Authors: Colleen Helme
“You’re right, but what if they’re... not there?” She couldn’t say dead, even though it was what she meant.
“I suppose it’s a possibility. Do you want to keep going?”
With a deep sigh, she nodded. “Of course. It’s just hard. This blight feels wrong. I don’t think my people would do this, but I don’t know. I want to find them, but going through this makes me nervous.”
“Then we’ll just have to be careful.” Bran scanned the landscape and pointed. “See that outcropping of rocks in the distance?” She nodded, but it was so far away that she could barely make it out. “We’ll head for that. Maybe we’ll see something from there.”
“All right,” she agreed.
“I want you to have this.” Bran pulled a short sword from his saddlebags. “Do you know how to use it?”
“Are you serious? I wasn’t allowed anywhere near something as lethal as that. My weapon is my voice, I don’t need anything else.”
“You’re probably right, but since I don’t have that luxury, I’m not going to take any chances.” Bran strapped the sword to his back and then took out another belt that held a weapon Teya had never seen before.
“What’s that?”
“This is a gun.” He held it out so she could see it and opened the chamber. “You put bullets in here and when you pull the trigger, the mechanism will fire the bullet out of the barrel. Depending on how good your aim is, you can hit something at least fifty feet away, maybe more.”
“Okay. How good are you at shooting that?”
“I’m not bad.” His lips quirked up in a smile. “But if anything should happen to me…”
“No,” she said, inhaling sharply. “Nothing’s going to happen. Between the two of us, we’ll be fine.”
“Good, because I think you’re right. There is something strange here, and it makes me uneasy.” He loaded the gun, then settled the holster around his waist and cinched the belt. Ready, he glanced at her with grim determination. “Let’s go.”
As they started through the dead trees, Teya kept her senses alert. Once or twice she caught a flicker of movement, but when she looked, nothing was there. She jerked at the sound of loose gravel behind them, but still saw nothing. “I think something’s following us.”
“Keep going,” Bran said. “Stay focused on the rocks. If we get separated, head for them.”
“No,” Teya disagreed with alarm. “We should stay together.”
“If I have to fight,” Bran argued. “The least you can do is stay out of my way. I don’t want to shoot you by mistake.”
“Fine,” she said. Picking up on the tension, the horses began to pull on their reins, prancing with alarm. In an effort to calm them, she hummed a tune. Immediately, the threat diminished and she swallowed with relief.
She kept up the tune until they reached the shelter of rocks. Needing a break, she stopped humming to take a drink of water for her dry throat. “Is it safe to rest here for a few minutes?”
He nodded, but the muscles around his eyes tightened. “Maybe we should stay here for the night.”
“Why? Is it that late already?”
“No, but…take a look at that.” He pointed back the way they had come. The gray twilight was enveloped in a dark mist that slowly crept toward them. Behind that, huge dark clouds followed. It looked like a terrible storm, getting bigger with each passing moment.
Transfixed by the sheer enormity of it, Teya could hardly tear her eyes away. As it neared, a faint breeze carried the echoes of a low moan and the stench of decay. It came closer, and the dark mist coalesced into the form of a body that seemed to fall apart and come together in a horrible aberration of a man. Then an inhuman cry shook her to the bone.
“Oh no!” Teya cried. Her heart raced with fear. “We have to make a run for it! We’ve got to get out of here!”
“What is it?”
“It’s a demon of death! And it’s coming straight for us!”
Teya urged her horse into a gallop and glanced over her shoulder. Pure horror filled her chest. The dark form raced closer, gathering speed. An unearthly howl came toward them sounding hungry for living flesh. She kicked at her horse in panic, needing every second of swiftness it could give. On her left, Bran shouted something, but she couldn’t understand what he said.
She scanned the horizon for signs of her home, but found nothing to relieve her fear. How were they going to escape? Bran shouted and veered further to the left. Teya strained to keep up and was almost knocked off her horse by a blackened tree limb. She kept her head down and thundered on. The light faded into gray shadows, and it was hard to see Bran ahead of her. Using all her concentration, she focused on his back and hoped he knew where he was going.
An eerie quiet settled over her, the only warning that the mist was at her heels. A cold tendril of shadow touched her back and she flinched, but couldn’t get away. It slowly crept up her spine and icy fingers caressed her cheek. She jerked her head away, shaking it off. The mist withdrew and she took a quick breath before it came at her again. This time, the shadow penetrated into her back and she gasped in pain.
Her horse floundered in terror, and she lost sight of Bran. As the burning pain entered her chest she heard a high whistle. It sounded like reeds blowing in the wind. All at once, the pain lessened and she was able to breathe again. Focusing with all her senses, she sang the exact same tones she heard. Immediately, the darkness recoiled, freeing her.
Giddy with relief, she searched for Bran and found him a short distance away slumped over his horse, his lips tinged with blue and his skin gray. The mist receded as she approached with her song, and Bran gasped in a deep breath. His dark eyes fluttered open and he tried to sit up.
Teya reached to steady him and stopped singing to catch her breath, but the mist came back with a vengeance. She quickly took up the tones again, and grabbed Bran’s arm, using all her strength to hold him upright until his strength returned. After a few deep breaths, he nodded and she let go. With Bran safe at her side, she prodded her horse toward the whistling tones she heard in the distance.
All at once, the mist thickened into a solid wall around them, but she tried not to panic. Closing her eyes, she concentrated hard, knowing their only hope to survive meant finding the source of the music. At last, a faint breeze carried the tones to her once again, and she jerked her horse toward the sound. Bran nodded to hear them, finally understanding her intent.
As they got closer to the tones, the darkness thinned in front of them, then disappeared altogether. What she had imagined as reeds were actually pipes, turned to catch the wind and placed on a wooden stand. About ten feet in both directions, more pipes formed a barrier against the mist. With a cry of relief, she and Bran surged between them to safety. Gasping in huge breaths, Teya slid off her horse and fell to her knees.
A sudden moaning shriek surged from the darkness toward them. In response, Teya’s horse reared in fright, jerking from her grasp and galloping away. As the darkness swirled into a churning mass of turbid malevolence, Teya jumped to her feet, only to shrink back in horror from the small tendrils of mist that crept forward between the pipes to reach her.
Instinctively, Teya lashed out with her song. The mist jerked back as if stung. Seeing this, she strengthened her tones. The darkness hung in the air for a few moments, then suddenly disappeared into the dead countryside.
Taking huge breaths, Teya swayed. Bran came to her side, his breath shallow and uneven. “That thing almost had us,” he said. “For a minute there, I thought I was dead.”
“I know...me too.” Her trembling legs barely held her up. Bran caught her and they clung to each other as the shock of their narrow escape washed over them. With Bran’s firm arms around her, Teya’s trembling subsided. Finally calm enough to notice her surroundings, she pulled away in astonishment.
“Look at that,” she exclaimed. “It’s grass.” The green carpet began a few feet beyond the barrier of pipes and continued up a slope. Now that the darkness was gone, the orange and yellow rays of the setting sun cast golden light across the land.
“There...in the distance,” Bran said, pointing past the slope. “There are trees, lots of them.” More golden light gathered on the tips of the trees and Teya’s breath caught with excitement.
“That must be the grove,” she said. “The pipes are the handiwork of my people. They have to be here.”
They scrambled up the slope and the vista opened up to a scene of green grass covering the rolling countryside. At the center, stood a magnificent stand of trees, glowing in the last rays of sunset. The grove’s beauty overwhelmed her, but also seemed so small compared to what she remembered. Was this all that remained of the grove and her people?
They found the horses munching contentedly on the green grass, and quickly mounted, urging them toward the trees. As the sun set, the golden light went with it, leaving them in gray twilight. It didn’t take long before they closed in on the trees and found them spread out over a small valley. Nearby, a stream gurgled, but it was the glow of a light inside a small cottage that sent Teya’s heart racing.
She grabbed Bran’s arm and pointed. “Can you see the cottage? Someone’s there!” She didn’t wait for a reply, but urged her mount through the trees. She quickly dismounted and ran to the cottage door, throwing it open.
“Hello?” she shouted. “Is anyone here?” No one answered and she hoped she hadn’t scared them off. She glanced at the simple furnishings, but found nothing familiar. “I don’t mean any harm. Please come out.”
A rustling of hooves marked Bran’s arrival and she hurried back out. “Did you see anyone?”
He shook his head. “Not a soul.”
“Where do you think they’ve gone?”
“Uh...not far,” Bran said quietly, and nodded toward a tree behind her.
Teya twisted around and her breath caught. “Grandmother?” A small woman with long white hair and a surprisingly unlined face stepped into the light. She wore a simple gown of white muslin and her bearing was as regal as a queen. Her azure eyes grew bright with unshed tears.
“Teya?”
“Grandma!” Teya flew into her grandmother’s welcoming arms. Tears ran unchecked down her face and soon she sobbed uncontrollably. Grief for all she’d lost and suffered warred with the joy of seeing her grandmother again.
Her grandmother held her close. “There now, it’s over,” she said in a soothing voice, shedding tears of her own.
Teya breathed in the familiar scent of lavender and sage that was her grandmother. It quieted her ravaged heart, and brought peace to her soul. The tears slowed and she took a deep breath, then pulled away to gaze into her grandmother’s eyes.
“Let me look at you,” her grandmother said. “You’ve grown into a beautiful woman. Just like your mother.” They embraced again and Teya held onto her like a lifeline. A few moments later, her grandmother pulled away. “That’s enough crying for now. Please…we’ve been terribly rude.” She motioned toward Bran. “Introduce me to your friend. I think all of these tears have made him uncomfortable.”
Before Bran could say otherwise, Teya made the introductions. “This is Bran. He rescued me. He’s the reason I’m here.”
Her grandmother took Bran’s hands into her own. “Please, call me Leona. I owe you more than words can say. If there is anything you wish that is in my power to grant, it is yours.”
Bran graciously bowed his head. “Thank you. I’m just glad we made it here alive.”
“That’s right,” Teya agreed. “What’s going on? What was that out there?”
“It is a long story,” Leona said, pursing her lips. “But one that you must know.” She hummed a few notes and a small globe of light appeared in the palm of her hand. “Come with me.”
She led them deeper into the trees than Teya thought possible, but instead of coming out on the other side, the forest seemed to expand. The trail continued until the woods opened into a natural clearing. In the center, an immense tree towered over them.
The trunk was several feet wide. Bending her neck all the way back, Teya still couldn’t see the top. From its roots, a small spring bubbled up, sending water into a pool. Soft, velvety grass surrounded the pool. A beautiful wooden table and chairs sat off to one side with a pitcher and crystal goblets on top.
“Teya dear,” Leona said. “Fetch some water from the spring with that pitcher so you and Bran can have a drink. I’m sure you’re thirsty.”
All at once, a driving need for a drink of water washed over her. As she picked up the pitcher, her grandmother hummed another tune and several hundred small spheres of light shone down from the tree limbs.
Teya’s breath caught with delight. This tree filled the grove with its magnificence and beauty, and her blood stirred with recognition. In sudden clarity, she realized that the tree was the source of her magic.
With reverence, she filled the pitcher with flowing water. As she poured the clear liquid into the crystal goblets, the ache of thirst came over her. She gave the first to Bran, then her grandmother. At last she poured one for herself and took several long gulps.
The cold water tasted sweet and pure, sending a wave of vitality that penetrated every part of her body. She drank deeply and emptied her cup, then poured more and drank. Bran did the same until they were both satisfied.
“Now that you’re feeling better, please sit,” Leona said, motioning them to the sit at the table. Once they were settled, she began. “This is a sacred place. It is the birthplace of our world. As a people, the Kalorians took an oath long ago to protect and guard this grove. In return, we were given special gifts of magic and promised immortality. We have been doing this since the dawn of time. But now, our people are gone and the grove is dying.”
“What do you mean? Where are my parents…” Teya paused to gather her courage. “Are they dead?”
“Oh, my child, I wish I could spare you more pain.”
Teya swallowed, this was not the homecoming she had dreamed of. When tears threatened, she pushed her sorrow deep inside and found her voice. “It’s all right. Go ahead. What happened?”
“Let me start from the beginning. The day you were kidnapped, my younger brother Korban had come to see me. A few years before, he had used his power for evil and deceived and manipulated many of our people. He spread lies and rumors that got out of hand. In the end, he killed one of the elders.
“As a result, he was banished from the grove. All his rights and privileges were revoked and his magic taken from him. But in this he tricked us. During the ritual to strip him of his magic, he managed to hide a small portion of it in darkness, and used it to escape. After that, I never thought I would see him again. To return meant death.
“But that day he came back with a grand plan. These trees form a sacred grove and the spring water is special and life sustaining. It is all one needs to live forever. Korban wanted access to the water, and I am the only one who can lift the veil of magic to this tree.” She motioned with her hand. “But he didn’t know my secret. You see...I knew the water would restore his lost magic, and I couldn’t let that happen.
“So I had the elders bind and hold him for trial. We all knew it would lead to his execution. Even his dark magic wasn’t strong enough to free him, but he was one step ahead of me. He had seen you, Teya, and knew you were special to me and our people. Your gift shines. He knew you were to be the next Songmistress.”
Teya blinked in surprise. “He had me kidnapped?”
“Yes. He threatened your life if we did not let him go and do as he said. After a long debate, the elders were willing to release him if he would return you, but they would not compromise on his request for water. Again, he refused, and it was decided to execute him the next day. Unfortunately for us, he had accomplices and slipped from our grasp.
“Your mother was inconsolable. We searched everywhere for you, but you were not to be found. A few weeks later, Korban took his revenge. We found a box on the outskirts of our grove. Your clothes were inside, soaked in blood and wrapped around a human heart. We thought you were dead.”
“I always wondered if you had forgotten me,” Teya said.
“Never that, my precious child. I’ve held you close in my heart everyday you’ve been gone, but your mother was never the same after that. She was a gentle soul and felt things deep inside. The strife and pain of this life became too much for her, and she died a year later.”
Teya closed her eyes to hold back the tears. When she was under control, she asked. “What about my father and brother?"
“Your father lost both of you, but he did not give in to grief and pain like your mother. He turned his anger toward revenge and was pivotal in the decisions of the elders during the next few years. I’m sorry to say that Hewson followed your father’s example.
“I had underestimated Korban’s craving for magic and his desire for immortality. During his first years of banishment he used his dark magic to create the
kundar
. Somehow, it acts as a shield to our magic so we can’t use it.”
Teya nodded. “I wore one until Bran removed it.”
“You must tell me how he accomplished that,” Leona said. “But first I must finish the story. After you were gone, our people began to disappear. Just a few at first, but enough to make us suspicious of anyone who entered our forest.