The Battle of the Trees - Sword, Ring, and Crown Book Two

Chapter Twenty-Eight

With the immediate concern of our arrest tabled for the moment, we followed Duir, Valenia, and Hawthorn to the temple. As we followed them, citizens thanked us for our help. Small children clung to my arms and legs and cried as they asked for their mommy and daddy. Many were dead in the street, and my heart grew numb from what Luis had caused.p

The priestesses gathered up my friend and took her into an inner chapel. There, they laid her out onto an altar and circled it, holding hands. They started chanting, and the wounds on Elsie's body, as well as the dirt, and the tears in her clothing, all disappeared. An iridescent dome formed over the altar's surface, which enclosed her. It seemed like she was only sleeping, and she looked so much like Snow White that my heart broke. If only a kiss could have indeed brought her back, I would have kissed her a thousand times.

The somber priestesses turned then bowed to me. "She will be waiting for you when you can return, Elect Madeline. We grieve your loss."

Elsie seemed so small and alone on the marble altar. If there was ever a miracle to be had that might bring her back, I was sure that I could find it in the underworld. If only I had another wish coin, but the result of such a selfish desire, I knew, would not go well.

With my heart threatening to crumble, I followed after a beckoning priestess. She led us to the portal where I would go to my trial, and Duir waited there with Valenia.

"I have fixed the portal so that you go to the Betwixt first. Meet with your father and ask him the request. There is still the concern that he is aiding Luis, and we need a full assurance that he won't pull any tricks."

I hoped that my bargain with my father would mean I could trust him. But even I wasn't sure. "I'll ask. I need to know more about Nian, though. Tell me all you can about him."

I glanced over at Rielte who was laying hands on Venetto's thigh where he'd suffered a severe burn. I was missing both Ciaran and Luis now, plus Elsie was gone. I still didn't have a lot of faith in my concubine's stamina since they were all still overcoming malnutrition and trauma... but I was going to have trust that everyone would be enough, even though I'd lost such a powerful ally. With the crew I had, we had to use our wits rather than strength to get through.

"What do you want to know?" She asked with an impatient huff.

"First, will the Ash kill Ciaran?"

She shrugged. "Our root has always been weak. Without the spell I had, I am unable to determine what Nian's thoughts are. If things continue, the root may sever."

I blinked. What was that?

"How?? I know death can do it..." My hands clenched as I thought of the emptiness that remained from the loss of Elsie. "How else can roots be severed?"

Could I free myself from these roots? Did I want to?

She grimaced, and I could see a hint of sorrow in her eyes. "It is not simple, and it is painful to both parties. Nian will have to offer a gift of dragon scales by the Fitanian river shrine at the hour between dusk and dawn then pour out the blood of his worst enemy upon the rock."

I remembered that she was the one that sent all those dragons to Earth and nearly wiped out the race. "So that's the real reason you tried to kill all the dragons..."

She nodded. "Yes...I had suspected that one day he might wish to sever the link."

All because of her stupid war, an entire species had nearly been wiped out. I hated her even more now, but I needed her to figure this out. "Can you think of any weaknesses that Nian might have?"

If Ciaran was considered Nian's worst enemy, I had to plan quickly, or he would die. I knew it was possible. A tree could kill another tree. But hadn't I read that they bound themselves with an oath that they would never again? Would he break the promise?"