Shadows in the Trees: Book 1

Chapter 29

Freya adjusted her sore legs on the embroidered cushions she was sitting on. Yaya had insisted that everyone come inside her wagon for tea, and so all eight of them had crammed in, attempting to find a cushion or box to sit on while Yaya made her famous brew. Freya breathed deeply; under their smell of dirt and sweat, she could smell the earthy, spicy smell of Yaya. It reminded her of her childhood, when she and all of the other children would gather at Yaya's wagon to listen to her stories. Yaya was a Storyteller, the closest thing to a leader Jentsi had, and she treated everyone as if they were her own children. 

Her wagon, though overcrowded at the moment, was cozy, strewn with blankets and cushions for visitors to sit on. A small stove occupied one corner, and there was a counter built in to the wall next to it. The counter was covered with a jumble of spices, animal parts, and empty bottles and jars. Dried herbs hung from the ceiling, and a pile of books were stacked near the bed. 

"Is that . . . an eyeball?" Julian whispered to Jaida, pointing at one of the jars on the counter. Yaya's humming paused. 

"Yes. It's very useful for a healing potion," Yaya said. Julian swallowed, and the others grimaced. Yaya unfolded a small table and placed it in the center of the room. She put nine mismatched cups, mugs, and jars on the table and brought the kettle over. 

"There's your tea," she said with a smile. Freya jumped up to pour herself a cup, and the others followed behind her reluctantly. She took Freya's face in her wrinkled hands. "My, how you've grown. Now, tell me where you have been all of these years, what has happened to you." Freya sat down, and Yaya took a seat across from her. Freya took a long drink of her tea, dreading her story. 

"Mother took me to Elohine. To Ludovic, actually. We left our wagon in a copse of trees outside the city and changed into our plainest clothes. Mother wouldn't even wear her eyeliner. We went into the city and Mother convinced a brewer to let us live and work at her tavern." Freya took a shaky breath, and Malik put his hand over hers. "Then the plague came. Mother became sick. She had left her medicines in the wagon, and I didn't know where to find the ingredients in the city; many of them were outlawed for being associated with witchcraft anyway. Yaya, I did everything I could, but I . . . " she felt hot tears fall down her face, and Yaya leaned forward and put her hand on her knee. "I couldn't save her." 

"It's not your fault, child," Yaya said. Freya nodded and quickly wiped away her tears, embarrassed that everyone had seen her cry. 

"The brewer let me stay and work for her. I met Malik," she said, gesturing to him. Yaya smiled at him. "And one day . . . well, one day we were arrested." Yaya raised her eyebrow. "For a completely unfair reason! Malik and I, we had a business where we recycled things people had thrown away and resold them, and one night they arrested us for 'stealing' trash!" 

"That's why you were arrested?" Julian blurted out. "Malik said you were these . . . these tough swashbucklers who could protect me!" 

"Relax, princeling," Malik said, rolling his eyes. "I've fought on a battlefield before, and Freya here has some moves of her own." 

"Why, you -- " 

"Boys! Perhaps we could save this argument for later?" Yaya interrupted. Malik and Julian paused. She went to the counter and brought back a plate piled high with cookies. "Here, take a cookie." They both grudgingly took a cookie, glaring at each other as they chewed. "Now, Freya, please, continue." 

Freya nodded. "Anyway, Prince Julian got us out. He asked us to take him to Khepri, to go get Princess Rhiannon," she said, nodding across the room at her. Rhiannon nodded at Yaya. "But when we got there, Rhiannon's sister, Venira, had taken the throne, and told us that Rhiannon had fled to the White Forest." Yaya gasped. "So, I told the Prince I was not going in there. And then he drugged us and took us into the forest against our will." Yaya looked at Julian, and he smiled sheepishly. "We tried to find our way out, but it was hopeless. Then we were kidnapped by Sylph. And they . . . well, Yaya, they told us . . . "