Page 110 of Whispers of the Elderoak

He shrugged, as the corner of his lips lifted. “You saved mine first.”

“I take it you aren’t mad at me anymore?” she teased.

He crossed his arms and regarded her. “For the time being, no.”

“Great.” She pursed her lips, pulling the cloak tighter. “What was that a few moments ago?”

“What was what?”

“You had a strange look on your face.”

He looked away, searching the mist for their party. “No, I didn’t.”

They were interrupted by voices approaching from the mist. Raine and the others appeared, out of breath, and halted as they saw the two of them, standing there drenched.

“Why are you guys wet?” Raine asked, the three others standing behind him.

“I decided to go for a swim,” Ava answered sarcastically. “Then Casimir was jealous, so he decided to join me.”

Casimir laughed quietly beside her and shook his head. Raine looked at the two of them like they had grown an extra head. “I don’t get you two. This morning you were about to attack each other across the table and now you’re laughing at what I assume was a recent brush with death?”

“Don’t worry,” she said. “I’m sure he’ll piss me off again and we’ll be back to fighting.”

Raine shook his head as Thorne spoke. “I believe we’re close to Nelida’s burrow. Let’s get moving.

Thorne led the way and the rest of the team followed behind him, Ava still walking next to Casimir. The group remained silent as they continued their journey through the swamp, fortunately not experiencing any more incidents along the way.

After another half hour of walking, they stopped in front of a large dead tree, bigger than all the others, with a hole in the root ball appearing to go down into the earth. Its branches twisted and curled around each other, covered in dark gray bark and the hole swallowed the light as the entrance disappeared into nothing.

“Are we going in there?” Ava whispered as she felt the sense of something powerful within the tree, as if the earth was vibrating beneath her feet.

“No,” Casimir replied. “She’ll come out.”

Still shivering, she pulled the cloak tighter and stood inbetween Casimir and Thorne while the other three stood behind them. The group stood silently, as if waiting for something to happen. No one spoke as the sounds of the swamp buzzed around them. Then, from deep in the hole, a voice sounded. It was deep and high-pitched at the same time, and it slithered across Ava’s skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake.

“It seems someone is here for answers,” the voice echoed.

38

Amassive hand covered in gray bark emerged from the pit beneath the roots. The tree nymph climbed her way out and tilted her head back and forth, inspecting the group. She pulled her lithe body from the hole and walked toward them, earth trembling with each step of her long legs. Close to eight feet tall with bark growing from her limbs, she straightened out, snapping sounds echoing as her joints popped. Her eyes glowed green and tiny phosphorescent flies buzzed around her as she scanned the group of fae before her.

More gray bark covered her human-like face and every so often, a black beetle would dart out of her flat nostril and run to burrow back into her ear. She stepped toward the group with jerky movements, stopping feet away when her gaze snapped to Thorne who was standing at the front of the group.

“Hello King,” she crooned in a voice both young and old. Male and female.

Ava backed up, bumping into Raine who steadied her and placed his hands on her shoulders in solidarity. She glanced up at him and gave him a look that said, ‘I understand why you hadnightmares.’

Thorne took a step forward. “Nelida. We’ve come to?—”

“I know the purpose of your visit,” she hissed as her eyes roved over Ava. “You wish to know about the prophecy.”

“Yes,” Thorne replied.

Nelida remained quiet, scanning the group again when her eyes landed on Raine. She smiled menacingly, her blunted yellow teeth bright against her gray skin. “I’m surprised to see you back. After what happened last time.”

He remained silent, though Ava felt his hands tighten slightly on her shoulders.

Nelida stepped forward again, looking between Thorne and Ava. “You have figured out you are siblings, yes?”

---