The Story of the Trees - Sword, Ring, and Crown Book One

Chapter Sixteen

"Fansa, do you see anything odd between Madeline and us?" he asked her.

She scrutinized all of us, then shook her head at Luke. "I see nothing unusual. Are you still feeling ill, Majesty?"

Luke sat down but made no move to make anyone else comfortable. So the rest of the group remained standing. He studied the thin roots between us, then shot me a relieved expression. At least no one else could see them.

"Thank you, Fansa. You may go."

When the healer had left, I said, "I guess this isn't part of the court thing?"

"No... I have no idea what this means." He shot a glance at Erick. "Or why he is involved. He was never intended to be part of your court."

"I had no intention to be caught up in this," Erick said as he wiped at the thread attaching him to me. It stayed stubbornly stuck. A smack of wet sponges went up against my senses. Erick was worried.

I felt a hollow disappointment that boiled into a question I didn't want to ask but had to, lest I burst. "Is that the one you betrayed me for, Erick?"

The silence crushed me and let me know the truth. Shame that felt like the chipping away of a precious statue filled Erick. That statue felt like my soul, and it hurt. It hurt.

"Wow." I barked a laugh as I rubbed at my heart. Feeling these emotions sucked. 

"Hummingbird..." Erick began, using the childhood nickname he gave me.

"Don't." The nickname hurt worse than his actions.

"I have been promised to her since birth." Erick fixed his eyes on the pattern of the carpet. More shame. More hurt.

"You said you loved me. Liar." I crossed my arms. It was the day before my mother, and I ran to San Francisco. Erick had taken me to our secret glen, the one that caught some sunlight and allowed violets to grow in a thick circle. Among the violets and under an oak tree, he said he loved me. I gave him my first kiss.

Luis growled. I glanced at him and saw that he looked at Erick like he wanted to tear him to shreds. Same, Luis, same. His rage felt like shards of steel that cut into me. I flinched and held out a hand to my best friend. Comfort like a warm blanket enwrapping me soothed the pain of shame and rage from my psyche.

"I loved you. I love you. It's complicated." Erick looked away. More shame and it made me want to buckle underneath it. Luis's comfort turned to wet sponges that made things worse. I let him go. 

I snorted at Erick as I tried to overcome all these conflicting sensations. "A cheater's excuse. Now I get why Beth's been so hostile. I thought it was because of Emerlee."

He had the grace not to defend himself. He just stared at me like he wanted to die. Despair emanated from him like boulders being stacked upon our link. 

"So, what? Did she follow us or something? Did she go running back to mommy and daddy and tell her everything?" I sounded weary. The weight of his despair made it hard to keep my outrage.

He swallowed, "The geas.."

"The geas," I echoed. "Yeah. I see. So I'm assuming you were talking about Beth in the plane."

Erick looked down and said nothing. Bingo.

"That's messed up." Adrian put his hand on mine. "I'm only just getting over the fact that I wasn't crazy and you really are a girl, but shit, your life's been hell! And you're a prick!" He directed the last statement to Erick. He was angry, and though I appreciated it, the feeling of sandpaper rubbing that it brought was bringing about a monumental headache.