A Gift of Three(52)

“As far as you know,” I replied.

I didn’t feel like leaving the house was a good idea. Not after last night. I understood everyone’s concerns about staying here… but if we waited till we could find out more, till the Druid was willing to speak to us, then at least we’d be able to be a bit better prepared, and know whether or not what he’d said about the Oracle was true.

“I think we should risk it,” my brother announced. “Let’s find a way home, there’s got to be some way out of this place. From what you’ve said, the Druid was able to transport us here in the blink of an eye. Maybe that means that we’re closer than we think to Sherus’s fire star.”

Vita shook her head. “I agree with you about leaving, but as to the travel, it doesn’t necessarily work that way. We don’t know what abilities he has or how on earth he got us here… there might be numerous ways it could be done.”

“The maps showed us a couple of cities. I think we should head toward those, see if we can find anyone willing to help us,” Jovi replied. “They might even know of a portal—or we could come across some fae, willing to take us back.”

I looked doubtfully at Jovi. There was a lot of hypothesizing without knowing any of the facts. But I could see I was outnumbered. None of them had experienced what I had last night, and my reluctance was hugely tainted by that.

“We all have to agree,” Field announced, looking at me. “What do you say, Serena?”

Aida’s eyes pleaded with mine. I could see how desperately she and Vita wanted to get out of here—and no wonder.

“All right,” I said reluctantly. “We’ll try.”





Serena





[Hazel and Tejus’s daughter]




After we finished breakfast, we all went back upstairs to the room with the maps. We didn’t see the Druid, and I wasn’t surprised. I imagined that, dreading questions, he’d tried to make himself scarce.

The others discussed the map of Eritopia, pouring over its contents and arguing which way would be best to go. Personally believing that it didn’t make much of a difference at this point—none of us knew what kind of creatures we’d find in the cities, or the jungle—I left them to it. I found myself wandering back into the room I’d seen yesterday, the one with the diary in the drawer of the vanity table. I opened it again, looking at the leather notebook, wondering whose it had been. Checking that no one was coming my way, I untied the leather knot and opened it onto the first page. There was no name, only a date—September third, 1805. I flicked though to the next page, feeling instantly guilty, and read the first few lines.

Same lunch again today! I curse the Daughters for not being more inventive. Almus has it far easier, being a Druid, and it is only my palate that suffers. I shouldn’t complain, and I don’t, not to him, only to you. But I do wonder if I will go mad here sometimes, and it is only Almus who saves me, again and again.

“Serena?”

I hastily dropped the book back in the drawer as Vita poked her head around the door.

“Are you ready?” she asked.

“I…I’m ready,” I replied, doubtfully looking down at my attire. Vita’s was no better—she only had a pair of shorts and a tank top, along with the fluffy robe of the palace that she’d quickly discarded once she woke, due to the heat. All the girls were barefooted, me included.

“I know.” She sighed. “Not ideal, right?”

“For a jungle trek… Uh, no.”

We left the room, joining the others on the stairwell.

“So what’s the plan?” I asked. “What if we bump into the Druid?”

“We fight back,” Jovi replied determinedly.

I bit my lip. I thought about how easily the Druid had waved away my syphoning, and fought off both Jovi and Field. I wasn’t so sure that fighting back was the best option—but once again, it looked like it would be me versus everyone else, and so I decided to keep my mouth shut.

I didn’t need to worry anyway. We made it to the lawn without seeing any sign of the Druid, and began walking away from the house. The grass pricked at the soles of my feet, and I winced as the blades grazed against my already cut legs.

Stop being so lame, I scolded myself. After what Vita, Aida and my brother had been though, my ordeal counted for nothing.

The ravens cried at us from above. I expected them to soar down like last time and try to block our way, but they didn’t, only settling at the edge of the lawn in a single row, watching us with their beady black eyes.

Their presence unnerved me, adding to my misgivings about leaving the safety of the Druid’s home. I glanced back at the house, its grand presence looming over us. What was the greater threat? What lay within the stone walls, or what lay outside them?