by Megg Jensen
“Don’t do this,” Chase said, shaking his head.
“Why? Afraid to get beat up by a girl?”
“No, I’m afraid you’re going to embarrass yourself and then you’ll be even more difficult to be around. What’s happening here,” he said, pointing over his shoulder with his thumb toward the tree house community behind us, “is so far beyond anything you can imagine.”
“Don’t give me that,” I fired back. “I know exactly what’s going on. The Fithians thought they were the conquerors and the Dalagans were under their thumb. Turns out it was the other way around and my people were using magic to control the Fithian’s memories. I know it all.”
Chase’s arm flung out and he grabbed my wrist. He twisted it to the side, forcing me to bend at the waist for fear he’d break my arm. I’d used that move on Kellan plenty of times. I thought I was fast, but Chase was quickly proving me wrong.
He forced my elbow to bend. Leaning over my back, Chase’s lips fell to my ear. “This little spat between the Fithians and the Dalagans is nothing. There are bigger issues in the world than you realize.”
I twisted my head to the side. “How is that my problem?”
Chase’s grasp on me loosened. I straightened up and shook my arm out, relieving some of the pressure. Blood rushed through my veins, bringing life back to my sore, tired arm.
“It doesn’t have to be your problem,” Chase admitted with a shrug. “But without you, I can’t finish what I’ve started.”
“You’re not making any sense.”
He held out his calloused hand, palm up. “Will you come with me? There’s something I need to show you.”
I hesitated. Chase had run hot and cold from the moment he’d captured me in the forest. One minute he was treating me like a criminal, the next he wanted my friendship. I wasn’t sure which side of him to trust. I glanced down into the canopy, but I couldn’t see the ground. From my ascent, I knew how high up I was. Jumping was out of the question. Until I could figure a way off this prison in the sky, I decided to play along.
I slipped my hand in Chase’s, trying to ignore the jolt I felt when we touched. It wasn’t anything like the exciting warmth I experience when I was with Bryden. It almost felt like my magic was coming to life, or connecting to a well of unlimited power.
“Show me,” I said.
Chapter Four
Chase held my hand so tight, almost as if he was afraid I’d fall off the platform to my death. I glanced at the picket wooden railings bordering the platform’s edges. They looked strong, but I wasn’t sure how secure they would be if someone tripped or was pushed into them. I found myself squeezing Chase’s hand a little tighter. I knew he was draining my magic from me, I could feel it leaking away with every passing second.
He led me around a few small structures. Dishes clattered and people conversed. “Is that where the residents live?” I asked. Chase nodded. No doubt, there was little privacy in a community like this.
“How secret is this place? Can’t it be seen from the castle?” I asked. Surely someone had to know it was here. It couldn’t be easy to stay hidden.
Chase stopped. I focused on his face because looking over the edge of the railing made my stomach spin in circles. My ears filled with cotton. The railings moved closer, then farther away. Faster and faster, they shook until I couldn’t focus.
“I think I’m...” I slumped at the waist. My shoulders pitched forward and for one split second, I knew I was about to die. Chase’s arms wrapped around my body. He lifted, cradling me like I’d held Trevin not long ago. I rested my head on his shoulder, too dizzy to care that he was whispering in my ear, his lips tickling my earlobe.
“It’s vertigo. You’re not the first. Just hold still and I’ll get you someplace you can rest,” he said.
I nodded and left my chin on his chest. My hair fell across my face, forming a curtain between my eyes and the drop to certain death below me. Not caring what he said, as long as whatever he was promising would mean the dizziness would go away, I let him carry me. It went against every fiber in my being to avoid struggling, but I was too weak to care for once.
His knee lifted, barely scraping my bottom, as he kicked something in front of us. I forced my eyes open. A door swung in front of us. Chase strode through and my breath flowed back into my lungs. I glanced down at the solid wooden floor. It didn’t betray one glimpse of the lengths below us.
“It’s safe here,” he said, placing me gently on a bed. “You can’t see out unless you want to.” He pointed to the windows, far above the height of the bed. “And this cottage has the strongest floor in the community.”
I braved a smile. “Why?”
“Because I reinforced it myself. I grew up in a castle made of stone. The thought of plummeting to the ground had me concerned at first too. When I moved in, there were tiny slits between the wood. I could actually see the leaves below. No, thank you. I wanted them all covered, so I refloored it.”
My head came back to me quickly, the dizziness receding into the background. My ears unclogged and my vision returned to normal.
“Thank you,” I said. “I knew I had a thing about water, but I never would have guessed I’d feel this way about heights. I’d spent tons of time up the castle towers and never had experienced anything like this.”
Chase laughed. “How could you know? Being above the canopy, standing on a platform of a few wooden planks is totally different than a castle built of stone. Here we’re subject to fire, lightning, heavy downpours —”
I held up my hand. “That’s enough. Let’s not make a difficult situation worse.”
We both laughed. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. It had been so long since I’d had a moment to relax and have a laugh with someone who didn’t want something from me. Maybe it would be nice to make a new friend.
“So, you didn’t answer my question from before,” I said. “How do you guys stay undetected up here?”
“This village was built when the Dalagans first hatched their plans against the Fithians. Their plan to change the Fithians’ memories may have worked, but what they didn’t count on was someone seeing them coming ahead of time,” Chase explained. He sat down on a wooden chair across from me, laced his fingers together, and rested his elbows on his knees.
“If someone knew my people were going to do that, why didn’t they do something about it?” I was incredulous. Someone could have ended this entire war. My life wouldn’t have been a lie. Aric would still be alive and maybe, just maybe, Bryden and I would have found our way to each other without all the heartache.
“There are people who can see the future. Many of them have tried to change what was to come, but usually it was their actions that caused the event they foresaw. They’ve learned not to mess with the tides, but to do what they can to protect the ones they love.”
His eyes swept across me, as if he knew something about me that I didn’t know. I shivered and wrapped my arms around chest. A leaf fluttered through the window, dancing among the dust motes on the chilly breeze.
“I still don’t understand how you stay hidden. Can’t they see this place from the castle?” I asked.
“Could you, when you were there?”
“I don’t know. I never really looked for it. But, no, I didn’t accidentally see it either.”
“There are many trees, taller than the ones we’re in now, that shield us from the castle. Then there are people who live here whose job it is to make sure we have an extra layer of protection. A magical layer, I guess you could say. We also have guys on the ground and a network of spies to let us know if anyone is getting close. At those times we impose silence on the community until danger has passed.”
“I’m really impressed, but a little surprised. You’re just hiding up here. For what? When will they come down? Or are they all planning on living up here forever?” I couldn’t imagine how they could sustain for so many years. The Dalagans attacked Fithia when I was only an infant. Sixteen
years ago. Chase couldn’t be too much older than me. “Have you lived here your whole life?”
Chase’s eyes widened. “No. These aren’t my people. I’m just a guest here.”
“A guest? I don’t understand. Where are you from? How did you find this place if it’s so well hidden?”
“They’ve been waiting for me, Lianne, and I found them. It’s that simple.”
I shook my head and rolled my eyes. “Nothing about that sounds simple.”
Chase laughed. His mouth curved up on one side and I couldn’t help but return the smile. Everything about him was infectious.
“You’re right, it’s not. But that’s really all I can tell you right now.”
I sat up straighter, instantly agitated. My whole life had been a lie. People were either fooled into thinking the same things as I was or they purposely kept information from me. “I’m tired of lies and secrets. If you have something to tell me, then do it. Otherwise, I really don’t have an interest in anything you have to say.”
His hand covered the side of my face before I could react. Cupping my cheek in his palm, Chase traced his thumb over my lips. “Eloh, you are so beautiful,” he said.
I jerked away from his touch. “Eloh?” I asked, curious enough to try to ignore his other words. I wasn’t used to anyone telling me I was beautiful, much less a strange man I met in the woods who was kind of holding me prisoner.
“Oh.” He laughed nervously, pulling his hand back as if nothing just happened. “She’s the goddess we worship in my homeland. It’s just a phrase we sometimes use.”
His intense gaze didn’t bother me, but I hoped he wasn’t getting the wrong idea. My heart was already taken. He had to know that. “I’m with Bryden. This separation between us is temporary.”
Chase stood up quickly, knocking back his chair as it clattered to the floor.
“Of course, I knew that. I’m sorry, I just,” he stuttered. “There are things I can’t tell you.”
“This is crap,” I muttered under my breath. Just one more person trying to keep things from me. Typical.
“I shouldn’t have been the one to approach you. I should have let someone else do it. But I just couldn’t stay away, Lianne. You are special. You have no idea.”
“Obviously I don’t. So why can’t you fill me in?”
Chase opened his mouth and his gaze softened. Just as quickly, he closed his mouth, turned on his heel, and walked out the door.
Chapter Five
I wasn’t sure what to do next. If I left his little cottage, then I ran the risk of relapsing into another bout of vertigo. There might not be anyone around to help me this time. If I stayed, then I’d just be sitting there waiting for Chase to come back. I didn’t like either option and couldn’t come up with a third.
Knowing that the easier, and smarter, choice was to stay, I stood up and strode toward the door. Placing my hand on the stone knob, I squeezed it until sweat dripped from my palm. I’d have to fight the vertigo. I rode on a boat just a few weeks ago; I could face this fear too.
The knob turned on its own. I ripped my hand away and took a step backward, narrowly missing the chair Chase had so conveniently left on the floor. The door slowly opened until a small head poked its way in.
“Lianne?” The little girl said it with such authority.
“That’s me.” I slapped a smile on my face. I gestured for her to come in so I didn’t have to step out. I couldn’t let a child see how weak I’d become the second I stepped over the threshold.
She pushed the door all the way open, flooding the cottage with light. I hadn’t even realized how dark it was until my eyes narrowed from the piercing sunlight pouring into the room. “I brought you some food. Chase said you’d like potatoes the most, so I grabbed you an extra helping.”
My mouth watered as the scent of rosemary wafted past my nose. I inhaled deeply, letting it wrap around my senses like a warm scarf in winter. “How did he know?” I asked her.
The girl ambled over to the table, setting the platter of steaming food down carefully. A cup sloshed and drops of water splattered onto the wooden tabletop. I picked up the chair and righted it next to the table.
She turned to me, a bright smile gracing her face. “Chase knows things. He knows a lot about you. Thanks to him, we all do. I’ve been so excited to meet you. He told us that your fighting skills are better than most military-trained men. He told me about your hair too. It’s the same color as mine, see.”
She pointed proudly to her red hair. I’d never liked my hair color. It warmed my heart to see this little girl so proud of it. It also surprised me. Chase said these people were Fithian, but I’d never seen a Fithian with red hair before.
“Were you born here?” I asked her.
She nodded, her braid bouncing up and down her back. Her rough, woolen dress wasn’t anything like the clothes we wore at the castle. Up in the canopy, it was a bit cooler. Maybe she needed those clothes to keep her warm, even in summer.
“I’ve lived here my whole life. Momma says I was born here. Sometimes babies are. Not a whole lot though. It’s hard to keep babies quiet at the right times. Momma says I was a good and quiet baby. She also says I’m making up for that now.”
Her grin grew until it seemed to cover her face. One tooth was missing on the side, making her look like the carved pumpkins we put out during the harvest festivals to scare away demons. Except her smile was so precious, I couldn’t imagine it would ever scare anyone away. Then her face fell, a frown erasing the smile.
“That baby Trevin had better be quiet or they’ll feed him to the kalli.” She shivered and held two fingers over her mouth. I knew that symbol well. Superstitious people believed it kept something evil from overhearing their words.
I laughed, despite the fear in her eyes. “You don’t really believe in the kalli, do you? They’re just a myth.”
“You don’t?” Her face turned to stone. She backed away from me. “Anyone who lives in the forest knows the kalli are real. I’ve seen them. They’re cruel, Lianne. You can’t imagine what they’ve done to us.”
“Real?” I had heard the tales, of course. That was the reason I was initially hesitant to go deeper into the forest. But stories told to children in the nursery weren’t real. Little green imps did not roam the forest, looking for children’s flesh to eat. Ridiculous.
The girl nodded her head, solemn as if she was standing before a statue at worship. I couldn’t help but wonder what sorts of tricks her parents had pulled on her to make her so fearful of these mythical beings. My logical mind immediately told me it was to keep her from wandering too close to the edge. With enough fear instilled in her, she probably saw a bird, or small animal, in the trees and mistook it for a kalli.
I patted her on the head. “Thanks. I’ll make sure to watch out for them. I’ll help keep Trevin quiet, okay?”
She continued to stare at me, wide-eyed. If she’d been an adult and heard what Mags said to me earlier, she knew I probably didn’t have a chance in hell to get anywhere near him from now on. Mags would see to that.
“I promise.” I said it with conviction, sure that she wouldn’t leave until she believed that I believed. Kids were funny like that.
The smile quickly returned as she let out a deep breath. Good thing I agreed with her quickly. I hadn’t even noticed she’d been holding her breath. “I hope you enjoy your lunch.”
I looked back at those steaming potatoes, my appetite quickly overriding any other feeling I was having. “I will. Thank you so much for bringing it to me.”
She smiled and ducked out of the tiny cottage, pulling the door shut behind her. I brought my attention back to my lunch. Potatoes, leeks, and carrots dotted the plate. They weren’t arranged in any particularly pleasing way, but it didn’t matter. I was starving. I hadn’t eaten since I’d left the castle early in the morning. Even then I hadn’t been able to find much. We’d left before the kitchens opened, and all I’d been able to scrounge up was a lefto
ver loaf of bread, some cheese, and an apple.
While I ate the potatoes, I glanced around at the single-room cottage. Dark wooden walls, planked vertically to the roof, were capped off by a thatch layer so thick not one beam of light shot through. Only the small windows near the top gave any light to the room, and then not enough to illuminate too many details. Placing the windows so high didn’t seem practical for light purposes, but since anyone in the tree house village could walk around any platform, I could see how they were great for privacy, allowing in air without giving anyone the chance to peek in on the inhabitants.
The bed Chase had laid me on rested up against the wall. Next to it sat the table I was eating at. In the corner, a small chest stood alone. Dark blue with rusted, brass hinges, its studded metal edges didn’t interest me as much as what might be lying inside. I took one final bite of the potatoes, which were already beginning to cool, wiped my hands on the napkin the girl, whose name I’d forgotten to ask, had brought with the food, took one more swig of the glorious spring water, and crept over to the chest.
My heart pounded. I knew I shouldn’t snoop through other people’s property, but Chase brought me to this place, spouted off about secrets I wasn’t privy to, and then left me alone in his cottage. There wasn’t one good reason not to go through his personal belongings. I had to protect myself from his weird mood changes. One minute he was angry, the next happy, and then the next secretive. I wanted to ignore his brief amorous moments. Those were the only ones I had no interest in understanding.
I settled my knees on the hard floor in front of the chest. My hands reached out for the half-moon shaped clasp. I ran my fingers over its finely worked metal. This wasn’t just pounded out with a blacksmith’s hammer. The craftsmanship spoke of something far beyond a tradesman’s skills.
Lifting up the clasp, I glanced once more back at the door. It was still firmly shut and I didn’t hear anyone around outside the cottage. Occasional footsteps dotted the quiet afternoon, but none of them had lingered. I took a deep breath and lifted the lid.
