Chapter 20
Elara
Around me, the forest was alive and breathing. A creature with a mind of its own. No wonder people got lost. It changed and shifted until they were uncertain of themselves, slowly luring them to their death.
But I wasn’t just somebody. I was the rightful heir to the throne. I was the queen of Everness.
I was still shaken by the dream I’d had about King Evrin and Queen Riona.
He’d buried her in the forest, with the Myrgonite dagger in her heart.
The same dagger Cai had been given when he first entered Everness.
And not only that, but Queen Riona had been part of some magical exchange beyond my comprehension.
Was it her spirit residing in the forest that protected all the royal successors?
Or did the forest take her as payment in exchange for protection?
It was overwhelming to think about it all.
And I still had a very important task at hand.
“I’m not doing this for myself, you know,” I called out to the void, the sudden sound of my voice giving the horse a slight fright.
I stopped walking for a moment and looked left and right. There were so many trees, and they all looked the same.
“I’m trying to protect Everness and Norrandale from someone who is going to destroy them.”
Stray hairs fell in front of my eyes, and I swatted them away, breathing heavily from all the walking. I had almost grown too hot for my cloak.
“I need to find that key.” My voice was filled with desperation.
I’m actually starting to lose it, I thought. You’re talking to the damn trees, Elara.
Taking in my surroundings, as far as I was able to see, I noticed something. Had that tree been there a minute ago? I looked left and right again and shook my head. Trees don’t just get up and walk. It’s not like it could have moved.
But as I took a few steps forward, I knew that my environment had changed. The trees were no longer where they’d been a moment before. Instead, a path had opened up between them, the trees lining the sides.
I rubbed my eyes. Maybe I was sleep-deprived.
Still, a voice in the back of my head urged me on, promising that what I was looking for would be at the other end of the path. And so, I followed it.
With a better sense of direction, I felt a bit of relief, and a little hope settled inside me.
All I knew was that I needed to find a pond and a tree.
What I did not expect was for the mist to slowly start clearing. I looked behind me. Had I gone the wrong way and now come out the other side or something? I could see light in the distance. It looked warm and inviting.
Unexpectedly, the mist gave way and, as if it had been a wall, I stepped through.
My breath got caught in my throat. There was sunshine and it was bright. In the middle of the mist, there was a bright clearing with green grass, and I could see far beyond me. But the wonder was short-lived.
My eyes drifted to the large body of water and then, in the centre of it all, the biggest willow I’d ever seen, perched on a small island.
“Lance, you idiot!” I could have screamed. This was not the body of water he had described. This was a lake.
I tied my horse to the nearest tree and stepped towards the water.
Dipping in my fingers, I tested the temperature. It wasn’t as cold as I had expected. This place felt like some kind of magical spot where there was eternal summer.
Eyeing the willow in the distance, I made some calculations. It wasn’t that far, and I’d probably be able to swim it.
I didn’t give it much thought. I was hungry and tired and anxious to get back home.
So, I started to unlace my riding boots, exposing my feet to the soft grass beneath me.
I rolled up the cuffs of my breeches while my horse grazed lazily behind me.
“Okay.” I shook out my hands as if it would shake the nerves away. I didn’t even want to think about what would happen once I actually got to the tree.
I dropped my cloak and satchel on the ground, and slowly walked into the water. It was dark and slightly murky, and by the time it reached my knees, I could no longer see my feet.
My mind began to run wild with thoughts of what could be lurking beneath the surface. Suddenly the willow tree felt a lot further away than it had originally looked.
I tried to push the thoughts away but the deeper I got into the water, the more scared I became.
When the water reached my waist, I spotted something moving in the distance, breaking through the surface.
Or maybe I’d only imagined it. I stopped walking, observing the water.
I was definitely sleep-deprived, maybe even hallucinating.
But no, I swore I could see something move beneath the water again.
This time, I didn’t hesitate. It might have only been a fish, but I wasn’t going to wait around to find out.
I turned around and waded through the water as fast as I could. Looking back at the big old willow tree, I let out a few curses. Now what?
Pacing up and down the shoreline with my feet bare, I contemplated going back into the water. Scared as I was, I was also pretty desperate for that damned key. One thing was certain: I wasn’t going back home empty-handed. Not when I had come so far.
I continued walking around the lake, seeing if there was any part where the swim might be shorter. But no, the tree had to be smack dab in the middle.
“Come on!” I cried out, looking back to the treeline where my horse still grazed happily on the unnaturally lush green grass. “You brought me all this way and now what? What am I supposed to do?”
With a huff, I continued to march along the shoreline, and like an answered prayer, I came across a little wooden rowing boat with two oars inside, casually beached where the water met the grass.
Though I was thankful, I wished the boat had decided to appear before I got all my clothes wet.
I hurried over and pushed the little boat into the water, rowing until my arms grew sore from the movement.
The island was small, but stepping onto it, I could finally take in just how big the tree really was.
It loomed large with thick branches and heavy leaves.
They were all a dark shade of green. Its presence felt old, and I slowly walked closer.
The tree looked like it had been there for hundreds of years, maybe even longer, watching.
Waiting for someone as stupid as me to actually try to take something from it.
But the thing that created a sense of dread in my stomach was that the lines within the bark seemed to have the shapes of different faces.
Were these all people the tree had deemed unworthy?
It’s just a tree. And the trees helped you before. They led you here. This tree is no different.
Except that if what Lance said was true, this tree had every intention of judging me, and if I didn’t prove worthy, it would take my soul, absorbing me until I became a part of it.
I swallowed hard. It was looking for someone worthy. What did that even mean?
With my hand on the trunk, I walked around the tree until I came across a hollow. It was quite small, but it would be big enough to put my fist into.
I stood there, looking at the hollow while rubbing my right wrist. That key had better be in there. I’m not here with selfish motives, I reminded myself. I’m here because I’m trying to find answers to protect my kingdom.
Knowing that standing around and procrastinating wasn’t going to make me feel better, I finally jammed my hand into the hollow of the old willow tree.
I immediately closed my eyes and turned my head away.
This was it. This was how I would die. Killed by a damn tree.
Expecting blinding pain, I held my breath, but nothing happened. After a few more seconds, I dared to open my eyes and move my fingers. They were definitely all still there. I let out the breath I’d been holding and started to feel around the hollow.
I couldn’t control my relieved smile when I touched something metal, and I pulled out the old king’s key.
It was pure gold, and unlike any key I’d ever seen before.
I tied it to a thin leather strap I’d been keeping in my pocket and hung the key around my neck. It was cold and heavy against my skin.
I looked up at the old willow tree, feeling grateful but too awkward to say thank you. I didn’t understand the magic that surrounded the tree and this place, or why I was allowed to retrieve the key. But I wasn’t going to wait around in case it changed its mind.
I stepped off the small island and back into the little boat, more than ready to go home.