Weaver of Darkness

Chapter 27

Rob reached out, grabbing her arm. "Are you crazy, Liss? We don't know what's in there."

"It's okay, Robbie. I have to know."

Reluctantly, he let go of her. "Okay, but I'm going in first."

She nodded, letting him take the lead.

"Hello?" he called, stepping into the tree room. It looked the same. Rows of bookshelves lined the walls; the huge tree canopied over the top of them.

Liss looked around. Except for the tree, they were alone.

"Hello?" Rob called once again. "Where are you?"

"Melissa." The whisper swirled around them, filling the room. It drifted through the leaves hanging overhead. The tree itself quivered with the sound.

Liss looked around, amazed. It was as if the whole room was calling to her.

Rob looked over at her. "This is too weird. Have we fallen down a rabbit hole or something?"

She shrugged. "Who knows? With everything going on lately, I wouldn't be surprised." She looked up at the tree. The branches swayed slightly as if a breeze was guiding them.

"He's happy to see you," Raven spoke from a doorway in the far wall.

Liss looked at her, puzzled. She could have sworn that doorway hadn't been there before.

Smiling, Raven stepped into the room, shutting the door behind her. The doorway blended into the wall. "It's nice to see him like that. Nothing makes him happy anymore."

Rob looked up, then back at her. "The tree?"

She shrugged as she walked past them, sliding her hand across the tree trunk. "Can't say I blame him." She leaned towards Rob and spoke in a stage whisper. "There's talk of wood rot going around town, you know."

He stared at her, at a loss for words.

Liss looked at him in amazement. "Will wonders never cease?" she muttered.

"I think you have something you want to talk to me about," Raven said, looking at her guests. "Might as well make ourselves comfortable." She glided down the long hallway.

Rob looked over at Liss, questioningly.

"We need answers, Robbie."

"If that's what you want. Let's go." He led her out into the hall, following behind Raven.

Stopping at the front of the shop, Raven flipped the closed sign over before locking the door. "This way, please," she said, leading them into the room they'd been in last time. "Would either of you care for some tea?"

Liss shook her head.

Rob folded his arms over his chest. "No, thank you."

"Suit yourselves, but I would love a cup," she informed them and set about fixing some. She finally sat down with her cup of tea. "Please, join me. We have a lot to discuss."

Looking wearily at each other, Rob and Liss sat down.

"First, let me start by saying, how truly sorry I am for your loss." She looked down at her teacup. "It's never easy when we lose a loved one."

"What did you do to him?" Liss whispered.

Raven stared at her with astonishment. "My dear child, are you accusing me of something?"

"Your guilt in this is something still open for discussion. What I want to know is what you did to Ben the day we came here."

"Oh," Raven spoke softly. Taking a sip of tea, she sighed. "I didn't do anything to him; I tried to warn him."