“I came here on the small chance that maybe it wasn’t real.”
“So this curse, what's going to happen to all the Stone-Hearted people?”
“The Ethirical speaks of Stone-Hearted powers waning, those without them never receiving them, and people aging. Everything the Spirit Tree granted to us will begin to be taken away.”
“And how does the curse end?” I was captivated by his words, wanting to know more.
“It seems that from what I’ve read, there are several artifacts from ancient kings, tokens from their lives that must be offered to the tree in exchange for the curse to be lifted.”
“Do you want to find them then, the artifacts?”
Mid shrugged his shoulders and sighed heavily.
“Maybe, but I wasn’t searching to be a hero by coming here. I came hoping Sydidel would tell me a way to stop it before it happened. But, it would seem it is inevitable.”
A curse seemed too much like fantasy, something my mother would’ve read to me as a child. I didn’t try to comprehend it at that moment, if the curse was real or not. Instead, I asked him another question.
“How do you know Sydidel?”
“He was a teacher I had when I was younger, before he came to live in Eslecaster. I remember him teaching me about the curse and I knew he would have answers that I wouldn’t. So I came looking for him in hopes he could tell me what I wanted to hear.”
“I’m sorry it wasn’t the answer you wanted.”
“Don’t be. I’m the one that should be sorry. I’ve kept you from your family.” He looked over at me and placed a hand over mine. Something tingly erupted in my stomach at his gentle touch. Though fleeting, it left me feeling slightly warm and electrified.
“Well, to be honest, I’m sort of glad I came along,” I admitted, and his eyes widened in surprise.
“Oh really?” He flashed his perfect white teeth in a heart stopping grin that made it impossible not to smile back.
“I don’t get out much,” I explained.
Gazing down at the view of Eslecaster below, I couldn’t help but admire the water billowing down the mountains and the stair-step city that climbed and weaved through the masses of water. It was breathtaking.
“Well, I’m glad I could be of service,” he replied, before giving me a nudge back toward the little cottage. “You should get some sleep. We have a long journey ahead of us.”
I was about to object, but I had little will power to protest. My eyes were beginning to feel heavy and sleep was calling my name. I reluctantly obeyed. Tightening my blanket around my shoulders, I shuffled back toward the house.
Stopping in the doorway, I took one last glance at Mid. His hands were holding the railing edge, his back turned to me again. Seeing him gazing so thoughtfully at the night sky, I couldn’t help but wonder about all the things he might be thinking.
NINE
In the morning Sydidel graciously supplied us with bags of fresh food to take on our journey: bread, vegetables, fresh herbs, and even fruit. I was just slinging the bag of goods he’d given us over my shoulder when Mid reached out and hugged him. The little man grunted and patted Mid’s large form before pushing him away.
“You are making my eyes misty, boy,” he grumbled.
Mid smiled sadly. “It was good to see you old friend. Thank you.”
“You already know what to do, Mid. Stop questioning.” He pressed his pointer finger into Mid’s chest a couple times. “Trust your heart.”
Feeling suddenly indebted to say goodbye, I walked over to Sydidel and reached out to grasp his hand. “Thank you for your hospitality.”
Sydidel nodded and gave me a friendly smile. “You are a strong girl.” He seemed more willing to reach out and hug me and looked me in the eye very seriously when he pulled away. “You are destined for greatness. The birds tell me.”
He looked fondly over at his birds resting in their cage next to the rocking chair and clucked his tongue at them. I didn’t know if he really knew what he was talking about, but I just nodded and stepped away to follow after Mid.
“Goodbye, Sydidel,” I called just as we boarded the rickety crate.
“May the spirits be with you!” he called back, waving to us as we disappeared down into the dark shaft.
The journey back was much easier now that I knew what to expect. The tunnel to the lagoon was less terrifying knowing that it had a destination, and when we pulled up to the icy shore, Ghost was still sleeping.
When we noisily stepped from the fishing boat, the big beast opened his eyes and growled. He shook himself awake and walked over to Mid, giving his master a gentle nudge with his big furry head.
“Good to see you too, big guy.”
“Where to now?” I asked, as Mid tied our belongings onto the saddlebags resting over Ghost’s back.
“Well, I stay true to my promises. I’m taking you home.”
I sighed with relief, glad to be on the final stretch of the journey. Mid swiftly wrapped his brown cloak around my shoulders and fastened it at my neck. It was cold again, and I felt goosebumps rise across my skin. Mid gently helped me up onto Ghost and effortlessly jumped up behind me.
We traveled through the woods for several hours, stopping only every once in a while to eat and drink. Not much was said between us. The cold had my teeth chattering, and it was hard to talk when I was so focused on not freezing to death. Eventually, the snow thinned and, at some point, completely disappeared. It was a couple hours later that I finally felt my bones thaw and I was a normal temperature again.
“Where are we?” I asked.
The trees around us were tall pines, mixed in with some aspens. Leaves were falling from the trees landing into sizable red and orange mounds on the forest floor. I don’t know how long I had been gone, a week, maybe two, but it seemed that fall was still clinging onto its last breath. I knew that in Ethydon and Aveladon snow never fell. It amazed me to think that Severesi was always covered in a blanket of the frosty white flakes, except for the hidden tropical paradise of Eslecaster we’d just come from.
“We are in Hollow territory.”
“What’s that?”
“It's no man's land. There's a stretch between Severesi and Ethydon that is uninhabited. It separates the two kingdoms.”
“How far is Aveladon?”
“After we pass over this border into Ethydon we go west for a time and then we will be about a day’s journey from Aveladon.”
We soon came upon a river and Ghost carefully walked up beside it and began following its ebbing flow. The clear blue water rolled in large waves and crashed against the river rocks in cold misty clouds. It radiated freezing temperatures and I shivered looking at the beautiful masterpiece. For hours it seemed I stared into the glassy water, ever so often glancing at our reflection.
The big white bear was magnificent the way he moved with long strides and giant paws that landed softly on the ground, barely making a sound. I was pressed into Mid’s arms, his hands on the reins guiding the big creature. The sight of us so close in the river’s reflection caused my cheeks to redden. I’d ridden many times with Oli on Sovereign, pressed close to him such as this. But for some reason this felt very different.
I was pulled from my thoughts when I heard a rumbling sound break through the trees behind us.
At first, I thought it was just the sound of the river. But soon the sound got louder, and panic surged through me. I looked behind us, only to find several people on horseback headeding straight toward us. I caught sight of the undeniable red hair on one of the men and the colorful scales of the Crykon horses and knew instantly that it was Tassadar and his men.
“Mid!” I squeaked in warning. But he was already urging Ghost into a run.
“They knew we’d have to cross the Hollow. They were waiting for us,” I heard him yell over the rushing of the river.
The horses were much quicker than Ghost, and the big beast growled as the Crykon galloped up beside us. Pulling out a dagger
from his belt, Mid prepared for a fight. Tassadar and his silver eyes met mine. He grinned at the sight of me. Beside him were Droopyeye and Scarface. They were laughing hysterically as the Crykon took up the rear behind Ghost and began pressing up against him.
The three of them took out their swords and Tassadar was the first to take a swing. Mid’s dagger met Tassadar’s sword with an ear-splitting ring. Then a yellow light began pulsing from beneath Mid's hands, barely noticeable to the naked eye. Tassadar cried out in pain and dropped his sword and slumped onto the Crykon. He clutched his leg where an invisible pain suddenly erupted.
We edged ahead a couple feet as he faltered, but it didn’t take long for his two comrades to come racing up beside us again. Droopyeye took a large swing and Mid quickly met it with his dagger. More golden light came from Mid’s palms, sending Droopyeye into a deep sleep. Droopyeye fell, his eyes suddenly closing, losing consciousness. In the process of Mid taking down Droopyeye, Scarface reached his hands out and gave me a massive shove. Not expecting the impact, I was caught off balance and went tumbling off Ghost into the river.
My body hit the water with a slap. Pain shot into my right arm and leg as they met the surface of the water. My limp body went tumbling down along with the icy current. When I got my head above the waves, I gasped for air, my chest constricting with the shock of the intensely cold water. I bobbed in and out of the rapids, using my good arm and leg to keep myself upright and forced myself to ignore the stinging pain in the right side of my body. The sound of the rushing river pounded in my ears, and I knew my screams would barely be heard.
I continued farther and farther down the river for what seemed like minutes but were only several seconds. Large rocks on the river bottom beat and scraped at my feet and legs, adding to the piercing pain. The farther I got from the edge, the more I began seeing my life end. The river went on endlessly and was too wide and fast for me to grasp onto anything. I desperately tried to fight the current and screamed again when I had the chance to breathe.
“Help!” I screamed, my voice barely reaching over the sound of the crashing river. I knew it was useless to cry out, but all my survival instincts forced me to try. I gasped and coughed when I came out of the water again. My muscles ached with the struggle. It was then I knew I was going to drown. Before I could get my powers, before I could see my family again. I was about to let go, to stop fighting, when I felt a pair of arms wrap around me.
I was lifted from the water and the strong, unseen force pushed against the harsh current, dragging me to the river's edge. I coughed and gasped as I choked out the water from my lungs. Once I could finally breathe, I felt relief flood my body. Grasping onto my rescuer. I clung to him and couldn’t believe I was still alive. I felt the grass of the forest floor hit my back. I coughed some more and was tilted onto my side as I hacked the rest of the water from my lungs.
“It's okay. You're all right.”
I shivered roughly as I tried to calm down from the horrific episode. I opened my water-sore eyes and found Mid crouching above me, his hands pounding on my back. When I finally could breathe again, he lifted me from the ground and into his arms. He wrapped a blanket around my body and cradled me. That was when I finally caught a good look at him.
He was shirtless. Whatever fight he’d had with Scarface left his shirt in shreds and all that remained was his strong tan chest and the silver glow of his heart beating beneath his skin. He was warm, and as he began walking back toward Ghost I shivered into him. His long brown hair was wet, reaching clear to his shoulders. His lashes dripped with water droplets and he looked down at my dazed face with worry filling his emerald-scarlet eyes. The pain and the cold had put me into some sort of shock, and I could only stare at him, numb and shaking. I tried to say something, but he quickly stopped me.
“No, don’t talk. Everything's going to be all right.”
We eventually traveled a little farther up the side of the river to Ghost who was waiting by the trees. By that time my left arm and leg were throbbing. I couldn't help the tears that leaked out onto my cheeks.
“Where are you hurt?” he asked, and I could only moan and point to the pain. His eyes darkened and with a stone-cold expression he swaddled me with extra blankets from his pack. He then proceeded to lift me onto Ghost’s back, positioning me carefully in his arms.
“Don’t worry, I'm going to take the pain away.” It was only a couple seconds later that the yellow light from his hands fell onto my body, covering me, and I slipped into a painless sleep.
I SKIPPED FREELY through the forest like a dandelion seed in the breeze. My soul was light, my heart dancing to the melody in the sun's bright rays. My skin was glistening, evenly pale and beautiful. My hair was flowing in the small spring wind, my long brown locks shimmering. My eyes scanned the path before me, and I felt wide awake, full of energy.
Laughing, I lifted my face to the tree tops and let the sun that filtered through the leaves sprinkle onto my face. My feet continued to skip, transporting me down the trail to an unknown delightful destination. I had no idea where it would take me. I only knew that what awaited would be something beautiful.
Then all at once, the russet floor changed, and roses blossomed underneath my skipping feet. I smiled and watched the forest begin to flourish into thousands of roses. They grew down from the tree limbs, they sprouted from the tree trunks, and the floor became a crimson carpet. I followed the blooming path until I came to an opening, a tree ring completely full of colorful roses.
The wind blew and the roses on the trees released several hundred colorful petals into the air. They swirled around me and I laughed again with delight.
Unable to control the excitement within me, I fell onto the bed of roses and sunk into their soft contents. The smell was incredible, and I turned and rolled over and over again, soaking in the sensation of the supple petals. I laughed for many forevers and didn’t stop until a deep, familiar voice filled the tree circle, interrupting my laughter, and causing me to pause in my perfect moment.
“You must wake up now, Ehren.”
I turned to where the voice was coming from. And sure enough standing at the edge of the tree ring was Mid dressed in his brown cloak. The hood was up over his head and I could barely see his face.
“But it’s so beautiful here. Why must I leave?” I didn’t want to leave. I felt happy here in the garden.
“There is a better place in the real world. You can’t stay here forever.” As he said this a soft wind picked up causing the smell of pine trees to float to my senses. It was the sweet familiar smell of him, and it overwhelmed me.
I searched my memory for the real world, but a large blank wall in my head blocked all memories of such a place. I couldn’t seem to remember what real world he was speaking of.
“The real world? How could the real world possibly be better than this?” I replied, and Mid took several steps toward me. His hand reached out, tan and strong, inviting me to go with him.
“Come with me, and you can see for yourself. I promise, it’s where you need to be.” His velvety voice coated my entire body in sweet goosebumps, and something inside me couldn’t resist taking his hand.
And when I did, my body instantly awoke. The real world came rushing back to me, and the crumbling reality of life came crashing down. I forced myself to resist the urge to fall back into the dream of beautiful roses. Regaining what little courage I had left, I opened my eyes.
TEN
When I woke from the beautiful dream, I was no longer in Mid’s arms. I was lying alone on a couch, the sun showering into the room. I sat up, eyes fluttering against the brightness. Rubbing my aching eyes, I proceeded to run a hand through my tangled hair. It was knotted and in great need of a brush. When I pulled my hand in front of my face, I noticed with horror several fat bruises gracing my left arm. I winced and cautiously pulled the blankets away from my legs where I found the same purplish bruising spreading down to my left foot. I shifted and felt the immediate ache
as I moved. I was sore, and my muscles were taut with tension.
I took in my surroundings, noticing that I was settled in a small sitting room. A vacant fire was on the far wall, a mess of ash on the rug in front of the mantle. Streaks of mud were on the wood flooring and dust lingered on a set of forgotten shelves on the wall. The entire room seemed to be in great need of some cleaning. I turned behind me, and found a dainty kitchen furnished with a battered old table and chairs. Pots and pans hung from the ceiling and the food from our travel bags was set out on the counter in the middle of being chopped and sorted.
It wasn’t long before someone came in through the front door, but to my surprise, it was a woman. At first, she didn’t notice me. She shook her boots off at the door, freeing them from the mud and grime they’d accumulated outside. Then she hung her brown cloak and winter hat on the rack by the door. It was then she finally saw me.
“Well, good morning,” she said, smiling brightly at me. Her hair was raven-wing black and cropped short framing her delicate face. She was dainty, her stature narrow and rather small. Her eyes were big, and the color of booming gray storm clouds framed by thick black lashes. I was too confused to speak and luckily she picked up on my perplexed expression.
“My name is Liony. You were hurt, and Mid brought you here to us.” She carefully walked over to the couch where I lay, approaching me as if I were a scared animal that might scurry at any sudden movement. “We fed you some medicine and tended to your wounds. But mostly you are just badly bruised. How are you feeling?”
I tested out my arm and leg and moved them up and down a couple of times.
“I’m sore is all.” My voice croaked hoarsely, and I coughed a couple of times. “How long have I been asleep?”
“About two days,” she said. My eyes widened and I blew out a long breath.
“Where’s Mid?” I asked, and Liony smiled brightly again. She shifted to sit next to me and that’s when I noticed that beneath the shirt she wore was a glowing blue light.
Granted (Granted Series Book 1) Page 7