The Tree and the Tablet (The St. James Chronicles Book 1)

by Kathryn O'Brien

  Breathing a heavy sigh on his landing, he mumbled, “Nasty witch.”

  My eyes still focused on the spot in the sky where the raven had vanished. Turning toward Duck as he landed, I asked, “Are you alright?”

  Bobbing his head toward me, “Yes.” He snorted releasing two small puffs of smoke from his nostrils. “I am glad I decided to follow your thought trail. I sensed the danger.”

  “But I don’t understand. What happened?” Turning to face him, I asked, “If she wasn’t a goddess sent to guide me, then who was she?”

  Andrea just stared at Duck, a look of awe on her face.

  “That was, Ellandra, the Trickster, The Sorceress of Doane. She is one very nasty and cunning being.” He turned to look off into the distance. Turning back to me he stated, “We must hurry, there is no time to waste. We are exposed here.” As he started to walk toward an opening in the trees, I lost my patience.

  “Wait right there!” My voice reverberated through the clearing and what animals weren’t scared off by the battle, were soon scurrying for hiding places. He turned toward me expectantly and I started to walk toward him but found that Andrea had her feet planted to the spot where she was standing. Her eyes were like saucers and her mouth hung open. Turning gently toward her, I said softly, “Andrea, this is Duck. He’s my friend. I need you to come with me so that we can save Kelsey.” She blinked rapidly as if she were coming out of a trance, she looked at me sideways and sighing in resignation, started to walk with me.

  Stepping up to where Duck waited for us, I asked, “What’s really happening here?” At his hesitancy to speak, I repeated myself, “Duck, please. I need to know what I’m up against here.”

  He sighed in resignation and glancing back toward the opening, he said, “Mistress, it is not safe here, but once we get to the protection of the Glen of the Great Spirit Tree where the Veil of the Maiden’s Tears is located, I will tell you what I know.”

  Seeing in his eyes that there was no budging him, I nodded my agreement, “Well, why didn’t you tell me we were close to the Veil of the Maiden’s Tears?” He blinked his large eyes at me. “Very well, Duck. Let’s go.”

  We headed toward the opening in the trees again. This land was so beautiful. I couldn’t help but wonder at all the various creatures and flowers the likes of which I’d never seen before. Beautiful and bright shades in every primary color were mixed with a pallet of softer pastel shades and vibrant greens. It was amazing. The ground was soft like a sponge beneath my feet, but it bounced back like memory foam.

  As we walked, I asked Andrea, "I wonder how you’re still able to be here with me." She looked at me questioningly. "The last time we spoke, you faded away because of the tree."

  She looked as if she were concentrating, "I'm not sure what’s happened." She looked down at the ground and then suddenly, looked up at me with an expression of revelation, "It released me." She smiled at my look of confusion. "The tree told me that I had to go, or I wouldn’t be able to be with you again. Then, I was here, and that lady was talking to me." She looked ahead again. "I don't remember anything between then and you grabbing my hand."

  Putting my arm around her, "Well, you didn't miss much. At least you're here now and we’re able to be together. But I still don’t understand how I’m able to touch you and see you solidly when this is all in my mind." My question was a voiced thought, but my mind still tried to figure it out.

  Andrea shook her head and shrugged, “Either way, it's wonderful to be able to be with you again.”

  We walked under an arched opening that had two statues of gorgeous women standing on either side of it, their hands were raised and outstretched toward each other as if they were getting ready to play a game of patty cake. Stepping through the opening, a hush fell on us like a curtain.

  Directly in front of where we were, about twenty feet away, there stood a shrine of sorts. It was like a fountain with a stunning white stone maiden standing in the middle on top of an earthen hill. She had her hand raised up and a beautifully carved robin was perched on her finger. However, it looked as if something was missing.

  There was a large mound of earth in front of her that appeared to be disturbed. It looked like there used to be a tree planted there, but it had been dug up or ripped out violently. The ground oozed a deep, shimmering dark purple of rivulets that poured down into the pool at the base. As we came closer to the place where the maiden stood, visible tears, the color of the pool, were gently gliding down her cheeks, across her arms and like a waterfall over the rocks at the base into the pool. It sort of looked like a veil because of the way it flowed. Suddenly, I remembered Shirley’s dream and froze. My mind reeled.

  Staring at the scene before me, I was overcome with sorrow at the vision of the maiden’s tears and a shiver danced along my spine. Something about the sight in front of me seemed like a dream from a far-off place that I’d once had. No, it was a dream that Shirley once had. The silence gave way to a sound like air moving in and out. The earth seemed to be breathing deeply in the center of the fountain. Andrea, still clutching uncertainly to my arm, flinched and stepped back at the sound.

  Releasing Andrea’s hand from my arm, I stepped toward the fountain. Upon reaching the edge, I was suddenly filled with the most intense sorrow. My heart was racing and I couldn’t stop myself from crying out. It was agony. Almost like every painful thing that had broken my heart as a child came rushing back all at once. Even though I wanted to curl up into a ball, I found myself reaching forward to put my hand into the swirling purple-black ooze in the pool. Just as my finger was about to touch the inky mass, Duck hissed. “Stop!”

  My hand jerked back. Turning to look up at him, he said, “Do not be drawn into the maiden’s tears. You will be filled with a longing like nothing you have ever known before. It will consume your heart and soul.” He whispered the last bit in the most heart wrenching tone of voice as if saying the words broke his heart. His eyes spoke of a deep abiding love and sorrow.

  Placing my hand on his snout which was right next to me, I asked gently, “Duck, tell me who she is. Please?”

  Blinking his large cat like eyes at me, he sighed. “She is Valoria, the warrior daughter of the great chieftain Sol and his wife, Shalandria.” Taking another deep and ragged breath, he looked up at the still figure in the middle of the mound of damaged earth. “She was once my mistress and my creator’s daughter. I was created as a wedding gift for Valoria’s wedding.” His sorrow was prevalent as he remarked, “But now, as a daughter of Valor, you are my new mistress.”

  Andrea sat on a wooden bench that was placed near the fountain. She turned and looked at the statue. Taking in a deep, ragged breath and exhaling loudly while trying to clear the intense sadness from my heart, I asked calmly, “You don't have to call me Mistress.”

  Shrugging, “It's alright. It's meant to be.”

  “Will you tell me what happened here?”

  Nodding his great head, Duck continued, “I was away when it happened. In this Glenn, there was a large tree with the most beautiful pink flowers on it. The Great Spirit Tree, which is also known as the tree of life, the life source of all who dwell in the land of Nohad.” He spread his great wings as if to emphasize his words. He seemed a little restless but continued on. “The small bird on the Maiden’s finger was her best friend and lover, Alkard, the Strong. He was a mighty warrior who served as the Captain of the guard for Valoria’s father. Alkard is a member of a clan that have a special ability to transform their shape into that of a bird. His father, Opi-Chee, descended from great chief’s as well.”

  My eyes lit up hearing that name. It sounded so familiar. Almost like a story I’d once heard as a child. Making a mental note, I turned my attention back to Duck and his story.

  “On the day of the great sorrow, Mistress Valoria and Sir Alkard were going to be married.” He shuddered. “I was off gathering twigs and sprigs for the Mistress to make a wreath for the wedding ceremony.”

  Glancing fr
om Duck to the beautiful Valoria held captive in time, I was awed by the clear display of love expressed in the eyes of the maiden.

  “It is believed that a set of guards, who were hired by Ellandra's grandmother Serena, entered the Glenn as Valoria was praying to the Great Spirit Tree for blessings. They told my mistress that Serena that Alkard was in danger and being held in Serena’s dungeons. Serena was promised to Alkard, but after meeting Valoria, Opi-chee had pity on the two lovebirds and broke the betrothal. Serena was filled with anger at the loss of her birth-right and continuously schemed to get Alkard back so she could gain the power to take over Nohad by overthrowing Sol. But she knew she could never accomplish this while Valoria lived.” He grunted. “Valoria should have known better.” His scales rippled with a reflective wave of pink that flowed from his tail to his head and was quickly replaced with his original bright coloring. “When my mistress tried to leave to go save Alkard, the deceitful warriors stopped her and told her the only way to save Alkard from a horrible fate at the hands of Serena, was to bring her a blossom from The Great Spirit Tree.”

  It was plain to see the evidence of sorrow playing across Duck’s face as he described the events of that fateful day. He was panting softly and his eyes widened showing a small amount of white toward the outer edges, almost like a dog in distress.

  “Alkard had been out in the forest and heard of the trickery Serena had hatched. He had spies watching her every move after it was suspected that she had poisoned Opi-chee to try and stop Alkard from marrying Valoria. Alkard was racing to stop Valoria before it was too late.” Turning toward his mistress and then back to me, he clenched his jaw, “She knew what would happen. To touch the sacred tree is forbidden. It comes with a price!” He sat down again and facing Valoria, “Only a dragon of earth and fire can touch the blossoms.” He whispered it so quietly, I thought I had misheard him.

  He shivered again. “If I had insisted that she keep her mind link with me, I would have known her thoughts. I told her to release me from her mind link filled with swooning and love. If only I had kept the mind link, I would have sensed the danger, but I was preoccupied with filling my belly after spending all day collecting decorations.” Giant tears fell silently from his eyes and down his scales to land on the ground in small puddles.

  Reaching out my hand and placing it on his chest, I replied softly, “It’s not your fault, Duck. You must know that.”

  He jerked away from my touch, “You were not there, you do not know. I have sworn an oath to the house of Valor to never allow them to feel pain, or know the sorrow that my Mistress endured on that day.” Taking a steadying breath, he continued. “Serena, that vile witch, convinced my mistress to climb the path of the virtuous to stand at the base of the Great Tree and pluck a blossom from the tree’s outstretched arms. Serena told her that if she did this, then her true love would be released and no harm would befall her if she sought the blossom for something as noble as true love.” A ragged sigh escaped his mouth. “Valoria believed her. She grasped the blossom. A great wind whipped around her, and Alkard was too late to show her Serena's trickery was false. He had not been taken as Valoria had feared.” The tears were flowing freely down his great scales. “Just as Alkard reached her in his bird form, she recognized too late what had taken place. They were frozen in time in this form.” He motioned toward the statue with the bird perched upon the outstretched finger.

  “But what happened to the Great Spirit Tree?” I asked. “It looks like it was ripped from the ground.

  “The tree was transformed from its ethereal form to that of a real tree upon the taking of the blossom.” Looking me in the eyes, “I don’t know when it was taken or how it was removed without someone touching the maiden’s tears, but the little man who resides in the hidden space with your Kelsey has the stench of it upon him.”

  “But how did he make the journey here?” I wondered out loud.

  Scratching at the ground with his front paws, he began to pace restlessly. “I know not how this has come to be, only that Ellandra has a hand in all of this.”

  My mind whirled trying to figure it all out. Andrea had been sitting quietly and listening to our exchange. Suddenly, she jumped up from her perch on the bench and said, “But that’s it.”

  Turning toward her, eyebrows raised, I asked, “What’s it?”

  “My tree.” She exclaimed exuberantly.

  Turning to me, a deep raging anger crossed his face. “That evil sorceress, Serena, took my mistress from me and cursed this land. Now her granddaughter, Ellandra, has taken another thing that does not belong to her family. I will rip her apart.” He flexed his great clawed feet like a cat releasing the full length of his talons.

  Realizing Duck was getting more and more worked up, I sought to sooth him. “It’ll be okay, Duck.”

  A shuddering breath hissed through his teeth, and a small tear floated down across his beautiful scales as he glanced back to the beautiful woman who stood next to a great gaping hole in the ground. “Ellandra, Serena, I don't know which, but one of the houses of Doane stole the great tree and hid it away. My mistress will not be able to return to the land of Nohad until the wrong is righted by one who is a descendant of the house of Valor.”

  He turned away from the statue of the beautiful woman whose tears flowed freely into a swirling pool of sorrow and looked at me intently.

  A smile lit my face as I realized Andrea was right. The answer was so close, but so far away.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Looking around, I wondered, how in the heck I was supposed to get Andrea’s tree from my house in Allyn. How would I get it all the way to this strange land when all I do is close my eyes to get here in my mind? And, I still need to get out of the confounded cave where Daniel is resting. A shiver of anxiety climbed up my spine as I recalled how close I’d come to losing him. With that thought came a sense of urgency.

  Kicking my foot outward in frustration, the lush, fluffy flowers that were spread throughout the Glenn sent a cloud of light purple spores floating into the air. Silently, I hoped Daniel was okay. Ugh, I wish I knew how Mr. Maxwell got the damn tree out of here and planted it in my yard? My mind was swirling with questions and I didn’t seem to be any closer to finding the answers or rescuing Kelsey. Turning and pacing back and forth in front of the fountain, I suddenly stopped.

  Looking up at the spot where Valoria appeared to be rooted to the ground, I said, “Well, Great Spirit, if you have any keen ideas on how I’m supposed to solve this riddle and restore your glory, I’m waiting for your direction.” The last part was particularly sarcastic on my part.

  Staring at the statues, I waited patiently for a response I knew wouldn’t come. Then, stomping my foot, sending a fresh cloud of spores floating into the air, I threw myself down, sitting on the edge of the pool to ponder what my next move should be. Laughing out loud, I said to no one in particular, “Yea, I thought not.”

  “Mistress?” Duck called out in a curious tone.

  As I looked up at him, I could see in his expression that he was alarmed. His head was tilted to one side and he stared off toward the entrance to the Glenn. Following his gaze, I could see a familiar form wending its way through the forest outside the entrance. No! it couldn’t be. But how?

  As my mind tried to grasp what I was seeing, I stood and turned from my musings to face the approaching individual and the onslaught of emotions ripping their way through my heart. Mesmerized by the vision in front of me, my feet took control and propelled me hesitantly toward the opening. Soon, I was standing in the archway that led into the Glenn. Blinking and gasping in shock, I was suddenly confronted with such anguish and fear. Was this real? But then, again, if Andrea could be here, why not?

  My heart leaped out of my chest and the tears burned the backs of my eyes as they slipped out and drifted down my cheeks. “Mom?” Disbelief, fear, anxiety, relief, shock, pain, love. All of this swirled around me like some tangible cloud.

  “Yes, sweetheart
. It’s me.” She reached out and tenderly caressed my cheek. It felt like a breeze touched me. Gingerly, I reached up and placed my hand over hers where the warmth of her touch penetrated my senses, but I only felt my own hand upon my face. Instantly, happiness was replaced with fear. Pulling away, she remained where she stood just outside of the archway.

  Andrea rushed forward to embrace her but she went right through her. Crying out with surprise and catching herself, she spun around to face the deception, asking, “Are you a ghost?”

  Instantly, I suspected Ellandra was at her tricks again. Turning from Andrea to the frail vision of my mother, I stepped back cautiously, lifting my hand in front of me to ward off the false vision, “What trick is this?” The pain and hurt of losing my mother came rushing back into my heart. I struggled to keep a mask of strength on my face while the renewed pain was almost enough to put me on the ground.

  The wraith in front of me pointed to the fountain and said, “I’m a Spectral, sent here by the Great Spirit.”

  Devastated, I asked quietly, “So, you’re not my mother then?”

  The creature had a sad expression on its face and stated, “I’m a memory of your mother. I’ve been sent here by the Great Spirit to guide you on your journey.”

  “What’s a Spectral,” I asked. Andrea made her way to my side and clasped my hand in hers.

  “We’re a form of spiritual being that can assume the shape or form of whatever will help us achieve our goal.” It gave a sly smile. Something about that made me suspicious. The creature continued, “In this instance, I was able to read your innermost thoughts and desires and this is the form that I felt would give me the best opportunity to get close to you.”