Chapter 1

I was the last guardian of the Spring of Life among the elven kind.

My blood could heal any wound; the spring water touched by my fingertips could make withered trees bloom.

But now I can't remember anything.

My legs are ruined. My memories are shattered. My power is gone.

I lie in a strange bed, curtains drawn tight, and the scent of humans seeping through the door makes me want to flee.

But I can't escape.

I have no feeling below my knees.

An elf's legs are meant to walk on moonlight—but now they're like two dead logs.

A man sits by the bed, a human noble's crest embroidered on his collar.

His name is Aldric Grey.

He says he is my husband.

"You were in an accident," he says, taking my hand. "You don't remember. That's all right. I'll take care of you."

I believed him.

Because I truly remembered nothing.

Only later did I learn that on the day the Spring of Life ran dry, my power was drained and poured into another woman's body.

Aldric married me, tricked me into channeling the spring to his wife, and then pushed me into that car crash.

Lydia Grey—Aldric's lawful wife.

She was ill, gravely ill.

He made me believe I was his wife—but I was only his tool.

I gave her the spring's power. She recovered. And I became a cripple who remembered nothing.

Aldric stayed by my hospital bed every day, applying medicine, feeding me, teaching me to recognize people.

He held me and cried, saying he would never leave me again.

I clutched a stuffed toy and asked him: "Are you my father?"

His eyes reddened as he answered: "I'm your husband."

But every time Lydia called, he would step out of the room.

Once he forgot to hang up, and I heard him say:

"As long as she never remembers, we can be together forever."

I didn't understand what that meant then.

Later I did.

He was afraid I would recover my memories—afraid I'd remember everything about the day of the crash.

So he trained me into a child who only waited for him.

Made me dependent on him. Made it impossible for me to leave.

And he himself—he lived his life with another woman.

Lydia gave birth to a child.

She said: "I'd like the three of us to go see the sunrise at the seaside. Is that all right?"

Aldric glanced at me, playing with building blocks, and agreed.

He told me: "If you're hungry, open the fridge. If you're thirsty, drink water."

Then they closed the door and left me alone in the house.

He thought it was just an ordinary outing.

He didn't know—it was the last time he'd ever see me.