Shadows in the Trees: Book 1

Chapter 51

One of the warriors ripped her helmet off suddenly. Her black braids, streaked with gray, tumbled around her shoulders. So many emotions were playing across her face it was hard for Rhiannon to read her.

Jaida stepped towards the woman. Rhiannon noticed her hands were trembling just the tiniest bit. 

"Mother," she said. "I have come home." 

The woman's lips moved, but no sound came out. She dismounted and stumbled toward Jaida, knocking her back with her embrace. They sank to their knees, their muffled sobs echoing across the circle. 

Finally, they pulled back, wiping each other's tears and smoothing each other's hair. "I thought I would never see you again," her mother said, smiling so wide Rhiannon thought it must be painful. 

"I didn't think so either," Jaida said, smiling back. "I've missed you, Mother." 

Rhiannon tried to stifle the pang of jealousy that rose within her. She had never met her mother. She had always wondered what it would be like to have one, or just to have family that seemed to care so much. She wondered how Jaida could have ever left this behind.

Jaida's mother noticed her sharp stare and seemed to come back to her senses. Her smile fell as she observed her daughter's strange band of companions. When she saw Julian, her eyes widened slightly. 

"Jaida," she said. "Who are your friends?" 

"I don't know that I would call them friends," Jaida said. The joke fell flat. She cleared her throat. "Well, Mother, you aren't going to like this. But we are here to warn you." 

"Warn us?"

Jaida nodded. "I'm sure you have heard of a strange creature leading armies made up of several nations north." 

"The Grezians claim a demon has risen to take their souls or some such nonsense, and I have heard rumors that Queen Cordelia of Elohine is somehow . . . back," she said. "But we have been wary to believe such claims." 

"I know it sounds impossible, but it's true. Well, not that Grezian rubbish, but. . .Mother, have you ever heard of Sylph?" 

Her mother frowned and shook her head. 

"They were monsters -- um, creatures, from very long ago. One of the creatures Malachai claimed to drive out." Her mother sneered at the name of the prophet, and the horses shifted nervously. "I know we don't believe in that, but not all of it is a lie. Sylph are real, Mother. They survived. And one has decided to take our world for herself."

"Herself?" her mother said, quirking an eyebrow. "And how could we possibly stop a creature of such mythic proportions?"

Jaida swallowed. "Well. We have one of our own. Three, actually." 

All eyes went to the three hooded figures behind her. The Sylph pulled back their hoods. There were audible gasps. One warrior loaded her crossbow and balanced it on her shoulder. 

"Easy, easy!" Jaida raising her hands. "Look, I know this is a lot to take in -- "

"A lot to take in?" her mother scoffed. 

Cerridwen stumbled forward. "Please. We have nowhere else to go." 

Jaida's mother seemed shocked that the strange creature before her could speak the common tongue. The warriors were taken aback as well, exchanging panicked glances. 

"She's right. Roltandre -- the creature -- she has already bribed or conquered Khepri and Elohine. Greze would kill any of us on the spot. And Tole has refused to help. You're our last hope."