My Awe

THE FALL AND THE SECRET

Chapter Two

The morning mist still clung to the branches of the forest when Zeiya slipped quietly from the house. Her younger sister, Kixa, followed close behind, her laughter like a bell in the silence. The two of them often stole away to the woods in the early hours, when the world was still waking. Zeiya admired how the light touched Kixa’s caramel skin, how her hair caught the sun. People often said that if Zeiya was the most beautiful girl in the community, Kixa was the only one who came close. Sometimes Zeiya felt guilty for the stares they received, as if beauty were a curse they never asked for.

Kixa plucked a flower and tucked it behind Zeiya’s ear. “You always look like you belong to another world,” she said with childlike admiration.

Zeiya smiled faintly, but her thoughts were heavy. “If only belonging to another world meant we could be free,” she whispered. Kixa tilted her head, too young to understand the weight of her sister’s words.

Later that day, while fetching water from the stream, Zeiya lingered near the edge of her uncle Varin’s home. She heard voices—her brother Mian and Uncle Varin speaking in hushed tones.

“The king’s men search every village,” Varin muttered. “They say he hungers for the gifted ones again. If he learns of her—”

“He won’t,” Mian interrupted sharply. “Father has kept her safe this long. I will keep her safe too.”

Zeiya’s heart skipped. She knew they spoke of her. For years she had sensed the secrets her parents carried, but hearing it confirmed filled her with unease. Why was she so dangerous? What was it inside her that had to be hidden?

Trying to quiet her mind, Zeiya wandered deeper into the woods, farther than she usually dared. The air smelled of pine and damp earth, the canopy whispering above her. She was lost in thought when her foot caught a root. Pain shot up her leg as she fell hard against the forest floor.

“Are you alright?” a voice called.

Through the haze of pain, Zeiya looked up to see a girl about her age kneeling beside her. She had lively brown eyes and a face that radiated warmth. Zeiya winced, clutching her leg.

“You’re hurt,” the girl said, slipping an arm under Zeiya’s shoulders. “Come on, I’ll take you to Mama Anavami. She’ll know what to do.”

Zeiya hesitated—her family always warned her to trust no one—but something about the stranger’s smile felt safe. “What’s your name?” she asked.

“Alyana,” the girl replied. “And you?”

“Zeiya.”

The name seemed to spark recognition in Alyana’s eyes, but she said nothing.

They reached a small hut tucked beneath towering oaks. The scent of herbs and smoke drifted through the air. Inside, an old woman with sharp eyes and long silver braids waited. Mama Anavami studied Zeiya the moment she entered, her gaze piercing.

“Sit her down,” the healer commanded. Alyana eased Zeiya onto a low stool. Mama Anavami’s hands, gnarled with age, pressed lightly against Zeiya’s ankle. A warmth spread through Zeiya’s body, different from pain.

“You carry more than a wound, child,” Mama Anavami murmured. Her eyes narrowed, seeing beyond flesh. “Your blood hums with power.”

Zeiya stiffened. Alyana glanced between them, puzzled.

“What do you mean?” Zeiya asked, voice trembling.

Mama Anavami only smiled, a knowing smile that sent a chill down Zeiya’s spine. “You are not ready to hear it all. But remember this when the time comes, the world will need your strength.”

That night, Zeiya lay restless on her bed. Her ankle still ached, but it was nothing compared to the storm in her mind. Her sister’s innocent laughter, her brother’s whispered vows, her uncle’s fear, Alyana’s kindness, and the healer’s haunting words all tangled inside her.

She stared at the shadows on the ceiling and thought: If they all know something about me, why am I the only one left in the dark?

The secret was no longer just her family’s burden—it was her own. And deep inside, Zeiya knew her life was about to change.