Page 15 of Earth-Bound

I lay there in the cool night and watched the distant house and let my mind wander, over all the places I’d been and the places I’d one day walk through, I wondered about the plants up at the house and whether they’d survive better now I’d swapped them for downstairs, and I wondered about that apple tree which had begun to bloom as Randall talked to it. I watched it until I fell asleep.

At some point in the night, I woke as a weight pressed down on my chest and opened my eyes to see that fox back again. She sniffed at me for a while and then curled up pressed into my side. I drifted back to sleep and didn’t wake until morning.

Chapter 8: Terrund

Just like he’d said he would, Randall came to visit me the next morning. I was waiting outside my tree. I’d been awake and outside since the sun broke over the horizon, experimenting with how far I could get from my tree before I began to feel the drag of tiredness creep over me.

So far, I could make it about ten yards or so. Not very far, I have to admit, but further than I’d been in a long, long time.

I was feeling stronger by the day but that was still relative. I’d made my home inside that tree for so long that I’d stored my power there. Whereas before, I’d been connected to the whole fields and every plant and animal around me for miles, when I’d hidden in my apple tree and felt those tight spells bind me there, I’d been cut off from it all. Now, I could feel my tree growing and shining as brightly as the early morning sun, but I was still only just starting to spread my power out again.

“Good morning.” I greeted Randall and Broadmire with a smile.

Broadmire grunted but Randall gave me a big smile. “Morning. How are you feeling today?”

“I feel better for being freed, thank you. I am not yet at full strength, though.”

“Ah.”

The way he said it made me think he was disappointed. I gave him a quizzical look.

He shrugged sheepishly. “I was wondering if you’d be able to sense… something. Since I can’t do it any more.”

“Such as?”

“Well, it’s a bit, um, delicate.”

I gestured at the ground. “Would you care to sit?”

He made himself comfortable and Broadmire hunkered down beside him like a protective toad. I sat down and leaned back against my tree trunk, drawing strength and peace from its solid presence.

Once we were all settled, I asked, “What is it I can do for you?”

“Well, you see, there’s aridirein the area.”

I nodded. “I see. And you’re worried that they will attack you? You may rest assured, they won’t.Ridireshow no interest in anyone other than dragons. Witches and earth spirits are completely safe from them. Even trolls, I imagine.Ridireare a little obsessive over dragons but are extremely limited in their knowledge and interest in others.”

This didn’t seem to reassure either of them as much as I’d hoped. Randall squirmed around and then said, “You see, it’s just that we’re worried about a dragon.”

“What dragon?”

My senses had pricked up, become alert. Earth spirits were not overly fond of dragons, and for good reason. I wasn’t of the same opinion as theridirebut I had to admit, they had a point.

“Well, it’s just that, maybe we—”

Randall’s stumbling explanation was cut off by Broadmire.

“Laura’s a dragon. She mated Marcia.”

“Yes, that,” said Randall weakly.

I considered. I hadn’t met either Laura or Marcia yet because it had only been Randall and Broadmire who visited me. They’d spoken once or twice about them, though.

The two of them sat in silence and waited for me to sort my thoughts out. At last, I asked, “And Laura is… safe now?”

“Yes, she flew back to her territory. Her Nana’s territory, that is.”

“And theridiredidn’t see her?”

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