Shadows in the Trees: Book 1

Chapter 17

Thessaly laughed. "You are an excellent liar, Rhiannon of Khepri. I am sure my friends would have believed you, had I not been here to expose the truth." 

Rhiannon's composure slipped, and for a moment her mouth gaped and her eyes were as wide as saucers. Only a moment, though. She quickly schooled her features and stared coolly at Cerridwen.

"So what are you? A magician? Do you have scouts that learned our names while we were still in the forest?" Rhiannon asked.

"Oh, no, no, love. I am a Seer."

"A Seer?" Freya asked, despite herself. She had heard of Seers, people who claimed to be able to see past, present, future, and everything in between, without the use of cards or charms.

"Yes. I get visions, and sometimes voices whisper things to me. Like your name," she explained, nodding to Rhiannon. "Now. How about the rest of you?"

"Malik, from Elohine."

"Julian, from Elohine."

"Jaida, from Thrael."

"And you, I do not have your name yet. Who are you?" the creature said. Everyone looked at Freya.

She opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came from her throat. A memory of her mother came to her. Never give your true name, my dove. It's not safe for you out there. 

"Why ask if you already know?" Jaida asked, scowling.

Cerridwen smiled again. "So I can learn more about you." She closed her eyes and her brow wrinkled, an oddly human expression. "It seems I . . . I cannot find you. The spirits are silent about this one." 

"What? How can this be?" Vessamachtia hissed, stalking over to Freya.

"A powerful magic. Someone must be desperate to protect you," Cerridwen said.

"Who would be powerful enough to make such a spell?" Vessamachtia asked.

"I know not," Cerridwen said, shaking her head sadly. "I could think of a few humans from before, but they would all be long dead by now. Unless they somehow mastered necromancy, but considering that is a most difficult magic to master -- "

"So who are you, then?" Vessamachtia hissed, nudging Freya. "Speak," she hissed, baring her teeth.

"Vess, my friend, that is unnecessary-"

"Freya," she gasped.

"Freya," Cerridwen mused. "That is a Tolish name. But you don't look Tolish. Well, I suppose your hair does, but those eyes, that bronze skin, those freckles . . . where do you hail from?"

Freya hesitated, and Vessamachtia raised her hand. "Nowhere," she said quickly, shying away from the creature. The warriors hissed.

"Jentsi," Cerridwen said, her childlike expression sobering. 

"If anyone knew where to find powerful magic in these times, it would be Jentsi," Vessamachtia spat. "Who put the spell on you?"

"I -- I don't know, I've never -- " Freya stuttered. 

"It is alright, love," Cerridwen said. "Vess, back away. Back away! We must treat our allies kindly." 

"What do you mean, allies?" Jaida asked. 

Cerridwen ignored her. "Do you know what we are?" 

After a lengthy silence, Freya licked her dry lips. "You're Sylph, right?" 

"Yes. How do you know this?" Cerridwen asked. 

"Stories," Freya said weakly.

"Sylph . . . I think I read about Sylph in the Library once, from something deep in the archives," Rhiannon said. "You are supposedly the first creatures on earth, and humans were your slaves for ages. That is, until Malachi overthrew you, and later the Fae, leaving humans to take over the earth."

"The humans were not our slaves," Cerridwen scoffed. "We were fair and just rulers."

"Not according to the scripts I read," Rhiannon said. Freya was shocked by her boldness. Despite her pitiful state, Rhiannon held her head high, leveling her sharp gaze at the three Sylph. Freya could see why she was almost queen. "They told of genocides, servitude, poverty, all while the Sylph ruled in luxury."

"Jensti stories were not particularly kind to you either," Freya added.

"It was all propaganda, used by Malachi and the Fae to destroy us," Cerridwen said. "The Fae had wanted to take power from us for centuries, and Malachi gave them the chance. Then, he used the Fae's trust against them, and the savage, bloodthirsty humans took the earth."

"Malachai? The prophet? He liberated humans, showed us the light of the One God," Julian said, shaking his head.

"Do not speak the name of that false god!" Vessamachtia spat. Julian recoiled.

"If humans are so bloodthirsty and savage, then what could you possibly need our help for?" Malik asked. Cerridwen looked to him for the first time, her eyes focusing on the sharp planes of his face.

"Yes...Malik, I believe." Cerridwen said, her voice sounding detached. "You certainly keep your walls high. I suppose that's what a lifetime of subservience, then fleeing, does to a man. Be warned; your past will catch up with you." Cerridwen shook her head, as if waking herself from a trance. "I apologize, I . . . but yes, we do need your help. The last of the Sylph have been living in the protection of these woods since Serilda used her dying breath to make them. We had made our peace living in the shadows, and they became a haven for us. Though we will never reach the might at which we once stood, we are safe here. Safe from the machinations of humans. We would have lived here for eternity, but Fate deemed that it was not to be." Cerridwen paused. "Because twins were born."

"Twins are sacred," Freya said. Cerridwen nodded.

"Especially sacred to the Sylph, as they are so rare. Each Sylph is born with a gift from the earth, but none have gifts so powerful as twins. And twins are always born with extremely powerful, but opposite, powers."

"What were these twins born with?" Julian asked, unable to contain his curiosity. The five humans, despite their fear, were spellbound by the story. They found themselves leaning forward, their eyes fixed on Cerridwen's strange face.

Cerridwen sighed. "One was gifted the power of Life; the other, Death."

Freya shivered. "I didn't know Sylph could be so powerful."

"These twins are believed to be the most powerful to ever walk among us," Cerridwen said. "Most Sylph can only do parlor tricks, like control small amounts of water, or sing to plants to help them grow. Or some are Seers, like me, but none of us have ever had this much power. These twins can destroy the world as we know it if they chose. And one of them chose."

"But how do we stop death itself?" Julian asked.

"Not death," Cerridwen said. "Life."