by Imogen Elvis
“Do you think the Nameless Ones have reached Kade and Rowen yet?” she asked.
“Don’t.”
But Briar couldn’t stop now she’d begun. The words spilled out of their own accord. “What do you think the Nameless Ones will do when they catch up? Do you think they’d really kill them?”
“I said don’t talk about it.” Lara glared at Briar. “It’s not going to help them, or us. They can look after themselves. We just need to focus on doing our part.” But Briar caught the quiver of fear in her voice.
It was hard not to wonder what was happening out there. Part of Briar hoped that, somehow, Kade and Rowen would get away safely. But the other part knew that wasn’t an option. They would delay the oncoming Nameless Ones as long as possible, even if it killed them. And that was a very real possibility. Briar had seen the ruthlessness of the Nameless Ones too often. She swallowed hard, trying to ignore the painful twisting in her heart.
The mist swept apart, and Briar and Lara stepped out of the silver curtain into the most beautiful clearing Briar had ever seen. The grass underfoot was lush and green, sprinkled with tiny white flowers like fallen stars. Mist bounded the edge of the glen in a shimmering wall, which swayed to the rhythm of the ghostly melody. And, in the exact centre of the clearing…
Lara let out a soft gasp. “Is that-?”
A small smile lifted the corners of Briar’s lips. “The Crystal Tree.”
Briar had grown up listening to stories of the Tree. She wore its image wrought into the medallion that hung around her neck. She wove its magic every time she sang. She’d dreamed of what the Tree might be like, oh, so many times. But the Crystal Tree itself was more beautiful and more pure than anything she could ever have imagined.
The Tree was formed out of a single, flawless white crystal. The sun gleamed through its leaves, sending sparks of light dancing over the grass. However, it was the glow that radiated from the deep inside the Tree’s trunk that filled the clearing with soft, white light. And that achingly beautiful song whispered from between its branches, humming so clearly Briar didn’t even need magic to pick out the notes.
It seemed almost irreverent to approach the Tree. Briar crept forward, her feet whispering over the grass. Against the power radiating from the Tree, she was nothing. The smallest note in a huge song. So tiny she shouldn’t be standing here at all. And yet the Tree let her come. Briar hesitated before laying her fingers against its trunk. The crystal thrummed under her fingertips, quivering with raw magic.
How had Master Sachio ever brought himself to steal from the Crystal Tree? It was so beautiful, so… alive. Standing here, Briar was sure now that the Tree could save them if it wanted to. Maybe, just maybe, if she was strong enough to sing its song, and plead their cause, they might have a chance. Briar’s fingers trembled. She couldn’t even begin to know where to start. To hear the music without even opening herself to it, that alone was terrifying.
“Is it going to work? Briar?”
“Maybe.” She didn’t have time to stand here and doubt herself. Kade and Rowen were relying on her. Breathe. Don’t think. Just trust that her instincts would carry her through. If there was ever a time to be a true magician, this was it. Briar closed her eyes and reached out to the song.
The music swept through her in a wave of sound. It shifted constantly, one moment slow and pensive, and the next skipping with childlike joy, now so sad it brought tears to Briar’s eyes, then roaring with righteous fury, as if mirroring the emotions of an entire world. The song swept Briar deeper and deeper into a maze of harmony, whispering seductively of the peace to be found, lost in the endless song. No more fear. No more heartbreak. Just this perfect melody, forever.
Briar gathered her strength and sang, filling her song with pleading, trying to twist the strand of melody so that the Tree might hear her. But it carried on in an endless refrain and nothing she did, no matter how hard she sang, no matter how skillfully she turned the music, could change the tide of song in the slightest. It was as if the Tree didn’t even see her.
Fear spiked inside Briar. She pulled back, snapping herself out of the song. She couldn’t do this. Singing this song was a test for the strongest masters. And she was just a novice. Briar reeled back, tears pricking at the back of her eyes. Why had she ever thought the Tree would listen to her?
“What’s wrong? Briar? What happened?” Lara crouched next to her, her eyes searching Briar’s face.
“It’s too strong,” Briar gasped. “I can’t do this.”
“Very true.”
Briar turned, and her blood froze. Master Sachio stood at the edge of the clearing, watching them, with his hands folded inside the wide, grey sleeves of his habit. Behind him, seven Nameless Ones formed a dark line at the edge of the mist, and in front of them stood two familiar figures. Kade and Rowen held their heads high, an expression of defiance on their faces. The last remnants of hope drained away. She was too late.
A cruel smile lifted the corners of Master Sachio’s mouth. “I admire your persistence, Briar. But you are such a young novice. You were never going to succeed, were you?” A dangerous, powerful persuasion filled his voice.
Briar could feel the magic lacing every word, but she could also feel the hollow ring of truth that drove his words home like a spear to the heart. She was too weak. Why had she ever thought she could do this when even the best masters struggled? All she could do was fail. Briar hung her head.
Lara stepped between them, drawing her sword. “Don’t come any closer.”
“How did you find us?” Briar asked.
“It wasn’t difficult,” Master Sachio said. “You looked into my mind. I looked into yours. Without the song catchers, there was only one place you could go.” He gestured to the Tree. “Not that you ever had a chance really.”
“We had to try,” Briar said quietly.
Master Sachio raised an eyebrow. “And where did that get you? You should have followed your sister’s example. At least she was wise enough to join the right side.”
“What is he talking about, Briar?” Lara asked. “What happened to Ava?”
Briar just shook her head. The master’s words sent a bolt of pain through her. She closed her eyes for a moment, pressing her palm against the Tree. Ava was lost. Because of Master Sachio. Briar slid her hand over the smooth crystal, drawing a little strength from the magic humming beneath her fingertips. Enough to lift her head and meet Master Sachio’s gaze.
“I am not my sister. She makes her choices. I make mine. Maybe we never stood a chance, but I would do it again, even if I knew we had absolutely no chance of success. Making a stand and failing is better than living every day knowing that I could have tried, but was too afraid.”
“Brave words. But foolish.” Master Sachio took a slow pace towards them. Lara let out a little growl and shifted to keep herself between the master and Briar. “You’ve been in my mind, Briar. You of all people should see that what I am doing is for the best.”
“I looked into your mind, and I saw a child,” Briar said. “A jealous child crying for something he couldn’t have. Will you really stop when the crown is yours?” She shook her head. “It isn’t the throne you want. It’s not a crown and a kingdom. It’s power. And there will never be enough power in the world to satisfy you.”
Master Sachio’s smile faded. “I should have been king. Just because I was born with magic in my song-”
“Our magic is a gift.” Briar drew herself up. “We are given it so that we can help people. I am ashamed to be called a magician beside you. You twist your magic into a curse and prove just why we need kings who are strong without it. You could have been a great man. But now, you’re nothing.”
Master Sachio snorted. “What would you know? You couldn’t even save your family. I am going to save an entire country.”
There was truth in his accusation, but it was a truth that Briar finally accepted. She stood firm. “No, I couldn’t save them. And I live with that regret eve
ry day. But I can’t change what I’ve done. I can only control what I do in this moment. Yes, I’m weak and afraid. But more than anything I’m afraid of letting someone like you win.” Briar lifted her chin. “I have to fight, no matter what.”
“For what? You will always fail. That is who you are, Briar. That is what you do. But,” Master Sachio’s voice took on that smooth, persuasive tone again, filled with magic, “I could spare your friends. You could save them if you do what I say.”
“Don’t listen to him,” Rowen called. His words ended in a breathy groan as one of the Nameless Ones silenced him with a fist.
The words rolled off Briar without settling. Lies. He wouldn’t spare her friends, no matter what she did. That was a truth she knew deep in her soul. “I can’t. And I won’t. You made my choice for me when your Nameless Ones took my sister. From the moment they took her, I couldn’t stop.”
“Maybe you need a little more persuasion.” Master Sachio’s eyes were sharp as a dagger. “Step away from the Tree, or I’ll kill one of your friends.”
At his words, the Nameless Ones forced Kade and Rowen to their knees. Still they held their heads high, not a trace of fear on their faces, though the Nameless Ones pressed daggers to their throats. Until a few weeks ago, Briar had never met these people. She hadn’t known how brave and kind they were. How strong they could be, even when life gave them nothing but pain. She didn’t know then how much they were going to mean to her. She locked eyes with Kade, and everything seemed to stand still. How could she stand here and just let Master Sachio kill them?
But she had no choice. To step away now meant that everything they had been through, every sacrifice they made, every hardship they endured, would mean nothing. And in the end, if Master Sachio won, it wouldn’t be just Kade and Rowen who suffered.
“I can’t step away,” Briar said quietly. “Not for Ava. Not for my friends. Not even for me. Not because I’m afraid, or weak.” She met Master Sachio’s eye. His face twisted with anger and… was that fear? Suddenly, everything made sense. “The only reason you’re threatening my friends is because I do have a chance, and you’re afraid that I’ll take it.” She could feel the truth humming through her own words. He was afraid. And that gave her hope.
“You’re a novice. You don’t have the strength or the skill.” But there was an edge to Master Sachio’s voice that hadn’t been there before.
“I don’t have to.” Briar slid her hand over the smooth trunk of the Tree. “I have the Crystal Tree. And it is more powerful than you in every way.”
“This is your last chance. Step back.”
Briar looked from Kade to Rowen. This was the moment. She could step away and save them both. But she couldn’t, and the understanding in their eyes broke her heart. Kade gave her a little nod. There wasn’t a choice. There never was.
“I’m sorry.” Briar reached for the song and found it waiting. The music swelled around her, carrying her with it, and this time Briar let it. No more fighting. She just sang.
As she sang, Briar saw through eyes that didn’t feel like hers, saw the knife rise and fall. She saw the blood spread over Rowen’s chest in a glistening circle. She saw him press a hand to the wound, bringing his fingers away gleaming red with blood, his eyes widening as he turned to Kade, holding out a shaky hand. Briar watched as he crumpled onto the grass.
Lara screamed.
Tears streaked down Briar’s cheeks. She poured her heart and soul into the song, not trying to twist it to her will, just begging for mercy, for help. And for the first time, the song responded. It crackled with anger. The beat picked up like the pounding of a thousand war drums. The Crystal Tree called to its leaves, which hung around the necks of the Nameless Ones, and Master Sachio. The leaves cried out in return, straining to return to the Tree. They trembled on their strings, pulled by the force of the song.
Master Sachio grabbed his leaf, clutching it in his fist. “Do something,” he snarled at the Nameless Ones, his voice quivering with fury. “Kill the other one. Stop this.”
No. Not Kade too. Briar’s heart clenched with fear. But the Tree held her safe, and the music curled around her, filled with reassurance. The song swelled, and the leaves shook so hard they blurred, before exploding into a thousand sparkling pieces that flew back to the Tree, straight as an arrow, disappearing into the light. Master Sachio cried out, clutching his hand. Blood streamed from where the shards of crystal had sliced his skin.
The song crashed around them like thunder. It wasn’t just in Briar’s mind. It wasn’t hidden behind the veil of magic. This song was loud and angry, and very real. The group pressed their hands to their ears, even the Nameless Ones. Everyone but Briar. She was the song now, a song that couldn’t be halted.
“Stop her.” Master Sachio waved a bloody hand at the Nameless Ones. “Don’t just stand there. Do something.”
But the Nameless Ones backed away. Their daggers fell forgotten into the grass. Briar could feel their fear pulsing through their songs as the Crystal Tree rose against them, pushing them away. It roared with anger at their presence on its mountain, at the stain they blotted on the purity of its magic. It drove the Nameless Ones back and back until at last they turned and fled into the mist.
Then there was just Master Sachio standing against the fury. He pressed his bleeding hands to his ears, stumbling back as the magic hit him with a powerful urge to flee, more persuasive than any note he had ever sung in his life. He cleared his throat and warbled a couple of notes, trying to join the song. Then he hesitated, tried again, stopped again. The song wouldn’t accept him. He couldn’t catch the melody as it rose against him. Master Sachio’s eyes widened with real fear.
Briar was the song. She was the music as it roared and swelled. It wrapped itself around her as she faced Master Sachio with a strength that wasn’t her own. Briar met his eyes and said a single word in a voice that was half hers and half that of the Tree.
“Go.”
Master Sachio ran, bloodstained and terrified. The mist closed around him, and he was gone. They were all gone. The Nameless Ones. Master Sachio. The leaves. Briar’s eyes slid closed as exhaustion swept through her. She could do no more. Too tired to fight, she let the song carry her. The music whispered to her, comforting now, filling her with a warm peace she hadn’t felt in so long.
And then the song drew back. Briar blinked. Her body suddenly felt too heavy, and she pitched forward, catching herself on her hands and knees. She knelt there, gasping for breath, her head spinning. Raising her eyes to the Tree, Briar heard the ghostly whisper of its song again. She bowed her head in thanks.
Someone sobbed. Briar looked up. Rowen. How could she forget? Briar hauled herself to her feet. The world swayed, and she had to brace a hand on the Tree’s trunk as she waited for the sick spinning to settle. Then she hurried towards Rowen on legs that threatened to fold beneath her. Lara and Kade knelt at his side, their backs turned to Briar. She stumbled over and fell to her knees beside them.
Lara cradled Rowen in her arms, one hand pressed against the enormous red stain that spread over his chest. “No, no, no. You can’t die now, Rowen. We did it. We’re safe. You’re not allowed to die. Not now.” Her words ended in a choke. She turned to Briar with eyes that gleamed with tears. “Help him.”
Briar took Rowen’s bloodied hand in hers. Her whole body ached, but she reached for his life song anyway. Her voice rasped in her throat as she joined his song. The moment she connected, Rowen’s injuries hit her with such force it made Briar gasp. She choked as ghostly blood filled her lungs. The agonising stab of pain that lanced through her chest took her breath away. She could barely hold herself in the song.
But she must. Briar gathered every scrap of strength she had left and held onto the faltering thread of Rowen’s life song. It grew weaker with every beat, shattering into a thousand notes that faded faster than she could clutch at them. Briar sang desperately, trying to draw the song back together, trying to coax Rowen to stay, even a
s he slipped away. But it was no use.
Briar pulled herself from the song and drew a deep, shuddering breath as the pain receded. Her eyes filled with tears as she looked into Rowen’s greying face. His breath rasped in his throat, growing more and more laboured.
“Briar?” Kade’s voice was hoarse.
She shook her head, and her heart ached as the fragile hope drained from Kade’s eyes.
“You have to save him.” Lara raised her tear-stained face. “Please, Briar.”
“I can’t.” Briar reached out to Lara, but she flinched away. “He’s dying.”
“You stopped the Nameless Ones. Why can’t you save him too? You have to help him. He’s my brother.” Lara’s voice broke, and she bent her head, her shoulders shaking as she wept.
“Shh.” Kade wrapped his arms around Lara, who buried her face in his shoulder.
“It’s not fair.” Lara’s whole body shook with sobs. “Why does he deserve to die?”
“He doesn’t,” Kade whispered.
Briar stroked the back of Rowen’s hand with her thumb. Why Rowen? Cheerful Rowen who knew the right time to tell a joke, who’d travelled the length of the country to help his friend, who hadn’t believed in the power of the Tree, but followed Kade anyway. How was it fair that he should die?
Rowen’s song was fading. Briar could hear his life waning with every faltering note. She squeezed his hand gently. Rowen should know he was not alone. “He’s going.”
“No.” Lara wailed. “No.” She clutched Rowen’s hand to her cheek. “Please, Rowen.”
The faint melody faded into silence, and there was nothing more. Just an emptiness where Rowen’s life song had been. Briar shook her head. “He’s gone.”
CHAPTER FORTY ONE
They buried Rowen in the shade of the Crystal Tree. The mound of dirt heaped over his grave stuck out amid the peaceful landscape, a painful reminder of their ‘victory’. Briar sat on the grass a little way from the grave, her hands wrapped around her knees. Her throat was tight, and her eyes burned, but she couldn’t cry. It refused to sink in that he wasn’t coming back.
