room. Inside, I mentally berated myself, but I knew it was for the best. Yes, play it safe.

“Thank you for sharing. I know we’re both navigating through this, but at least we have each other.”

He kissed the top of my curls.

Only when Greyson’s chest slowed down did I take a breath again. There in the dark, I was left with my turbulent thoughts and Elder Alo's words, “ Heed the vision of the three sisters ” rebounding in my head.