Giana did not believe her husband would abandon her. She stayed in the small fishing village where they had married, waiting for him.
She waited for five years, never leaving.
In the end, she only received news of her husband’s death, without even a body to mourn.
The messenger brought only one sentence: her husband had been killed by a Chulae, and the murderer was also dead.
Upon hearing this, Sam’s heart sank, and he understood everything.
Giana’s silent tears brought his memories back to those days of fleeing.
…
Five years ago, on Dragon Serpent Isle.
Gregory, with his only love Gracie and their precious son Sam, hid in the rainforest.
They were surrounded by Chulae forces and besieged by wild beasts and poisonous insects in the jungle.
Their group of over a hundred dwindled until only the core fighters remained.
Fewer than ten survived.
Some brothers died from enemy bullets, others from snake bites or poison. Some even starved to death.
Sam himself was bitten by a Blue-ringed serpent and was on the brink of death.
To save him, Gregory used his treasured life-saving charm-Ice Worm Magic.
After taking the Ice Worm Magic, Sam’s poison was neutralized, but he was left with a lifelong fear of cold.
The rainforest’s hot days and cold nights became a natural torture for him.
During their escape, they dared not light a fire at night for fear of revealing their location through smoke.
So every night, his father and Gracie would cover him with their clothes.
Gracie would hold him in her arms and sing lullabies from his childhood.
…
In Gracie’s gentle singing, Sam seemed to dream again.
In his dream, he returned to his childhood, playing games with Kelvin and his sister Stella.
They played happily together.
Suddenly, the sky darkened with clouds, and it looked like it would rain heavily.
Sam had always been afraid of thunderstorms. The constant thunder outside scared him into hiding in a corner, covering his ears.
Kelvin noticed him.
“Are you afraid of thunder?”
In the darkness, he heard a concerned voice beside him:
“Yes.”
“I’ve been afraid of thunder for a long time.”
Kelvin did not laugh at him but extended a slender hand towards him.
“Don’t be afraid. Hold my hand. I’ll take you out.”
“We should go home; Stella will worry about you.”
The hand was within reach. Grabbing it would lead him out of fear and back home.
Just as he reached out to grab Kelvin’s hand, he woke up!
“No, don’t leave me alone… Kelvin, I’m afraid of thunder.”
Feeling the person in her arms trembling, Gracie held him tighter and called his name anxiously:
“Sam! Sam, what’s wrong?”
She hadn’t misheard; Sam had called out “Kelvin.”
There could only be one Kelvin-her other son.
Thinking of him brought mixed feelings to Gracie’s heart.
She felt relief and guilt…
Relief that Kelvin now had Cheyenne and a newborn child, making a happy family of three.
In contrast, Sam had nothing but her.
Guilt that she had failed as a mother in this life.
If they could be mother and son again in another life, Gracie vowed to make it up to Kelvin.
For now, she could only protect Sam with her last breath while she still lived.
Gregory woke up after a short nap. He was supposed to keep watch during the first half of the night but had fallen asleep after three sleepless days and nights. Fortunately, no enemies had found them yet.
However, reality was not so kind; Sam had developed a high fever.
“He’s burning up. What should we do?”
Gracie touched Sam’s forehead. It was scorching hot, like touching boiling water.
“If this continues, it won’t be good. Sam’s body is fluctuating between hot and cold due to the Ice Worm Magic’s backlash.”
“The only solution now is to use Falling Petals to remove the cold from his body and then find a way to warm him up.”
There were no hot springs in the rainforest; otherwise, soaking in one would be ideal.
Lighting a fire now would reveal their location.
Their eyes met, understanding each other’s thoughts without words.
For Sam’s safety, they had no choice.
Gracie had another concern. She grabbed Gregory’s arm tightly.
“Gregory, but… where can we find Falling Petals?”
She had never even heard of such a flower. In the past, she could have paid someone to find it for her. But now, stranded in the wilderness, where could they look?
Gregory patted her shoulder reassuringly and said softly, “Don’t worry. Leave it to me.”
“I read about Falling Petals in ‘The Art of Magic.’ They grow in damp forests, absorbing dew at night and blooming before sunrise.”
“The flowers are as transparent as ice crystals and melt away when the sun comes up.”
“Because of this magical trait, they’re called ‘Falling Petals.’ I saw one near the pond where we rested yesterday.”
Hearing that there were Falling Petals nearby relieved Gracie.
“Alright, I’ll go with you to pick them.”
Sam was too ill to move. They would have to leave him here temporarily.
Gregory refused Gracie’s request to accompany him.
Going back meant risking encounters with enemies and facing the pond’s ferocious piranhas.
“No need. You stay here with Sam.”
“But…”
Despite all the dangers they had faced over the years, even fleeing to Dragon Serpent Isle together, they had never been apart.
Now Gregory was just going to pick a flower, yet Gracie felt an overwhelming sense of unease.
It felt like she might lose him forever.
Time had passed; they were no longer young.
Gregory looked at Gracie in her red dress. She was still so beautiful and vibrant… like a begonia flower that made his heart race.
He couldn’t help but hold her like he used to, gently running his warm hand through her hair with affection.
“You’re a mother now. How can you still be so clingy?”
“Don’t worry. For you and Sam, I’ll be fine.”
“I promised you I’d take you traveling to see all the world’s sights.”
…
Hearing these familiar words brought tears to Gracie’s eyes. Her silent tears soaked her clothes, leaving darker patches where they fell.
“I didn’t think you’d remember…”
It was her wish on her eighteenth birthday. Gregory had promised to fulfill it someday.
But everything changed later on.
He suddenly married another woman, burying that promise along with it.
Gracie thought he must have forgotten after all this time. She never expected him to remember.
Gregory looked at Gracie with deep affection. In his heart, her place had never changed.
No matter how many women he slept with, none could compare to Gracie’s importance.
The others were toys; she was his life!
“Of course I remember. I also remember your first drawing lesson when you drew me.”
He had kept that drawing in his wallet all these years.
Gracie almost forgot about her first drawing lesson when Gregory found her. She was thirteen years old then.
He had pulled her back from death’s door, sent her to school, taught her various things, showing her that life was more than just survival.
Those five years they spent together were the happiest of Gracie’s life.
“Gregory, I love you.”
Ignoring everyone else around them, Gracie stood on tiptoe to wrap her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately.
Her heartfelt confession came so fiercely that Gregory held her waist tightly and deepened the kiss.
“I love you too.”
“Promise me you’ll come back.”
“I promise.”