The letter

The sharp sound of knocking pulls me from my trance, my head snapping toward the door. For a moment, I stand frozen, half expecting someone to barge in, but the silence that follows only deepens the strange unease lingering in my chest.

I shuffle to the front door, still trying to shake off the lingering confusion from the mirror. My fingers hover over the handle before I pull it open, breath held. But when I do, there’s no one. Only an envelope, lying neatly on the doorstep, as if it had been left there deliberately.

I look around, hoping to catch a glimpse of whoever delivered it, but the street is empty, the morning air still. With a hesitant glance, I bend down and pick up the envelope, its weight oddly heavy in my hands. There’s no name, no address. Just a simple, unassuming seal.

Strange.

Curiosity gets the better of me, and I tear it open, my fingers trembling slightly as I pull out two letters. The first one catches my eye, and as I unfold it, the words seem to blur for a moment before they settle into clarity.

Dearest Lenora,

If you are reading this letter, it must mean that you have turned 18. Happy birthday, sweet girl.

Oh, crap. I blink, momentarily stunned. That’s right, it’s my birthday today. The realization hits me like a wave, but there’s no time to dwell on it. My eyes are drawn back to the page, compelled by the unfamiliar handwriting, each line tugging at something deep within me.

Me and your father would have wanted nothing more than to spend this day—and all of these years—with you, but fate had other ideas.

I am scribbling this down as I watch you sleep in your bassinet; it pains me so much to know that I won’t see you again in this world.

You will have a good, safe life with your Nana.

But there is not much time left. By now, I am sure you are confused about what is happening to your body. My birth mother was the Queen of the Fairies, as I am now. And so are you.

I freeze. The letter shakes slightly in my hands as my heart stutters in my chest. Wait… what? I read the sentence again, my eyes darting over the words as if they’ll change upon closer inspection. Queen of the fairies?

A chill runs through me. Is this my mother’s writing? I don’t remember her handwriting—it’s not something I’ve ever had to think about—but there’s something… familiar about it. Something that feels painfully real.

I keep reading, my mind struggling to make sense of it all.

As fairy royalty, we bloom into our true forms when we turn 18. You will start feeling strange urges—allow them to guide you as you unlock your full potential.

Your time in this dimension is limited. Fairy queens rule unique dimensions, and you will be called to your destined world when the time is right.

There are many dangers ahead of you, my love. Royal fairy blood is the purest and most powerful, and you will have many enemies. Vampires, dark sorcerers, and others will hunt you.

You are more unique than any other fairy. I’ll let your father explain more.

I shake my head, my mind racing. Fairy royalty? Dimensions? Vampires and sorcerers? This can’t be real. It has to be some kind of joke. A cruel, elaborate prank. But as much as I want to believe that, something inside me whispers that it’s not. Something deep and ancient, a part of me I’ve never known, stirs.

I wish I could tell you more, but my time is running out.

I love you, my darling. I always have, and I always will.

Your mother, Iliana.

Tears spill over my cheeks before I can stop them, hot and unrelenting. Why me? My chest tightens painfully as I clutch the letter to my chest. Why did I have to lose them? The ache in my heart grows unbearable, the weight of my mother’s absence pressing down on me with a force I can’t withstand.

I run my fingers over the ink, noticing faint tear stains dotting the page—hers or mine, I can’t tell. The scent of lavender still clings to the paper, faint but unmistakable, as if my mother’s essence is somehow woven into the very fabric of the letter.

Lavender. I close my eyes, inhaling deeply, letting the scent calm the storm inside me, even if just for a moment. But the tears won’t stop. My fingers tremble as another drop slips from my cheek and falls onto the paper.

Suddenly, something strange happens.

The ink begins to blur, fading rapidly before my eyes.

No, no, no! My heart leaps into my throat as I watch the words disappear, the parchment dissolving into nothingness. Stop! Stop!

Before I can do anything, the letter is gone, vanishing as if it never existed at all. All that’s left in its place is a gleaming amethyst pendant, nestled in my palm, attached to a delicate silver chain. It catches the light, glowing faintly with the same purple hue that now seems to define everything in my life.

This must be the pendant my mother mentioned… Without hesitation, I clasp it around my neck, the metal cool against my skin. As soon as it touches me, the pendant flares to life, glowing a bright, ethereal purple for a moment before settling into a gentle shimmer.

A wave of warmth floods through me, chasing away the cold that had taken root in my bones. The scent of lavender fills the air once more, stronger this time, wrapping around me like a comforting embrace. I close my eyes, letting the warmth soothe my racing heart.

For the first time since waking, I feel… safe. It’s as if, in some way, my mother’s love still lingers in the air around me. I can almost feel her, standing beside me, her presence a calming balm on my troubled soul.

But this can’t be real. Can it?