It's a Gift

***Ares*** Forty-five miles in a car feels long, with every mile between Ophelia and me growing heavier rather than lighter. I considered going straight to Vale instead of coming home, but I know I need to see my parents. At the very least, I needed to see my mother. I wasn't sure my father would even be home. The flowers that bloomed so wildly out of season after the kiss I shared with Ophelia still line the approach to the house. Without proper sun or warmth, they look muted now, dulled, as if they await our return. The thought makes me smile despite myself. I could restore them without effort. I can feel the residue of magic clinging to the estate, lingering, and once again I do not fully understand how any of this began. Before Ophelia. Before I knew there was anything Fae in