Rimwick

Ash-Colored Bark and Demon Tyrany

"Hey, Echo," I say after she wakes me up. I've decided that it was high time to change my clothes, so I dig through the pack I brought and find black jeans that, surprisingly, aren't ripped, and a red striped t-shirt. "Have you ever seen a tree that speaks to you?"

She smiles. Her eyes aren't glowing and words aren't appearing from my mouth, so I figure we got up early today- well, late- and night hasn't fallen yet.

"Oh yes," Echo says. "I think all the trees in the forest are special, in their own way. The whole world seems to speak to me sometimes."

"No... that's not what I meant. There's was this tree I saw yesterday with ash-colored bark that created wind whenever I touched it. And then it... I don't know, spoke to me, sort of. Like, it showed me these letters."

Brooke laughs sharply. "You mean a ventum tree? Only crazy people listen to those."

"I wasn't asking you," I shoot back.

Brooke tosses her curls over her shoulder and shrugs. "That doesn't mean I can't answer."

"Ventum trees," Echo interrupts. "They're magic."

"I figured that part out, thanks."

She smiles. "When a human touches them, they supposedly bring winds from the future. Whatever they tell you is something that's going to happen."

I frown. "It used present tense. Are. As in, currently happening."

Fallon groans. "Stupid ventum trees. They don't really work. People go insane trying to figure out what they mean."

"Have you ever touched one?" I ask.

"I..." she hesitates. "Yes. It said, 'He called for you as he died.' Stupid, right? I mean, who would call for me? Especially a guy." She slings her quiver over her shoulder.

"I've never touched one," Echo says. "They're dangerous. People become obsessed sometimes, with trying to use the trees to figure out the future. It's better to stay away from them."

"Fallon!" someone shouts from outside. "Come on!"

"I'm coming, Anvil!"

"And where are you going?" Brooke asks.

"Hunting, then the market" Fallon says without looking at her. "And you can't come."

I pull my boots on apprehensively. Brooke's laugh tinkles, like the sound of tiny, demonic bells. "What makes you think I would want to?" I start to make my bed as she taps her chin with a dainty finger. "I might, however, require your brother later."

Fallon's fists clench. "I said we're hunting. Just leave us alone, Brooke."

I smooth out my jacket and rebutton it. I'm running out of tasks to do in the small dorm, but I have nowhere to go to escape the brewing argument.

"It's so much fun to bother you," the demon girl smirks. "Yes, I will definitely need Anvil after midnight. Now run along, or I'll need him all night."

Fallon looks like she might hit something, most likely Brooke. I glance at Echo who determinedly avoids any eye contact. Should I step in or...?

"Hey, Fal. I thought we were leaving? We only get one night off a month, remember?" A scrawny red head pokes into the room.

Fallon glares at Brooke, furious but, for some reason, unable to do anything about it. "I'm coming, Anvil. Let's go."

"Until midnight!" Brooke calls cheerily after them. She smooths her curls and flounces out the door, white dress twitching behind her.

"What was that all about?" I ask. Echo seems to be a good source of information for all questions Dusk Child related.

She sighs. "Just Brooke being Brooke and Fallon trying to protect her brother."

"Protect him from what? Why do they let Brooke boss them around all the time?"

"It... well... it's complicated. Are you coming to the festival?"

"Complicated? And don't change the subject. What festival?"

"There's a market held every month just North of here. It's our day off; you'll love it."

"Shopping's not really my thing. Echo, what's complicated?"

"Nosy little Day Fly, aren't you?" Roman, in bronze-skinned, human form, lounges in the doorway, his casual shape the quintessence of a devil-may-care attitude. "It's not your business if Brooke the Bossy wants to be a bossy boss."

"Alliteration doesn't suite you," I snap, remembering how Roman jilted me during Color Hunt.

"Aw, don't be mad, Day!" he grins. "Now that I know you're actually useful, we're going to be great friends!"

Echo laughs before I can say something waspish and wraps her arm around Roman's. "Let's go, okay? I want to watch the sunset."