Winter of Yggdrasil

Chapter 37

Kenna gasped as a hard boot collided with her back. She stumbled down the stairs but held in her cry of pain. Kneeling, she waited until Jolen came to her. She could hear him rise from his throne and step slowly down the stairs. He came to stand in front of her and raised her chin with the crook of his finger.

"Shall we try this again, Princess?"

She didn't reply. There was nothing she could do to relinquish this secret he wanted. She let all her barriers down without a word an she smiled as he sensed it. Kneeling over her, he searched her mind again. It didn't take long for him to throw her down again.

"Fine. I will have to take a risk with you, I think." She stared at him blankly. "Let's hope Yggdrasil knows what to do with you. And let's hope the seed had matured as planned."

"Or?" She croaked.

He shrugged. "Or it'll kill you. And I start over. Maybe your brother will be easier to deal with." She jerked but was too tired to protest. He grinned. Leaning down, he threw her over his shoulder and left the room and finally the building. Kenna lifted her head as much as she could, gasping at the evergreen valley around them. What had once been death and destruction had slowly been taken over by life once more. Kenna craned her neck to see around him and smiled at the sight before her.

An ash tree of impossible stature lay in the middle of the valley, bigger than any tree she'd ever seen. As they drew closer she felt her wounds closing and energy running through her. Jolen set her down on the ground. She stood next to the trunk, wondering if she could run. She abandoned the foolish thought and looked up at the tree. "Yggdrasil." She whispered. Something shuddered, the way Lot had when she spoke to him. She smiled.

They were busy doing something and so she took her time to inspect the tree closely. She leaned back to look up at it, wondering what it looked like at the height of its life. Brittle and brown leaves fell around her, and the bark was covered in a white mold. Larvae were eating the bark and the evidence of their burrowing was all over. She shuddered at the sight.

"Come." She turned to find Jolen glaring at her. He led her around the gigantic trunk to what looked to be a large hollow or cut in the trunk. "Get in it."

She shuddered at what could be in there but squeezed in nonetheless. Surprisingly, it was untouched by sickness or bugs. It looked like it had been carved out. She sat in it, wondering what they were doing. The tree seemed to wake. Something touched her arm and she jerked, turning to see a tendril of white bark. She stared at it.

"Yggdrasil?"

Something jolted the tree. Intermittent pulses centered directly below her and she looked up, putting her hands on either side of the hollow. "Wait! Wait, no!"

Vines of new growth formed over the opening, bending as she pressed against them but refusing the break. The white tendril touched her again before jamming its head in her skin. She screamed. Something wrapped around her other arm and another around her leg. She tried to struggle and screamed as she felt the pulses grow stronger, pushing at her mind, ripping at her strength.

She could just faintly see someone stand on the other side of the new vines. She pulled against the tree.

"Good news, Princess," He shouted over her. "Yggdrasil accepts you. Unfortunately, you have to die anyway."

Her heart stuttered. It beat once. Twice. The opening in the tree closed over with vines and new bark. She was left in darkness as her heart stuttered again. She pulled against the vines, lifting her head to scream again.

"Merek!"

Vines climbed her throat, slithering over her chin.

"Merek!"