Tree of Ages Box Set

by Sara C. Roethle

  Iseult approached the men with Naoki in tow. “Where are the others?”

  Tavish and Rae both kept their eyes downcast.

  Suddenly feeling wary, Finn remained on her seat next to Ealasaid, several paces away from the men. She took a bite of her bread and cheese, chewing slowly.

  “They were all swept up in a Faie spell,” Maarav explained for his men. “The others did not survive. We buried them as best we could.”

  “What?” Anna growled, charging up to the remorseful men like an angry wolf. “You killed my crew?”

  Rae was the first to meet her eyes. “They would have killed us otherwise.”

  “And how do we know that,” she snapped.

  “You do not,” Rae replied, standing his ground. “Which is why Tavish and I will take our leave of you.”

  “No, you will not,” Maarav interrupted, his tone not welcoming arguments.

  Anna turned her glare to Maarav, while Rae’s expression remained impassive.

  “You swore to accompany me until my mission is complete, or until I release you from service,” Maarav explained, his gaze firmly on Rae and Tavish, “and you know full well what it would mean if you were to go back on that oath.”

  Naoki trotted over to Finn and buried her beak against the leg of her breeches, as if unsettled by the sudden tension. Finn stroked the dragon’s head with her free hand, her gaze remaining on the arguing men. She had a feeling there was more meaning to Maarav’s words than she was able to divine. Perhaps some secretive law pertaining to the hidden city up North?

  Casting a final glare at Anna, Rae met Maarav’s gaze. “I will abide by the rules.”

  Finn glanced at Iseult to see if he understood any more of this conversation than she did. Though his expression gave away little, he was watching his brother like a hawk. Perhaps he trusted Maarav as much as she, which was little.

  “Get cleaned up,” Maarav ordered the two men, then turned toward his bedroll and supplies, effectively ending the argument.

  Anna gave Rae and Tavish another hard look, and neither seemed to miss how her hands hovered near her daggers. They all stared at each other a moment more, then Anna turned away with a huff.

  Finn took another bite of her hard bread and cheese, then turned to Ealasaid, silently asking her what she thought. Ealasaid shrugged, then stuffed the rest of her bread in her mouth, stood, and walked away, decidedly keeping her distance from Maarav.

  Finn’s small meal settled like a hard lump in her stomach. After what they’d seen in Migris, she knew the risk of death for her party was high, but she hadn’t expected the first two men to go like that.

  She lifted her gaze as Kai approached and took Ealasaid’s vacated seat. “At least none of us killed each other in the Blood Forest,” he muttered.

  She nodded, then gave him a thoughtful look.

  He raised his hands in surrender. “I wasn’t about to tease you about running off that day, I swear.”

  She shook her head. “It’s not that, I’m simply wondering why you were affected by the Sirens, but not the Faie of the Blood Forest, or the ones last night. And I’m wondering why Iseult is never affected at all.”

  Kai frowned. “Well Iseult, I suspect, has a heart made of black iron, warding the Faie away. And perhaps I was only entranced by the Siren’s because. . . ” he trailed off, pondering his answer.

  “Because you’re desperate for female attention?” Anna asked, walking up behind him. She handed him a piece of bread and cheese, just like she’d given Finn, then gazed toward where Maarav, Tavish, and Rae had moved to converse, out of hearing range. Sativola walked up beside Anna.

  “I think it would be wise for us to look after each other’s well being,” Anna advised, her voice low. “I’ll watch your backs, if you’ll watch mine.”

  “Deal,” Finn and Kai said in unison, while Sativola said, “Aye.”

  Finn met Iseult’s gaze from where he stood by the horses. He gave her a subtle nod. They would all need to look out for each other.

  Soon everyone gathered together to depart, a pall of heavy silence surrounding them. Rae and Tavish watched everyone but Maarav warily, as if realizing they were no longer entirely welcome.

  Finn could only hope they would choose to leave on their own, along with Maarav, lest anyone else end up in a shallow grave in the woods.

  Iseult felt little relief at being back on the Sand Road. Finn walked beside him, completely unharmed by the previous night’s events, yet he couldn’t help but think how easily she could have been the one on the wrong side of a Faie enchantment. If Rae and Tavish had harmed her instead of the other men . . . well, Rae and Tavish would no longer be in existence.

  Maarav walked ahead with the two men in question, while Anna, Kai, Sativola, and Ealasaid walked a few paces behind, leading the two horses. Iseult was glad Ealasaid had come to her senses, and seemed to want to be as far from Maarav as possible. At least she was fazed by the events of the night. Maarav couldn’t seem to care less about any of it, including the deaths.

  Iseult knew Maarav had been trained from a very young age to be a killer, and Rae and Tavish were likely the same. He also suspected there was some sort of hierarchy within their secret city that caused them to defer to Maarav’s wishes, as the two men clearly would have branched off on their own otherwise.

  Iseult would gladly encourage their departure, along with Maarav. The others, well, Finn had made Anna a promise, allowing her to accompany them on their journey, and that apparently meant Kai as well, and he knew Ealasaid had nowhere else to go, but the other crewman . . . he felt they would be better off without them, now that they were no longer in need of a ship and crew. Still, it seemed ignoble to force them off on their own after what they’d seen in Migris. There was safety in numbers, as long as you weren’t betrayed by your own.

  Finn sighed beside him. Iseult thought for a moment she was sharing his thoughts, until she asked, “Where do you think Àed is? Do you think he could have been in Migris when . . . ” she trailed off, then bit her lip. Her eyes suddenly welled with tears.

  “The old man is far too clever to have gotten caught up in that,” he comforted, believing his words. “I’m sure he’s tracking us as we speak.”

  She looked to him hopefully. “Do you think he’ll be able to find us, even if we make it all the way back to Garenoch?”

  He nodded. “He was able to track you across great distances before. I would not worry.”

  She smiled, and seemed to relax. Naoki, trotted by her side, free of her cloak for now, though Finn kept it ready in her arms should they happen upon another caravan.

  “About what happened in Migris-” she hesitated.

  “You seemed to remember something at the Grogoch’s mention of elementals,” he observed.

  She nodded. “Not a memory exactly, but a feeling. Something to do with them in my . . . previous life.”

  “That memory wouldn’t have anything to do with how to fight them?” he asked hopefully.

  She shook her head. “They cannot be fought. They are pure embodiments of elements, fire, water, wind, fueled by earth magic. I think perhaps the Dair can control them to an extent, since they control nature.”

  He went silent, pondering her words. He wondered if perhaps her roots were a form of elemental magic, or if the roots were elementals themselves, animate all on their own. Perhaps they chose to come to her call. He decided against speaking his speculations, not wanting to add to her list of memories to search for.

  Gazing at the men walking ahead of them far out of earshot, she whispered suddenly, “Do you think we can trust them?”

  “No,” he replied simply.

  “But he’s your brother,” she argued quietly. “Do you believe he will betray us?”

  “I cannot say,” he sighed. “We had not seen each other since we were small children. I have no way of knowing what sort of man he’s become, and I do not trust the place he and his men came from. I do not trust how he happened upon y
ou in Migris, nor his reasons for standing idly by when Anna kidnapped you.”

  “I’m glad you said that,” Finn muttered. “I feared I was the only one to feel that way.”

  Iseult glanced over his shoulder at those walking behind them. He supposed they might be close enough to catch a few words of their conversation, but found he was not entirely opposed to the idea. Though it would be difficult for him, it would be best for he and Finn to foster trust with Kai and Anna. He disliked Kai, but the knave would undoubtedly protect Finn. He’d proven that much, at least, but Anna was another story. Yet, while her motivations revolved entirely around herself, and hence she could not be fully trusted, if she believed she was trusted, then managing her would be easier.

  Still, he preferred the pair, and even their remaining crewman, to Maarav and the others.

  “You are not the only one,” Iseult assured, turning his gaze back to her. “I would never have taken up company with him to begin with, except I needed a ship to reach you, and he offered his.”

  “And why does he travel with us still?” she questioned softly. “Surely he has better things to do.”

  Iseult smiled softly at her. “You must remember, he is of my blood, so he is just as cursed as I. He does not seem motivated by vengeance, but there is no way to tell for sure. He recognized you when he first saw you, and could have harmed you then, but did not. He either follows out of curiosity, or his hopes are the same as mine.”

  “To remove the curse from your bloodline,” she muttered.

  “Yes,” he answered, “but the place he comes from may have altered his perceptions. Perhaps he has darker motivations unbeknownst to me.”

  Finn sighed. “I’m just glad this will all be over soon. All we need to do is reach my meadow.”

  Iseult gazed at the stormy sky above them, tasting the rich scent of damp earth on the back of his tongue. He did not believe things would be anywhere near over once they found the Faie Queen’s shroud. Finn still did not have her memories, and he believed the loss of her child in her previous life was the reason. Her devastation had caused her to lay a curse upon his people before she retreated, never to be seen again . . . until now. There was great power within her, and he could only hope her memories would not change the bond he shared with her, lest his quest end in his death.

  Bedelia swatted at the branches catching in her shoulder-length hair. While she was glad to be back on dry land again, she found everything a constant source of rage. Keiren didn’t care if she lived or died since she had failed so horribly in her quest. No one cared.

  She sighed and swatted at another branch as Rada, her black and white horse, carried her further down the trail. The animal also seemed relieved to be back on dry land after sailing all the way to that forsaken island just for her owner to spy and burn down a tree.

  Thoughts of the island where the Archtree resided brought thoughts of her recent, short-term friendship with Finn. Unlike Keiren or anyone else, Finn cared. She’d heard Finn question Maarav about her well-being. After knowing her only a short while, Finn cared if she lived or died. How cruel that she was now set out to harm Finn even further. Keiren had already taken Àed away, and Bedelia knew just how much the old man had meant to Finn. Now she was supposed to take away even more of Finn’s support.

  The trees grew sparse as she neared the Sand Road, her final destination, for the time being. Keiren had informed her that Finn would cross her path within the day, though the estimate was anything but solid. Keiren still couldn’t see Finn clearly with her arcane gifts. She’d thought it was Àed keeping the girl from her, but now he was gone, turned into a tree, and Finn still eluded Keiren’s ever-watchful eye.

  Good. For the first time in many, many years, she was glad Keiren was unhappy, and she almost hoped being near Finn again would block her from Keiren’s sight too, not to mention Òengus. He’d been given another mission, since Finn and her companions would never be foolish enough to trust him like they hopefully would Bedelia.

  Reaching the Sand Road, she crossed it, then dismounted. Soon enough she had built a small fire, and had begun roasting a rabbit she’d snared in the woods. She sat in the dry grass and propped herself up with her arms while Rada snuffled the ground for something to eat.

  She sighed, looking up at the gathering clouds overhead. A cold rain would be a welcome distraction. Perhaps it would wash away her memories of the past few weeks. Still gazing upward, she resituated her once injured leg. Though the wound caused by a Faie wolf had healed over, lines of black still ran through the veins beneath the skin, currently covered by her deep green woolen breeches and light plate armor. Even with the potion that had allowed her to heal, she still might die from the aftereffects of the bite.

  At times, death seemed a welcome reprieve, but she couldn’t actually accept such a fate. After all she’d endured in her often tumultuous life, it couldn’t all just end. She had loved once, but now knew her love was never truly returned. Her past years of service had been for nothing. She had to make the future ones count.

  She shook her head and patted Rada as the animal stepped a little closer and snuffled near her lap. No, she could not allow herself to die. She would see this thing through, and see where she ended up. Keiren had made her feel worthless. Now, after all this time, she was determined to reclaim that worth, one way or another.

  Evening was fast approaching, and tensions were high. Maarav knew his confrontation with his men had not gone over well with anyone, especially Iseult. Unfortunately, he’d had little choice. If he would have let the men go, it would have entirely undermined his standing in the city he would always consider home, not to mention it would have been an unwise strategic move in his current situation. He knew he was the odd man out. This journey centered around Finn, and she did not trust him. He had little doubt his brother would side with her over him, and might even side with Kai and Anna too. While Iseult had expressed little love for the pair, he technically knew them better than he knew him, not to mention Finn was in favor of their presence.

  Maarav knew better than to let himself become so grossly outnumbered. He had many reasons for remaining with the party, and could not risk being ostracized.

  He glanced back at his brother, walking beside Finn and her little dragon. Just as his own motivations had remained hidden, so had Iseult’s, though he obviously cared a great deal for Finn. The reasons for that were a mystery. Maarav knew the histories, and he knew just who Finn was. She had cursed their people . . . although, he didn’t fully view it as a curse. He’d always been highly proficient at his job, somehow faster and more stealthy than others. Sometimes it was as if he could even hide in plain sight. Perhaps souls just served to weigh their hosts down, and he was better off without one. Better off, until he died, at least. He was not sure just what would happen to him then. If one stuck strictly to the lore, the souls of his ancestors were stolen. Trapped someplace in between the worlds, never able to live or die . . . or whatever actions souls actually experienced.

  He and Iseult were different. They’d been born into this curse. Perhaps they were just empty shadows, never meant to truly be men. He’d always known there was something that held him apart from other people, and his mother had explained just what that was, but it was still difficult to fully comprehend.

  “Someone ahead near the road,” Tavish muttered beside him.

  Maarav narrowed his eyes, peering into the distance to see the subtle glow of a fire. “Scout ahead,” he ordered quietly.

  A moment later, Tavish and Rae were off, moving silently through the growing shadows. They should have made camp before the sun finished its retreat, but it seemed everyone was reluctant to do so. He supposed he couldn’t blame them.

  He chuckled, thinking of the Faie spell that had so fully ensnared Ealasaid. It hadn’t affected him, but he’d been glad to play along. He’d been planning on letting her know in the morning, viewing it as a grand prank, but the girl had been so utterly embarrassed, he didn’t have
the heart to tell her. He hadn’t expected her to react so negatively.

  He walked on in silence, straining to hear Finn and Iseult’s hushed conversation behind him, yet they were a bit too far off. It had been that way all day, and he couldn’t help but feel they kept their voices low on purpose, just to keep him from hearing.

  A few moments later, Rae and Tavish returned.

  “Just a lone woman with her horse,” Tavish explained. “I doubt she’ll give us any trouble. Perhaps she’d even care to share her fire. I’d rather not venture back into the woods tonight.” He eyed the trees to their right warily.

  Maarav shook his head, ashamed that his men had fallen so quickly to Faie tricks, though honestly, he suspected his curse had more to do with his immunity than anything else, as Iseult also seemed immune.

  His mind made up, he continued walking, and his men followed. Soon the fire came more clearly into view.

  Iseult and the others quickly closed the distance between their groups.

  “Just a lone woman,” Maarav explained once everyone was within earshot. He flicked his gaze to Iseult. “Do we want to risk setting up camp in the woods again, or should we perhaps ask to share her fire?”

  “We can decide once we’ve reached her,” Iseult replied, then turned to Finn. “You should cover your dragon.”

  She nodded, then scooped the little dragon up into her arms, wrapping her in a cloak. The dragon purred happily, likely just as cold and tired as the rest of them.

  Soon enough they reached the woman, lounging by her fire with a serene expression. Maarav thought it odd at first that the woman should be so relaxed, but then he recognized her. He quickly debated his next course of action in his head. Finn already knew that Maarav and Bedelia were acquainted, so it would not do to pretend he didn’t know her, but that would of course bring about many other questions, most from his overly suspicious brother.

  He was saved from further action as Bedelia acknowledged their presence, and Finn squealed and began to dart toward her, then seemed to remember the dragon in her arms. She quickly passed the creature off to Kai, then finished her approach, lunging for Bedelia, who stood as she wrapped her in a fierce hug.