Lyanna checked the time on her phone. It was 5 p.m., time for her grandmother, Grace, to take her medication.
"Here, Grandma," Lyanna handed Grace the pills. Grace drank them and leaned back against the pillows, smiling. "Thank you, sweetheart."
Lyanna perched on the wooden stool beside the bed. "You're gonna stare at me until I fall asleep again, aren't you?" Grace chuckled. Lyanna shrugged. "I don't mind, Grandma."
Grace sighed, watching Lyanna. "That's the problem," she said softly. "You're twenty. You should be out there getting into trouble, not stuck with old fossils."
Lyanna smiled. "I'd rather be here."
"Why don't you go to the library? Get us a good book to read. This time, you will read to me, as I read to you when you were little."
"Alright, but I'm not getting us a romance book," Lyanna said. "Surprise me," Grace responded. Lyanna nodded, then put on her jacket and boots.
She reached the library, a brick building between a flower shop and a bakery. Inside, the lights were casting shadows among the shelves. The librarian, an old woman with a grey bun and glasses, barely glanced up from her book. Lyanna wandered into the stacks, running her fingers along the spines.
At the very back, behind an old history book, something gleamed. Lyanna crouched and pulled the book out. It was heavier than it looked, covered in black leather with strange symbols on its spine. She opened it, expecting yellow pages. Instead, white sheets greeted her, completely blank except for a single sentence on the very last page: "The curious always find their way." Suddenly, another sentence appeared: "Touch the spine to enter the day that will change everything."
Lyanna hesitated, but still traced the spine. The moment she made contact, the book gleamed and disintegrated into swirling motes of light that stung her eyes. Lyanna stumbled back, her hands flying up to shield her face. When she lowered them, the library disappeared. Towering trees surrounded her. "What is this?" she whispered.
"Who are you?" The voice came from behind. Lyanna turned around. A young man stood a few steps away, his golden eyes glowing. His black hair fell past his shoulders. Pointed ears peeked through the strands. An elf.
"Where am I?" She hesitated. "Where's the library?"
The elf tilted his head, confused. "The library?" He repeated the word. "There is no library here. We are in Zia, the realm of elves. You must be from the mundane world," the elf said.
"Mundane world?" She repeated.
"Yes. But how? The barrier between realms was closed to stop the Dark elves from entering the other realms."
"I found an old book, and it sent me here," Lyanna said. The elf looked at her and nodded as if this explained everything.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"Where are my manners? I am Lupe," he said and bowed.
"I'm Lyanna. Can you help me return to my world?" she asked.
"I don't know how," he admitted. "We must speak with Queen Helia. She will tell us more. Come with me." Without hesitation, he walked deeper into the forest. Lyanna followed him.
Ahead, a throne made from living wood appeared, its branches still bearing leaves. Upon it sat a woman in a long white dress. Queen Helia's blonde hair glowed under the sunlight, her crown a circlet of intertwined vines. Her blue eyes met Lupe's with relief.
"My son," the queen breathed, rising from her throne. "You were missed at the council." Lyanna's stomach dropped. Son? Prince?
Queen Helia's gaze slid past him, landing on Lyanna. "You are not from this realm," she said. "That means only one thing. Our world is truly dying becauseof the hatred. The shadows will prevail if we don't do something. Will you help us protect both our world and yours?"
"What? How?" Lyanna asked.
"The book chose you," Lupe said. "That sentence you found? It's an ancient spell. Only a few can read it."
Lyanna's stomach twisted. "What can I do, Lupe? I'm just a human."
He stepped closer. "You're more than that. The book chose you. Maybe you, as a human, are what our realm needs to stop this war. You and I can try to reason with King Umbra. If we don't, their shadow will fall upon all other realms."
"I'll help," Lyanna said.
Queen Helia exhaled. "I will summon King Umbra here to talk," she declared, raising her hands. Glowing runes appeared in the air. They pulsed crimson before disappearing. "Umbra will arrive soon," the queen said, settling back onto her throne. Lyanna sat down. Lupe glanced at her before sinking beside her. "You look like you're about to bolt," Lyanna whispered. Lupe gave a tight smile. "Dark hair isn't welcomed here. Light elves are born with silver or gold. Mine is black. I never met my father," he admitted. "I only know he is a Dark elf since I inherited his dark hair. My mother never told me his name." A bitter chuckle escaped him. "For years, everyone made fun of my bloodline. Now I'm supposed to make peace for the ones who never accepted me."
Lyanna held his hand. Your mother's light is in you, strong enough to hold the dark without disappearing. Isn't that proof enough? You're a bridge between light and dark."
"Everyone calls it corruption," he whispered, his shoulders relaxing.
"We both know it's not. We will make King Umbra see that your people can live together," Lyanna said.
The ground trembled. Queen Helia stood up. "He is here."
From the smoke, a figure emerged in a dark robe. It was King Umbra with dark hair and crimson eyes burning. Two dark elves stood behind him, their gazes locking onto Lupe with revulsion.
"We haven't seen each other for years, Helia," Umbra said. "You wanted to talk about an important matter concerning our world."
Helia nodded toward Lupe and Lyanna. Lupe straightened and stepped forward. "King Umbra, the hatred between our people is..."
One of Umbra's guards snorted, cutting him off. "What would a half-blood know of our people?" The other chuckled. Lupe faltered, his shoulders stiffening, but before he could retreat, Lyanna shoved past him. "You're right. He doesn't know your people. He only knows his, the ones who spat on him for existing. Funny how you're all so quick to mock the one person here actually trying to fix things." The guard's grin vanished. Umbra's gaze flicked to her, slow and appraising. "Lupe didn't ask to be born from two races. But he's still standing here, trying to help. Meanwhile, you're just standing there proving why this hatred is choking your realms to death."
"You speak wisely, human girl," Umbra said. "You claim to understand our divide? You, who stepped into this world mere hours ago?"
"I don't need centuries to see what's right in front of me," Lyanna said firmly. "You're all so busy hating each other that you haven't noticed your realms dying. Lupe," she gestured to him without looking away from Umbra, " is proof that both kinds can coexist. His mother is Light. His father was Dark. And yet here he stands, whole."
Umbra's crimson eyes locked on Lupe. "Who is your father? We know of no dark elf who fathered a light-born child."
Queen Helia stepped forward then, her hand resting on Lupe's shoulder. "Because I never told you," she said softly. "Twenty years ago, after you left this court and me, Lupe was born. Our son."
Umbra went utterly still. The gold bleeding into his crimson eyes, making them darker than Lupe's, but undeniably the same. "You kept this from me," he whispered.
"Would you have let him live if you knew? Our soldiers were still fighting. Your generals called for the extermination of all Light elves." Umbra's gaze fell on Lupe.
"I would never hurt you," Umbra said. "Or my son." Lyanna watched Lupe. He swallowed hard, his golden eyes gleaming.
"Then if you would never hurt them, why do you hurt other elves? You can all live in peace. Like you did before." Lyanna's voice was steady.
Umbra blinked, nodded, and took a step toward Lupe. "You have your mother's defiant eyes. All these years, and I never knew."
Umbra pulled him into an embrace, not the formal one, but the crushing grip. "My son," he breathed. Lupe hugged back.
When Umbra finally released him, he turned to Lyanna. "Thank you for opening my eyes."
"I'm glad I could help," Lyanna said.
Lupe walked toward her and hugged her. She could feel his heartbeat. "Thank you, Lyanna," he murmured into her hair. You helped us end the war and unite my family. You are my best friend." Lyanna held him tighter.
Umbra nudged Helia gently. "They look good together," Helia chuckled.
Lyanna pulled back from Lupe, unaware of the two monarchs observing them, her cheeks flushed pink. Lupe grinned at her, his golden eyes bright. Then, like a splash of cold water, Lyanna remembered her grandma. "Oh god. I have to get back. My grandmother needs me."
"What's wrong?" Lupe asked softly.
"She's sick and alone. And if I don't get back in time..." Her voice cracked. She didn't need to finish. Lupe's expression shifted from confusion to understanding. "Then I'm coming with you," he said. Lyanna blinked. "What?"
"I'll go with you. Elves know healing magic. I can help."
"There is always a price for using magic outside our realm," Umbra said. "Are you certain?"
"Most definitely." Lupe's fingers curled tighter around Lyanna's. "You don't have to," Lyanna whispered. Her chest ached at the thought of her grandma being sick. But the idea of Lupe paying some unknown price?
"You helped me. Let me help you now." His grin was sudden and disarming. "Besides, we are best friends, and that's what friends do."
Queen Helia brought the black leather book, the same one Lyanna had touched in the library.
"Hold it together," Helia instructed, pressing the book into their hands. "Take care of each other," she added gently. Lyanna and Lupe nodded. The moment they touched the spine, the forest dissolved into streaks of gold. Their boots hit the library's floor with a thud. Lupe glanced at the rows of books. "So this is the library you mentioned earlier."
"Keep your voice down," she whispered, putting the book into her jacket. Lupe complied. Lyanna led him toward the exit.
Lupe inhaled as they stepped outside. "It smells like... burnt metal and sugar?"
Lyanna grinned. "That's the bakery and car exhaust."
Lyanna noticed the time on the clock above the bank: 6:00 p.m. She had spent the entire day with Lupe in Zia, but only one hour in the human world. Amazing.
They reached Lyanna's house. The front door groaned when Lyanna opened it. Lupe followed her into Grace's room. She was asleep. He knelt beside the bed and whispered something in Elvish, his palms hovering above Grace's face. Golden light spilled from his fingertips, and colour slowly returned to her skin. Then Lupe gasped. The light flared around him.
Lyanna flinched. Where Lupe had been, a black wolf now sat on the rug. Golden eyes, familiar eyes, locked on hers. Lupe leaned on her. "Don't worry. I'll regain my true form with the first full moon," his voice echoed in her mind. Lyanna smiled and wrapped her arms around him.
Grandmother Grace woke up feeling stronger than before and sat on her bed surprisingly easily.
"What happened? Lyanna, I thought you went to the library, not an animal shelter."
"Grandma, this is Lupe. Lupe, this is my grandma."
Grace extended her hand toward the wolf. Lupe gently pressed his nose into her palm. "Well, he's certainly a polite wolf."
"He's special," Lyanna chuckled. Lupe huffed and rolled his eyes.
"Lyanna, did something magical happen at the library?" Grandma asked, somehow knowing with her whole body that she was magically cured.
Lyanna exhaled: "You have no idea. It was a day that changed everything."