She takes in a long breath then retakes her seat. The lines of tension never quite leave her face, though.
“Well, one of the original dryad clans inhabited those lands for centuries, and many of our ancestors’ spirits remain in those roots. We have no access to them any longer thanks to the wolves who took over.”
I swallow. I’d never— “I didn’t know about any of this.”
“No one ever seems to. I’m certain your friend is aware, though. The spirits are active in the sacred lands, a portion of their territory.”
I consider this new information. Could I possibly be in the wrong for trying to help Thompson? Is his cause less moral than he let on? Or are these territory wars simply not new and will be ever waging through time?
“Can you tell me more about it? What happened to your people that they lost access to those lands?”
She waves her hand. Her expression is hardened but not emotional. Is that a mask? “Wolves breed like mice, and they constantly need more land. Humans are bad enough, but even in the rural parts of the continent, where we have been able to haunt humans successfully enough to keep cities from building or negotiated protected parks, the wolves have taken more and more of those places from us.”
“Dryads are quite powerful, aren’t they? Couldn’t they have just—”
“Couldn’t they have fought back harder? Once the wolves assimilated into human territories and took political control of which lands were erased and which weren’t? And when we weren’t allowed to use magic in human spaces or we’d be hunted down by the magical control agencies?”
“Wow, so, this was… intense.”
“Look, we haven’t had it as bad as some other species or types of people, but for a wolf to ask me to defend land for them? Land they occupy now after they drove us away from it themselves? That’s insidious on a whole different level.”
I nod absently. “Okay, yeah, I get that. I’m sorry I didn’t know.”
I don’t want to prod her on sensitive things, but it does sound like she’s not necessarily angry at all wolves, just on the concept of defending this land that used to be her people’s. Obviously pretty legit feelings there.
Maybe there’s some possible negotiating, but regardless, this conversation has gone as far as it should for now.
“I’m sorry for bringing up a touchy subject, but thank you for explaining. At least now I know a bit more of what I’m getting myself into.”
She nods, expression still much more guarded than before.
“Be careful with that wolf, girl. He’ll manipulate you in any way he can, especially driving you away from Jarron.”
10
Friendship Probation
Lola and Janet freeze the moment Thompson enters the potion room that evening. I’d told them a brief explanation about what happened with Manuela, and it’s seemed to affect them more than it did me.
Now, I’ve got to talk with the final part of my inner circle about it. The one who will have the most perspective and the most at stake.
Thompson’s shoulders tense when he notices Lola’s and Janet’s reaction.
“What?” he asks. When no one answers, he drops his bag on the counter and strolls around the bubbling potions to the flickering fire, where we’ve been chatting for the last half hour.
“I told them about helping you,” I begin.
He takes a seat, shoulders relaxing slightly.
“And about how I approached someone this afternoon.”
His eyes light up, but he examines me closely. His face falls slack as he realizes it’s not good news.
“It didn’t go well. I’m curious if you know why.”
Thompson swallows. “I’m not particularly liked by a lot of this school.” He says it more like a question than a statement.
“It was Manuela who I spoke to,” I explain.
