by Dawn Brower
“All better now?” the leaves whistled in the wind.
She had to be hearing things. Since when did trees talk? Where was she, and how did she end up there? Elodie searched her mind, trying to make sense of what had happened to her. What had she been doing? She jolted to her feet and glanced around her. The last thing she recalled was trying to remove the flowers from her hair. They’d latched onto her and were trying to fuse into her scalp. They weren’t the same flowers she’d picked earlier in the day. Those flowers had been harmless wildflowers. The ones Susanna had made her crown with had been infused with magic. Had she believed the wrong person betrayed her? Was Cale innocent of any wrong doing? No, she couldn’t believe her only friend had worked against her. Someone else must have replaced the flowers. Susanna was probably an unwitting accomplice until Elodie found out; otherwise, she wouldn’t doubt her.
“Who’s there?” she asked. It felt stupid talking to a tree because, as far as she could tell, there wasn’t another soul around except her. Magic existed and it was time she stopped pretending it didn’t. The White Witch’s visions came from somewhere. The gods had power, and magic was an extension of it. Some people were able to harness it and use it for many reasons. Someone had found a way to make Elodie disappear. She wasn’t entirely sure where she was, but she was certain of one thing. Zelnon didn’t have any trees with white and silver flowers. Home was very far away, and exactly how far was indeterminate.
“Don’t be afraid, child,” the tree’s voice filled her mind. It wasn’t talking exactly. Its voice was touching her mind in some way.
“Where am I?” she asked.
“This is the beginning and the end,” it said. “No place, and every place altogether.”
“Can you be more specific,” she asked frustrated.
Wind blew around, swirling upward and pushing her toward to the branches. The dark brown trunk beckoned her. Something wasn’t quite right about this tree. What did it want from her? “Come closer,” the voice whistled through her mind.
Her feet started to move on their own accord as if she were caught in a magnetic field. Her body was being pulled toward its polar opposite, and she was helpless to stop it. “Let me go,” she managed to grit out. Whatever the tree wanted from her couldn’t be good. Its leaves were a pot of honey meant to entice and trap her forever.
“I mean you no harm,” it insisted. “Want to help you…”
“I don’t believe you,” Elodie said. Distrust had become a comfortable part of her soul, and nothing would convince her the tree was harmless.
Tendrils of vines descended from the top of the tree, writhing toward her. Elodie reacted on instinct, reaching behind her back and pulling her two short swords out. When one vine started to wrap around her arm she slashed it with the opposite hand’s blade. The tree hissed in pain and screamed in her head. “You’ll pay.” More vines came rushing down toward her. Elodie flipped and danced around them, slicing with each movement. She finally twisted and turned enough to be out of reach. After one final flip, she was out of the tree’s magnetic pull. Her breathing was ragged, but she’d never felt so exhilarated in her life.
The tree might not be able to touch her, but it could still speak to her. “You’ll not escape us, princess.”
“Who are you, and why are you trying to kill me?”
The magic of the tree was strong, and someone was harnessing its power. Her foe was unknown, and she couldn’t think of anyone with enough magical ability to utilize it, let alone control it enough to attempt to kill her. What had the White Witch warned her about? That if she wasn’t careful, she’d fall into an endless nightmare? Was she at the edge of that prophecy, and had she been instrumental in her own downfall? Why hadn’t she taken time to decipher it more? Too many distractions and not enough brain power to overcome them all. Cale and Daire were at the top of that list too. If not for them following her, maybe she’d have had time to ponder things more. Instead, she’d argued with them and fallen into a trap. Between the two males and her stepmother she hadn’t stood a chance.
“You’re weak, and the pathetic never survive long.” It hissed.
She wanted to scream at it that she was strong and she would prevail, but held her tongue. The tree was baiting her, and if she wanted to survive, she had to keep her wits about her. Whoever was behind this would reveal themselves in time. Betrayal seemed to be lurking around every corner, and she wasn’t sure who to trust anymore. Cale had told her to trust no one, and perhaps she should take that advice to heart. In the meantime, she’d have to focus on surviving and finding her way home.
“Believe what you want. I’m comfortable with my own truth. Are you?”
A slow smile formed on her face as she stared at the tree. It had given her the false impression it was protecting her. Now that she was away from its influence, it was clear it had been her tormenter from the start. The sky was clear and the sun was rising in the sky. Whatever bright light had been surrounding her before hadn’t come from it. The tree had leaked pain into her mind and created illusions to control her. What would it have done if she’d not been able to pull away from it in time? Would she be dead or in endless torment, far greater than she’d already suffered? She didn’t want to stick around long enough to find out. The tree probably wouldn’t answer her questions either honestly or willingly. It was doing the bidding of its evil master.
“Truth is as truth does,” the tree wailed. “A talented deceiver has the ability to warp reality. What you believe may not be as concrete as you think.”
Arrogant laughter floated through her mind. What did the egotistical tree mean by that statement? She accepted magic was real, and as far as she could tell, she had a good grasp on reality. Had someone messed with it and she hadn’t noticed? She needed more answers and wasn’t sure if the tree would be helpful in gaining them or not.
“How was reality misrepresented?”
“Sleep leads to dreams, dreams to nightmares, and in turn, a landscape of no return.”
Elodie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Reality itself hadn’t changed. In the real world, time went on as it normally did. Everyone would go about their day as if it was the same as before. But for Elodie, each day would bring a new surprise, a new challenge, and if she wasn’t careful, it could lead to her death. This wasn’t merely a world that was distorted—the world itself was perverted and designed to lead her to her own demise.
“Is there a way out?” She had to ask even though she wasn’t entirely certain the tree would give her any answers. “Will I ever go home?”
“This is your new home,” the tree said gleefully. “How long until you’re no longer here but everywhere?”
That implied she wouldn’t die but become infused into the world like the tiny dust particles it had sprinkled on her when she woke. She didn’t want to break up into thousands of pieces. Not only did that sound painful, but permeant.
“I want to go to my old home. It’s friendlier in its own way.” Fiona might hate her, but she hadn’t tried to kill her—yet. Of course, she may very well be the person who sent her to this hell. She wouldn’t know for certain until she found a way home. “How do I return,” she asked again.
“First you must find the ring of destiny. Through it, you can slip through the endless torment and find peace.”
That didn’t exactly give her much hope, but at least it was a clue. She wouldn’t take the tree’s word for it. Someone around this world must have an idea on how to escape. She’d ask around and see if the ring of destiny was something worth exploring, or if there was an option that was more viable. Either way, the tree had given her all it would. It was time to move on and explore her new home for however long she was to remain. She had to understand it if she hoped to survive.
* * *
Elodie walked along a path watching everything through a wary gaze. Rows and rows of hedges lined the edge of the walkway. She had two choices: either go back to the murderous tree or keep moving forwa
rd and become locked inside a wall of shrubbery. So far, the green plants didn’t want to eat her and hadn’t started talking to her. That had to be a good sign that she was moving in the right direction. The tree had not been all that forthcoming with information, and mostly spoke in riddles. It was almost like deciphering one of the White Witch’s premonitions.
Maybe she should finally stop to think about what they could mean. Her visions were always filled with so much imagery that didn’t seem to add up to anything in particular. It wasn’t until after things unfolded that things became clear. She wanted to understand it, but all she’d been able to do was add to her frustrations. It would help if she had someone to discuss it with. Maybe in this case two minds were better than one so they could bounce ideas off each other. A choice must be made—heart or salvation. The White Witch had said a lot, but that one kept coming back to her. What if in choosing with her heart it would lead to her salvation? No, that couldn’t be right. That wasn’t a choice, it was wishful thinking.
Elodie sheathed her short swords in the scabbard and made her way down the long path. When it ended and she had no choice but to choose another direction, she went left. After a while, everything looked the same and she became completely lost. The wall of bushes had quickly turned into a maze, trapping her inside of it. There was no way to tell if she was going the right way, and even if she wanted to, she couldn’t turn around and go back the way she’d come.
Her mind was still fuzzy from the drugging influence of the tree, and she’d failed to keep track of the turns she’d made. She was lost and completely alone. Why had she wished everyone would leave her alone? This had to be why she had been thrust into this existence. The more she traveled down the path of hedges she started to believe she was not in a real world. The White Witch had warned her about this nightmare, and if she didn’t figure out the riddle she’d be trapped there forever.
Elodie took another turn and found a fountain in the middle of the rows of hedges. It was massive, taking up most of the center. The fountain was an octagon and flanked by a half square on each side. Two mermaids sat on the edge of each side, dipping their hands into the crystal-clear water; one had a silver tail, and the other had a white one. Each tail sparkled in the sunlight like an iridescent pearl.
A large schooner was nestled directly in the middle of the fountain tipped over. Water sprouted up through a large hole in the side. Silver coins shot out of the hole and flew in every direction. Several flew at her and she had to raise her hands to block them from pelting her face. They started to fly out faster and faster, making it hard for her to avoid being hit. Her stomach was being pounded on, and her arms were raw with pain. She had to get around the fountain and run to the other side.
Elodie kept as low as she dared and rushed past the left side of the fountain. The mermaids turned and watched her as she moved. One of them opened her mouth and a sweet melody filled the air. It was beautiful and heartbreaking. It made her think of Cale and his betrayal. He was the reason she’d run out of the castle. If not for him, she might not be in her current predicament. Men could not be trusted. They always betrayed and thought of themselves first. Cale had to pay…
“Find him,” an arioso voice urged her. The white tail swished in the water as the musical voice lulled her into complacency. “Kill him.”
“Yes,” Elodie agreed. “He needs to die.”
The song rose to a crescendo and filled her heart with hatred. Elodie reached for her blades and swung them around, ready to face any enemy. There was one she wanted to find; when she located Cale, he would pay for his duplicity.
“Never trust a male,” the mermaid said. “None are worthy of you.”
How had she not seen it before? Cale was not the only male who had let her down. Every male since the moment she was born had betrayed her in some way. Her father had when he had married Fiona, Cale did by siding with her, and Daire, the rat bastard, was related to her stepmother. None of them had Elodie’s best interest at heart. They thought of themselves and what they stood to gain from knowing her. They would all rue the day they had pushed her away for their own interests. She had to find them.
“Where are they?” Elodie demanded. “Tell me where to find them.”
“Bring them to me,” the mermaid ordered. “We will feast on their souls. Together, we will rule over all that dare to pass by.”
“I must find them first,” she said. “Are they near?”
They must be if the mermaid wanted her to bring them back to her. The silver tailed mermaid turned and swam across the fountain. She swished her tail on the side of the water as she leaned in to whisper in her fellow mermaid’s ear. “Yes,” the white one agreed. They turned toward Elodie and smiled. “Come play in the water with us. Become one with us.”
They wanted her to be a mermaid? It did have its benefits. They were both beautiful, they had gorgeous hair, but empty eyes. They seemed content with their life. Could Elodie be like them? Would it better to be emotionless and kill any male that comes near the fountain? What kind of life would that be?
A miserable one…
“I’m going to find the males to kill,” she said instead. Her head was starting to clear from the song they’d sang earlier. It had put a temporary spell over her. Elodie was starting to think she was trapped in a place that bled magic like breathing. It was filled with traps to lure her to death. If she was not careful, she would fall for one of them, and that would be the end of her. First the trees and now the mermaids. Nothing and no one could be trusted. Everything had to be treated as suspect. Unfortunately, that was easier said than done. Both times, she had almost failed to see through the magical lure.
“They will come to us,” they both said in a singsong voice. “They search for you now.”
“What?”
Were Cale and Daire trapped in this world too? If so, she really did have to find them. This was her curse, and she hadn’t meant to share it with anyone else. What had they been thinking?
“The blond one is pretty,” the white one said. “We might play with him a while first.”
“Yes,” the silver one agreed. “The dark one will die fast. He’s too true to live long.”
They wanted to have a spot of fun at Daire’s expense. She almost felt bad for him. He was too pretty for his own good, but even he didn’t deserve to be tortured by mermaids. What did they mean by Cale being too true?
“Truth is bad?” she asked.
“All males are,” they hummed together. “But he is unattainable.”
“He’s betrayed me, so he must die,” she played along.
“Has he,” they crooned. “Or were you misled to believe it?”
“No, I saw…”
What did she see? Her stepmother had smiled at them and nodded. Had she indicated something that was not true? It was something that her stepmother was fully capable of doing. Had Cale continued to be loyal to her? What did Fiona stand to gain by driving a wedge between them? Cale was supposed to leave, and there would not have been any contact between them. There was no logical reason to make her hate him.
“Illusions are effective and so fun,” the silver one said. “Join us, help us create them. They will die at our hands.”
Elodie shook her head and backed away from them. She put as much distance as she could between them and scooted along the hedges. Each step she took, she kept her gaze locked on them. They could not move beyond the water. That was why they kept inviting her to join them. If she had listened and moved toward them, she would have died. It was clear as day now that she was beyond their influence.
“No,” Elodie said and turned toward the path of hedges leading away from the mermaids. She had a new mission—find Cale and Daire. Once they were all reunited, they could work together to find a way out of the dreamscape.
A Little Birdie Told
The maze opened into a field that spread outward and seemed to go on forever. It was flat and green with spots of giant wildflowers growing in a
circle. They were white with silver in the middle. They were at least three feet high and had massive centers surrounded by large petals. The stems bent downward as if the flower itself was too large and heavy to hold up. Elodie gave them a wide berth and watched them closely. So far, everything she had encountered had been hell-bent on killing her. The flowers, while pretty, could be equally murderous. She didn’t trust anything and took nothing at face value.
She circled around them, watching them with each step she took. Each flower’s head lifted as she passed as if they were trying to figure her out. Silver spores floated out of them and hovered in the air like needles in the wind. Elodie stepped back and they rose higher, adjusting their trajectory. They were going to shoot the blasted things at her. What would they do if they hit her? Were they deadly? She fully expected they were, and her life was about to come to a halt. This world was dangerous and nothing in her life had prepared her for it.
“Freeze!” Someone shrilled loudly.
Elodie lifted her hands and covered her ears. The sound was so intense, a stabbing pain erupted inside of them. What the hell had made that awful sound. She lowered her hands slowly and looked around her. The spores were still poised to strike. What were they waiting for?
“You don’t follow directions well, do you?”
A bird, about a foot long from its head to the bottom of its tail, flew above the large flowers. It was stark white with wings tipped in silver. That appeared to be the theme for the world she was stuck in—anything out of the ordinary had white and silver embedded in it. So far it all had been bad and out to end her life. Was the bird playing a more elaborate game?