War of the Gods by Katie Cross

Author:Katie Cross
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: KC Writing

Chapter Eighteen

Trees surrounded the quaint forest town of Niffe, which boasted few residents—fifty, on a busy day. Thirty on an average day. Ten different buildings lay inside the circle of trees. A bakery, an apothecary, and several homes. Such a quiet, calm place for demigods to attack, just like the schoolroom on the edge of the forest.

Trunk to trunk, the forest formed a nearly-impenetrable wall. Vines, branches, roots, all manner of forest items, conspired to pack the arbors as close as possible, creating a barrier that I crossed only because trees shuffled to the side when I touched their bark.

A rustle in the branches overhead caught my attention as I stepped back out of the circle. A lone, male forest lion lounged not far away. He panted in the thick air, long tail wrapped around the trunk where it rested. His bushy mane lay limp, streaked with darkest brown to lightest yellow. He ignored me, gaze fixed on the town.

I crept by, eyeing him warily.

Inside the safe bubble, witches peered out of their homes. A few brave souls ventured out. Smoke ringed the ground outside the wall of trees where demigods had attempted to burn the homes. Wet earth, and the air, heavy with humidity, had stopped and suffocated their attempts.

Other violent means lay scattered in disarray. Axes broken in half. Shattered saws. A shoe had been left behind, and so had a shirt. Not Alkarran, by any appearance, but the rough home-spun of Alaysia.

Chatterer journalists milled around, speaking to any witch they could find. A few kids scampered from house to house, stumbling over exposed roots that hadn’t been there before. Grooves formed in the ground where trees had once been but had moved to form their protective stance.

Amidst all the proof, I could only think of Aldred.

Turquoise light rimmed my fingers when I trailed my hand along a trunk. With Arborra in mind, I silently asked, What happened?

Dozens of stories bubbled to the surface, all of them bright images. Given from the trees that surrounded me, I realized.

The ill-fated came.

We protect yours.

They will not return.

We have power.

Demigods I hadn’t seen before appeared in the mental retelling. One square amulet—larger than I expected—amongst a group of nine. The amulet was stark purple, through and through, with no hints of other colors.

Vinartaramet, for sure, with its signature, deep color and lack of movement.

Based on the flashing recollections, the attack on Niffe had been an awkward, uncoordinated affair. Another desperate gasp of attention.

An attempt to do . . . something.

You protected them, I said with warmth, allowing the forest to hear my delight. Thank you, my friends.

Thrilled voices joined. Branches shivered, the leaves twirling. I smiled, unable to help myself, and straightened up. A quieter voice broke through the rest.

For you.

Light raced through the earth, zipping in a line from my feet, through the forest floor and to a tree not far away. I padded closer to find a chattering gnome at the base of a tree. A larger-than-normal oak, with knotted branches twisting into the sky like gnarled fingers.

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