The canopy above Merna had become thicker over the last few days, letting little sunlight through the branches to the forest floor below. She spurred her horse forward as it danced nervously under her and prayed she had been correct in her decision to come here. Zanyrea had many forests throughout the kingdom, but few still held the majestic Ash within them. Humans found many uses for the tree— high-quality weapons, architecture, furniture, even medicinal uses—and as the population grew, so did the need for the wondrous tree. The forests that still contained them were protected by the druids and rarely traveled by humans if they wished to return from them. If she were denied entrance by the druids, it would take many weeks to find another Ash.
She felt a gentle push in her mind and pulled back on the reins, bringing her horse to a halt. A normal human would have perceived it as an instinct to turn aside and take a different route, but Merna knew it to be the result of Mind Magic. She dismounted and removed the horse’s tack, soothing the animal and willing it to stay close to the area. She tucked the equipment into a hole in a nearby log, then proceeded toward the origins of the Mind Magic.
She mumbled under her breath as she maneuvered fallen logs and waded through thick brush about Saphira’s foolishness forcing her to traverse the wilderness. The push grew stronger, and she huffed in annoyance, continuing forward and directing herself toward the magic user. Vines shot from the earth and the nearby trees to block her path. Merna chuckled, waved her hand at the wall, “Part,” and walked through the opening the vines had made at her request.
Three robed figures with hoods drawn low stepped from behind trees on each side and in front of the rotund woman, and she halted with a satisfied smile. The one in front stepped forward and a man’s soft, deep voice floated from the darkness of the cowl, “You have ignored our warnings to turn from this place. Do you know the penalty for trespassing here?”
“I have no desire to stay any longer than I must, Venerable Druid. It is not my intention to harm your forest. I come to ask for a favor.”
“What favor would a Daekarr ask of the Druids? Access to spell components, no doubt.”
“Just one and only on this one occasion.”
“And why should we trust that you will never return?”
“I have come to Zanyrea at the request of a former student and will be returning home once I have completed her child’s training. She is dying and is unable to teach him our ways. Because of the dangers of raising a Daekarran among the Zanyreans, she bound his gifts when he began to present. I need a component to unbind his abilities.”
“You are here for the bark of an Ash.” He watched her closely for a long moment, then answered, “If there were an Ash among our forest, we would never allow the defacement of it for something as trivial as an unbinding spell. The binding will eventually wear off on its own with time.”
Merna spoke as he turned to leave, “Please, Venerable Druid, I understand your plight, but the boy does not have the luxury of time. If he is not unbound and taught the ways of his people, he will not live long enough for the binding to unravel.”
“One Daekarran life is of little consequence to the balance of nature, woman, especially in a land where he would likely die for using his gift. It would be a tragedy to harm a tree for someone who will not live to protect the balance of the world.”
“Even if the Daekarran is the king of Zanyrea?” The man froze in place, and Merna continued. “King Palisene Shallendir married a foreign woman named Saphira Shearas. He never told his people she was Daekarran for fear that she would be killed, and she swore to never use her gifts within Zanyrea. With his death, the death of their oldest son, and now her mysterious illness, she wishes to protect her youngest, the reigning king, by unbinding his gifts and teaching him to wield them.
There has never been a Daekarran on the throne of Zanyrea. He is very powerful, Venerable Druid. The boy presented three years early and the binding has already begun to unravel in just four years. I know Saphira’s work, and the binding is the finest I have ever seen. The normal binding spell is meant to last at least ten years. With the care and precision placed upon the boy, the spell should have lasted fifteen at worst. You understand the significance, do you not?”
“You will wait in the clearing where you left your horse. We will discuss your request and return an answer to you when we have one.” The druids turned and disappeared into the forest, leaving Merna to find her way back to the clearing.
She huffed in annoyance and turned on her heels. The druids had their own semblance of time and waiting could mean weeks or months within the forest. She was running out of time. Saphira’s lifeforce was weak when she left the castle. The woman did not have long to live. If she chose to use her gifts while Merna was away, it would significantly shorten that life, not to mention the effects of whatever was used to facilitate her illness. Her death would leave the boy vulnerable and without Merna, there was no protection for him.
She broke through the line of trees into the clearing and stamped her foot. “Those confounded druids better hurry before we lose that boy. They may not see his worth, but the Daekarr know what he will become. He must live and learn our ways, or we will all be snuffed out by the Zanyrean scourge that will come.” She plopped down next to the log she had hidden her tack in and leaned against it to await their answer.
* * * * *
The druid turned and hurried toward the oldest and most sacred part of the forest. The other two robed figures joined him and the smallest of the two asked, “Tarragon, do you actually mean to trust the word of this Daekarr?”
“I trust no human outside of the druids, Aurora, even those like the Daekarr who need the gifts of our forest. We will speak with Lord Elmarithus and Lady Qilynn. If anyone can divine the truth of her words, Lady Qilynn can. Take Quinn with you and alert the others, then gather the elder Dryads and Sylvans. They will want to hear this, as well.”
The woman and other man stopped and watched their mentor as he hurried away. The man turned to Aurora, “The fastest way to alert them would be to send Raven and Luna.” She nodded, and he closed his eyes, Luna come, quickly. A large white wolf padded up to him within moments of his call. He heard the flutter of wings and turned to see the ebony bird land gingerly on Aurora’s shoulder.
The animals watched their companions inquisitively, awaiting instructions. They could sense the apprehension in the druids and the sense of urgency settling around them. Aurora ran her hand over the glossy feathers on her raven’s head and back as she answered the silent question in the fowl’s eyes, “I need you to fly east and find Willow. Tell her to get the others and meet us outside the palace. Then, fly to the north and give Rain the same message.” Raven flapped her wings, nodding her head and cawing in response before taking to the air.
Quinn scratched Luna behind her ears and placed his forehead to hers. “Go to the South and take the same message to Nyx. No hunting along the way, hmm? Straight there, then return to the city.” She nuzzled him, making him chuckle. “Go, quickly.” He released her head and she scampered off toward the South.
“You spoil her too much, Quinn. That is why she gets distracted easily.”
“She is still young. She will grow out of it soon enough. I will go to the Sylvans.” He hurried away before she could start up the familiar argument.
Aurora huffed in annoyance as she watched him disappear into the forest. As gifted as Quinn was in the art of manipulating nature, she considered the human soft. He coddled the wolf like a child. All druids shared a special bond with their companions, but the human did not seem to understand that companions were not normal animals. They did not require such indulgence and being overprotective of a creature that would be fighting at your side was dangerous. She shook her head, turned toward the nearest Dryad Elder’s tree, and sprinted into the foliage.
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