Emilia closed the door to Raymond’s room, her mind still clouded with a mix of worry and relief. She felt a deep need to protect him, now more than ever, as she turned to her children, who looked up at her with anxious faces. She knelt down to their eye level, her expression serious.

“Listen to me, all of you,” she began, her voice firm. “I don’t ever want to see you going into the forest alone again. Do you understand me? Your father’s in so much pain because you didn’t listen to Madame Dolores’s instructions. You have to stay safe.”

Jasper, Ruby, and Diamond looked down, their faces filled...