Shadows of the Woods

Chapter 4

I watched in part fascination and part panic as the crystal melded itself around me. It was like watching ice form in a globe around me; first the material was translucent, but then quickly became as clear as glass with tiny crackling sounds. When the crystal had finished forming, I looked down at the goblin beneath me. He was wearing a solstae suit as well, but like Simon, he had removed the hood. His head was flat and bald, and he had a protruding nose that hooked like a hawk's beak, but his beady eyes looked apologetic as he met my gaze. After a moment, he turned and hurried away.

I tested my balance in the ball, and found that it was perfect. The crystal was like a rock; it didn't budge at my movement. I touched the crystal apprehensively, and the material was smooth and cool to the touch. Simon had warned me before he had loped off that goblin-spun crystal was the strongest in the world; breaking out would be futile.

Across from the tree I was suspended in, Apollo was sitting cross-legged in his own crystal chamber. His eyes met mine  across the space. "I'm sorry, Lilah. I had no idea it was this bad here."

"Don't apologize." I hesitated. "When Simon says we can't ever leave..."

"We won't be here forever." Apollo reassured me. "Just until they get to the bottom of this." He paused. "If they ever do, I guess."

I plopped down so I was cross-legged as well and propped my chin up on my palm. "This is so stupid, though. People need to know about this! They're wandering around with the risk of infection everywhere, and they have no idea."

"I know, love." Apollo sighed. I watched as a faint breeze ruffled the leaves around him, but his hair stayed still. "Let me figure out a way out of this."

I nodded and fell silent. If anyone could solve this, it was Apollo. He worked best in silence, and as I watched, he leaned his head back against the back of his chamber and closed his eyes. I watched him quietly, noting as I always did how when he fell still he looked like a marble statue. He was so beautiful.

I looked around at my surroundings. Simon had captured my wrist in an iron grip after he'd shown up, and had firmly dragged me away from Laen and Eisha. I could still remember Laen's murderous face, and Eisha's expressionless one. It was strange, because usually those expressions would have been reversed on the two of them. Eisha really was broken.

I sighed and closed my own eyes, thinking back to what Laen had managed to tell me before Simon had arrived.

I could almost see him; a young, determined witch with his sister on his heart and mind. He reminded me of Apollo when he had been searching for Astera. Had Apollo been here before as well, when he was looking for her? However, Astera hadn't disappeared in a war - she had run away. Apollo's hope was in her strength; if anyone could survive on her own, it was Astera. But how about his witch's sister? Was she as strong as Apollo's disdaining and fearless twin? Had she been killed, and her body simply never recovered?

I felt cold at that thought. It had probably occurred to that young witch as well. He gone looking for her, scared that she was dead, just to meet his own death here.

How had he contracted it? Was he really the first one, or did he get it from someone else who had been here? Maybe that person had left and died elsewhere. Maybe there was a cure for this, and someone who knew it was living his or her life oblivious to the death here in Ireland.

It all came back to the fact that Apollo and I had to get out of here.

My eyes flickered open when I heard a familiar voice somewhere close by. Eisha was being heated again, and whoever she was arguing with sounded exasperated. I looked around, but I couldn't see her tell-tale crimson shape anywhere. They must be just beyond my line of sight.