Page 232 of Gift from the Source
His nonchalance and normal question surprise me and I can’t help the laugh that bursts free of me.“It’s going, Uncle. Been a little busy.”
“Yes, you all have and I’m so very proud.”
I twist some blades of grass between my fingers and exhale.“Thank you.”
“I need a favor from you, Tillme.”
The many times I’ve heard him say that to me play through my mind. Some were just simple things, but a lot of those favors I granted him, I was unknowingly doing something for Willow.
“Anything, Uncle.”
“In Willow’s mom’s greenhouse, there is a plant that’s concealed from view. It is incredibly dangerous, but there are other properties that the plant possesses. Research that’s already been done on it will be found there as well.”
“What kind of plant are we talking about? Who researched it? Will’s mom?”
His chuckle filters through my mind. Add in Willow’s small one as well and my heart flutters.
“Always ready to prepare for a mission, my boy.”His laugh lingers for a moment longer, then he clears his throat.“It is the Aconight plant. The one used in the deadly infection the Mastery used to steal gifts. One of the requests I made of Willow’s mom was to go to Mystara Hollow, identify the plant, and figure out what would destroy it. She was sent with an elite team and the lead researcher brought a sample back to study. His research is there with it.”
Will’s“What?”drowns out my whispered,“Impossible.”
My mouth, or should I say mind, wars with my next words. I don’t want to let any hope rise in me. It’s already doing that now and I could be way off course. You never know when it comes to my uncle’s surprises.
“Did my mom…did my parents lead the mission to go with her?”
“They did. Sadly, all the way around, informing each Nexus who the other was, was too great of a risk. Iris would’ve been over the moon to know they were Willow’s Patera-Nexus, but at this time, the thought of a child was still years away for Tilly and the guys.
“After I had told Iris what I needed her to retrieve from Mystara Hollow, she was very reluctant. That’s mostly because I told her, her trip there would be nothing like the one to Essemist Keep. Don’t expect to make friends or dine with the rulers. Still, they all made the most of the three-day trip. They explored in secret, shielded by Tilly and blended in by Ian’s illusions.
“If you both recall what that vile little cretin Darstein said, he claimed that the Aconight plant caused the plague to break out in Mystara Hollow afew centuries ago. That simply wasn’t true. It did cause a plague, but not that long ago. That’s simply when it started to grow. He was basing his assumption off the plant’s age, and he thought he knew it all. Piece of sh—”Willow’s laugh and mumbled ‘language’ cuts off his curse and he clears his throat with a small, fake apology.
“Anyhow, by the time they arrived, the plague was on the way but had yet to infect the whole realm. Sean was able to identify the plant in two different forms. Its immature stage, which the appearance is completely different from its grown stage. That is the stage where it does start to become identical to their medicinal herb. He’s the one who discovered the way to get rid of it, is to burn it. All the way down to its roots. There can’t be a trace of it left. He told Iris this, and in true fashion of our ways, Iris whispered, ‘One day, you need to burn it all’ to an old and lone practitioner they visited before they left. She left just a little nugget of a clue.”
Willow and I stare at each other. My thoughts and questions about this whole mission race across my mind.
None of this information would’ve helped us when Oakly was infected, other than the burning part. Which he told Willow about. But it does put it in perspective once again how much planning he had to do.
“How did you tell Mom about going on this mission? Did you take her memories or were they able to keep them? You said the lead researcher, which was obviously Sean, has research, so he had to have access to his memories. Did you see that the Mastery was going to use this and so you planned this out? Also how did the Mastery get—”
“My Tillme, you’re becoming as bad as Caspian and Willow with all these questions.”
I glare teasingly at Willow’s giggle, which all that does is make her laugh harder. She squeals when a vine latches around her waist and drags her into my lap. I can’t help the questions. My mind is both blown and fascinated.
“Telling my dear sister was quite exciting for me. She thought I was joking and didn’t believe me. I had to give her my stern look, which straightened her out.”
I snort, as does he. We both know that’s bullshit.
“Really, though, much like you’re doing now, she peppered me with questions and I answered all I could. I told her every detail I could about the mission, what I needed her to get, the dangers to expect, then when she kept pressing for the location, I just casually said Mystara Hollow. The look of shock on her face was priceless.
“Sean was up and ready to go the moment I mentioned it was a plant they were after. The others were a little reluctant, of course. For a week, I gave them all the information I have on Mystara Hollow, and they studied away as they prepared. The morning they were to leave, I transported them to Iris’s house.
“I honestly was a little apprehensive about introducing the two Primaries. They’re both incredibly headstrong women and the last thing I wanted was them not to get along. But they immediately banded together, took charge, and were off.
“Yes, sadly, I did take their memories on their return. Despite trusting my sister with my life, they couldn’t keep what they had learned or done in their minds. Sean’s memories were a tad different. Using the Memoria stone, I weaved a binding around a journal I told him had to be used for that particular plant and only that plant. Each time he’d open it, what the plant was, its origin, important facts if you will, would unlock. Each time he closed it, they’d lock away again.”
“I’m assuming since you ignored his question about you seeing a vision, you did see them using the plant to make the infection. Also, where his question was leading about how the Mastery got the plant, the answer would be Malvolio used someone in my family’s blood to get there or the nonmagical realm,”Willow says, leaving no room for him to ignore her. His grunt confirms she’s right with her assumptions.
At this point, nothing that Malvolio Choice did and was able to accomplish is a surprise to me. He started planning this revenge two thousand years ago.
