Page 24 of A Tale of Treachery

The forest didn’t actually make me uneasy. On the contrary, I loved it, my childhood home.

He assessed me for a moment, then gave a brief nod. “Yes, but be quick. I don’t want to be out here for long. This area isn’t safe.”

Bright blue water rushed through the channel, and the leaves of the fossilized trees were alit with moonlight that tinted the area with a multicolored hue. There was a sense of calm here.

I walked along the bank, occasionally glancing behind me to ensure Aiden remained distracted with standing guard. He watched my every move like a hawk. Whether it was to keep me from harm or to monitor me, I didn’t know, but it was clear he thought I was up to something.

I searched for a way to block his view and spotted a tree with thick roots that created a dwelling underneath, a spot that could conceal my next steps.

My pace quickened toward the hollow.

“Stay within my sight!” Aiden shouted as fog drifted along the ground.

I pretended not to hear him over the rushing water and laid beside the tree, dangling my hand into the hollow. My palm hit soil, rich earth ripe for growth that lined the wall of the void, and I dug my fingers into the dirt.

I brought the image of the moonflower to the forefront of my mind, relying on drawings from books, and sank into the well of my power, urging it to flow through my arm and create.

There was a flash of light hidden by the darkness of the cavity, but a small flame took form instead of the intended flower. I clucked my tongue and gritted my teeth, sinking deeper into my messed-up magic and begged it to do what I commanded.

Please. Just this once.

“Dahlia! Are you alright over there?” Aiden’s voice came out loud, a note of concern riding his words.

“Yes! Just keep on the lookout,” I said.

The crunching of his footsteps drew closer, and my body went tense. He was too nosy for his own good.

In one last-ditch effort to gain time, I threw my body into the hollow.

“Dahlia!” Aiden shouted, his footsteps growing in intensity. He was running now, gaining ground.

I concentrated as hard as I could, taking advantage of the few spare moments, and pressed my palms to the wall of soil inside the tree roots, squeezing my eyes tightly closed.

Please, just do this for me. I won’t hold you back anymore. I promise.

My magic liked my desperation, reveled in it, and I grumbled in annoyance.

An answering blast of bright golden light shot from my hands and into the ground, and I winced at the sheer pain that ran through my body. Agony held me in its grip as a vine formed, snaking into the earth, and wrapping around my fingers. My head felt as if it was splitting in two, while the golden flame of magic coursed through my veins, flowing into the vine in a thread of light.

A single white bloom took form.

I stared at the small flower, slack-jawed, and stepped back, coughing from the dirt that found its way into my lungs. Sweat coated my body, the pain transforming into fatigue. My magic wasn’t meant for creation, only destruction. Creating the moonflower drained it and me.

Aiden gripped my arm and dragged me out of the hollow.

I plucked the vine from the soil and cupped it in my hands.

“Are you all right?” he asked, his hands softly checking my skin for any sign of injury.

I sank into his touch and coughed, gathering my strength. Once my throat was clear of dirt and debris, I held up the tiny blossom pinched between two fingers. “I found it.”

A glowing smile graced his mouth. “Amazing.”

And I couldn’t help but smile in return at the brightness in his eyes, despite my exhaustion.

“I can’t believe you found a moonflower. This forest grows stranger each day,” he whispered, his soft touch still all over me. “You look terrible. Are you injured?”

My head was woozy, but I would live. “I’ll be fine. I had a bad fall and am exhausted, but I’ll feel much better once we return to the camp.” I moaned and moved to stand, stumbling in the process.

---