6. What We Know
She was going to be in so much trouble. She raced back home through the forest, cresting the hills and dales of the gently sloping earth which hardened to support her flight. Auntie Mo would know—she always knew. Raela had no idea what to tell her auntie she had been up to.
But what was really so evil about her visit? It had been a very pleasant information gathering event. She had deftly defended the forest against his … poor pronunciation. Raela grinned. If she was being honest, she’d had a wonderful time. His language was so clunky and full of hard sounds. Her mind flitted through all the new words. She would—she must—remember them.
Pausing before she approached the house, Raela settled her breathing. Snatching the basket, she began collecting the dried clothes off the line as if she had just returned from the irises. Auntie Mo was singing in the house. An excellent sign. Raela smiled. Maybe Auntie Mo hadn’t noticed after all.
Raela reached for the last dress. Behind it stood a wide-eyed, staring, finger-pointing Auntie Toru. In her surprise, Raela stumbled, tossing the basket as she fell backward. Thankfully, she didn’t shriek. Auntie Toru took one wobbly step forward as Raela lay sprawled on the grass.
Her voice, cracked as it was, grated on Raela’s frayed nerves. “I know where you’ve been, child.”
Raela tried to laugh it off, but her voice sounded strained even to her ears. “Oh, Auntie Toru. I was at the iris patch, then I saw some lightshrooms trying to circle up. They had almost circled all the way around. The haze was starting, but don’t worry, I got there in time. No evil today!”
Her auntie peered down at her. “These things are true. But they are not all.” Auntie Toru stepped forward and prodded Raela’s stomach with her cane. “You were in the pines.”
“Yes, the circle—”
“You were not alone.”
Raela swallowed hard and rose to her feet, turning to pick up her basket. “Auntie, you know the forest blocks the way,” she hedged.
“The earth is vibrating today. The stones are groaning with change.” Raela glanced back at her auntie’s face. The woman’s gaze fixed distantly to the Spires in the south. “There are things that were said. Things that were done. Things that were promised. Danger is coming.” She hissed after the last word as her black eyes flashed like obsidian and pierced Raela. Raela shivered. Her skin prickled. But before her next breath, Auntie Toru’s eyes glazed with tears. “And I don’t know how to stop it.” Her head thumped against Raela’s stomach as her shoulders rocked her with sobs.
“What? Auntie, it’s okay. Everything is okay.” Her hands trembled nervously as she patted her auntie.
“It wasn’t okay. You cannot know.” She sniffed and wiped her nose on Raela’s apron. “I want you to be safe. I wish I knew what will come. All I know is what’s been done.”
Raela squeezed the tiny woman. “What do you mean, Auntie? Can’t you tell me? I’m here, aren’t I? Safe at home. Perhaps you were out in the sun too long. Come. Have some tea. I’ll get you a snack from Auntie Mo. I’m safe, Auntie Toru.”
Her auntie wailed again. “You cannot know. It’s done. It has happened.”
Concerned and confused, Raela led her auntie inside. Grabbing the piping kettle, she poured some willow bark tea with chamomile and a sprig of peppermint, mixing a bit extra into the recipe she had improved from her aunties. She then stirred in a bit of yellow mushroom powder for strength of heart. Auntie Mo shook her head, well accustomed to her sister’s strong emotions. Auntie Toru took the mug and rocked herself in a large wooden chair by the fireplace. Soon, she was dozing, her mug empty and dangling from a fingertip.
Raela couldn’t settle down. Her fingers trembled from her auntie’s ominous comments, even those conveyed in half sentences. Auntie Toru was ever the pessimist, but usually not to this degree. The men—Killian and Phineas—were just creatures and no match for the power of the forest. And Auntie Toru knew Raela was never really alone. Not here. She had the constant attention of the forest”s magic with Mother Bear a call away.
Raela was the messenger, the scout, and now, the translator. If the men proved dangerous, Raela and the animals would kick them out—even the ancient wolf. But what was the danger in gaining knowledge? What did Auntie Toru know that she was unwilling to share?