Her mother leaned forward. “Bring her back to us. Whatever it takes.”
Chapter 6
MY EYES FELT glued shut. I pried them open. The room swirled, and my stomach reeled. Was I sick, or—?
“Melia?” Mom’s shriek reached me through an apparent layer of cotton balls in my ears.
“Mom?” I could barely croak out the word. Dryness burned my throat.
“It worked. It worked!” Tears streamed down her cheeks. She turned away, as if to face someone. “Thank you.”
What had worked?
“Darling, you’ve come back to us.” Dad was on my other side, his usually tidy hair a disheveled mess.
Was I in a hospital? No white paint or beeping monitors. These walls were brown. I squinted, trying to focus. The room almost had a log cabin look to it, but rougher. And rounder.
“We thought we’d lost you.” Mom’s tight hug made me cough. She loosened her grip.
“Here, see if you can drink something.” Dad eased a glass to my mouth.
I sat up slightly and took a few sips. “What happened?”
“You...were...poisoned.” Sobs punctuated Mom’s words.
The apple. I pinched my eyes shut. How could I have fallen for that crazy old lady’s story? “I’m so sorry. I was desperate...” My words trailed off as recollections of Aiken and the Dwarf-Lands surged through my mind. “How did you find me? And where are we?”
“It’s a long story.” Dad’s tone was grim. He gave Mom a pointed look and squeezed her arm.
Mom blew her nose, taking shaky breaths. “We were searching in Bradaigh Forest for you. A young man joined us and insisted on helping. He said you’d been taken in too far and gotten lost, and that he felt responsible.”
I couldn’t crane my neck far enough to see where she was looking. Her gaze returned to me.
“He brought us here as a safe place to stay while he searched for you. But as the days passed, we nearly lost hope, wondering...” She covered her mouth.
“Finally, he returned,” Dad continued for her. “With some dwarves, who carried your body on a long, stone slab.”
I winced at the morbid picture. Mom sniffled.
“We assumed the worst.” Even Dad’s eyes glistened as he stroked a strand of hair off my forehead. “But our new acquaintance thought he might be able to bring you back. Turns out he was right.”
My grin came slow as my muscles remembered how to function. “So I’ll be okay? And we’re all together.” Thank God for their mysterious friend.
“For now, at least.” Dad looked to Mom again.
Mom wiped her eyes and straightened. “I’m sorry, dear. I should’ve told you long ago.” Her gaze left me, but she kept talking. “When I was a young woman, only a little older than you, I moved here for my first job. I, too, felt drawn into Bradaigh, and took many hikes there. In those days, dryads weren’t quite as strict about avoiding human contact, so—”
“You know about dryads?” My voice squeaked on the last word, and I took another drink.
“Listen.” The pinch in Dad’s brows didn’t bode well.
“I know more about dryads than you could imagine.” Mom said it matter-of-factly, as though this weren’t a mind-blowing revelation. “Anyway, I never ventured far enough to pass through the portal, but I did meet a dryad who caught my attention.”
I was not hearing this.
“After spending months visiting him, we entered into a marriage-like union.” She glanced at Dad, whose expression was stoic.
“You lived in his tree?” My eyes had no trouble opening now.
“No, it couldn’t work quite like that since I wasn’t a dryad. I remained in my own residence but spent as much time in the forest as possible. We were happy enough, despite the challenges. But he... Well, he happened to be a prince.”
Wait. How many dryad princes were there?
Dad rubbed his forehead with his thumb and forefinger. The story didn’t seem to come as a surprise, though it couldn’t be easy for him to hear.
“He had an older brother in line for the throne, so we never expected our unusual relationship to be a problem. But his parents and brother were taken by a dreadful illness that killed many dryads that year. Suddenly Ilan, my—husband, so to speak—was crowned king of the Eastern Realm.”
The Eastern Realm? Did that mean...
“But his subjects rebelled against him. Against us, really. They refused to accept a human queen, and questioned our ability to produce a true dryad heir.”
The wistfulness in Mom’s eyes wound my heartstrings like a violin peg rotated too far.
“We discussed the matter over and over but could come to no other solution. We ended our union, and I attempted to resume my normal life, eventually marrying again.” She flashed Dad a tight smile. “He soon entered into a new union with a dryad noblewoman, known to be beautiful but also spiteful. So I never dared tell him I was...pregnant.”
My mouth fell open, and my entire body trembled. I turned to Dad. “You’re not my father?”
He grasped my arm, moisture shining in his eyes. “I am, in everything except biology.”
Every aspect of him begged me to understand. The shock and betrayal of the long-kept secret could be processed later. I nodded, managing a little smile.
He closed his eyes, squeezing out a few tears, and rubbed my arm.
I glanced back to Mom, who watched us with pursed lips. “What happened to...”—I almost said my real dad, but caught myself—“Ilan? I don’t remember hearing about a King of the Eastern Realm.”
She shook her head. “He passed away several years later. Queen Espina has ruled on her own ever since, but the dryads place great importance on lineage. I’m sure there have been many complaints about the end of the true royal line.”
The pieces snapped together like the last corner of a puzzle. “But I’m from the royal line. That’s why—”
Footsteps clicked on the wood floor as a form materialized in the room, making me jump. Mom laid a hand on my shoulder.
A tall, lean woman with reddish-brown hair and a pale complexion approached us.
Another dryad. I shrank back.
She didn’t seem to notice. “And how is our— Goodness, she’s awake! Have you seen this?” She glanced to the other side of the room, then back at us. “What a fright you’ve given us, young one. Your parents must be ecstatic.”
A cough rattled from somewhere behind Dad. The newcomer moved in that direction. I strained to look, but Dad blocked my view.
“That was Roslyn.” Mom leaned her elbows on her knees. “She’s been kind enough to share her home with us while we waited for news of you.”
“We’re in a tree?” I took in my surroundings with renewed interest. Wooden floor, wooden walls, all rough-cut. A narrowing ceiling that kept going up, up, up. But I’d never seen a tree with a trunk this wide.
Mom laughed. “I know it’s a bit of a shock. They’re much larger on the inside.”
As I gaped, Roslyn seemed to be causing a commotion with the mysterious spectator. I pushed myself upright until I could see the room fully. On the opposite side sat a young man, his skin a medium tan, hair and eyes of rich brown. Wearing a shirt clearly made of leaves.
Lovely, the dryads just kept coming.
The man lost the whispered argument with Roslyn. Heaving a sigh and shooting her a glare, he rose and approached us. I clutched my sheets and pulled them closer to my chest. Definitely solid protection.
“Hello, Melia. I’m so relieved you’re finally awake, though I wish I could’ve done more.” His expression was contrite, his voice deeper than I would’ve expected from his youthful face.
“There was nothing more you could’ve done.” Mom used her most coaxing manner, like when she wanted me to finish my homework. “You brought her back to life for us. That’s all we could’ve asked.”
“But at such a cost...”
“Shh, none of that.”
My gaze bounced back an
d forth like I was watching a tennis match. What cost?
“Dear, this is Prince Garrick.” Mom’s face took on a knowing look. “I believe you two are already acquainted, at least on some level.”
My breathing quickened. “Garrick? The real Garrick?”
He nodded with a sad smile. “Don’t be frightened. I’m so sorry Aiken impersonated me, and that I set him up perfectly to do so by communicating with you without revealing myself. Please, forgive me.”
“Of course.” But doubt continued to simmer in my chest. Mom and Dad’s story trickled through my mind. “Were you the one who helped my parents, then?”
“Yes. If only I could’ve intervened sooner, but I was paying a visit to the Northern Realm. I didn’t become aware of Aiken’s actions until Roslyn informed me.”
“Oh.” Now faced with this enigmatic being, I hardly knew whether to be scared, angry, or giddy. The combination left me in stupid silence.
“The part of the story your parents haven’t reached yet is a crucial one.” He fidgeted, running his fingers along various leaf edges on the sides of his trousers.
My stomach developed an uneasy flutter. “What do you mean?”
He moved closer, kneeling at my bedside. “When you ate that apple, something within your body rejected it. The bite sat in your stomach, causing enough damage to steal your consciousness, but not enough to end your life. I was able to remove the apple, but in order to do so, I had to... I infused my dryad magic into you.”
Every anxious face in the room fixed on mine.
“Did it hurt me?” Did I feel hurt? Grogginess still slowed my mind and actions, making it hard to tell. A strange tingling stirred beneath my skin and seemed to pull my mind to a certain point in the forest. Probably the after-effects of the apple.
“Not exactly.” Garrick reclaimed my attention. “As I feared, my Darach roused your own, which had apparently lain dormant in the human world.”
“I have magic now?” That didn’t sound so bad.
Garrick looked helplessly to Mom, who nodded.
“It caused your spirit to bond with a tree.” His statement hung suspended in the air between us like a poltergeist.
“What does that mean?” I couldn’t push my voice out any louder than a whisper.
“Your dryad heritage is now dominant. You can’t return to the human world.”
Something blared in my head, as though a fire alarm had gone off. “But… No.”
Garrick hung his head. “I’m so sorry.”
Mom sniffed and patted his arm. “It was the only way. You still saved her life.”
“So I’m a dryad?” Maybe the apple was still poisoning my brain. Or they were playing a trick on me.
One look at Dad’s rigid face told me they weren’t. “Yes, dear. Garrick warned us of that possibility, and we were prepared...”
“I wasn’t!”
“I know this is a shock, Melia.” Mom brushed her fingers through my hair. “But it won’t be so bad. You said yourself this forest feels like your home.”
“But what about you?” My parents were not going to abandon me to this fate.
“You can’t come to us, but we can visit you.” Desperation tinged Dad’s voice. “We’ll be here as often as we can.”
My reality continued to crumble around me. They were vowing to spend the rest of their lives frequenting the forest they’d warned me to stay out of. “I’ve ruined everything. None of this would’ve happened if I’d listened to you.”
“No, dearest.” Mom shook her head. “Of course you were drawn here. You have dryad blood running through your veins. We should’ve explained and told you the whole truth.” She glanced to Dad. “But we feared knowing your history might cause you to explore the wood even farther.”
Much as I hated to admit it, she was probably right. “I assumed you guys made up all the dangers of Bradaigh or were just paranoid.”
“That’s all in the past now.” Dad squeezed my shoulder.
“We’ll miss you terribly.” Mom fought tears again. “But we want you to know we are so proud of you. You will make a wonderful queen.”
“Queen?” I pressed back against the headboard. This had to be an elaborate dream or a hallucination from the apple.
“Well, you’re not an official queen yet. But I have no doubt that once the dryads of the Eastern Realm hear of your existence, they’ll be eager to place you on the throne.”
“But I thought you said they have something against humans.”
“I think your royal blood will overrule that. Besides, being bonded to a tree makes you, well, more dryad than human.” Some of the color drained from Mom’s face.
I hadn’t only lost my home and my parents. I’d lost my connection with my entire species. “But how can I be a queen? I don’t know anything about this place.”
“You’ll learn over time. And I have a feeling you’ll receive some help.”
I followed Mom’s gaze to Garrick, who had backed away from us and stood in silent observation. His shy smile brought a surge of warmth into my cheeks.
“What about Queen Espina?” I asked. “She won’t simply step aside and welcome me as the long-lost heir.”
“No.” Garrick pressed his lips together. “Your dwarf friends are scouting for information on her as we speak.”
Sir Teppen and Sir Lennox. I’d have to pay them a visit once all of this blew over. I flinched. They’d said not to leave the cave. Yet more advice I’d foolishly ignored.
Garrick stepped closer. “We will do everything we can to keep you safe, Melia.”
I lost myself in his deep eyes for a moment. As my distrust eased, I found his presence oddly comforting. And he really was quite handsome. I shook myself. So not the time.
“So, umm...do I get to pick out my tree?”
A smile spread across Mom’s face. “It’s already picked out for you, though we don’t know where. Awakening your Darach instantly formed the bond. It should be obvious when you draw near. But you need to recover for at least a few more days before tracking it down.”
A few more days. I almost laughed. A few more decades wouldn’t be sufficient time to recover from this madness.
Chapter 7
“HOW ARE YOU feeling today?” Garrick closed the door behind him.
I set my book on the tall stump Roslyn used as a table. Three days had passed since I’d first woken up, and I had yet to set foot outside her tree house. But at least I was no longer bed-ridden. Roslyn was a kind caretaker, and Garrick and my parents visited often.
“Better. Roslyn thinks I’m ready to start walking farther.”
“That’s wonderful.”
I could bask in his smile all day. “Can I ask you something?”
He paused. “Of course.”
“Why do you always come in through the door, while Roslyn morphs through whichever section of the tree she wants?”
He chuckled, stepping forward again. “We can only do that with our own bonded tree.”
Huh. “Makes sense, I guess. Do you have a door? Why couldn’t I see it?”
“Only dryads know what to look for.” Mischief glinted in his eyes.
I had so much to learn.
“But I’ve come with news. And visitors. May I let them in?”
I sat up straighter, adjusting my blue sundress. Leaf and moss clothes could wait until I was more used to my new situation. “Umm, sure.”
Garrick reached the door again in four strides. Pulling it open, he admitted three men about half his size.
“Sir Teppen, Sir Lennox, Sir Alban!” I made to stand, but all three objected.
“Stay where y’are, lass. We ought to rise for you, not t’other way ’round.” Sir Teppen approached and bent into a deep bow.
The others followed suit.
Sir Lennox pressed my hand. “Tis good to see you.”
“I’m so sorry that I didn’t listen to you.” I shook my head.
“No, no. None o’ that, lass.” Sir Te
ppen frowned. “Forge ’r not, we should never’ve left you alone. The first rule o’ the Dwarf-Lands is to never leave one o’ your own behind, an’ we did exactly that. Believe me, we regretted it fully when we saw you lyin’ on the rocks.” He pulled out a handkerchief to dab at his eyes.
I ducked my head to meet his gaze. “I’ll be fine.” I looked to the others, curling my hands into my lap. “Have you had any news of the queen?” If I were honest, that was part of the reason I wasn’t eager to leave my confinement. While the queen still lurked about, it was safer for me here.
Sir Alban gave a solemn nod. “She is no more.”
“What? But how?”
“One o’ her sentinels, a Mr. Aiken—the very one who nearly killed you—was gatherin’ a small band o’ followers when we arrived in the Eastern Realm.”
Sir Lennox leaned in. “Seems you made quite an impression on ’im. Said ’e could no longer serve a queen that’d harm such a sweet, innocent girl.”
“Aye,” Sir Alban agreed. “An’ there’s been a great deal of unrest in the Eastern Realm for some time now. Well, it came to blows yesterday, an’ Queen Espina met her fate.”
My chest lifted as though a fifty-pound dumbbell had been removed. “But are you sure?”
“I verified it this morning.” Garrick winced. “Her tree is split right down the middle, as though it were struck by lightning.”
Poor tree. “So I’m safe, then?” Doubt clouded my relief.
Sir Teppen nodded. “She may have a follower or two left, but the dryads o’ the Eastern Realm were thrilled to hear their royal line has an heir. Can’t wait to meet you.”
I rested my chin on my hand. Then I was to be queen. Of a place I’d never even seen before.
Sir Lennox nodded to his companions. “Tis a real blessin’ to see you on the mend, Your Highness. But we’d best let you rest and be on our way back to the Dwarf-Lands.”
“Of course. But please, stick with Melia.” Motioning them closer, I gave each dwarf a kiss on the cheek. I suppressed a grin at the pink tingeing every set of miniature ears. “Thank you for everything. I look forward to paying you many visits once I’m fully recovered.”
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