The Crystal Tree (Song Magic Book 1)

by Imogen Elvis

  “Come on.” He scooped up his pack and slung it over his shoulder.

  Side by side, they slipped away into the cover of the night. Briar strained her ears, but, as they got further and further from the village, the only sounds she could hear was the ragged edge of her breathing, and the pounding of her heart as they ran for safety.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Night faded into a clear blue morning without any sign of the soldiers having followed them. Briar wanted to believe that she and Kade had lost them for good but she wasn’t holding out much hope. The soldiers found them in Nestin of all places. Why should she believe they’d be safe anywhere else?

  Briar and Kade crested hill after hill until, around midday, they looked down into a valley, filled with a thick forest. The trees grew close together, their canopies woven into a single mass that moved restlessly, although there was no wind. A vague sense of unease built in Briar’s stomach as she looked down at the woods.

  “Where are we?”

  Kade shook out the map. “If I’m right, that should be the Erisu Woods.

  Briar’s eyes widened. “We can’t go through there.” No one in their right minds went through those woods. “They’re haunted. Everyone knows that. There are so many stories-”

  “They’re just stories.” Kade folded the map back into his pack and carried on down the hill. “There’s nothing to worry about.”

  “Nothing’s ever ‘just stories’. You didn’t believe me about the banewulfs, and they were real.”

  “There’s a big difference between wolves and ghosts.”

  “Ten years ago,” Briar said breathlessly, struggling to keep up. “Midwinter’s Eve. Three men set out for Trava. They thought they’d take a shortcut through the woods, reach Trava a little sooner. They went in, and no one ever saw them again.”

  “Winter’s a dangerous time to travel.”

  “I could tell you a hundred stories just like it.”

  “And you believe every story you hear?”

  Briar set her jaw. “Only when not believing them could get me killed.”

  “Well, I don’t. Anyway, going around would take far too long. As you said, going through here will cut some time off our journey.”

  “Kade-”

  “There are no such things as ghosts. Nothing terrible is going to happen to us just because we walk through this stretch of woods. In fact, if we’re lucky, we should knock a couple of days off our journey.”

  Briar pressed her lips together. There were generations of legends surrounding the Erisu Woods, each serving as a fresh reminder to travellers never to set foot in there. Story after story of disappearances, deaths, and uncanny sightings in this forest. And Kade was just going to ignore every warning and march in like it was nothing? Going around might take more time, but Briar felt that in this case, she’d rather lose time than her life.

  The trees penned them in the moment they entered the woods. Their trunks rose like massive pillars, and the thick canopy above blocked out the sky. No friendly little spots of light danced on the leaf litter. No cheery birds chirped from their hiding spots in the branches. The whole place felt airless, stifling.

  The hairs on the back of Briar’s neck prickled as if, should she look out of the corner of her eye at just the right moment, she might catch sight of someone, or something, watching her from between the trees. She stepped a little closer to Kade. He seemed so confident and unafraid. Then again, it was easy to be brave when you didn’t believe in the danger in the first place.

  Under the cover of the trees, it was hard to tell that time was even passing. It was only when the half-dark thickened to a black haze that Briar realised the sun must be setting. Her skin crawled. The lack of noise was unsettling. No animals rustling in the leaf litter, or birds chirping from the branches. Nothing but the sounds they made themselves, and those were too loud in the unnatural stillness.

  “Alright,” Kade said finally. “We’ll make camp here for the night.”

  Briar should have been glad they were stopping. It was almost too dark to see the ground underfoot, and her eyes were heavy. Lighting a fire would at least chase away some of the clinging shadows. But stopping meant sitting still, waiting for something to creep up on them. The stories said the ghosts walked at night. Night that fell quickly. Briar looked around anxiously but saw nothing. Not yet.

  Kade built a small fire, feeding it until cheery light blazed out around them in a wide, golden circle. He’d picked a good spot to make camp. A couple of large trees grew close together, their trunks forming a sheltered nook. The fire sat out a little way from these trees, creating an alcove of light. Briar sat with her legs folded beneath her, tucking the skirt of her habit in tightly. Kade had his sword, and they had a fire. They’d be safe. Right?

  Oblivious to Briar’s anxiety, Kade pulled the map out and flattened it against the ground. The firelight played over his face as he studied it, brows drawn together pensively. “We should reach Trava the day after tomorrow if all goes well. Lara and Rowen will meet us there.”

  Briar doubted they’d like the fact she was still travelling with Kade. Lara hadn’t seemed to like her when they met before, though Rowen at least had been kind. Still, Briar was less than sure that he’d be as welcoming a second time. It would be worth their disapproval to reach Trava safely though. If they reached it safely.

  As full darkness descended, a howling wind whipped up out of nowhere. One moment the trees around them stood still, the next they thrashed wildly as a gale howled by, leaving Briar breathless. Branches creaked. An ocean of whispers rose from the rustling leaves. Briar huddled closer to the fire. Which was worse, the stifling stillness, or the icy roar of the wind?

  Or the screams.

  They rose over the sound of the gale, shuddering through the air, higher and higher, sending fingers of ice spreading right through Briar. She sat up straight, her eyes searching as if they could pierce the darkness beyond the firelight. The stories were right. There were ghosts in these woods.

  “Hey. Are you alright?” Kade asked.

  “I’m-I’m fine. Briar wrapped her arms around her knees. She was fine. Everything was fine. She shivered as another scream rose.

  Kade took Briar’s hand, wrapping it in warm, comforting fingers. “They’re just noises.”

  “H-how do you think they died?”

  “I don’t think they did.”

  “But the stories-”

  “Are just stories. The woods are strange, but there are no ghosts. They’re just silent and still, and that unsettles people. Then someone probably got lost, and people believed that angry spirits must have killed them. One story leads to another. These woods are no more haunted than anywhere else.”

  “Then who’s screaming?” It was easy to say that the ghosts weren’t real. But it was far less easy to believe it when spine-chilling screams rose with every gust.

  “Have you ever blown on a blade of grass to make it whistle?”

  Briar nodded, frowning. Probably every child had. So what?

  “Well, I think it’s the same sort of thing. The wind is blowing through the trees, and it whistles. And sometimes, I guess the whistles sound more like someone screaming.”

  Could that be the truth? Could the screams that sounded so tortured and real actually just be the wind? A bubble of nervous laughter rose in Briar’s throat. “If that’s true, just think of all those people terrified because of a little wind.” She managed a shaky smile. “I will blame you if we end up dying in here though.”

  “That’s only fair.”

  Silence fell between them for a moment, but the shrieking of the wind, ghostly or not, was still so disturbing. Briar felt an overwhelming need to talk and block out the other noises with words. “You didn’t seem very surprised when the soldiers arrived in Nestin,” she said quickly.

  Kade poked at the fire with a stick. “It was only a matter of time. They always catch up eventually.”

  His bare statement raised so m
any questions. Briar hesitated before asking, “You’ve been chased before?”

  Kade nodded, still staring into the fire. “Plenty.”

  “Why?”

  “Because people are cruel.” Bitterness lent a sharp edge to his voice. “They believe what is easiest to accept.”

  “That doesn’t seem fair.”

  Kade shrugged. “When is life ever fair? If it were, neither of us would be here.”

  “Where would you be?” Briar asked softly.

  “Does it really matter anymore?” Kade dumped his stick in the fire and turned away, closing the conversation abruptly. “We should try and get some sleep.”

  Briar leaned back against one of the trees, still too uneasy to settle. Kade was right. If things were different neither of them would be here. She’d be in Osman, with Ava. And Kade? She refused to believe that it didn’t matter where he’d be. She wished, selfishly, that he trusted her enough to share more of his story. But that didn’t seem likely ever to happen.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  By morning, the shrieking wind had quietened, but the woods remained as gloomy as ever. Briar’s head ached as she stumbled after Kade, her eyes gritty with lack of sleep. Ghosts hadn't attacked them overnight, it was true, but she still didn’t quite believe that the woods were as safe as he said. The sooner they got out of here, the happier she would be.

  Was it her imagination, or did the woods seem darker today? Not that Briar could see the sky through the thick canopy of branches above, but the shadowy twilight did appear thicker. She sniffed the air. Aside from the rich scent of damp earth that was always evident under these trees, there was another familiar smell. Rain? Briar was sure of it. The air tasted crisp, promising a downpour in the near future.

  “We’re going to get wet,” she said. “Very wet.”

  Kade glanced up, though there was no way to see the sky, then pulled his map out with a frown. “We need to hurry.”

  “Why? It’s not like we’re going to find any shelter out here.”

  “We have to cross a river soon. If it rains too much, the river will flood, and we won’t be able to ford it.” Kade stuffed the map back in his pack and picked up the pace.

  Briar hurried to keep up. “How far is this river?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “What do we do if it’s flooding?”

  “We’ll ford it in time.”

  “But what if we don’t?”

  “We’ll get across,” Kade repeated.

  Briar didn’t need magic to see that he was lying to her. Or maybe he was lying to himself. Whether he was overly optimistic or not though, he was right. They did need to cross that river as soon as possible. But if the rain was coming as quickly as she thought, then their chances of getting there before the downpour began were slim. Already a low rumble of thunder sounded in the distance.

  As Briar predicted, the rain didn’t hold off for long. One moment they strode along safe and dry. The next, sheets of water poured down, drenching them instantly. Briar’s habit clung to her body and her hair plastered itself across her face. Streams of water poured down the back of her neck. She struggled to see Kade through the thick curtain of rain, even though he was only a couple of steps ahead.

  “How much further?” Briar had to yell over the roar of the rain.

  “We’re almost there,” Kade called back. “Listen.”

  To what? The storm covered every other sound. Still, Briar strained her ears. Wait, what was that? A roar, deeper and more ominous than the rumble of the thunder. Was that the river? It hadn’t been raining that long. Maybe the water wouldn’t have risen too far.

  And then Briar saw the river, and her hopeful heart sank. Oh, it was flooding alright. Muddy brown water washed over its banks, swirling past in dizzying, leaf-filled eddies. Briar stared in dismay. How had it risen so fast?

  Kade stood for a long moment, just watching the water as it rushed past. “We can make it,” he said at last.

  Briar shook her head. “It’s too late.”

  “No, it’s not.” The muscles in Kade’s neck stood out as he clenched his jaw. “It’s not as bad as it looks.”

  Briar put her hands on her hips. This was ridiculous. One look at that river and any sane person would know that it was far too late to even think of trying to ford this. “Have you ever tried crossing a flooded river? We’ll be swept away before we’ve taken three steps.”

  “Do you want to be stranded here forever?”

  “No. But I also want to be alive.”

  “It hasn’t been raining that long. We’ll be alright if we go now. Besides, we can’t afford to get stranded here. Not if you want to save your sister.”

  Briar hesitated. On the one hand, she wanted to save Ava more than anything. On the other, they were face to face with the very real possibility of being swept away in the floodwaters if they attempted this crossing. “I’m not going to be much use to her if I’m dead.” But Briar’s voice wasn’t quite as determined as before.

  “You’ll be fine.” Kade stripped off his cloak and strapped it securely to his pack. “Trust me. We can do this.” There was a pause as Briar eyed the waters sceptically, then he added, “You can wait for the river to go down if you like, but I’m crossing now.” Kade turned and strode into the muddy water.

  Too scared? Of course, she was too scared. Every muscle in Briar’s body was rigid with fear. But Kade’s words stung her pride. She wasn’t a coward. And she wasn’t going to wait here while he crossed without her. If it was too bad, she could always go back, right? Briar took a deep breath and stepped into the murky river.

  “Wait for me.”

  Kade glanced back, and for a moment, she thought there was a look of approval on his face. “Stay close.” He strode on ahead, his boots churning up the water.

  Briar gazed across the vast expanse of river and swallowed hard. The other bank was so far away. But Kade forged ahead without a backwards glance. If he could do it, then so would she. Briar bit her lip and followed a little more slowly. The ground was soft underfoot, and the hem of her habit floated on the surface, but so far, it wasn’t too bad. She could handle this.

  As Briar waded in further, however, the water grew deeper and deeper. It swirled up past her ankles and over her knees. She shook, partly from the cold, and partly from the creeping fingers of fear that trailed over her spine as the force of the current pulled at her. As long as she kept moving, everything would be alright. Surely, they had to be close to the middle by now? Briar fixed her eyes on the other bank and pushed on.

  The floodwater reached hers chest. She held her arms up out of the river and took each step with great care. The water surged and buffeted against Briar. She missed a step, and her arms flailed as she struggled to catch her balance. As she teetered, the current snatched her satchel, ripping it off her shoulder. Briar grabbed for it, but too late. The bag was gone. Her breath caught in her throat. This was madness.

  “I can’t do this.”

  Kade looked back. “It’s not far now,” he called. “Keep going.”

  Briar ran her tongue over her trembling lips. She could do this. She could. One foot in front of the other. She inched forward. One step. Two. The roar of the swollen river drowned out even the pounding of blood in her ears. And then the waters swelled again, crashing down around her in choppy waves that splashed right over her head. Briar let out a shrill cry and froze. She was going to die here.

  “I can’t, Kade. I can’t.”

  “Stay there. I’m coming for you.” Kade started back towards her.

  Briar fixed her eyes on Kade, willing him to come just a little faster. She’d be alright, just as soon as he reached her. He forged through the water, determination on his face. Briar stretched her hand towards him. Just a little further-

  Kade glanced upstream, and a look of horror flashed over his face. “Briar, look out.”

  A huge tree branch sailed into Briar, knocking her underwater. Twigs tangled in her hair, holding
her head under the surface. Water filled Briar’s eyes, her nose, her mouth. She thrashed and fought against the branch as it swept her along with it.

  Bubbles burst from Briar’s mouth. Air. She needed air. She needed… Briar’s chest burned, growing tighter and tighter. More bubbles squeezed out of her mouth. She gasped, choking as she sucked down water.

  Something grabbed the back of her habit, pulling her up. The twigs ripped out strands of hair as Briar’s head broke above water. She coughed and coughed, spitting up water and sobbing for breath.

  “It’s alright. I’ve got you. Hold on.” Kade held her tight.

  Briar gripped Kade’s shirt with both hands, her knuckles white. “I’m scared.” The words came out in a hoarse whisper.

  “I’m going to get you out. It’ll be alright.” Kade’s arms tightened around Briar as he angled across the current, heading for the far bank. Briar closed her eyes and held on, letting him carry her through the river. Please, just let it all be over.

  The water swelled, and Kade stumbled, flinging out a hand for balance. The river battered him, and he teetered. Briar let out a small cry and her grip tightened. They hung there for what seemed like forever. And then the current carried them down and the water closed over Briar’s head for a second time. Kade’s arms slipped away, and she was lost in the flood. She clawed at the water, bubbles rushing from her mouth as she struggled, until her head rose above the surface again. Briar coughed, blinking water from her eyes. Kade. Where was Kade? The river around her was empty except for floating debris.

  “Kade!” Briar turned in a circle, searching the river. There. He bobbed above the water, only a couple of arm lengths away. Relief swept through Briar. He was alright. Wasn’t he? Why wasn’t he moving? She struck out towards Kade, who floated limply downstream. His body bumped against a small outcrop of rock, just peeking above the water, and stalled. Briar lunged, and her fingertips snagged in his shirt. She coasted to a stop on the same small patch of rock. Kade’s face was pale, and his eyes were closed. A thin line of blood trickled down his cheek.