I turn my gaze back up to the branches as well. “Back home I am one of few in my town who seems to respect nature. I always felt so out of place. It’s comforting to know that there are people on this earth who actually care and that someone… or something is listening. There is no higher being that watches over us in our realm. Or that is what most believe anyway.” I glance back at Oleander whose expression has turned very serious.
“You humans do not honour the creator of this earth? You do not know of The Mother?” She raises her eyebrows and blows out a sigh, “how sad and lonely your lives must be.”
I hum my agreement. “If only you knew,” I force a laugh. I feel a bit too seen and annoyed at the spiritual lacking in my upbringing so I change the subject. “What family responsibilities did you have?” I ask, keeping the conversation flowing as I return to thinking of a roundabout way to ask if she is hunting down my sister.
“My father serves the new king and, as his only daughter, I had a duty to become the wife to one of The King’s lords to secure my father’s position. Let’s just say, I quickly disappeared to avoid such a fate. I am no one’swife,” she jokes, as if it is a normal occurrence.
“As if people still do that kind of shit!” I exclaim and am met first with shock, then with a little smile. I see my opening and quickly add, “so is this person you are tracking down a service you are doing for The Divine Mother?” Oleander quickly glances at my necklace, then back to me.
She wears the crest of the old king’s line,her thoughts flood inand I can’t help my expression of confusion at her mentionof the crest of a king as I grasp my necklace and wonder who exactly my mother was and why she would have such a thing. She clocks my movement and her eyebrows raise.Can you hear my thoughts?I hear her think as her eyes widen in astonishment. Just as she opens her mouth to say something we hear a loud, splashing noise behind us and turn to see several large boulders springing to life.
“You called and we have answered!” a large boulder gnome with a long swishing beard made of the same ghostly moss that was in the Tanglewoods exclaims as he tumbles towards us.
“Uncle Chomsky at your service,” he says, sketching a bow. I give Oleander a quick glance and am suddenly aware that we are still naked so I bunch my knees up to my chest. Oleander doesn’t seem bothered by her nakedness.
“Um… Hello.” I try to reach my toes over to where my clothes are but they arejustout of my grasp.
“How may we be of assistance?” I realize that I need the guidance of these gnomes to find my sister and can no longer hide my mission from Oleander. I doubt she would leave to give us privacy to talk so I try to be as vague as I can.
“Have you, by chance, seen a… hairy creature and a… blonde woman pass through these parts?” I cringe, meeting Oleander’s widening and understanding eyes, seeing that my vagueness did not work in the slightest.
“Ah, you mean the varg and the human girl?”Well, if she didn’t know before, now she certainly does. Great.“Yes, they passed through here a few days ago. She seemed to be putting up a good fight but we could do nothing to intervene,” he says and the other gnomes around him shudder at the mention of the varg. Oleander and I exchange glances and all pretenses about both of our missions melt away.
“Ok, let’s not deny it any longer. We are both looking for Marissa,” I say, crossing my arms and raising my eyebrows at Oleander.
“Marissa,” is all she says, as if she is testing out the name on her tongue. “What is she to you?” she says, snapping out of her reverie. All of the warmth from our interactions before has gone cold.
“She ismysister! She was taken on my watch, I have to rescue her!” I say, glaring back. I turn to the gnomes and ask, “where are they headed?”
“They seemed to be heading towards Inverdell, but of course, it is hard to tell out here. We don’t often leave the safety of our hills so we do not know much of what lies beyond the small village,” Uncle Chomsky says, shrugging his big shoulders. “How does my cousin Mog fare?” He perks up at the memory of his cousin.
“She is well. I mean, they seem happy enough…” I say as I briefly let myself remember the warm hospitality of the boulder gnomes, then turn to give Oleander a glare. She was too quick to judge these gnomes, they are lovely. I catch her with a puzzled look on her face as she stares at my necklace.
“Pray tell, where did you get that necklace from?” Oleander asks and I can see where her mind is going. Perhaps this necklace is somehow traceable to my mother, so I lie.
“I found it in my sister’s room.” At which Oleander slowly nods, furrowing her brows and looking sceptical but having no way of calling my bluff.
“Hmm, all right we must be going, thank you for your assistance gnomes,” Oleander says abruptly, as she gets up and tosses me my now dried clothing. I quickly pull on my shirt and overalls, still very aware that I am naked in front of a bunch of male gnomes.
“Wait, my dear. The girl dropped this as they passed through our knoll. Perhaps you can find a Metamorph to help sniff her out,” a chunkier gnome pipes up, handing me a heart shaped, golden earring as I am finishing strapping on my sword. My eyes catch Oleander’s and I quickly grab the earring and shove it in my pocket as she lunges for it. I jump out of her grasp and draw my sword.
“Why do you want my sister?” I shout at her, shuffling into my fighting stance. She has seen me use this sword before on the varg that tried to attack her so knows I am no novice. She takes a step back with her hands up but I wonder why she does not retaliate using her fire.
“I do not mean you or your sister any harm. Your care for your family is admirable but I can track them and you will only slow me down. I caught wind of a plot to kidnap the child of a long disappeared noble lineage withparticularpowers from the human realm and I could not let her fall into the wrong hands.” She sounds sincere but still, I do not trust her.What do my powers have to do with this?I wonder but don’t have time to prod as I see Oleander readying herself to attack.
“Either we do this together or I will throw the earring into the creek and the scent will be lost to us both.” It is an empty threat, but she does not need to know that.
Oleander sizes up the distance between me and the water, most likely thinking she can tackle me to the ground before I can toss it. “Please! The life debt you owe me will be paid, just help me save my sister!” I say, not lowering my sword even an inch. She blows out a breath.
“All right, all right, we do this together,” she tries to placate, her hands still up. “Just try to keep up. I believe I may know where they are headed but cannot be sure without the scent,” she says, eyeing my pocket.
“You have topromiseto rescue Marissa with me,” I say, knowing now that the fae must keep their promises.
“Fine, I promise not to rescue her without you. Now you must uphold your promise!” she says, looking at my sword, raising both eyebrows. I take a breath and hesitate but there is a strong pull within my hand and a sudden pounding in my head that forces me to throw her the sword.
I truly do have to keep my promises here… noted.She did fulfill her end of the bargain by getting me out of the Tanglewoods after all. She catches it easily and we both take a unified breath to dispel the tension.
“Let’s go get your sister.”
