I was confused, not knowing whether she was joking or being serious. My fiancé laughed, hugged his grandmother, and told her not to scare the bride with her “old family customs.”

But there was something in the old woman’s eyes that unsettled me — like a warning.

The wedding went perfectly; I was happy and didn’t think about the vial again until I was alone in the bedroom that night. On the nightstand, beside the bouquet, stood that very same bottle. The cap was slightly open, and inside, a thick green liquid shimmered — almost as if it were alive.