After a disappointing call with Fiona, Ashleigh was left feeling bitter.
She had gotten her hopes up after her trip to Lily’s Rest with Myka. For a moment, she thought she had finally found an answer. But that hope was taken from her almost immediately.
Fiona told Ashleigh she had visited the garden shortly after returning to Summer. Instead of the peaceful and beautiful place where she had always sought refuge, she found a grove of death and decay. All the plant life in the area was dead, and even the grass had been affected.
Without knowing the cause, they cleared the area in case it might spread into the forest. Then, they burned away the dead plants and tilled the earth.
Ashleigh was angry. She yelled at Fiona, saying that she should have been consulted. Fiona was quiet and patient. She even apologized for not thinking to call Ashleigh about it.
