Eden Forest (Part one of the Saskia Trilogy)

by Aoife Marie Sheridan

  gaze as a muscle tenses in his jaw. Then he returns to scanning

  the area. I can hear low moans to the right as Kiar and Morrick

  pick off another guard. All ten are dead within a few minutes.

  It is frightening to think Tristan could kill someone in seconds.

  I shiver with this knowledge.

  We’re still twenty feet from the hut, but there is no growth

  around. If we move into the opening, we could be picked off one

  by one. Tristan moves towards me slowly, still on his haunches.

  We’re all behind a large cluster of bushes.

  Once he’s near he grabs my wrist roughly. “Listen to me.

  You stay here and don’t move.” When I go to protest, he puts

  pressure on my wrist. The pain runs through me; it feels like my

  wrist will snap. I bite the inside of my mouth to stop from crying

  out; blood soaks my tongue. “I mean it, Sarajane.” He meets my

  eyes. There is a wildness in his. He reduces the pressure and I

  pull my arm away. I swallow the blood in my mouth and then

  regret it as my stomach churns.

  “You think inflicting pain on people is the only way to get

  them to do what you say.” It seems that way to me.

  He grins, but it is unsettling. “It is the only way to control

  you.”

  A door slams, drawing our attention to the hut as two guards

  are walking towards where we are hiding. “Where is Cura? He

  should have reported back fifteen minutes ago.” They walk past.

  “Stay here,” Tristan says and leaves soundlessly. Seconds

  feel like minutes. Neve hasn’t moved at all. Then I hear a small

  groan, then another. Tristan slides back in as if he never moved.

  That leaves three.

  We sit there, hoping someone else will leave and hopefully we

  can just walk in and get Jessica. No such luck. No one comes

  out. Tristan creeps on his belly over to Morrick and Kiar, leaving

  Neve and me. I grab Neve’s hand and we see in the hut, only

  three guards left. I look around the room for another door or

  window, but there is only one way in and out. Jessica is freshly

  cut along her forehead. Blood runs into her already swollen eye.

  I want to kill them all.

  Then I am just hovering above Neve and me. Why am I not

  going back to my body? I look around. Nothing? I can see

  leaves fall behind us. My eyes shoot up and I honestly can say

  my heart stops beating. There has to be thirty men in the trees,

  watching us. Then I am back beside Neve. He is pale. The only

  advantage we have is they don’t know we know they are there.

  We both crawl over to the rest.

  Tristan turns to me. “What are you doing?”

  I grab his arm, digging my nails in. He doesn’t even flinch.

  “In the trees. Men. Maybe thirty,” I whisper in his ear. He acts

  calm, which makes me wonder if he even heard me. I pull his

  arm again.

  “Aim high,” he says. I’m unsure what he means and then

  it sinks in. Mirium told Tristan to aim high before we left for

  Eden Forest.

  Before I can say more, leaves and men rain from the trees,

  but they’ve lost the element of surprise. Neve, Kiar, Morrick

  and Tristan are on their feet and make a circle around me as

  they fight. I stand on shaky legs. Tristan, who is fighting two

  men, roars at me to get back down. I do just as an arrow cuts

  off a lock of my hair and whizzes past Neve’s shoulder. I stay

  low, taking deep breaths to try and calm myself. A man falls

  at Tristan’s feet, but he has no head. I close my eyes, blocking

  out the horror. This isn’t real, this isn’t real, I repeat to myself.

  Neve’s scream makes my eyes shoot open. An arrow is embedded

  in his shoulder, but he keeps fighting.

  “Get back into the forest,” Tristan commands while

  dragging me by the arm. They move in a full circle until the

  trees surround us thickly. Tristan grabs me and pulls me against

  a tree, saying nothing at first. I peep out. There are only three

  men left fighting Kiar and Morrick so we’ve won.

  Tristan draws my face back to him, making me meet his eyes.

  “Listen, this time I really need you to stay here.” His eyes are

  pleading with me, making me feel bad.

  “Or else?” I ask boldly.

  “I don’t want there to be an or else. Just do this for me.”

  I hold my breath. I’m taken back by the sincerity in his voice.

  “We’re winning, Tristan.”

  He rests his arm against the tree alongside my head. “That

  was only ten so there are still twenty left, and if you haven’t

  noticed, they have a distinct advantage.” He doesn’t say

  anything else, just stares at me intently, sending my heart rate

  into overdrive. My feelings towards Tristan are jumbled and

  confusing. He touches my cheek so gently, running his thumb

  down my face. “For me,” he whispers and then he’s gone and

  I’m left breathless.

  I look around the tree. He has withdrawn his bow and

  arrow, aiming into the trees. Men scream as they crash to the

  ground. Neve and Kiar have taken to the trees while Morrick

  battles on the ground. My hands tighten around the dagger as

  I wait.

  The screams of men dying are starting to grind on me and

  then I hear a scream that I recognise. When I look out, Neve

  is on his knees, blood pouring out of a stub-all that is left of

  his arm. I can see his arm a foot from him. The guard raises

  his sword again, and I run with everything in me and jump on

  his back. He tries to throw me off, but I stick my dagger into

  his neck. He falls to his knees. I plunge the dagger three more

  times until he’s motionless. My hands and clothes are soaked

  in blood.

  Neve collapses on the ground. He’s losing too much blood. I

  tear my tunic along the bottom and wrap it tightly around his

  stub to slow down the bleeding. “Stay with me,” I say while

  tying it as tightly as I can.

  A blade is placed at my throat. “Get up,” a guard orders and

  pulls me against him as he turns to the fighting scene before

  us. “Surrender or I kill her!” the guard roars. The sounds of

  battle stop as Morrick and Kiar drop their weapons almost

  immediately. Kiar’s eyes go straight to Neve; a look of anguish

  crosses his face.

  Tristan drops from a tree. He is breathing heavy. He told me

  not to move and I disobeyed him again. “Drop your weapon,

  Tristan,” the guard says while pushing the blade harder against

  my skin. Tristan throws down his bow and arrow. “Move to

  the clearing.”

  We nearly won; there are only five men left. Neve is left lying

  on the ground, but he’s unconscious.

  The door opens and the remaining guards leave the hut. One

  stands out from the rest. He has a bald head and is a large

  man, but there is a look of savagery and cruelty about him. He

  claps his hands as he walks towards us smiling. “You came,

  Sarajane.” He looks at the guard. “Release her.” The blade is

  taken from my throat. How does he know who I am? Then

  again, everybody seems to know me. �
�I will take great pleasure

  in killing you slowly.”

  I swallow. “The queen said if I showed my face my sister

  would live.”

  The bald-headed man smiles with pleasure. “Bring the girl out.”

  A guard goes to the hut and carries Jessica in his arms. When

  he reaches us, he lays her at my feet. I fall to my knees and run

  my fingers along her neck, checking for a heartbeat. It flutters

  under my fingers; she is alive.

  “No one said anything about you living.” The bald man

  looks down at me. He is really enjoying this.

  “Taurus, Bellona gave her word that you or any of her men

  would not harm Sarajane. Or maybe you are willing to disobey

  your queen,” Morrick says in a king’s voice.

  Taurus laughs cruelly and looks at Morrick with hate. “She

  is not my queen. But I do enjoy her body every night.”

  Morrick’s face remains impassive at this comment. “This is your

  last warning, Taurus. Call these men off now or you will feel my

  full wrath.” Morrick’s voice is as hard as steel. I would be afraid if

  his threat was towards me, but it just seems to anger Taurus.

  He grabs me by my hair, dragging me off my knees. My scalp

  burns with pain. I let out a screech. He looks at Tristan then,

  smirking. “Maybe I will have her body before I kill her.” He

  runs a rough hand across my chest. Fear rolls through me. I feel

  repulsed by the motion. Tristan’s jaw clenches, his hands balled

  into fists at his side.

  I look down at Jessica. At least I’ve saved her. Her eyes open

  and she looks up at me. She reaches her hand towards Taurus’s

  foot. What is she doing? Before she touches him, she smiles at

  me through bloody lips. Taurus screams and wheels back, but

  it only lasts for a second. Then he looks at Jessica and kicks her

  in the stomach so hard her body moves a foot away. I scream

  with anger and run for Taurus. When I touch him, his body is

  flung into the hut. I can’t stop. Only one thought runs through

  me. Kill him.

  Arrows are fired at me, but seem to bounce off an invisible

  shield. I don’t look left or right but move straight into the hut

  and grab Taurus. He looks afraid. It is my time to smile. I feel

  as if my hands are on fire. I push them against Taurus’s chest.

  He screams in pain as the smell of burnt flesh rises. I don’t care.

  I just want to destroy this man who has hurt my sister.

  The hut is vibrating around us. I let my hands sink farther

  into his chest. The roof rips off in a gale-force wind and the

  walls are being torn apart around us. Taurus is roaring, but I

  can only see his mouth moving. His face is twisted with pain

  as tears flow from his eyes. I don’t stop. I look at him through

  hair that is being whipped across my face by the wind. I can see

  something purple shine under my hand. I pull it. I know it’s his

  soul and I want nothing more than to crush it.

  “Don’t, Sarajane. You are not like him. Let it go,” Morrick

  says so softly beside me it knocks me out of my zone. The wind

  reduces and I open my hand, releasing Taurus’s soul.

  I sit there on top of Taurus, shaking. Someone pulls me off.

  Then I’m in Tristan’s arms. He smiles at me. “You scared me.

  I thought I was going to lose you.” I expected him to be angry.

  I never get to answer, as I pass out.

  I open my eyes slowly, feeling weak, and my head throbs.

  Jessica is beside me. I sit up quickly. Blood rushes to my head.

  “Not so fast. She will be all right.” Morrick reassures me.

  I look at Jessica’s battered body. Oh God, what did she

  endure?

  “We heal quickly, Sarajane. She is partially like us.”

  I look around for Tristan and Kiar, but I can’t see them.

  “Where is Neve?”

  Morrick’s face saddens. “He won’t make it, but he has been

  asking for you.”

  “Take me to him.” Morrick nods and lifts Jessica, taking her

  with us.

  Tristan and Kiar are on either side of Neve. I can see by his

  colouring that he hasn’t much time left.

  He forces a smile when he sees me. “Sarajane.” Tristan moves

  so I can sit with him.

  “Oh, Neve, I’m so sorry.”

  “Don’t be sorry. You brightened up my life when you walked

  into it.” A lump rises in my throat. I’m the cause of his death

  and we both know it. His hand squeezes mine. “Promise me

  you will look out for Kiar.”

  I look at Kiar, who is crying. Tears slide down my own face.

  “I promise.” And then Neve is gone.

  Tristan is beside me then. “You were a good friend, Sarajane.”

  “Don’t. I got him killed.”

  Kiar looks at me with anger. “He died in battle, the way we

  will all go.”

  I start to cry harder. Tristan pulls me into his chest. I let my

  body give in to the horrors of today and silently beg Neve and

  Kiar to forgive me. I caused so much.

  Morrick carries Jessica and Tristan insists on carrying me,

  but I refuse. I deserve the throbbing in my feet. It’s my fault

  Neve has died. Kiar won’t leave Neve’s body behind. He slings

  him over his shoulder and carries him as silent tears run down

  his face.

  Nobody speaks after walking for what feels like days. I

  stumble and fall; my feet are too badly cut. Tristan scoops me

  up. I don’t object, and he carries me the rest of the way. We

  reach the edge of the forest an hour later. It’s easier leaving. We

  don’t have to be quiet. When we reach the horses, Kiar removes

  a bedroll and wraps Neve in it. He ties it at both ends and slings

  him over the horse. We take off.

  The next two days, we ride towards Aquaterra. The silence

  isn’t uncomfortable, as everyone is lost in their own thoughts.

  For me, Neve’s death takes the most. No matter what he said, I

  still feel responsible. I’m feeling responsible for a lot lately. My

  sister would never have been taken if not for me. My dad is in

  danger. It feels like everyone was hurt because of me. Morrick

  killing his son to save me. It makes no sense.

  My powers—that’s something I push to the back of my mind.

  I can’t comprehend it. I need to focus on getting to Aquaterra

  and speaking to Mirium to see if my dad is all right.

  We stop for food and rest and nobody speaks, not even

  Jessica, even though she’s healing fast. On day two, we reach

  Aquaterra.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Saskia

  (Sarajane)

  Once we arrive at Aquaterra, I go straight to my hut

  without speaking to anyone. I just need time to myself.

  Everything is too much right now. I lie down on my

  bed. My tunic is crusted in dry blood from the guard I killed.

  A knock sounds at my door. I take my face out of the pillow.

  “Go away.”

  “Sarajane, it’s me,” Jessica says. I sit up straight. She hadn’t

  spoken one word the whole way from Eden Forest.

  “Come in.” Jessica stands in the doorway, her face nearly

  fully healed, but she is scared on the
inside. I can see it. I open

  my arms and she races into them. I pull the quilt over the two of

  us and we curl up as she cries in my arms. I rub her hair and let

  her feel safe in my arms.

  We must have fallen asleep because when I wake, it’s dark. I

  sit up and rub my eyes. Jessica lies fast asleep. A shadow in the

  corner stirs. I light the candle beside my bed. My mother sits in

  the corner, her eyes raw from crying, deep circles running under

  them.

  “Mum.”

  She comes to me and sits on the bed. “Thank you, sweetheart,

  for bringing her back safely.” Jessica stirs then and Mum rubs

  her arm. “How do you feel, love?”

  Jessica gives a big stretch and smiles at me. “Better now that

  I’m here,” she says.

  Mum looks away. I know she has bad news by the way her

  shoulders are set. “Mirium wants to see the three of us in the

  main barn.” My stomach tightens. This is about dad.

  We walk to the barn, hand in hand. Jessica looks petrified,

  but this is her real dad. I give her hand a little squeeze before we

  enter the barn. Mirium sits alone at the head of the table and

  gives each of us a kind smile as we sit down around him.

  “Hi, Jessica, it is lovely to meet you.” Mirium reaches out his

  hand, causing Jessica to flinch in her seat. Her reaction startles

  us all. Then she straightens and takes his hand in hers. “You

  have very unique talents, my child,” Mirium says while still

  holding her hand.

  “They helped me when I got myself in sticky situations.”

  Jessica sounds so much older than eighteen.

  Mirium gives her another smile before returning his attention

  to us all. “Sarajane, Marta.” I swallow. This is it. “I went to the

  mortal world and indeed, they had John held in the house by

  two guardians belonging to the queen.” He pauses briefly. “I

  am so sorry.” My mother lets out a strangled cry. “He was dead

  by the time we reached him.” My mother sobs into her hands

  and Jessica just looks frozen in her chair. Mirium stands. “I will

  give you time alone.” He squeezes my shoulder as he passes me

  before leaving the barn.

  This is all too much. “Jessica.” I take her hand in mine.

  She looks up at me and tears stream down her face. “They

  killed Dad.” I nod my head. I don’t want to speak in case I burst

  into tears. And Jessica has been through enough.