Read Eden Forest (Part one of the Saskia Trilogy) Online
Authors: Aoife Marie Sheridan
a muscle. “And if we do not help, Sarajane, will you come back
to Aquaterra with us?” he asks.
“No, I will get her myself.”
He looks back at Morrick and then returns his hard gaze to
me. “I thought as much. Okay, we will help.” Relief courses
through my body. I knew I couldn’t do this alone. But Tristan
isn’t finished. “If you disobey me again, I promise you will
regret it. Understand?”
I still have to tell them about John. I can’t save both. My
voice sounds drained when I speak. “She has my father too.” I
direct this to Morrick, praying to God my words hurt him. “He
is being held in the mortal world so I have to choose between
my sister and my father.” Morrick stares at me with icy eyes,
picking up on the emphasis I put on the word father, but it isn’t
a lie. He reared me as his own, loved me. He was everything a
father should be.
Mirium has a faraway look on his face and then he snaps out
of it. “Morrick, you must go with Sarajane and help her sister. I
will go to the mortal world for her father.” He hesitates on the
last word.
“Mirium, it is only my face that can save him.”
Mirium moves to the opposite side of me, his grey eyes full
of wisdom and kindness. “Do you trust me?” I haven’t known
Mirium long, but I do trust him.
“Yes.”
He smiles gently. “I will go to the mortal and do my best to
save him.”
I just nod. It seems impossible if I’m not with him, but I focus
my mind on Jessica.
Before leaving, Mirium turns to Tristan. “Aim high.”
Tristan nods as if he understands what Mirium means.
Maybe he does.
Liber leaves with Mirium and the rest of us take off with
Tristan leading in silence. After an hour’s riding, Tristan speaks.
“What is the exact location?”
I meet Tristan’s unattached gaze. “South of the Amour Caves.
There’s a hut in Eden Forest.”
Tristan gives me a curt nod and we start moving again.
“Will it take two days to reach Eden Forest?” I ask Neve as
he rides just a little up ahead of me.
“A day, but it is a forest and we are looking for a hut so that
will take time”
“Not if we split up,” I say.
Tristan stops abruptly and turns his horse to face me.
“For once, do as you are told. No one is splitting up.” My
cheeks light up with rage. How dare he! “I am future king
and you will obey me, Sarajane Anderson.” At that he whips
the horse back around and continues riding, his back stiff
with anger. We follow. I am breathing heavy with anger.
Neve chuckles beside me. It is quiet enough so that only I
can hear.
“What’s so funny?” I don’t like being laughed at.
He clears his throat. “Nothing is funny.” He moves a little
ahead, out of my line of vision. I could bet my life a grin is still
plastered on his skinny face.
After a few hours of travelling, I start to feel exhausted. It has
been a day and a half since I’ve slept or eaten and it’s catching
up on me.
“We will stop here for a rest,” Tristan announces to us all.
We’re still in the mountains. They seem unending. But I don’t
want to waste any time.
“No, we need to find my sister.”
Tristan climbs off his horse and the rest follow suit. Morrick
seems no longer to be in charge. I wonder what happened last
night. They’ve reversed roles. Kiar comes over to help me down,
but I sit stubbornly on the horse.
“Bellona said two days.” I can hear the panic in my own
voice.
“Today is the first day,” Tristan says. Then his eyes study
my face. “And you can’t defend yourself in this state. You need
rest.”
Kiar reaches out his hand to me once again, only this time
I take it. I know Tristan is right, not that I would ever tell
him.
Kiar pulls out a bedroll and lays it down behind a large
boulder that is only a few feet away from the mountain’s edge.
I sit down on the bedroll with my knees tucked up to my chin.
Kiar sits on his haunches so we’re at eye level “How are you
holding up?” His kindness and brown eyes remind me so much
of Josh I feel I can talk to him.
“Not good, Kiar. These things keep happening that I can’t
explain, and no matter how much I push them to the back of my
mind, they always manage to push themselves forward.” I know
I’m not making much sense, but Kiar sits there patiently. “I see
colours around people. I think I made that water pour into the
caves the time Neve set it on fire. I burned a woman with my
hand, and I pushed Bellona away from me using my mind.”
That’s it. I blurt everything out.
Kiar sits for a second, staring at me. Then he smiles. “Maybe
you have lots of affinities.” His eyebrows furrow. “But we
usually have one or two.” We sit there. I don’t know what else
to say. Kiar pats my leg. “Get some rest. We will figure it out.”
“Thank you, Kiar,” I say while squeezing his hand.
“That’s what friends are for.” My face falls. Josh always said
that to me. “What’s wrong?” Alarm sounds in Kiar’s voice.
I shake my head and smile. “Nothing, Kiar. I’ll get some
rest.” I lie down.
The wind can’t get to me in my cosy little space. I don’t get to
think too long. My mind slips away into a deep sleep.
Chapter Seventeen
Saskia
(Sarajane)
W
hen I wake I’m in a pool of sweat. It’s still bright.
Pushing back my bedroll and stretching, I can smell
food. A fire is burning and a rabbit is turning above
the flame. “How did you catch a rabbit up here?” I ask Neve,
who jumps at my voice and then smiles.
“Sarajane. The forest is only an hour’s ride away so Tristan
caught dinner.”
I sit down. Tristan was nowhere in sight. Neve turns the
rabbit at regular intervals. Kiar is slumped against a large rock,
his eyelids closed, yet I don’t think he’s asleep.
“Why stop here when we’re only an hour away?” I ask Neve.
Morrick sits across from me, rubbing his face “You were
exhausted.” I don’t reply to him. I just can’t right now.
Tristan returns, looking grumpy. He never looks any other
way. He ignores me. That suits me just fine. At this stage I just
want to get my sister and go home.
The air is cold. I pull my cloak tighter around me, but it’s
shredded from my run-in with Carew and the exiles.
Morrick stirs across from me and examines my clothes
through narrowed eyes. “What happened?” he asks. For some
reason, I don’t want to tell anyone about Carew.
“I fell into a bush.” Morrick’s eyes narrow even more at my
blatant lie, but I don’t care. As if I would trust him ever again. I
return my focus to Neve. “Is the food ready yet?”
“Nearly. Would you like a leg?” My stomach turns. I know
he’s trying to be nice, but if I see the little white paws, it will
be enough to finish me altogether. My green-looking face must
portray my horror, as Neve hurries on. “Or maybe not.”
I give him a weak smile “Just the meat, no bone. Thanks.”
Neve smiles back, making him look younger. “How old are
you?”
“Nineteen, but everyone thinks I look older.” I would’ve
thought he was maybe my age, in his early twenties.
Kiar’s eyes open and a look of amusement passes over his
face. I knew he wasn’t asleep. “It’s all the lines on your face,
Neve”
Neve’s hand immediately goes to his face to check for lines.
When he feels none, he relaxes. “No, Kiar, it is because I act
older,” he says proudly with a boyish grin on his face. Kiar
laughs heartily and I can’t help but laugh with them. Neve’s
face breaks into a huge smile as he shakes his head, turning the
rabbit.
I look across at Tristan. He watches me with a serious
expression on his face. I don’t look away this time but remember
what it was like to have his lips on mine, his hands running
through my hair. He looks away.
Morrick leaves during our exchange. I can’t believe he hasn’t
even tried to apologise to me. I banter on with Neve and Kiar.
They would raise anybody’s spirits. They always seem to see the
glass as half full no matter what they’re faced with.
After our food, Morrick pulls Neve aside to speak to him
before we leave. When Neve returns, he doesn’t say anything
and we never ask. We move out. Within the hour, we reach
Eden Forest. Standing on the edge of the forest, I can see it
stretching for miles. My optimism drops to the floor. This will
be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Neve jumps off the
horse and sinks to his haunches with his hands pushed deep
into the soil.
“He has an earth affinity, but it is a level one,” Morrick says
to my confused look. But that means Neve has three affinities,
which they all say is rare. I hold my breath until he rises, rubbing
the dirt off his hands.
His face tells all before he speaks. “Nothing, sorry.” He
looks so guilty. I try to give him a reassuring smile, but I can’t
hide my disappointment.
“We move south through the forest,” Tristan says, giving us
all a pointed stare. “And move as quietly as possible.” Once his
little speech is over, we all follow behind. My heavy boots seem
to crush everything under my feet. I’m the only one making
noise. After a few hours my thighs burn from walking and
sweat soaks my tunic. My footsteps sound louder as my feet are
heavy to lift.
“We will take a break,” Morrick says, much to Tristan’s
annoyance. I don’t protest. I throw down my knapsack that
holds water and some bread and rest against a tree. Removing
my beaker of water from my knapsack, I gulp it down.
“Thirsty?” Kiar asks with an amused smile on his face. I
notice Kiar, Neve and Tristan look like they haven’t just trekked
through the forest for the last few hours. Their tunics are dry,
no sweat. At least Morrick looks a little breathless, and I mean
a little.
“Do you guys run miles every day or something?”
Neve sits down beside me. “Yes.”
Kiar laughs. “Don’t worry. Give me a few months with you
and I will whip you into shape.”
“I hope you don’t mean literally?” I give him my best mock
horror look, causing him to laugh. Looking at Kiar, it is uncanny
how, when he smiles, he looks more like Josh.
The laughing settles down. “What age is your sister?” This
is the first time anyone asks me about her, but I know Kiar is
being as gentle as possible with his words. This sobers up all my
humour, bringing me back to what I am here for.
“She is eighteen next month, but going on thirty.” Neve looks
confused, again. “I mean, she acts older than she is,” I explain.
“Oh, she is like me, then.” Kiar and I exchange amused looks
but don’t laugh. Neve just looks too sincere.
“Does Jessica have any extra abilities?” Morrick asks, nearly
making me jump. He and Tristan are always sneaking up on
me; this is something I’ll have to work on. Well, I knew they
were going to check the area, but they never made an entrance
when they returned.
“No.” I gave him a hard look. Why show any interest in her
now when before she wasn’t his concern? Neve and Kiar don’t
speak. They seem to suddenly be intrigued with the forest floor.
That means Tristan is back also.
I look up from Morrick and meet Tristan’s cold gaze as he
leans against a tree, watching us. He holds my stare as he comes
over, throwing a leather pouch on the ground while sitting
down with us. He throws each one of us an apple. “Found an
apple tree not far from here,” he tells me. I didn’t ask where the
apples came from, but it is tasty, extra sweet. Nobody speaks.
The only noise is me munching on my apple. I look at Neve and
Kiar, who haven’t taken as much as a bite.
“What’s wrong?” I spit the bite that’s left in my mouth onto
the ground. Then the world shifts. What the hell? Tristan is at
my side, holding my head, resting it on the ground. Everything
is starting to lose its colour.
“What did you do?” Morrick asks with alarm in his voice.
But Tristan just whispers in my ear. “Sorry, but it is for your
own good.”
“Tristan, you answer me!” Morrick’s voice is at a peak, but
he is swaying form side to side.
I look back at Tristan, who is still on his knees. “You bastard.”
My words are slurred as if I have drunk a brewery dry so I’m
not sure if he can make them out, and then everything is gone.
I awake with a pounding headache, my hands are tied behind
my back, and I am leaning against a tree. I open my eyes. Streaks
of sunlight break through the trees, blinding me for a second. I
lower my gaze. A pair of boots comes into view, then legs. Neve
is seated not far from me.
“I am sorry, Sarajane. Don’t be mad.” He does look sorry.
“Just untie me, Neve, and I’ll forget all this,” I say in the best
friendly voice I can muster. I will kill Tristan.
Neve looks away, conflicted. “I can’t. I have orders.”
I don’t have to ask from whom. It’s still bright so maybe I
wasn’t out long. I can still catch up, but I need my hands untied.
I sit quiet for about twenty agonising minutes and then when I
think enough time passes, I take my chance.
“I need to use the bathroom.” I give him an I’m sorry look,
but he stands, shaking his head.
“Oh no, he said you would try that.”
I growl in frustration, then regret it. “Neve, I’m fine about
this. I understand everybody is worried about my safety.” He
isn’t quite sure whether to believe me. “But I really need to go.”
I cross my legs in a really girly way, pretending I just can’t wait
much longer.
He takes a few sharp breaths through his nose. “Fine. You
have one minute.” He helps me up and unties my hands, but
never takes his eyes off me.
I put my hand on my hip and tilt my head in what I hope
looks like girly expression. “Neve, I can’t go with you looking
at me.”
He blushes slightly. “Oh yeah,” he says and turns his back
to give me privacy. I kneel down and remove the dagger from
my boot. I’m not going to hurt Neve, but I need him to believe
I will.
“Hurry up,” he says, his voice sounding anxious at having me
untied. I take two steps towards his back and hold the dagger
to his throat.
“Don’t try anything or I will kill you.”
He goes to move. “Sarajane.” But I push the blade harder
against his throat. A trickle of blood runs down his neck. He
inhales a sharp breath, his face turning red with anger.
“Now put your hands in the soil and see if you can find
them.”
“Sarajane, think about what you are doing.”
I push a little more. It’s only a knick, but I still feel horrible.
“Now, Neve.” He gets down on his knees. I move with him to
keep the dagger against his throat so he won’t try anything.
He pushes his hands into the soil and concentrates.
“Nothing,” he says. Panic rises. This is my only plan. I grab his
arm with my free hand, shaking him slightly
“Try again.” Then I’m zoomed forward at an incredible
speed through the forest. We stop at a hut. My heart is racing.
Five guards surround my sister. I watch this from above.
“Jessica,” I scream in terror, but nobody seems to hear me. She’s
covered in bruises, a swollen eye, split lip; her arm is twisted
at a horrible angle. I’m pulled from the hut. Ten men surround
the area. Oh God, it’s a trap. As I’m pulled again against my
will, I move back at an incredible speed, seeing all the treetops,
and then I slow down. Tristan, Morrick and Kiar walk slowly
with their swords drawn. Tristan’s eyes scan the area. He looks
dangerously beautiful.
And then I’m back in my body beside Neve, finding it hard
to breathe. He looks at me in shock. I twist away from him and
puke. “We have to warn them?” Neve still sits still. I shake him
by the shoulders “We need to move now, Neve.”
He comes out of his daze. “No, I have strict orders.” He
grabs my arms.
“Neve, please. They will die and you saw my sister.” The