White Hart by Sarah Dalton

Author:Sarah Dalton
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2014-02-20T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve – The Magic of the Sleeping Willow

It’s not until we have put enough distance between us and the nymph to stop the chill in my bones that I question Sasha about the sleeping willow tree. The forest changes around us. I begin to recognise birch trees. The path widens, and there are a few clearings between the trees on soft banks of green grass. The sun is beginning to set, turning our colourful world into a blurry grey. Soon it will be black.

“In the centre of the forest, the trees are alive. They have been for centuries. At one time they moved, stretched their branches and roots to capture prey,” Sasha tells us.

“Father told me about a place where trees come alive,” I say. “I wasn’t sure if it was real or not.”

“Oh, it’s real,” she continues, “but they haven’t come alive for many years. Right in the middle of the sleeping forest is the sleeping willow. It’s the tallest tree in Aegunlund, and the wisest.”

“The wisest?” says Cas. “You mean, it talks?”

Sasha nods.

Cas starts to laugh. “No. It can’t. Talking trees don’t exist.” He pauses. “Do they?”

There’s no hint of a smile on Sasha’s lips. She only looks ahead evenly, being careful not to stumble on her ropes. “They do exist, Prince.”

Sasha doesn’t have much respect for Cas, and it makes my skin itch. There have been many times I’ve thought Cas to be a bit of a fool, but somehow when she treats him with disdain, it brings out a rash of temper in me. Above everything, he is thoughtful and has saved my life. I shake my head. Why am I thinking of Cas when I should be concentrating on getting Anta back?

“Where is it? Which direction? Can you help us get there?” I ask.

Sasha tries to hold her hands up as if in surrender, but Gwen pulls her forward with a jerk. “Whoa, hold on, it’s dark. We can’t go there tonight. We need to camp and get rest.”

“She’s right,” Cas says. “Gods prevail, we need a rest after that awful wood nymph thing. I ache all over.”

“You didn’t think she was awful before,” I mutter. “You were quite taken with her, if I remember rightly.”

“Only because she tricked me into thinking she was Ellen,” he retorts. “Otherwise I wouldn’t have been interested at all.” He puts his nose in the air as though he is above the situation, but I can tell he is embarrassed by the pink flush on his cheeks.

Sasha sighs. “Look, we can sleep on the clearing on that bank. It’s an open space, and we’re away from Welhewan. You can make the fire there.” She nods to a patch on the ground.

“I think I’ll decide where we make the fire,” I say, a hint of growl coming out in my voice.

“Fine,” she says through gritted teeth. “I can’t walk any further. I need rest, and I need to be out of these ropes.”

Cas reins in Gwen and dismounts. I stand opposite Sasha and shake my head.

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