through the crack. Tristan sits on the bed, and the cool air drapes over him like a heavy cloak.
Drake walks into the room with the same cool smile Tristan saw as soon as Calandra disappeared from his sight. Then he was sent here, to this small room. He has no idea where he is.
“Still alive?” Drake chuckles.
Tristan nods slightly.
“Here.” Drake slides a tray with a sandwich and a water bottle onto the bed. “Eat up and enjoy,” he says before he disappears back out the door and leaves Tristan to the dark closet of a room once more.
Chapter Ten
Field of Innocence
The tree sits majestically at the edge of the field. It is the sister tree of the one in the almost identical field in the mortal world. Calandra still isn’t exactly sure what that means, but she certainly doesn’t remember the tree at home looking quite so … wise. This tree is tall and wide, showing that it’s seen a lot in its lifetime. There’s trial there; about halfway up, the tree starts to tilt a bit. It’s as if the weight of the world sat on it all of a sudden, and weighed it down from its true goal of growing straight up to the sun. Luckily, it won in the end. It still grew taller and taller, albeit tilted a bit. The beauty of the story in that one detail intrigues Calandra.
She walks over to the majestic tree and gently places her hand on the trunk. She can feel the pain radiating from it, the strength, and the will to continue on. This tree has prospered against all odds, even when it wasn’t meant to. It comforts Calandra to see the possibility of it. A calming sensation runs through her. It comes straight from the tree, into her hand, and courses throughout her entire body. Belonging, purpose, and reason wash through her and she relishes in it, she soaks it all in. A new sensation renews her as the wind picks up around her. Her hair flies into the air and lightly blows in the breeze.
This isn’t simply an emotion trying to communicate with her. This is destiny. The purpose of everything she’s ever been through and is going to go through all lead up to this perfect moment. Calandra can sense the reality of it as she stands here touching the tree. This is what she must face, the road she must take even if she doesn’t want to. The road less traveled on, she thinks. People always want to take the easy road, but not everyone has a choice. Some must take the long, rocky road and hope that it leads them somewhere beautiful at the end. This is Calandra’s mission, and nature is letting her know in this moment.
The wind disappears in an instant, and the rush of emotions leaves her skin at the exact same time. The earth is quiet again, calm. Calandra opens her eyes, though she hadn’t realized she had closed them. Jarreth stands a few feet from her and he looks at her with amazement. Heat rises to her cheeks. Dropping her hand from the tree, she sits on the ground and rests her back against the bark, not wanting to break contact with it just yet. Jarreth’s expression doesn’t falter; he simply stands there as he waits for permission to approach.
“Come,” she says and brushes the word off her hand at him. “You look kinda stalker-ish standing there, staring at me like that. It’s creepy.” Calandra means it to be sarcastic, but she sees a flash of pain cross his face as his eyes change to a dark cobalt blue for a moment.
Calandra feels like her head is in an aquarium. Too many thoughts will create a migraine pressure in your head. A fog settles in so that nothing is clear at all. How to figure out what’s right and what’s wrong is unfortunately something that has to be learned the hard way. No one can tell you, and even if they could, if you’re simply following the rules because it’s what you’re supposed to do, then you are missing the point.
Calandra has no idea who to trust, and her heart races at the thought that Jarreth may actually be an enemy.
Drake walks into the room with the same cool smile Tristan saw as soon as Calandra disappeared from his sight. Then he was sent here, to this small room. He has no idea where he is.
“Still alive?” Drake chuckles.
Tristan nods slightly.
“Here.” Drake slides a tray with a sandwich and a water bottle onto the bed. “Eat up and enjoy,” he says before he disappears back out the door and leaves Tristan to the dark closet of a room once more.
Chapter Ten
Field of Innocence
The tree sits majestically at the edge of the field. It is the sister tree of the one in the almost identical field in the mortal world. Calandra still isn’t exactly sure what that means, but she certainly doesn’t remember the tree at home looking quite so … wise. This tree is tall and wide, showing that it’s seen a lot in its lifetime. There’s trial there; about halfway up, the tree starts to tilt a bit. It’s as if the weight of the world sat on it all of a sudden, and weighed it down from its true goal of growing straight up to the sun. Luckily, it won in the end. It still grew taller and taller, albeit tilted a bit. The beauty of the story in that one detail intrigues Calandra.
She walks over to the majestic tree and gently places her hand on the trunk. She can feel the pain radiating from it, the strength, and the will to continue on. This tree has prospered against all odds, even when it wasn’t meant to. It comforts Calandra to see the possibility of it. A calming sensation runs through her. It comes straight from the tree, into her hand, and courses throughout her entire body. Belonging, purpose, and reason wash through her and she relishes in it, she soaks it all in. A new sensation renews her as the wind picks up around her. Her hair flies into the air and lightly blows in the breeze.
This isn’t simply an emotion trying to communicate with her. This is destiny. The purpose of everything she’s ever been through and is going to go through all lead up to this perfect moment. Calandra can sense the reality of it as she stands here touching the tree. This is what she must face, the road she must take even if she doesn’t want to. The road less traveled on, she thinks. People always want to take the easy road, but not everyone has a choice. Some must take the long, rocky road and hope that it leads them somewhere beautiful at the end. This is Calandra’s mission, and nature is letting her know in this moment.
The wind disappears in an instant, and the rush of emotions leaves her skin at the exact same time. The earth is quiet again, calm. Calandra opens her eyes, though she hadn’t realized she had closed them. Jarreth stands a few feet from her and he looks at her with amazement. Heat rises to her cheeks. Dropping her hand from the tree, she sits on the ground and rests her back against the bark, not wanting to break contact with it just yet. Jarreth’s expression doesn’t falter; he simply stands there as he waits for permission to approach.
“Come,” she says and brushes the word off her hand at him. “You look kinda stalker-ish standing there, staring at me like that. It’s creepy.” Calandra means it to be sarcastic, but she sees a flash of pain cross his face as his eyes change to a dark cobalt blue for a moment.
Calandra feels like her head is in an aquarium. Too many thoughts will create a migraine pressure in your head. A fog settles in so that nothing is clear at all. How to figure out what’s right and what’s wrong is unfortunately something that has to be learned the hard way. No one can tell you, and even if they could, if you’re simply following the rules because it’s what you’re supposed to do, then you are missing the point.
Calandra has no idea who to trust, and her heart races at the thought that Jarreth may actually be an enemy.
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