The Crystal Tree (Song Magic Book 1) by Imogen Elvis

Author:Imogen Elvis [Elvis, Imogen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2018-07-27T22:00:00+00:00

The sun sank slowly towards the horizon, casting a golden glow over the late afternoon. The road wound its way into a scrubby, wooded area, not as picturesque as a typical forest, but overgrown and thorny. Their path twisted and turned through the trees, each bend hiding the way ahead. Briar sighed and shifted her pack, wincing as her sore muscles protested. Kade never appeared to be tired, which hardly seemed fair. Briar gripped the straps to take some of the weight off her shoulders and trotted a couple of steps to catch up with him as they rounded the next bend.

There was the carriage again. It stood in the middle of the road, motionless, empty. One of the gilt-edged doors hung on a single hinge, swinging forlornly. Behind the carriage, a trunk had fallen off the back and burst. The two brown horses with their jingling harnesses were nowhere to be seen now. Nothing but the shell of the carriage remained.

“Stay behind me.” Kade drew his sword.

Briar followed close behind him. As they rounded the carriage, she caught her first sight of its former occupants. A young woman knelt in the dirt, holding the hand of a second who lay crumpled on the grass as if she had tried to flee and was cut down. Closer to the carriage, sprawled on his front, was the friendly coachman she’d waved to earlier. Briar clutched her medallion, eyes widening. Who would do this?

The kneeling girl looked up with a small cry. Her huge eyes stared at them, bright with tears that threatened to spill over at any moment. Her lips trembled as she stammered, “P-please, don’t hurt me.”

Kade slowed, sheathing his sword, and held his palms up in front of him in a gesture of peace. “We’re not here to hurt you. What happened?”

“Bandits.” The girl brushed a tear from her cheek. “They came out of the trees and ambushed the carriage. They took the horses. Grant tried to stop them.” She gestured towards the coachman, lying near the road. “They took my jewellery and money too. Everything. Mae tried to run away. They-they hurt her, and laughed like it was fun.” The young woman pressed a hand to her mouth, shaking.

“Shh, it’s alright. You’re safe now.” Kade crouched next to the young woman. For a moment Briar thought he might hug her, but then he rested a hand gently on her shoulder. “We’re going to help you.” Kade glanced at Briar and nodded to the girl lying in the grass. “Can you heal her?”

Briar moved carefully around him, trying not to appear like a threat. The young woman was terrified enough as it was. She curved her lips in what she hoped was a reassuring smile. “My name is Briar. I’m a soul singer. What’s your name?”

“Glissando.” The young woman flinched as Briar knelt next to her.

“We’re here to help you, Glissando.” Briar ran her eyes over Mae. She was dressed simply compared to Glissando. Probably a servant. Even at first glance, it didn’t look good for Mae.

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