White Orchids {BOOK 1 COMPLETED}

Chapter 21 - (Part 1)

The first place Clover takes me to is a small bar built into one of the gigantic trees, the windows are circles carved out of the bark. Crosses made of thin branches fits perfectly in the holes and a warm, yellow light comes from the inside. Around the tree sits a platform of wood, and the only way of getting here is by climbing rickety wooden stairs that circles the tree trunk.

I stand next to the fence made of branches and twigs. We are almost all the way up the hill, the creatures that wander the log-path seem much smaller from here. Most of them are holding their lanterns, while some are floating in the air. It looks like a train of light from the tree's first floor.

"If we had been a little earlier, we could have arrived before it got dark," he says like it would have been something bad that it was already evening.

"No, this is perfect."

He doesn't question me; he might already have figured out why I prefer the evening and darkness over the day and light.

"Shall we?" He asks and points at the round door. A lantern hangs above and lights up a raven carved into the surface.

I put the train of light into my memories, how it looks like and how beautiful and magical it seems from where I'm standing. Once I'm sure I'll remember it, I step into the bar with Clover. Only a few soul wanderers sit at the tables. There are more creatures here, they're laughing and talking, some raise their mugs that looks like tree trunks. They sweep it all down in a few gulps.

"Clover!" a creature shouts behind the bar.

It extends both of its fat arms and Clover smiles larger than I've ever seen him smile. The creature looks like a troll from Scandinavian folklore, but a tad more toadlike. It's covered in warts and the color of its skin is greyish brown. From the round head hangs thin white hair and moss grows upon the large arms, as well as bark on the toadlike hands.

"Mort!" Clover says and shakes the creature's hand eagerly.

I've never heard a creature's name before, and the two I had talked to had been unpleasant meetings. It feels like we're living in two completely different worlds – like I shouldn't even talk to them. But no matter how you look at it, this Mort is Clover's friend.

Clover sits down at one of the barstools.

"We haven't seen you in almost a week," a woman says. You'd believe she was a human if it wasn't for her green skin and the moss that grows upon her neck. "He was worried for you."

She makes a head gesture towards Mort.

"I've been busy."

I sit down at the barstool and for the first time I feel shy in front of these creatures. I had a tendency to ignore them, but this was different. Mort turns his large head. His eyes are fully black, he doesn't need any pupils or irises for me to know that he's staring right at me.

"Who is this friend of yours?" Mort asks and points at me with one of the bark-coated fingers.

Clover turns to me and waits, like he's expecting me to introduce myself.

"Uh, Orchid," I eventually say.

Mort widens his black eyes and leans closer to Clover. "Wasn't that your new apprentice?"

Clover nods with a tense smile. Mort laughs so loud it feels like the whole bar is shaking. He pushes Clover's chest with one of his toadlike hands.

"Was it her who you complained so much about?"

"You complained about me?"

I raise my eyebrows with an amused smile.