Dahlia and the Garden of Light - Chapter 34: Chapter 34
You are reading Dahlia and the Garden of Light, Chapter 34: Chapter 34. Read more chapters of Dahlia and the Garden of Light.
The wind picked up just as Dahlia laid her hands on Derek’s chest. He was shaking, more with fear than fever now, but she met his eyes calmly.
“I don’t want it,” he said. “I don’t want anything from you.”
“You don’t have to want it,” she said gently. “But I’m your sister. And I want you to be well.”
As her hands pressed lightly against him, the soft shimmer of golden light bloomed between her fingers and the boy’s skin. Around them, petals unfurled from the mossy floor, even in the cracks of the boarded-up safehouse. Dahlia closed her eyes.
It didn’t hurt. Not anymore. The healing flowed through her like sunlight through glass — warm, clear, whole.
When it was done, Derek opened his mouth to protest again — but his voice caught. His breathing was smooth. The tightness in his chest was gone. He sat up, stunned, clutching his ribs.
“…That’s not possible.”
“I know,” she whispered. “But you’re not alone anymore.”
Footsteps thundered outside. Amy appeared in the doorway, breathless. “They found us.”
From beyond the trees, the shadows moved — tall figures in suits, armed but not loud. Government. Private. Antonio had seen their kind before.
Within seconds, Antonio and Christian were out front, Eliot covering the rear. Theo moved to shield Amy with practiced speed.
Then their mother — Dahlia and Derek’s mother — stepped in front of both children. Her eyes, once warm, now locked onto Antonio’s with steel.
“You knew they’d come,” Antonio growled.
“I hoped they wouldn’t.”
“You led them here.”
“I led myself here,” she snapped. “They followed.”
Antonio raised a hand, signaling the others to hold position. “So they’re here for her. For both of them.”
She didn’t deny it.
Markus came to Dahlia’s side quietly. “We can still extract. There’s a path through the south edge.”
“She’s not going anywhere,” Antonio said.
Dahlia looked between them — her family on one side, her mother and newly healed brother on the other. Her heart cracked open and kept cracking.
Behind them, Derek began to whistle.
Birds responded first — a flood of starlings bursting from the trees. Then came foxes. Raccoons. A wild deer, breaking from the brush. The animals moved in chaotic harmony, stirred by something ancient and soft.
“He’s calling them,” Amy said, backing up. “He’s using them to—”
“Run!” their mother shouted, grabbing Derek’s hand.
Antonio reached forward. “Dahlia—!”
But Dahlia didn’t run from them.
She ran with them.
She reached for Derek’s hand. “You don’t have to be scared. I’m with you.”
He hesitated — but this time, he didn’t pull away.
The animals surged as a living wall of distraction. Chaos bloomed like thunder through the woods.
Antonio pushed forward, yelling to the others. “Do not pursue! Regroup at the ridge! Markus—stand down!”
But Markus had already gone. Into the treeline, eyes sharp, tracking—but not chasing.
Smoke from a triggered flare clouded the forest edge. In the blur, Dahlia looked back. Just once. Long enough to see her father’s figure disappear behind the cover of trees. His jaw clenched, his eyes unreadable.
And then they were gone.
“I don’t want it,” he said. “I don’t want anything from you.”
“You don’t have to want it,” she said gently. “But I’m your sister. And I want you to be well.”
As her hands pressed lightly against him, the soft shimmer of golden light bloomed between her fingers and the boy’s skin. Around them, petals unfurled from the mossy floor, even in the cracks of the boarded-up safehouse. Dahlia closed her eyes.
It didn’t hurt. Not anymore. The healing flowed through her like sunlight through glass — warm, clear, whole.
When it was done, Derek opened his mouth to protest again — but his voice caught. His breathing was smooth. The tightness in his chest was gone. He sat up, stunned, clutching his ribs.
“…That’s not possible.”
“I know,” she whispered. “But you’re not alone anymore.”
Footsteps thundered outside. Amy appeared in the doorway, breathless. “They found us.”
From beyond the trees, the shadows moved — tall figures in suits, armed but not loud. Government. Private. Antonio had seen their kind before.
Within seconds, Antonio and Christian were out front, Eliot covering the rear. Theo moved to shield Amy with practiced speed.
Then their mother — Dahlia and Derek’s mother — stepped in front of both children. Her eyes, once warm, now locked onto Antonio’s with steel.
“You knew they’d come,” Antonio growled.
“I hoped they wouldn’t.”
“You led them here.”
“I led myself here,” she snapped. “They followed.”
Antonio raised a hand, signaling the others to hold position. “So they’re here for her. For both of them.”
She didn’t deny it.
Markus came to Dahlia’s side quietly. “We can still extract. There’s a path through the south edge.”
“She’s not going anywhere,” Antonio said.
Dahlia looked between them — her family on one side, her mother and newly healed brother on the other. Her heart cracked open and kept cracking.
Behind them, Derek began to whistle.
Birds responded first — a flood of starlings bursting from the trees. Then came foxes. Raccoons. A wild deer, breaking from the brush. The animals moved in chaotic harmony, stirred by something ancient and soft.
“He’s calling them,” Amy said, backing up. “He’s using them to—”
“Run!” their mother shouted, grabbing Derek’s hand.
Antonio reached forward. “Dahlia—!”
But Dahlia didn’t run from them.
She ran with them.
She reached for Derek’s hand. “You don’t have to be scared. I’m with you.”
He hesitated — but this time, he didn’t pull away.
The animals surged as a living wall of distraction. Chaos bloomed like thunder through the woods.
Antonio pushed forward, yelling to the others. “Do not pursue! Regroup at the ridge! Markus—stand down!”
But Markus had already gone. Into the treeline, eyes sharp, tracking—but not chasing.
Smoke from a triggered flare clouded the forest edge. In the blur, Dahlia looked back. Just once. Long enough to see her father’s figure disappear behind the cover of trees. His jaw clenched, his eyes unreadable.
And then they were gone.
End of Dahlia and the Garden of Light Chapter 34. Continue reading Chapter 35 or return to Dahlia and the Garden of Light book page.