Page 49 of Once Upon a Crown
Elara
Around me, the forest was alive and breathing. A creature with a mind of its own. No wonder people got lost. It changed and shifted until they were uncertain of themselves, slowly luring them to their death.
But I wasn’t just somebody. I was the rightful heir to the throne. I was the queen of Everness.
I was still shaken by the dream I’d had about King Evrin and Queen Riona. He’d buried her in the forest, with the Myrgonite dagger in her heart. The same dagger Cai had been given when he first entered Everness. And not only that, but Queen Riona had been part of some magical exchange beyond my comprehension. Was it her spirit residing in the forest that protected all the royal successors? Or did the forest take her as payment in exchange for protection? It was overwhelming to think about it all. And I still had a very important task at hand.
“I’m not doing this for myself, you know,” I called out to the void, the sudden sound of my voice giving the horse a slight fright.
I stopped walking for a moment and looked left and right. There were so many trees, and they all looked the same.
“I’m trying to protect Everness and Norrandale from someone who is going to destroy them.”
Stray hairs fell in front of my eyes, and I swatted them away, breathing heavily from all the walking. I had almost grown too hot for my cloak.
“I need to find that key.” My voice was filled with desperation.
I’m actually starting to lose it, I thought.You’re talking to the damn trees, Elara.
Taking in my surroundings, as far as I was able to see, I noticed something. Had that tree been there a minute ago? I looked left and right again and shook my head. Trees don’t just get up and walk.It’s not like it could have moved.
But as I took a few steps forward, I knew that my environment had changed. The trees were no longer where they’d been a moment before. Instead, a path had opened up between them, the trees lining the sides.
I rubbed my eyes. Maybe I was sleep-deprived.
Still, a voice in the back of my head urged me on, promising that what I was looking for would be at the other end of the path. And so, I followed it.
With a better sense of direction, I felt a bit of relief, and a little hope settled inside me.
All I knew was that I needed to find a pond and a tree.
What I did not expect was for the mist to slowly start clearing. I looked behind me. Had I gone the wrong way and now come out the other side or something? I could see light in the distance. It looked warm and inviting.
Unexpectedly, the mist gave way and, as if it had been a wall, I stepped through.
My breath got caught in my throat. There was sunshine and it was bright. In the middle of the mist, there was a bright clearing with green grass, and I could see far beyond me. But the wonder was short-lived.
My eyes drifted to the large body of water and then, in the centre of it all, the biggest willow I’d ever seen, perched on a small island.
“Lance, you idiot!” I could have screamed. This was not the body of water he had described. This was a lake.
I tied my horse to the nearest tree and stepped towards the water.
Dipping in my fingers, I tested the temperature. It wasn’t as cold as I had expected. This place felt like some kind of magical spot where there was eternal summer.
Eyeing the willow in the distance, I made some calculations. It wasn’t that far, and I’d probably be able to swim it.
I didn’t give it much thought. I was hungry and tired and anxious to get back home.
So, I started to unlace my riding boots, exposing my feet to the soft grass beneath me.
I rolled up the cuffs of my breeches while my horse grazed lazily behind me.
“Okay.” I shook out my hands as if it would shake the nerves away. I didn’t even want to think about what would happen once I actually got to the tree.
I dropped my cloak and satchel on the ground, and slowly walked into the water. It was dark and slightly murky, and by the time it reached my knees, I could no longer see my feet.
My mind began to run wild with thoughts of what could be lurking beneath the surface. Suddenly the willow tree felt a lot further away than it had originally looked.
