That Grey Area - Book 1 - The girl from Otherworld

The Oak Heart's secret

Garin's death dampened Nate's gratitude for Stus's success at handling the fire. He simply shook his head in bewilderment, and started a few times a sentence that he never finished.

Stus's sister Summer's reaction was even more unexpected. She threw herself at the dead body and punched it, wailing and crying out in pain, though her eyes were dry. Garin had been her mentor, the man who had pulled her up to Mahogany, changing branches so that she would become his equal. Even so, such outbursts were unlike Summer. She had never looked so lost, even when their parents had died. Unfortunately, her pain quickly turned to anger, and Stus was her usual target.

'You!' she screeched, throwing herself at him with sharp nails, and sharper words. 'It's all your fault! You were responsible for this! You had to make sure it all went well, and you let this happen! You worthless fool!'

Nate regained his senses in time to restrain her while Arawn spoke soothing words, reminding her she should be angry at those who had started the fire, and that Stus had done all he could under the circumstances. If anybody was to blame, it was the heads of the Wind for losing control of the crowd. She had stopped fighting but her eyes were still so full of hatred that Stus decided he would avoid his sister for the next few nights.

When Arawn took Summer away, Stus and the few sylphs that remained stood around the dead body: Garrick, Linsell, Beltor, and Sorrel Blair, a promising young girl from the Ebony who had only recently joined the Tree Circle. Other than Garrick, they were all from his branch, minors he trusted – the others he had dismissed.

'What should we do with the body?' Sorrel asked, saying out loud a question that Stus had been keeping for himself.

'If we hide it, the Seekers might get involved. It will look suspicious.' Stus explained.

'Not as much as a trampled body,' Linsell pointed out.

Sorrel grimaced, and Stus started feeling that the girl was showing her thoughts too freely. Though he agreed with her, she would need to learn more self-control. The Seekers were a group of sylphs from the Vray caste who sought the truth about disappearances and deaths. Stus already had an ear out for them because Marec's death was sure to get their attention, and any link to the Tree Circle's existence might betray them. Garin's death was poorly timed. What if the Seekers found a connection?

'You're right,' Stus conceded. 'At least a disappearance will leave no clue.'

'Did he have any family?' Jarrick asked.

'Not that I know of,' Nate said from behind the group. He had been standing there all along, listening to their exchange but apart from it. 'But we'll ask Comrade Halesmoor, she knew him best.'

It always rattled Stus when he heard his sister referred to as Halesmoore, not because she had chosen their mother's maiden name as her identity within the Tree Circle, but that she had done so only when she had realised Stus was also a member. She couldn't bear to share his name and mostly pretended she did not know him. The others, who knew nothing of such bickering between siblings, nodded in agreement with Nate's comment.

'What are we going to do with the body?' Sorrel asked again, and Stus admired her persistence, even when faced with one of the Wind Chimes and members much higher up than herself. She would do well, if she could learn to also defer and respect authority. She reminded him a little of Nate when they had joined the Tree Circle.

'Burn it,' Nate said.

They all turned around in unison, staring at Nate as though he had just asked them to set a fox loose into Faerie.

'Haven't we had enough fire for one night?' Stus asked.

'We'll use Royal Fire.'

Garrick took a deep breath and Sorrel sounded like she had choked on her tongue. They others simply gaped. Only Stus was able to hide his astonishment.