Gaia's Secret

by Barbara Kloss

  Rays of sunlight streamed through the trees, dusting the earth below with halos of gold. As we walked through the patches of light, I lingered. It was as if my leather and skin were a porous covering, allowing the heat of the sun to travel to my body’s core.

  Light, cheerful melodies chimed in the forest. I was mesmerized by the sound—the ringing somehow familiar, but with an ethereal quality to it. Throughout our walk, I searched for the source of the beautiful sound but searched in vain. The little musicians were obstinate things, never showing themselves.

  In this wooded chamber of serenity I thought the weaponry of the Del Contes seemed out of place. Violence couldn’t exist with such beauty. Not to mention, I hadn’t noted any sign of civilization. Not one. On occasion, Cicero would stop, his fingers trailing the soft earth, but then he would continue leading us forward, always silent, always watchful.

  It wasn’t until midday when Cicero showed signs of stopping for more than a minute. He crouched beside a tree trunk that was three times his own width, sloughed off his pack, and began digging through it. Sonya and Alex stood apart from him, eyes always scanning the perimeter. Considering our uneventful morning, their constant surveillance seemed unnecessary.

  Cicero pulled out a small item that looked like a bronze coin. Something was engraved on the surface but I couldn’t tell what. He set the coin in a dark knot on the bark. When he moved his hand away, the coin was still in place.

  And then the coin moved.

  It sunk into the tree like quicksand, inch by slow inch, sinking until the bark closed its wooden fingers around it. And the bronze coin disappeared.

  “The tree…it just…” I stuttered.

  Cicero held a finger to his lips.

  A dark crack appeared in the bark. It was about as tall as Cicero was crouched, and the bark pulled back like a curtain, leaving darkness in its wake. When it stopped, it left a hole so large I thought Cicero might be able to climb inside. Cicero smiled at me then, and did crawl inside.

  Sonya waved for me to follow.

  “There’s no way that’s big enough for all of us.”

  Sonya’s gaze was firm as she held a finger to her lips, still waving at me to move it.

  I took a deep breath and followed, expecting to be crammed inside. But I wasn’t.

  The inside of the tree was huge, much larger inside than I thought possible. It was hollowed out into a single room, one so large I could easily stand. There were a few candles lit, hanging from the tree walls, and Cicero sat smiling at me from a wooden stool.

  “You were saying?” He grinned.

  “What is this place?” I looked up, the room unending as it stretched into the tree’s utmost heights.

  Cicero glanced around. “Technically, I suppose you would call it a tree.”

  Sonya and Alex joined us.

  “No, I know that, but how is this possible? It didn’t look this big outside.”

  “That’s because it’s a Shroud. It was a tree once, but it’s been infused with magic and was changed into a hiding place. A safe place. They’re difficult to create—only the greatest masters have been able to construct them. Your father and I stumbled across this particular one when we were much younger. Sometimes—if you’re really paying attention—you can find others, but you have to know where to look.”

  “Come—” Sonya patted the ground beside her “—you need to eat something.”

  Staring at the innards of the enormous tree, I sat next to her. She handed me a small loaf of moist bread. The aroma was rich and sweet. Alex was already digging into his, seated near our entry, watching.

  I took a bite and the flavors exploded in my mouth.

  “What ith thith?” My mouth was full of food.

  Sonya chuckled. “Brownbutter Loaf. Another Thad specialty.”

  I swallowed. “Wow, Alex, you have quite the little housewife. She fights and cooks for you. Does she clean too?”

  Cicero and Sonya laughed, but Alex didn’t think it was all that funny. In fact, he continued staring outside.

  Cicero smiled at his son. “Did Alex tell you he built that cottage?”

  I studied Alex. I knew he was skilled with his hands, but I never would’ve expected that.

  “Dad, I didn’t build it,” Alex muttered, not bothering to turn around.

  “Might as well have. Come to think of it, building it from the ground up might have been less work than what you did. The first summer he was here—” Cicero glanced back at me “—Alex spent all summer on it. You should’ve seen the place before he moved in—it had been abandoned all these years because we were living in Yosemite. Right before his training started, I went to check on him. Boy, was I in for a surprise. He’d added rooms—another floor even—gutted the entire thing, rebuilt the cabinets and all the furniture. You must have worked on that thing all day and night your first summer in Gaia…so focused on that house.” Cicero stared at his son.

  Bitterness powered through me in the same moment I caught a sideways glance from Alex.

  Everyone was quiet, enjoying the meal compliments of Thad. He was quite the cook, if he had made the food I’d tasted in the past few days. Or maybe food just tasted better here. Everything else was more vivid. After my stomach was satisfied, my mind wanted its turn.

  “Where, exactly, are we going?”

  Cicero swallowed his bite. “Rex Cross. It’s an inn near the junction of the four major roads throughout the land. From there, we’ll get horses and a few other necessary supplies before we continue through the forests and on to Lake Amadis.”

  Trying to map out a journey in a landscape I’d never seen was impossible. I had no points of reference, no ground to start from.

  A tightly wound scroll landed at my feet.

  “Open it,” Alex said. “It’s a map.” He turned his attention back to the outside.

  Untying the thread, I unrolled the thick papyrus. It was a map, and on it was a single continent surrounded by ocean on all sides, save the northern boundary.

  “Gaia?” I asked.

  Sonya nodded. “Most of it.”

  There was a dotted line with the word Icelands scrolled upon it, foreign mountain ranges, rivers and lakes, forests with strange names. The landmass was separated by natural topography into four major territories: Orindor, Alioth, Campagna, and Valdon—the one Rex Cross was nestled into. And from each major territory trailed a single road, all of which led to Valdon. At the point where the roads intersected was written the word Rex Cross.

  Sonya moved to my side. “Here.” She pointed her finger at the lower right-hand corner, near a star with King Darius Regius written beside it. “King Darius of Gaia resides here, in Valdon.”

  Valdon was surrounded by mountains, and the largest peaks were near King Darius’ star.

  “We’re somewhere here.” Her finger hovered over a small, unnamed patch of trees. On the other side was a main road that led from King Darius to Rex Cross.

  I saw Alex’s dilemma. “I know you want to keep us hidden, but seeing as this Rex Cross is right at a major intersection, doesn’t that defeat the purpose?”

  I didn’t miss the sound of Alex clearing his throat. Cicero didn’t either. His face was stern as he looked at his son and then me.

  “Its popularity is what I’m counting on. It’ll be easier to hide. We know the owner personally, and Alaric trusts him. It is the only safe place for us to make an exchange before heading into the forests. Plus, we may learn some information that could be of use to us. Otis sees and hears a lot of things.”

  “I still don’t like it,” Alex said.

  The candles inside the tree flickered. Dried pine needles and loose dirt swirled into our temporary shelter. The air twirled before me, wrapping me in its fingers, lifting strands of my hair, and then it stopped, dissipating as quickly as it started. I peered into the faces of Cicero and Sonya, both of their expressions curious. Even Alex looked back, his eyes narrowed as he watched me.

  “What was that?�
� I looked around.

  Cicero collected his things. “I think it means we should get moving. Can’t be too careful nowadays. Not even concealed in here.”

  Chapter 10

  Rex Cross

  Cicero and Sonya led us forward through the trees while Alex brought up the rear. It was strange, but every so often I would get this sense of frustration, and what bothered me about it was that it wasn’t my frustration. It seemed like it was his. Without warning, the frustration would pulse through me and I would look back to find Alex’s brow furrowed as he hacked through a branch in his path. I could feel all of their emotions at one point or another: Cicero’s determinedness, Sonya’s caution. But Alex’s frustration was always strongest. In fact, it was difficult separating his feelings from mine, and it made it difficult to keep him from my thoughts, like I tried so hard to do.

  The shadows thickened as the sun began to set, and my entourage remained silent. My mind was left to itself, driving me mad with the same questions. Where was Dad in this strange land? What did he have to tell me? Who was after me…and why? And what took him so long to let me in on the secret they all shared?

  The colors of the forest transformed from greens and browns to varying shades of black. Although I couldn’t see the sun through the green barrier above, I knew it was nestling into the horizon for the day. I hadn’t heard anyone mention anything about stopping and was starting to get worried how much farther they intended to go. My legs were tired, my feet were swollen, and I had the eerie feeling that we were being followed. I silently cursed Thad for his story of the Black Bard. I’d have to remember to yell at him when we returned. If I returned. And before I could finish the thought, something rammed into me.

  But there was nothing there.

  The air became so thick I was smothered in it. I tried to push the ubiquitous force away, but it wouldn’t budge. Its grip only tightened. It was noxious, reaching its tendrils into my mind, searching. My skin turned to ice, like all the light and warmth in the world was being pulled into itself, and my lungs burned as I tried to steal a breath, but the shear force made it almost impossible. And just when I thought my lungs would never taste air again, it ceased.

  The others were huddled around me, an aura of fear surrounding them.

  “What’s wrong?” Sonya gripped my shoulders.

  I closed my eyes, trying to recover my senses, but my breathing was still ragged.

  “What happened?” Cicero demanded.

  “I…I don’t know.” I looked at Sonya. A shadow of realization darkened her features.

  Without a word, Alex unsheathed his sword and disappeared into the forest.

  “Where’s he going?” I stared after him, fear writhing up my spine.

  Sonya ignored my question. “What did you feel?”

  “I’m not sure.” I continued to watch the trees for Alex. “I felt this strange pressure. I couldn’t breathe and my vision turned dark…what’s Alex doing out there?”

  Sonya looked at her husband. “They’re following us.”

  I didn’t know who “they” were, but it didn’t matter. “You let Alex go out there by himself?”

  Cicero raised a brow, his eyes fixed on me. “Alex is fine.”

  Cicero seemed to think everyone was fine, except those that were actually present, like me.

  I studied the opening in the trees where he’d gone, searching for any sign of movement. Sonya and Cicero seemed confident in their son’s abilities, but for some reason I felt sick.

  I was considering marching in after him when he emerged from the shadows, and the relief I felt surprised me. The blade was in his hand, his expression fierce. His eyes settled on me. For a moment I was wrapped in his concern, but it fled as fast as it had come.

  “He’s gone.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Yes.” Alex squinted through the trees. “I found tracks. There was only one rider. Heading in the opposite direction.”

  Cicero nodded, his expression grave.

  “Who’s gone?” I asked.

  No one even glanced at me.

  Thad’s words flitted through my mind again. What else weren’t they telling me? Or worse, what if Thad’s story was true? I began studying the shadows with renewed vigor.

  “We’ve got to hurry.” Cicero’s worried eyes met mine for an instant before he spun around and marched forward.

  Alex placed himself at the back of our procession, his blade ready at his side. It was strange seeing Alex carry such a powerful weapon, and with such ease and confidence. But what bothered me more was how worried I had been when he’d left. I wasn’t supposed to care about him.

  The forest ended as night crept up on us. Flatlands spread beyond, lit by the eerie glow of a full moon. The enormous round orb floated above the horizon, veiling the land in silver hues, sharpening the contrast of shapes and shadows.

  About a few hundred yards away, tiny dark shadows sliced through the long grass, hurrying towards what looked like a large barn.

  Riders. Three of them.

  Alex stood still beside me, his disdain evident even without my ability to sense his emotion.

  “Daria, pull on your hood. Keep it low.” Cicero’s voice was quiet.

  “Like that’s going to help,” mumbled Alex.

  Cicero ignored him, leading us forward from beneath the tree cover.

  As ominous and secretive as the forest seemed, crossing open land was far worse. I felt so vulnerable, so exposed, even though the riders showed no signs of seeing us. We were near a major crossroads. There was no need to assume every traveler was after us.

  The riders disappeared into the barn. The same one we were headed for.

  So, this must be where we’re staying tonight.

  The building looked solitary, sitting unaccompanied in the middle of nowhere. I wondered what it saw—what it witnessed each day. Since this was the major junction joining the four main territories, I imagined many people had sojourned here over the years, all with various purposes. Some good, some bad. Some in hiding, like us.

  The building was much farther away than it looked from the forest, which was shrinking in size with every step. The forest had turned into a dark wall, veiling its inhabitants in shadow. I was suddenly thankful we were no longer there.

  The barn began to look less like a barn and more like an inn—a very rustic inn. It had the same overall shape to it, but had little square windows evenly spaced about what I guessed was a second floor. The windows along the first floor glowed a soft orange, but lacked transparency from the thick residue on them. A pillar of smoke rose from the chimney, the silver threads curling and fraying endlessly into the black night. I took in a deep breath of chilled air, tasting the wood smoke that filled it.

  Our boots crunched across the dried dirt road as we approached the entrance. Torches burned bright on either side of the heavy wooden door, illuminating a sign above that creaked as it swayed back and forth in the soft breeze. The words “Rex Cross” were etched in the wood and painted in red that had since faded with time and wear.

  Cicero motioned for us to stop while he walked up the few wooden steps to the door. He rapped three quick times and then waited, his stance perched and ready. A slat in the door slid open and two beady black eyes filled the gap, peering out at us. They examined our group and vanished as the wood slammed back into place.

  The door creaked open and light sliced through the darkness, blinding me for a few seconds. Cicero motioned for us to follow before he disappeared into the glow.

  The air inside was thick with smoke, sweat, and ale. The room was a small waiting room of some sort with a few rotted chairs, an uneven table, and a counter along one side, like it was built a long time ago and never used since. Even so, I heard the sounds of people snoring.

  That’s strange. There’s no one here besides us.

  On the wall next to the counter was a series of thick wooden shelves with an assortment of skeleton keys dangling from them. Long and sho
rt, rusted and gleaming. They didn’t appear to be attached to anything.

  Curious, I walked towards them, and the snores grew louder and louder. Some seemed to swell with each snore, others shivering as if they were cold.

  I must be more exhausted than I think.

  Just as I reached out my hand to touch one of the strange keys, they all dropped from their hanging place on the shelves and darted past me in a whirl, swirling and twirling in a golden cloud overhead. The soft snores I’d heard were gone. Instead, were the sounds of angry clanging and ringing.

  A door swung open and a burst of irritation clouded my senses. A stout man, about as tall as he was wide, rushed past me. A tattered brown cloak hugged his round belly, and his face was so swollen it looked like it had to steal grizzled grey hair from his head for his beard, leaving nothing but long wisps on top. Grumbling, his plump arms reached behind the counter and pulled out a small treasure chest. He dropped the chest on the counter with an angry thud and threw open the lid. Inside was a large, rusty metal lock. The moment the keys laid eyes on the lock, the horde of them forgot me and raced into the chest, the little man shutting and locking the lid after them.

  A few moments passed before the chest ceased skidding and thudding along the countertop.

  Everyone stared at me, including the beady black eyes of the fat man.

  “Sorry,” I began, embarrassed. “I didn’t know…I was just…curious.”

  His eyes were almost lost in the folds of his crinkled forehead. “How would ye like it if someone ‘ere were pokin’ you when ye were sleepin’?” The man shoved the chest full of keys beneath the counter.

  “I didn’t…”

  “Follow me.” He cut me off, glaring. “An’ don’t be curious!”

  I didn’t miss the looks of irritation from Cicero and Alex as we followed the little man out of the room and down a short hall, the sound of muffled chatter and clanking dishes growing louder. At the end of the hall was a set of double doors. The little man pushed them open and the noise exploded in my ears.