In the castle library, a heavy bookshelf stood at the very end of the longest aisle. No one ever reached that far.
The young princess squeezed behind it and her fingers brushed something cold — a rolled-up map wrapped in silver string. She unfolded it and the ink shimmered.
That's the enchanted forest, she whispered. The map hummed back.
She followed the glowing map through the enchanted forest. Trees with silver leaves whispered above her, and mushrooms tickled her ankles.
She found a moon stag lying in a hollow. A dark scratch marked its flank. She pulled a ribbon from her hair and wrapped it tight.
The stag lifted its head. Its eyes were full of starlight.
A creeping shadow spilled across the forest floor. The stag stumbled backward. Elira grabbed its mane.
She pulled it toward a ring of glowing stones at the center of the clearing. The shadow lunged forward, and the stag collapsed.
She stood alone between the shadow and the stag. Her small hands clenched into fists. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
She stepped forward. A bright gold light burst from her chest and washed over the shadow like morning sun.
The shadow melted away with a soft hiss. The stag's scratch vanished.
The next morning, every servant in the castle courtyard waved as she passed. From the forest edge, the moon stag watched — then bowed its head when she smiled and raised her hand.