It wasn’t long after that that we were entering a lighter section of the forest. The trees were not so closely packed, letting the sun reach us. I think all of us breathed just a little easier. Lily was actually able to leave Aunt Sage’s side and walk normally.
The other mages brought their groups toward Aunt Sage. “Alright everyone, listen up! Now we are going to gather Mouse Grass. Follow what your guide says. Learn all you can. This information may very well save your life or someone dear to you someday. Oh, and keep a weather eye on the Wood. We are safer here, but danger still lurks.”
Chapter 4
Until that day, I had very little affection for Aunt Sage. She was just another adult relative that probably thought I was a coward and would amount to little. But she had proved to me otherwise that day. Perhaps it was my mentioning of Ardiheim, but she talked to me more than she did the others in our group. Mostly, I think, because I would actually answer the questions. But she did it in such a way that didn’t single me out. And a lot of the time she would catch me by surprise.
I know that probably sounds odd. But I can’t think of a better way to describe it. She would set us about gathering Mouse Grass, explaining its properties and when it was best to harvest it, and the best ways to preserve it. Then she would ask questions. I’m usually really good at staying out of sight, out of mind when it came to questioning teachers. Sit in the back and don’t raise your hand, even though it kills you when no one else would even try.
But we’re not in a classroom. We are out in the Wood. The place I’ve read about for years and years. The place I had been fascinated by and afraid of. It was a place of unspeakable danger, but mystery too… and I was curious. I wanted to see what was out there; if what I had read about was true.
So, there I was happily gathering the Mouse Grass herb we were learning about when Aunt Sage seemed to be talking to Rue about how she would treat a patient with a severe laceration. For the most part, it sounded right. First, she would cleanse the wound with a wash of Mage Hazel. That made sense to me, though it would likely sting something fierce. Then she would gently apply a poultice made of one full measure of crushed Julvern and two full measures of Dream Flower. Rue was nodding when I turned, shocked, toward Aunt Sage.
“Forgive me, but that would be a horrible idea, ma’am.”
Rue, Lily, and Jay froze and stared at me. If the other groups had been close enough they might have stared too, but they hadn’t heard me. Lily’s expression went from shocked to smug. I was about to get it now… But Aunt Sage simply sat back on her heels and raised a questioning brow at me. “Why would you say that, Kel?”
“Dream Flower is poisonous in that dosage,” I replied simply. It was also the deadly plant she had asked about earlier in the classroom, I realized now.
Aunt Sage smiled. “That it is.” She said. At her words, Rue looked stricken. She hadn’t realized that she was being tested. None of us had. Lily and Jay blinked, looking between Aunt Sage and me. Aunt Sage then calmly went back to work. I eyed her for a moment with new respect. She was a tricky one.
“What are the uses of Dream Flower?” Aunt Sage inquired. Rue, Jay, and Lily all looked to me. Hadn’t they done any reading? Feeling exasperated with my cousins, but trying to hide it, I knelt by a cluster of Mouse Grass closer to Aunt Sage.
“Dream Flower is a perennial with violet flowers in the spring. Has a gentle, sweet scent. Can grow up to three feet and has waxy leaves. Used only in quarter measures because anything more will make the patient catatonic. Its nickname is ‘Eternity’s Flower’ because it is so easy to overdose and never wake up. If taken correctly, it promotes restful sleep.” I frowned. “Though I would think just having a sachet of the crushed flowers in the pillowcase would be a safer option.”
Aunt Sage nodded. “Many go that route instead.”
“Um… what do the flowers do?” Rue asked hesitantly. Aunt Sage gestured for me to answer.
Mentally shrugging I did so. “The scent the flowers give off soothes anxiety. Making it easier to sleep.”
“Do you have one of these?” Lily asked, almost innocently.
I shook my head. “No. Dream Flower grows in shady groves near where Tree Lord’s live. And Tree Lords live in the Wood. One must have the permission of the Tree Lord to even harvest the flower. They use it themselves as a kind of… recreational substance. It isn’t deadly to them in any dosage as far as herbalists can tell.
“That’s why the aerial parts of Dream Flower are so expensive.”
“Say you have a Tree Lord’s permission, how would you handle the plant?” Aunt Sage asked.
“Carefully.” Was my quick response. “And respectfully,” I added. “The leaves are waxy. It would be a good practice to wear gloves as any break in the skin could allow the concentrated components in, paralyzing the fool with a cut. Then they would likely fall into a coma. I would also harvest during the spring since that is when the flowers are blooming. As we discussed, they are the safest way of using the plant. But the rest is useful too for the riskier treatments.”
Aunt Sage nodded. I noted my cousins listening carefully. “Magically?”
“Any part of the plant can be used to cast sleep. Can ease the emotions of those affected by the spell. Scrying spells are also fairly strong using Dream Flower.”
Aunt Sage than turned to Rue and Lily to ask them if they had any questions. Rue, timid as she was, wanted to learn. She was embarrassed that she hadn’t known that Dream Flower could be so dangerous. She wanted to correct her mistake. Lily just gathered near them. I, meanwhile, started wandering further afield. Not terribly far, mind. But further so I could concentrate more on the current herb we were dealing with.
To my surprise, Jay trailed after me. He knelt beside me, gathering some Mouse Grass with me, though he moved slower. I ignored him, concentrating on my work. After a moment Jay paused to look at me. I could feel his eyes. I itched to ask him what he wanted, but that had always gotten me in trouble in the past with others.
Eventually, Jay spoke up, though his tone was soft enough to stay between us. “hey Kel… would you mind if I studied with you?”
I jerked in surprise, almost cutting my hand instead of the plant. After assessing that I hadn’t cut myself, I turned to him. “You want to study with me?” I asked incredulously.
Looking concerned and wary, Jay glanced down before nodding. “I do. How did you know all that about Dream Flower? Was it just reading the textbook?”
“No. My mother has always counseled that when it comes to herbs and using them, you have to learn about a herb from multiple sources. The more, the better simply because people see and use the plant differently. So I read the textbook than went to the library and found more herbals.”
Jay nodded slowly. “I’m…” he looked down at the sprig of Mouse Grass in his hand, though he glanced at me sidelong “I’m not that fond of books, but if you’re willing to work with me I would appreciate it.” Meeting my gaze again he continued “I want to know how to help people. I don’t want to make a mistake and hurt them instead. I don’t want someone to be able to trick me like Aunt Sage just did. If you hadn’t said anything, I would have probably used what she had said.”
I considered Jay for a moment. I was suspicious, but my heart felt full too. I didn’t want to always be seen as useless. Or being on my own. True, he would likely turn on me when it really came down to it…. I looked down at the bundle of sprigs I had harvested and placed on a cloth square. I hate being alone. I thought. With a determination Jay probably didn’t understand I turned back to him. “If you are willing to be seen with me, then yes, I’m willing to work with you.”
Jay’s brown eyes lit up with his grin. “Thank you! When can we start?”
I couldn’t help smiling too. “After school is done we can head over to the library. I usually help Uncle Lyrel with getting books for people, but I usually have enough time to study between getting books from the Archive. If you wanted, you could help ou
t with that or just study. I don’t mind either way…” I trailed off when I noticed that Jay looked a little pale. “What’s wrong?”
“You go down there?”
“Yeah.”
Jay paled even more. “Isn’t it – I’ve always heard that – that the Archive of the library is haunted.” He finally got out, his tone even softer.
I shrugged. “If it is, I haven’t seen anything. It's actually kind of fascinating down there. No one really goes there, so its quiet. I will admit it is kind of a maze, but that’s the fun part.”
“Fun part?”
I nodded. “Its kind of an adventure. You never know what you are going to find. There are books and scrolls back there that I’m sure even Uncle Lyrel doesn’t know about.” I said with a grin.
Jay shook his head in wonder. “You know that Mol and the others would never go down there? I don’t think they would even if it was to get a free pass into becoming a full mage.”
“I don’t know about that second part, but yes, I know. I did say it’s peaceful, didn’t I?”
“No, you said it was quiet.”
I shrugged. “Same thing. Do you still want my help?”
“I do, but… um… can we stay near the front? At least for a while?” Jay asked hopefully.
I shrugged again. “Sounds good to me.”
“Kel! Jay! Have you gathered twenty sprigs each yet?” Aunt Sage called from her short distance away. Jay and I glanced at our piles. They were uneven. I admit… I had gathered more than my quota. Jay was about to hurriedly cut some more when I gave him my extras.
I turned to Aunt Sage and nodded. “Yes ma’am.”
She nodded. “Good. It is time to move on.” Jay and I rolled up our bundles of Mouse Grass sprigs and joined the rest of our group. While we did so, Jay whispered his thanks. I nodded.
Aunt Sage took us to another section of the meadow, closer to a brook and the treeline. She was much more watchful here. “I remind you to keep a close eye on the woods.” She cautioned again. All four of us cast a wary eye on the surrounding trees. They stood quietly. But under their branches the twilight of the Woods waited. “Here,” Aunt Sage continued, “we will be seeking Dewvera Leaf. This herb grows only five inches tall and looks like miniature bushes. Their leaves are succulent-type in that they are thick and stiff. Dewvera Leaf thrives in moist soils, like along river or creek banks and in wet lowlands. At this time of year, you will find them with berries that look very much like dew.
“These are handy plants to have around as they are most helpful for cooling burns. Their berries are prized for their ability to improve eyesight. They have other uses, but we will go over that later. For now, I want each of you to gather half of five Dewvera Leaf mini bushes. They would be too easy to overharvest. Which is why we do not take the whole plant. Just half. And only in the fall. This way they can self propagate and be found next year. Dewvera Leaf’s properties are quite potent. The preparations we will create with this harvest should last all year.”
I thought a moment about what she had said as I went near the brook and started looking. Jay followed along. “What have you learned about it?” He asked.
“Well, to add to what Aunt Sage said the leaves and berries are used both for mundane remedies and magic. The leaves nearest the main stem are filled with a bitter yellow gel that is often used to treat constipation or magically used as a repellent of – well whatever needs repelling I suppose. The book really didn’t go into detail there, being mostly about mundane medicine. The leaves beyond those are filled with a clear gel. Juice made from it is a treatment for peptic ulcers while the gel itself is made into lotions that are amazing for both burns and eczema. The berries are often crushed and put into capsules to improve circulation within the eyes, improving vision. A tincture made of them, with other herbs, can treat poor circulation in general. A decoction is used to treat diarrhea in children.
“Magically, the outer layer leaves are used to control water. Limited but useful. Or as a way to keep cool on a hot day or lower a fever. Berries for night vision and better sight spells… there is likely more, but that’s all I remember reading.” I concluded with a shrug.
Jay and I searched about. It was harder to find than the first, but we eventually did find one. Aunt Sage confirmed that we had correctly identified the right plant. With a better idea of what we were looking for we continued on. Jay found another. I congratulated him and continued on while he collected what he needed.
“How close do you think he will come?” A soft voice whispered. At first, I wasn’t sure I had heard it, but then the question was answered.
“I bet he won’t notice until he is in the Wood’s shadow.”
I knelt by the brook’s bank as if I had found some more Dewvera Leaf. But truly I listened. While I was somewhat uneasy, the voices didn’t sound malicious. Just mischievous and good-natured at the same time.
Whispery laughter “I bet that he will notice, but will continue on. He seems determined to find those Dewvera herbs.”
“Too bad we can’t help him since humans are blind to us.”
My unease grew. Whoever I heard talking were not humans? Were they elementals? Or Elmora? If I were to have my own betting pool, I would bet they were not Elmora. Elmora were rare or at least rarely seen in these parts. Elementals were far more likely… but… I frowned. What elementals were invisible to humans?
I looked about as if trying to spot more Dewvera Leaf. I was, but I was also trying to see who was talking. It wasn’t until I looked into the shade under the trees that I spotted darker shadows. They looked almost like people… but not. Very much not. They appeared to be made of the darkest shadows – ink given life. And yet I could somehow pick out onyx eyes. What could be described as hair was long and flowing about in a wind I couldn’t feel. They wore no clothes, but then, I couldn’t really make out any detail in their bodies. Oddly, and this might have just been me, but I could somehow tell which were more feminine while others were more masculine.
“He is staring at us.” One of them said in amazement. And I was staring. But I couldn’t help it.
“No! He can’t possibly be.” Another dismissed. Realizing that it might be a bad idea to stare at these particular elementals, I yanked my gaze away from them. The dismissive one continued “See? He can’t see us.”
Perhaps it was stupidity, but I was curious. I crept slowly closer, searching for more of Dewvera Leaf. Meanwhile, I was wracking my brain for any elemental that matched their description. None came to mind. Perhaps I just hadn’t found it yet. And I will admit that while my memory is good, it is by no means perfect. I might have just forgotten.
They continued placing their bets the closer I got, convinced that I was completely unaware of them. I stopped on the edge of the wood. There was a patch of the herb right next to a feminine shadow. If I were unaware of them, I would just walk right over there… but I was aware. And I couldn’t make myself just go over there. Not when I wasn’t sure if that was safe or not… but would talking to them put me in danger?
I was wary of them, but it was because they were unknown. Not because I felt threatened. Not like when… I again shut down that thought.
Decided, though ready to run if I needed to I looked up at the shadowy female. She stood there with a confused look on her face, obviously wondering why I hadn’t just gone over to the plants when it must have been obvious that I spotted them. Well, here goes nothing. “I’m sorry, but would you mind if I picked those?” I asked her point blank.
Chapter 5
Oh, it was so funny. The shadow people were so shocked that one of them fell out of a tree. Not that I heard a thump or anything. But I saw it. The one I had spoken to just stared at me, her mouth open in surprise. Again, how I could differentiate the features of her face is something I cannot explain. I could just tell. A feeling I had… so strong I couldn’t doubt it.
“You – You truly see me, human?” She inquired in a whispery soft voice. Her solid b
lack eyes glinted with reflections from the sun, helping to distinguish them from the rest of her face I was now close enough to see.
“And hear you… So who came closest to winning the bet?” I dared to ask looking at the others.
“Heard that, did you?” The shadow whose voice I recognized that had thought I had seen them earlier replied before losing his form and swirling around another. “and you thought he couldn’t possibly be staring at us.” He added.
That shadow swatted at the swirling mass in irritation. The other laughed and pulled away into its humanoid body. “Most don’t see us! It was an honest conclusion.”
“How, I wonder, do you see and hear us? None of your kind has…though there are stories…” The shadow I had addressed said.
“What stories?” I asked.
She shook her head. “You wanted these herbs. Please, take what nature offers. They are not mine. They belong to all. Take only what you need.”
“Of course.” I agreed respectfully. She stepped away and I carefully approached. I knelt by the plants and harvested. While doing so I asked “I hope this isn’t rude, but what are you?”
When there was no answer, I looked back up to see the shadows had gone. “Who are you talking to?” Jay asked, startling me.
“Jay! Oh, just um… the trees I guess.” I muttered lamely.
Jay snorted. “That’s silly. You find more Dewvera Leaf?”
“Yeah,” I said gathering my harvest up. Jay and I left the Wood and rejoined the group in the meadow. I kept glancing into the twilight under the tree’s canopy and I thought I saw the shadows. They were still there. Watching. Curious. I was kind of jealous that they could be so open with their curiosity. I had to sneak glances at them and somehow focus on what I was being taught.
It wasn’t until we were heading back that I could observe as openly. No one questioned me. We had been told to watch the forest. It was surreal though. Here was our group of students and mages walking cautiously through the Wood and all around were shadow people. It was like they were escorting us. I guessed there were roughly twenty of them. Now that we were moving they would glide or stream through the air. Movement would erase parts of them and define others. Perhaps in motion they couldn’t focus on holding a completely solid form. Or really cared to try. Some were slender and lithe like women. Others like youths. And others were broad-shouldered and imposing like warriors. I found it interesting that I hadn’t noticed this last group when I had been talking to them.
Lore Rune (Rune Trilogy Book 1) Page 3