Page 67 of The Botanist and the Beast

The next night, Theo was sitting on the other side of the gate. A thick rope was tied tight around his waist again at Sebastian's request.

While he placed his palms in the green and tried to replicate what he did the other night, the others sat in the snow chatting and keeping his sister's company.

He tried to tap into the heartbeat again but today it wasn't happening. Nothing sprouted or stirred for ages.

"Sebastian, I..." He trailed off as he saw Sebastian and his sisters talking.

"I think you're a celestial nymph," he told Luna, passing her a book. "Theo told me you like stars, so I figured you may enjoy this either way. This details the techniques nymphs use to read the stars more accurately." He got a melancholy smile. "A friend of ours, Henri, was a celestial nymph, and I bet he has some other helpful things you may like. I'll make sure to collect some for you. He would've loved the idea of passing them on."

"Thank you," Luna said, cheerly, flipping to a page and skimming. "A celestial nymph. I always thought I was strange, but it's comforting to know there are others like me."

"I'll introduce you to some of the others in the kingdom later if you want." He looked at Coralie, and Theo could see the anxiousness in his posture. "This one is for you."

"What is it?" she asked, looking at the notebook skeptically.

"My notebook from when I was learning to hone my powers with my mom. I have a feeling you're a water nymph like me."

"Why do you think that?" She cocked a brow but didn't shut down the idea immediately.

"The things Theo's told me about you and your love for water dwelling creatures." He hesitated. "You have a koi fish, right? I'm willing to bet you brought it with you. A water nymph wouldn't leave their pet behind."

"It's in a jar in my room," she said quietly.

"Well, I have room in a fountain for him to stretch his fins if you like."

"That's probably a good idea." Finally, she took the notebook and stared at it. "Why are you helping me?"

"You're important to Theo, so you're important to me," he said simply.

All Theo's previous frustrations washed away in a flood of joy as he watched the people he loved getting along in the snow.I want to get this right so I can see them all together in every season.

His palms grew hot and then green thorny stems sprouted out through the space between his fingers. Soon, a small bush with pink camellias and white roses sat in front of him.

"Sebastian!" he called excitedly. He turned to show him, but he was alone. In fact, the entire kingdom was gone. Instead of a gate, there was just a wall made of braided green vines. He jumped to his feet and whirled around in a panic. Nothing but tall dense grass and trees appeared in the other directions. "Sebastian? Girls?"

"They can't hear you here," a low, imposing voice said.

He turned to see the being of white again. "You can speak?"

The being tilted its head and the white drained away, revealing a beautiful androgynous man with reddish brown skin the color of clay. He had long black dreads hanging down to his waist. His body was wrapped in a white cloth with edges that looked like they had been ran through a pool of rainbowwatercolor paint. "I do. I can't talk to you typically but here we can speak."

"Here?"

"Between life and death. In the corners of shadow and moonlight.

"Right," Theo said slowly, not really understanding.I don't feel dead so it's likely fine. "You're the veil, correct?"

"Correct." He walked close to Theo and looked into his eyes as if assessing him.

"Should I call you Veil?"

"You can," he said, barely listening. "You have your mother's eyes." For the first time his stoic face broke into a warm smile. "How lovely."

"You knew my parents?" he asked, trying to not show how nervous he felt to be speaking with a spirit.

"Of course," he said plainly, then stepped back. "You don't know your connection to me, do you?"

"I know I'm a nymph and I'm one of your children. I'm doing my best to learn more. Can you tell me how to end the curse?"

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