章 42: The Prodigious Nim, Part Eleven

{Margaret} 

Margaret sat in Javir's lush garden, the soft grass cushioning her as she gave Hazel a lap pillow. 

Seven-year-old Hazel listened intently as Margaret read her favorite bedtime story. 

"And then, the brave princess ventured deep into the enchanted forest," Margaret read. "She followed the path of glowing mushrooms!"

Hazel gasped, her small hands gripping the edge of the storybook.

"Did she find the magic crystal? The one that would break the curse on the kingdom?"

Margaret had to physically restrain herself from giggling.

"She did! The princess faced many challenges along the way, but she never gave up. Because she believed in herself and the power of her dreams."

As Margaret turned the pages, her hand slowed down, freezing with one page in between her fingers. 

Her mind drifted to the incredible journey her family had been on.