The Finding

by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson

  “Thank you,” she finally said, tucking it away safely into a pocket inside her vest.

  “He keeps me company in this lonely place,” Denaeh continued calmly after a short silence.

  Milihn was now cocking his head to the side, observing Jahrra with one black, glossy eye. He let out a low, grumbling noise, causing Jahrra to flinch.

  “That means he approves of you,” the Mystic said, grinning and scratching behind the bird’s neck.

  “Oh, well, I like him too,” Jahrra replied sheepishly.

  Once the shock of Milihn’s arrival wore off, Jahrra and Denaeh spent most of half an hour admiring the Mystic’s exotic garden. Not only did she have every kind of mushroom that grew in Oescienne, but she grew many wild herbs and plants and spices as well, all useful in helping with different ailments.

  “Now, this kind of mushroom,” she said, leaning down and pulling up a dark purple one, “is very good at curing headaches. And this herb,” she continued, plucking the leaves off of a green and white plant, “helps to ease the stomach.”

  Jahrra got out her journal and sketched and listed all of the different plants and fungi that Denaeh had growing in her garden. While Jahrra drew, the Mystic weeded, pulling at tough and stubborn plants that seemed to bring the whole earth up with them when she finally loosened them.

  “Ugh, awful things these weeds, if only my other plants were so determined to stay alive,” she said, and then to end the silence that had been emanating from the girl sketching next to her she added, “So, Jahrra, tell me more about yourself. What do you do with your friends other than get into trouble with your classmates?”

  Denaeh flashed Jahrra a teasing grin, but the girl’s head had flown up and her eyes had grown as large as apples.

  “Oh no!” she said suddenly, shutting her journal with violence.

  “What is it?” Denaeh asked, afraid she’d said something to offend her guest.

  Jahrra saw the worried look on Denaeh’s face and adjusted her tone. “No, nothing is wrong. It’s just that I forgot. My friends will be worried about me. They’re probably thinking I’m dead or captured! I’m sorry, but I have to go now.”

  “Oh, is that all?” Denaeh said, grinning impishly as she dusted off her soil-stained hands.

  Jahrra scrambled to her feet in her haste, but stopped before moving any farther. She put her hand to her forehead and groaned.

  “What now?” Denaeh asked, looking puzzled.

  “Nothing, it’s just . . .” Jahrra began.

  Denaeh raised her eyebrows and Jahrra sighed. “Well, you know my classmates dared me to come here, but the thing is I have to prove that I came all the way to the Belloughs. But I have no idea how to prove something like that!”

  Jahrra then told the Mystic everything, about the challenge, about her stupidity in falling for the twins’ ruse, and especially about Lake Ossar.

  “You see, only if I bring back some proof will they stay away from Lake Ossar for good. It was the only place I could go to get away from them.”

  Jahrra sighed deeply and slouched back to the ground, her legs crossed and her shoulders slumped. What was the point in going back if she had failed? She could bring back one of Denaeh’s mushrooms, if the Mystic would let her, but what would that prove? It was no use; she had nothing to show for her accomplishment. She almost wished now that Denaeh had been a witch intent on eating her.

  Denaeh gazed down at Jahrra, her lips pursed in scrutiny. She drew one hand up to her chin and her young face took on a pensive look. Jahrra didn’t notice when the Mystic’s thoughtful stance relaxed, but when she finally looked up at the young woman, she was beaming brightly at her.

  “What?” Jahrra asked, confused by the Mystic’s sudden joy.

  “Jahrra, how good are you at acting?”

  That was an odd question, considering the circumstances. But Jahrra simply shrugged. “I guess I’m alright at it, I’ve never really acted before. Why?”

  “Well,” Denaeh grinned, her golden eyes sparking with mischief, “I have an idea . . .”

  -

  Chapter Twenty-Two -

  What Goes Around Comes Around

  “Eydeth! Just let us go! What if she’s hurt or needs our help?”

  The only thing that consumed Scede more than his anger was his fear, but Eydeth and his sister just smirked.

  “I said she had to do it alone or no deal,” he purred.

  “It’s been nearly four hours!” Eydeth screamed, his face turning red. “Surely that’s long enough! And I don’t care anymore, the deal is off!”

  Scede stalked off to where Bhun and Aimhe were tied to a sapling, but Eydeth’s voice called over the crowd of students still waiting around to learn Jahrra’s fate.

  “Oh, no you don’t. She got herself into this and she can get herself out. No help from her loser friends!”

  Scede turned around and glared back at the other boy. Eydeth had called upon his thugs and they were now standing in a semi-circle, blocking off the trail Jahrra had taken earlier that morning.

  “You think we’re bad now, wait and see what happens to you at school if you try to go after your stupid friend.”

  Ellysian got up from the giant log she’d been sitting on and moved to stand next to her brother. A few more reluctant girls, who were often seen following her around, joined her. Scede looked over at Gieaun, leaning against a eucalyptus tree so she wouldn’t fall over. Ever since Jahrra had disappeared into the woods that morning, she’d grown more and more tense and nervous. Now she was just barely holding on to the little sanity she had left.

  Scede secretly cursed his friend for going through with this stupid dare and hoped more than anything that she’d just twisted an ankle or had managed to get lost. He refused to believe she was in any real danger, but he wasn’t about to take any chances. Throwing one last glare of hatred in Eydeth’s general direction, Scede snatched up Bhun’s reins and hopped into the saddle.

  “You’d better move unless you want to get trampled!” he shouted to the crowd blocking the path. He meant every word.

  Scede looked down at his sister and she stared back, grim faced, but nodded. She hoisted herself up and staggered over to Aimhe who was staring after Bhun in a perplexed manner. Gieaun used an old tree stump to get into the saddle and soon drew her horse up next to her brother’s.

  “Now, are you going to move or not?” Scede demanded.

  “What’s the use in going in after her?” Eydeth said, trying to keep the twinge of fear from his voice. “If the witch hasn’t captured her then she has most likely died of fright. In fact, that’s probably what has happened to her. She saw an old gnarled tree and thought it was the witch and died on the spot! She would be just dumb enough to do something like that!”

  The crowd tossed around a light, nervous chuckle, more to pass the time than for any other reason. They’d been standing around for hours, waiting for either Jahrra to return triumphant or for someone to finally decide she wasn’t coming back at all. A few people had left and a few had come back, but little else had happened since Jahrra’s brave disappearance into the Wreing Florenn. Everyone was ready for a little action, and now that Scede and Gieaun were up on their horses, it looked like something was finally going to happen.

  “Have it your way,” Scede said coldly. “Gieaun?”

  Gieaun nodded once, gravely, and as the two prepared themselves to charge at the stubborn crowd, a loud, grating cry split the air. Everyone froze, gasping and ducking as a great black creature came flying out of the woods.

  “What the . . . ?!”

  Scede jerked to the side as a large raven swooped between him and Gieaun. Gieaun screamed, spooking Bhun and Aimhe even more. The horses stomped their feet and whinnied in terror.

  The sound of several people shouting and scattering made Scede turn his head. Bhun was still trying to bolt, but Scede had control of him. A crashing sounded over the screaming group of students and Scede almost fell out of the saddle when he saw
what it was.

  “Run! Get out of here, RUN!!!!!!”

  “JAHRRA!?” Gieaun screamed.

  “Gieaun, Scede, everybody, RUN, NOW!!!!!”

  She looked like a wild animal on top of Phrym, her hair flying free of its braid, her shirt and pants covered in mud. There was plant debris stuck under the saddle and Phrym’s flanks were damp with sweat. Jahrra’s eyes were dark, her face was pale and her jaw was tense with fear.

  Everyone stopped their scurrying long enough to ogle at the bedraggled girl who'd flown out of the trees, but then something else happened. A fierce, wicked cackle split the stressed atmosphere. Everyone shivered and darted their panicked eyes back towards the wood where the horrible sound had come from.

  “RUN!” Jahrra shrieked again, kicking her heals into Phrym’s sides, causing him to whinny in protest before bolting forward.

  And then, before anyone else could move, a dark, hunched figure dressed in a ragged cloak darted between the two largest trees only fifty yards away. If Jahrra’s panicked voice and face hadn’t made her classmates move, the sight of the Witch of the Wreing did.

  Ellysian was the first to scream, followed by her brother. If Gieaun and Scede hadn’t been so frightened, they would have laughed at them. The twins hurtled past everyone else, running at full speed to where they had tied their jumpy horses. After that, it was utter chaos. People were screeching and crying and clawing to get away from the forest’s edge. Gieaun and Scede just sat on top of their own nervous horses, staring numbly in shock. Jahrra’s voice finally broke them from their strange trance.

  “C’mon!” she rasped. “It’s the Witch of the Wreing! Let’s go, now!”

  Jahrra forced Phrym into a full trot, with Gieaun and Scede right on her heels. Scede’s heart was beating out of his chest and Gieaun looked as pale as death, but they kept up with Jahrra as she and Phrym tore across the fields in the direction of the stables above the Castle Guard Ruin. By the time they got there, Gieaun was close to fainting and Scede was shaking violently. Jahrra, however, looked as calm as Lake Ossar on a windless day.

  Once he caught his breath and found his voice, Scede gasped, “What happened back there?! Jahrra, how are you even still alive?”

  Gieaun had to cover her mouth to keep from getting sick.

  Jahrra took a deep breath, the fear that had dominated her eyes long gone. She glanced down the slope at the Ruin to make sure Hroombra hadn’t seen them. She had a lot to explain and she wasn’t ready to let her guardian in on what she’d been doing today.

  “You have to promise not to be angry,” she finally said.

  “Angry?” Gieaun whispered. “How could we be angry, you’re alive! The witch almost had you, but you escaped!”

  Jahrra dropped her eyes and fiddled with Phrym’s reins guiltily. She took a deep breath and released it.

  “There is no witch.”

  “What!” Scede barked. “Did you not see that, thing, chasing you!?”

  “She’s not a witch.”

  “Alright, hag then. Jahrra, that wasn’t your imagination this time, it was real. We all saw it, right Gieaun?”

  Gieaun gave a short nod, looking sick again.

  “No, she’s real,” Jahrra continued carefully. “Only she’s not a hag, or a witch. She’s a Mystic and her name is Archedenaeh.”

  Both Gieaun and Scede stared at her looking completely aghast. It was a while before either of them spoke and Jahrra had to fight hard not to squirm as she waited.

  “What?” Scede managed.

  Jahrra gritted her teeth and looked both of them in the eye. “I’m going to tell you what happened, but you have to promise not to tell anyone, alright?”

  They both nodded, looking more confused than frightened now. They all slid from their horses, their legs still wobbly from their ordeal. As the three horses lowered their heads to eat field dandelions, Jahrra closed her eyes and began her tale. She told them how she had found Denaeh’s garden and how the woman had surprised her. She told them about how she was a Mystic and knew who Jahrra was before she introduced herself. She told them about Milihn and the acorn and even about how Denaeh could transform from an old woman into a young woman in the blink of an eye. Then she told them about their plan.

  “You see, I told Denaeh all about the dare and how I had to bring back proof to Eydeth. Then she got this idea. Why not pretend like she really was the witch? Why not act like I had gone into the Belloughs and angered her, and then have her chase me all the way back here? Wouldn’t that be proof enough?”

  Jahrra was afraid to look up. Not once had Gieaun or Scede interrupted her. She had no idea what they could be thinking right now. Probably really angry with me for terrifying the wits out of them. She braved a peek and met Scede’s hard expression, impossible to read. She glanced over at Gieaun and found the same look on her face.

  “I, I’m sorry,” she attempted. “I didn’t want to scare you two, but it was the only way to make sure our plan worked. And look at it this way, now we can have Lake Ossar back!”

  “Who cares about Lake Ossar!” Scede shot venomously. Jahrra cringed, shrinking against Phrym’s shoulder. “Jahrra, we thought you were dead! In fact, we were about to come in after you!”

  Jahrra had never seen Scede so angry, and Gieaun’s silent observance was even worse. Scede marched over to a gopher mound and kicked it fiercely, sending a cloud of sand into the air, startling the horses. Jahrra just stood silently, afraid to move from Phrym’s side. Scede kept kicking at the gopher mound until it was leveled to the ground. By the time he was finished, he was panting and shaking. Jahrra wanted to go over and talk to him, but she was afraid he would lash out at her. Instead, Gieaun abandoned her place next to a grazing Aimhe and walked over to her friend, looking her up and down. Jahrra flinched, waiting for her tirade.

  “Your hair looks terrible,” she said quietly. “Did it get that way on its own or was that all part of the act?”

  Jahrra’s jaw dropped. Of all the things she was waiting to hear, that wasn’t one of them. Gieaun’s voice wasn’t angry or frightened, but calm.

  “Aren’t you mad at me?” she asked.

  Gieaun contemplated this. “Yes, but I’m more relieved that the witch, or whatever she is, didn’t kill you.”

  Jahrra sighed deeply and smiled. She was so glad at least one of her friends didn’t want to pummel her.

  “Come on, Scede. You’re going to forgive Jahrra, right?”

  Scede glared over at them, but it didn’t take long before his face softened and his anger passed. He walked over to his sister and his friend, grumbling the whole way.

  He looked up at Jahrra, still not completely done with being angry at her, and said, “I guess so. But you owe us big time for scaring us like that.”

  Jahrra grinned. “Oh, don’t worry, I know.”

  Gieaun let out a tiny yelp and threw her arms around Jahrra and Scede.

  “Gieaun! What are you doing?!” Scede muffled past his sister’s hair.

  Jahrra simply gave in and hugged both her friends right back. Scede squirmed.

  “Girls!” he grumbled, rolling his eyes.

  Gieaun finally released Jahrra and her brother and held them at arms’ length. Her green eyes were bright and she smiled widely.

  “Well, it isn’t noon yet. We have the whole day ahead of us, what should we do?”

  Jahrra shot a wry glance at Scede who returned a smug grin. “I know. Let’s go to Wood’s End Ranch and pack a picnic. I happen to know of a nice little island that won’t be visited by a certain brother and sister today.”

  Gieaun squealed in glee and Scede laughed out loud. They snatched up their horses’ reins, jumped in the saddle and turned them up the dirt road leading south and eventually to Lake Ossar.

  As they lazed on their tattered quilt spread over the soggy earth of Reed Island, Jahrra, Gieaun and Scede talked and laughed until they had stitches in their sides and tears in their eyes. Jahrra was overjoyed at the twins’ reaction
to her trick and Gieaun and Scede were fascinated by Jahrra’s description of Denaeh and her garden.

  “I still can’t believe it worked! It seemed impossible when Denaeh suggested it,” Jahrra admitted, trying to keep her eyelids from drooping.

  “Trust me, it worked!” Scede insisted. “I’ll be surprised if the twins ever leave their house again!”

  Jahrra smiled, hoping what Scede said was true. Her eyes drooped again, but she forced them to stay open. She heard one of her friends yawn next to her and decided it was no use fighting her fatigue. She had been up early and had spent half the day scared to death, so she might as well give in to a short nap. She only knew she was sleeping when she sat up and found herself in a cool orchard cloaked in mist.

  Jahrra sighed and smiled, knowing that she would soon see the stranger who stalked these dreams so often. The last time she’d seen him in her dreams was several years ago, right after the death of her parents. Jahrra frowned, hoping her dream wouldn’t suddenly turn into one of the nightmares she’d experienced during that awful time.

  A faint glowing light began to unfurl near the eastern edge of the orchard, so Jahrra knew her friend was coming soon. Friend? She rolled this idea around in her mind, wondering why it hadn’t occurred to her before. Well, I guess he is my friend, whoever he is. She stood up, feeling strangely stiff and groggy, and moved toward the inviting light. The hooded figure hadn’t shown up yet, but Jahrra knew it was only a matter of time. She trudged through the thick, dew-drenched grass, but before she reached the place where the hooded man would inevitably arrive, something moved in the corner of her eye.

  She shot her head around and gasped when she saw a golden unicorn standing only twenty feet away from her. He was beautiful, more beautiful than the one she had seen in the meadow of the Wreing Florenn. He pricked his ears forward when he saw Jahrra looking at him and released a cry, a chiming, melodic whinny. Jahrra immediately forgot about the green cloaked stranger and cautiously approached the unicorn, fascinated by his metallic coat.