Eden Forest (Part one of the Saskia Trilogy) (27 page)

a muscle. “And if we do not help, Sarajane, will you come back

to Aquaterra with us?” he asks.

“No, I will get her myself.”

He looks back at Morrick and then returns his hard gaze to

me. “I thought as much. Okay, we will help.” Relief courses

through my body. I knew I couldn’t do this alone. But Tristan

isn’t finished. “If you disobey me again, I promise you will

regret it. Understand?”

I still have to tell them about John. I can’t save both. My

voice sounds drained when I speak. “She has my father too.” I

direct this to Morrick, praying to God my words hurt him. “He

is being held in the mortal world so I have to choose between

my sister and my father.” Morrick stares at me with icy eyes,

picking up on the emphasis I put on the word father, but it isn’t

a lie. He reared me as his own, loved me. He was everything a

father should be.

Mirium has a faraway look on his face and then he snaps out

of it. “Morrick, you must go with Sarajane and help her sister. I

will go to the mortal world for her father.” He hesitates on the

last word.

“Mirium, it is only my face that can save him.”

Mirium moves to the opposite side of me, his grey eyes full

of wisdom and kindness. “Do you trust me?” I haven’t known

Mirium long, but I do trust him.

“Yes.”

He smiles gently. “I will go to the mortal and do my best to

save him.”

I just nod. It seems impossible if I’m not with him, but I focus

my mind on Jessica.

Before leaving, Mirium turns to Tristan. “Aim high.”

Tristan nods as if he understands what Mirium means.

Maybe he does.

Liber leaves with Mirium and the rest of us take off with

Tristan leading in silence. After an hour’s riding, Tristan speaks.

“What is the exact location?”

I meet Tristan’s unattached gaze. “South of the Amour Caves.

There’s a hut in Eden Forest.”

Tristan gives me a curt nod and we start moving again.

“Will it take two days to reach Eden Forest?” I ask Neve as

he rides just a little up ahead of me.

“A day, but it is a forest and we are looking for a hut so that

will take time”

“Not if we split up,” I say.

Tristan stops abruptly and turns his horse to face me.

“For once, do as you are told. No one is splitting up.” My

cheeks light up with rage. How dare he! “I am future king

and you will obey me, Sarajane Anderson.” At that he whips

the horse back around and continues riding, his back stiff

with anger. We follow. I am breathing heavy with anger.

Neve chuckles beside me. It is quiet enough so that only I

can hear.

“What’s so funny?” I don’t like being laughed at.

He clears his throat. “Nothing is funny.” He moves a little

ahead, out of my line of vision. I could bet my life a grin is still

plastered on his skinny face.

After a few hours of travelling, I start to feel exhausted. It has

been a day and a half since I’ve slept or eaten and it’s catching

up on me.

“We will stop here for a rest,” Tristan announces to us all.

We’re still in the mountains. They seem unending. But I don’t

want to waste any time.

“No, we need to find my sister.”

Tristan climbs off his horse and the rest follow suit. Morrick

seems no longer to be in charge. I wonder what happened last

night. They’ve reversed roles. Kiar comes over to help me down,

but I sit stubbornly on the horse.

“Bellona said two days.” I can hear the panic in my own

voice.

“Today is the first day,” Tristan says. Then his eyes study

my face. “And you can’t defend yourself in this state. You need

rest.”

Kiar reaches out his hand to me once again, only this time

I take it. I know Tristan is right, not that I would ever tell

him.

Kiar pulls out a bedroll and lays it down behind a large

boulder that is only a few feet away from the mountain’s edge.

I sit down on the bedroll with my knees tucked up to my chin.

Kiar sits on his haunches so we’re at eye level “How are you

holding up?” His kindness and brown eyes remind me so much

of Josh I feel I can talk to him.

“Not good, Kiar. These things keep happening that I can’t

explain, and no matter how much I push them to the back of my

mind, they always manage to push themselves forward.” I know

I’m not making much sense, but Kiar sits there patiently. “I see

colours around people. I think I made that water pour into the

caves the time Neve set it on fire. I burned a woman with my

hand, and I pushed Bellona away from me using my mind.”

That’s it. I blurt everything out.

Kiar sits for a second, staring at me. Then he smiles. “Maybe

you have lots of affinities.” His eyebrows furrow. “But we

usually have one or two.” We sit there. I don’t know what else

to say. Kiar pats my leg. “Get some rest. We will figure it out.”

“Thank you, Kiar,” I say while squeezing his hand.

“That’s what friends are for.” My face falls. Josh always said

that to me. “What’s wrong?” Alarm sounds in Kiar’s voice.

I shake my head and smile. “Nothing, Kiar. I’ll get some

rest.” I lie down.

The wind can’t get to me in my cosy little space. I don’t get to

think too long. My mind slips away into a deep sleep.

Chapter Seventeen

Saskia

(Sarajane)

W
hen I wake I’m in a pool of sweat. It’s still bright.

Pushing back my bedroll and stretching, I can smell

food. A fire is burning and a rabbit is turning above

the flame. “How did you catch a rabbit up here?” I ask Neve,

who jumps at my voice and then smiles.

“Sarajane. The forest is only an hour’s ride away so Tristan

caught dinner.”

I sit down. Tristan was nowhere in sight. Neve turns the

rabbit at regular intervals. Kiar is slumped against a large rock,

his eyelids closed, yet I don’t think he’s asleep.

“Why stop here when we’re only an hour away?” I ask Neve.

Morrick sits across from me, rubbing his face “You were

exhausted.” I don’t reply to him. I just can’t right now.

Tristan returns, looking grumpy. He never looks any other

way. He ignores me. That suits me just fine. At this stage I just

want to get my sister and go home.

The air is cold. I pull my cloak tighter around me, but it’s

shredded from my run-in with Carew and the exiles.

Morrick stirs across from me and examines my clothes

through narrowed eyes. “What happened?” he asks. For some

reason, I don’t want to tell anyone about Carew.

“I fell into a bush.” Morrick’s eyes narrow even more at my

blatant lie, but I don’t care. As if I would trust him ever again. I

return my focus to Neve. “Is the food ready yet?”

“Nearly. Would you like a leg?” My stomach turns. I know

he’s trying to be nice, but if I see the little white paws, it will

be enough to finish me altogether. My green-looking face must

portray my horror, as Neve hurries on. “Or maybe not.”

I give him a weak smile “Just the meat, no bone. Thanks.”

Neve smiles back, making him look younger. “How old are

you?”

“Nineteen, but everyone thinks I look older.” I would’ve

thought he was maybe my age, in his early twenties.

Kiar’s eyes open and a look of amusement passes over his

face. I knew he wasn’t asleep. “It’s all the lines on your face,

Neve”

Neve’s hand immediately goes to his face to check for lines.

When he feels none, he relaxes. “No, Kiar, it is because I act

older,” he says proudly with a boyish grin on his face. Kiar

laughs heartily and I can’t help but laugh with them. Neve’s

face breaks into a huge smile as he shakes his head, turning the

rabbit.

I look across at Tristan. He watches me with a serious

expression on his face. I don’t look away this time but remember

what it was like to have his lips on mine, his hands running

through my hair. He looks away.

Morrick leaves during our exchange. I can’t believe he hasn’t

even tried to apologise to me. I banter on with Neve and Kiar.

They would raise anybody’s spirits. They always seem to see the

glass as half full no matter what they’re faced with.

After our food, Morrick pulls Neve aside to speak to him

before we leave. When Neve returns, he doesn’t say anything

and we never ask. We move out. Within the hour, we reach

Eden Forest. Standing on the edge of the forest, I can see it

stretching for miles. My optimism drops to the floor. This will

be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Neve jumps off the

horse and sinks to his haunches with his hands pushed deep

into the soil.

“He has an earth affinity, but it is a level one,” Morrick says

to my confused look. But that means Neve has three affinities,

which they all say is rare. I hold my breath until he rises, rubbing

the dirt off his hands.

His face tells all before he speaks. “Nothing, sorry.” He

looks so guilty. I try to give him a reassuring smile, but I can’t

hide my disappointment.

“We move south through the forest,” Tristan says, giving us

all a pointed stare. “And move as quietly as possible.” Once his

little speech is over, we all follow behind. My heavy boots seem

to crush everything under my feet. I’m the only one making

noise. After a few hours my thighs burn from walking and

sweat soaks my tunic. My footsteps sound louder as my feet are

heavy to lift.

“We will take a break,” Morrick says, much to Tristan’s

annoyance. I don’t protest. I throw down my knapsack that

holds water and some bread and rest against a tree. Removing

my beaker of water from my knapsack, I gulp it down.

“Thirsty?” Kiar asks with an amused smile on his face. I

notice Kiar, Neve and Tristan look like they haven’t just trekked

through the forest for the last few hours. Their tunics are dry,

no sweat. At least Morrick looks a little breathless, and I mean

a little.

“Do you guys run miles every day or something?”

Neve sits down beside me. “Yes.”

Kiar laughs. “Don’t worry. Give me a few months with you

and I will whip you into shape.”

“I hope you don’t mean literally?” I give him my best mock

horror look, causing him to laugh. Looking at Kiar, it is uncanny

how, when he smiles, he looks more like Josh.

The laughing settles down. “What age is your sister?” This

is the first time anyone asks me about her, but I know Kiar is

being as gentle as possible with his words. This sobers up all my

humour, bringing me back to what I am here for.

“She is eighteen next month, but going on thirty.” Neve looks

confused, again. “I mean, she acts older than she is,” I explain.

“Oh, she is like me, then.” Kiar and I exchange amused looks

but don’t laugh. Neve just looks too sincere.

“Does Jessica have any extra abilities?” Morrick asks, nearly

making me jump. He and Tristan are always sneaking up on

me; this is something I’ll have to work on. Well, I knew they

were going to check the area, but they never made an entrance

when they returned.

“No.” I gave him a hard look. Why show any interest in her

now when before she wasn’t his concern? Neve and Kiar don’t

speak. They seem to suddenly be intrigued with the forest floor.

That means Tristan is back also.

I look up from Morrick and meet Tristan’s cold gaze as he

leans against a tree, watching us. He holds my stare as he comes

over, throwing a leather pouch on the ground while sitting

down with us. He throws each one of us an apple. “Found an

apple tree not far from here,” he tells me. I didn’t ask where the

apples came from, but it is tasty, extra sweet. Nobody speaks.

The only noise is me munching on my apple. I look at Neve and

Kiar, who haven’t taken as much as a bite.

“What’s wrong?” I spit the bite that’s left in my mouth onto

the ground. Then the world shifts. What the hell? Tristan is at

my side, holding my head, resting it on the ground. Everything

is starting to lose its colour.

“What did you do?” Morrick asks with alarm in his voice.

But Tristan just whispers in my ear. “Sorry, but it is for your

own good.”

“Tristan, you answer me!” Morrick’s voice is at a peak, but

he is swaying form side to side.

I look back at Tristan, who is still on his knees. “You bastard.”

My words are slurred as if I have drunk a brewery dry so I’m

not sure if he can make them out, and then everything is gone.

I awake with a pounding headache, my hands are tied behind

my back, and I am leaning against a tree. I open my eyes. Streaks

of sunlight break through the trees, blinding me for a second. I

lower my gaze. A pair of boots comes into view, then legs. Neve

is seated not far from me.

“I am sorry, Sarajane. Don’t be mad.” He does look sorry.

“Just untie me, Neve, and I’ll forget all this,” I say in the best

friendly voice I can muster. I will kill Tristan.

Neve looks away, conflicted. “I can’t. I have orders.”

I don’t have to ask from whom. It’s still bright so maybe I

wasn’t out long. I can still catch up, but I need my hands untied.

I sit quiet for about twenty agonising minutes and then when I

think enough time passes, I take my chance.

“I need to use the bathroom.” I give him an I’m sorry look,

but he stands, shaking his head.

“Oh no, he said you would try that.”

I growl in frustration, then regret it. “Neve, I’m fine about

this. I understand everybody is worried about my safety.” He

isn’t quite sure whether to believe me. “But I really need to go.”

I cross my legs in a really girly way, pretending I just can’t wait

much longer.

He takes a few sharp breaths through his nose. “Fine. You

have one minute.” He helps me up and unties my hands, but

never takes his eyes off me.

I put my hand on my hip and tilt my head in what I hope

looks like girly expression. “Neve, I can’t go with you looking

at me.”

He blushes slightly. “Oh yeah,” he says and turns his back

to give me privacy. I kneel down and remove the dagger from

my boot. I’m not going to hurt Neve, but I need him to believe

I will.

“Hurry up,” he says, his voice sounding anxious at having me

untied. I take two steps towards his back and hold the dagger

to his throat.

“Don’t try anything or I will kill you.”

He goes to move. “Sarajane.” But I push the blade harder

against his throat. A trickle of blood runs down his neck. He

inhales a sharp breath, his face turning red with anger.

“Now put your hands in the soil and see if you can find

them.”

“Sarajane, think about what you are doing.”

I push a little more. It’s only a knick, but I still feel horrible.

“Now, Neve.” He gets down on his knees. I move with him to

keep the dagger against his throat so he won’t try anything.

He pushes his hands into the soil and concentrates.

“Nothing,” he says. Panic rises. This is my only plan. I grab his

arm with my free hand, shaking him slightly

“Try again.” Then I’m zoomed forward at an incredible

speed through the forest. We stop at a hut. My heart is racing.

Five guards surround my sister. I watch this from above.

“Jessica,” I scream in terror, but nobody seems to hear me. She’s

covered in bruises, a swollen eye, split lip; her arm is twisted

at a horrible angle. I’m pulled from the hut. Ten men surround

the area. Oh God, it’s a trap. As I’m pulled again against my

will, I move back at an incredible speed, seeing all the treetops,

and then I slow down. Tristan, Morrick and Kiar walk slowly

with their swords drawn. Tristan’s eyes scan the area. He looks

dangerously beautiful.

And then I’m back in my body beside Neve, finding it hard

to breathe. He looks at me in shock. I twist away from him and

puke. “We have to warn them?” Neve still sits still. I shake him

by the shoulders “We need to move now, Neve.”

He comes out of his daze. “No, I have strict orders.” He

grabs my arms.

“Neve, please. They will die and you saw my sister.” The