A Grave Tree by Jennifer Ellis

Author:Jennifer Ellis [Ellis, Jennifer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Moonbird Press
Published: 2015-11-17T00:00:00+00:00

*****

It seemed like they had been hiking for hours by the time Abbey spotted a glimmer of orange through the trees. A fire. They were approaching the camp then. A few seconds later, they were hailed by sentries who were overjoyed to find that Caleb, the Light, had returned to them. Considerable hugging and backslapping ensued. What would they do when they discovered that Caleb was an impostor? That he knew nothing of their ways, or of leading?

The camp consisted of a collection of ten tepees arranged around a central fire ringed by rocks and stumps. It was quiet save for more armed sentries who let up a cheer at the sight of Caleb. Abbey glanced at her twin. His freckles were stark against his pale skin, but his face, normally creased in some sort of joke, had turned sober and stern. She had to admit it made him look a lot more like older Caleb. He was almost the same size as older Caleb, but in daylight, surely the differences would be obvious. And then what would happen to them?

Her attention was drawn to some sort of makeshift wooden cage near the back of the camp. Inside the cage, with his hands and feet bound, sat Sylvain, his head bowed and his silvery locks catching glints of light.

Abbey nudged Caleb’s elbow and thrust her head faintly in the direction of the cage. Caleb glanced over, and his lips pulled tighter over his teeth.

She scanned the trees for other cages and prisoners, but there was no sign of Jake.

“Matilde and Graham are meeting with the elders in the main tepee,” Nevin said. “I presume you wish to join them. We can bring refreshments, such as they are.”

“Yes,” said Caleb. He glanced at Abbey, Ian, and Russell, as if to assess the likelihood of them being allowed in the tepee with him. “These three are my advisors from the promised land,” he said. “They’ve helped pave the way for our resettlement. I will need their counsel in the tent as well.”

Nevin and one of the other high-ranking sentries flicked their eyes over Abbey, Ian, and Russell, and then nodded. “As you wish, Light.”

They were led to the largest tepee, near the center of the small clearing. It glowed a brighter cream than the others, suggesting that its occupants were still awake.

The flap of the tepee burst open and a man with salt-and-pepper hair and a bristly beard emerged, his arms thrown wide in greeting. His movements became slightly stiff when he saw Caleb, and although he embraced Caleb, Abbey could tell he knew something was not quite right.

“We were coming to talk to you,” Caleb said simply. The man—who Abbey now assumed was Graham—nodded. His eyes took in each of them in turn, then he gestured toward the tepee, and they all entered.

Inside, four men and two women sat on logs around a low fire, their eyes gleaming in the semi-darkness. The heat almost made Abbey cry out in relief, but she tried to keep her face neutral.

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