The Face in the Forest (3 page)

Roots slid across the ground towards them. They hissed when they got close to the fire.

The roots made darting jabs forward but then pulled back. More roots began to pile up forming a wall around the ring of torches.

“We're safe for now,” said Mr Blood. “They won't come past the fire.”

Edgar felt something wet on his feet, and looked down. He shouted in alarm. “Water! The water! It's rising!”

Anna screamed. The pool was getting bigger, creeping out to meet the trees. It rose around their ankles. The fire went out with a loud hiss as the water reached it. The tree roots jabbed towards them as the water rose.

“What do we do?” cried Mary. But Mr Blood had no answer. The first of the torches hissed and died, and Anna screamed again.

Suddenly, a huge roar filled the forest. The tree roots shook.

And then the forest giant appeared. His great face was twisted with rage. His eyes were shiny and black. He wore a great cloak of mosses and vines that rustled when he moved. He roared again, and grabbed the nearest tree. He tore it out of the ground by the trunk and flung it over the tops of the trees next to it.

The water stopped rising. The tree roots stopped moving.

Then the roots began to slide backwards towards the trees. The water level began to fall.

“He's saving us!” cried Anna. “Thank you, Tor! You said you would protect me!”

When the roots had gone, the giant looked down at the group. “Anna,” he boomed. “Why are you here with these strangers?”

“They are my friends,” said Anna. “Lord Gray has asked them to take me to Lord Burkett's castle on the other side of the forest.”

“Why?” asked the giant.

“To be married,” said Anna.

“And is that what you want?” the giant asked.

“I don't know,” Anna whispered.

“Then stay in the forest with me until you decide,” said the giant.

“But what if Lord Gray comes looking for her?” asked Mary.

Tor's huge face broke into a smile. “We will be ready for him,” he laughed.

And Mary and Edgar heard all the tree roots rustle as if they were laughing too.

 

First published 2015 by

A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

50 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3DP

www.bloomsbury.com

Bloomsbury is a registered trademark of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Copyright © A & C Black 2015

Text copyright © Benjamin Hulme-Cross 2015

Illustrations © Nelson Evergreen 2015

The moral rights of the author have been asserted.

All rights reserved

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers

A CIP catalogue for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 978-1-4729-0825-4

ePub: 978-1-4729-0826-1

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