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  With an irritated noise Dorian called, ‘dinner’s ready, and don’t complain!’

  ‘Adore, you wound me, I’ve never once complained about your cooking!’ Asmara replied, sitting up. ‘It smells delicious!’

  ‘The tree kept squashing the fire spirits, even though it agreed to let me have a fire,’ he said, too annoyed to realise he had been called the hated name Adore, ‘and now the fire spirits seem to think I’m their ally against the trees.’

  Bo stood up and walked over to the tree nearest where Dorian had been cooking. ‘Hm. I see we got a tree with personality. Usually they’re more mature than that.’

  ‘I know! It said it would warn us if any night beasts approach, but I’m not sure if we can trust it. We might have to find a different tree to camp under.’

  ‘Oh, don’t worry.’ Asmara said. ‘We always have watches anyway, besides, it was probably just playing.’

  Julietta, who had been scribbling in her note book, put it down and stumbled to her feet and went to join Bo who was observing the tree. ‘A sentient tree! This must be very old!’ Weaving magic into her words, she asked the tree how old it was.

  It responded immediately, and Julietta was flooded with a sense of life and warmth. It felt friendly. ‘My, the sentient tree at the center of Manus does not respond nearly so quickly! I wonder why that is-’

  ‘Julietta, not now!’ Dorian scolded. ‘This wasn’t easy to cook, you can talk to the trees after!’

  After eating Julietta went and continued her conversation with the tree, which was very talkative indeed. She had to remember everything that was said so she could write it down later- she did not think it wise to bring a notebook made from paper near a sentient tree who they hoped would protect them during the night. Bo sat nearby and when she asked what he was doing, as he was no mage and could not properly converse with spirits or magical beings, he replied he was letting the tree get a feel for him.

  Despite Dorians ill-mood, they decided to spend the night by the tree. His concerns proved unfounded, and they continued on the next day after a peaceful night.

  The next day passed uneventfully, and Julietta was surprised at how peaceful Sontmor could be. After lunch they arrived at the shore of a great lake. The surface of the lake was smooth like a mirror and reflected the cloudy sky and the dark, hulking forest that clustered at its shores. Forest gave way to grass which gave way to smooth, round pebbles at the water’s edge. Standing at the edge of the lake, her shadow cast over the water, Julietta could see beneath the surface. The water was clear and she could see to the bottom, where the smooth stones formed the lake bed.

  ‘Hmm...’ Asmara frowned as she looked at the lake. ‘I thought we were further south.’

  ‘The path has changed again. We’ll have to tell the guild when we return to Anseville.’ Bo said, a serious expression on his face. ‘Finding those mushrooms might be harder than we thought.’

  Asmara shrugged. ‘I’m not worried about finding them, if we get lost the forest will draw us to its center. I’m more concerned about getting out again. Dorian, what do you think?’

  Julietta listened intently. They had explained all this to her before they left. The Red Mushroom of Sontmor was highly prized for use in salves and potions. It had potent healing properties and when properly prepared could be used without any other magic, which made it very valuable for use in items sold to the non-magical, or for use by mages in an emergency.

  ‘Now that we know the path has changed we should be able to deal with it.’ he said after giving it some thought. ‘It would have been worse if we’d reached the center and not realized the way out was different. It’s not as if this would be the first time. It’s just not going to be much fun.’

  ‘Alright. We’ll continue.’ Bo decided. ‘We’ll rest here tonight and take our bearings from the stars. Dorian, Julietta, see if you can get a feel for the forests mood.’

  Dorian gestured to Julietta and she followed him to sit by the forests edge, facing away from the lake.

  ‘Don’t you know where this lake is?’ Julietta asked as they looked into the dark, murky interior of the forest. ‘Why do you need to look at the stars?’

  ‘Just to make sure it’s the right lake.’ Dorian said. ‘There are quite a few lakes on the outskirts of the forest. Sometimes they change shape, not by much, but by enough to confuse you if you’re not careful. Too many water spirits.’

  ‘Outskirts?’

  Dorian nodded. ‘We’re not in the deep part yet.’ he sighed. ‘We thought this would be an easy introduction to Sontmor for you. It’s confusing in the deep forest, but there aren’t a whole lot of beasts or bandits.’

  ‘Oh, please don’t worry on my account. Will you be able to find the center?’

  ‘As Asmara said, that’s not the hard part. We’ll check the river that comes off this lake and probably try and follow it back, if we can get a sense of where it is right now in relation to the rest of the forest. Moving the rivers requires changing the riverbed and getting the cooperation of the forest, so they don’t usually change unless something big happens.’

  ‘Big like what?’

  ‘If there’s an earthquake the water spirits will usually use that as an opportunity to move the river somewhere else, but usually they stay put. See if you can focus on the forest. It might take a while, but try and get a sense of how the trees are moving around. If they’re feeling particularly malevolent we may have to wait a while before moving on, but they don’t usually get like that unless someone’s been cutting them down.’

  ‘But aren’t they clearing the forest to make farms?’

  ‘In some parts, they’ve left this forest alone for several decades now and they’re trying in an area further east that was burnt down naturally.’

  ‘They didn’t mention that at the Collegium...’

  ‘A lot of what you hear about Sontmor in the northern provinces isn’t very accurate. Most of it is pretty hard to believe, and Julius Sontmor doesn’t want people getting too cautious anyway, he needs money to keep developing his province.’

  ‘I wonder how the Walmese developed Mance-Jolune if we’re having this much trouble with Sontmor...’ Julietta said, her eyes bright with curiousity. Perhaps when she travelled to Walmon (as she was going to visit one day) she’d be able to find out.

  ‘Don’t know.’ Dorian shrugged. ‘The people who live in Sontmor think this place was always more powerful, the Walmese never got this far south, as I’m sure you know.’

  ‘They conquered what is now Mance and Montfal first, Jolune followed and then Clare, after which they took most of Poirive and Belcanon. They did not do much in Mercôt or the southern parts of Belcanon and Poirive, most of the development in those provinces occurred after the retreat of the Walmese Empire and the granting of independence to the provinces, following their losses in Lakasha.’

  He sighed. ‘You know your ancient history. Anyway, we should focus on the forest, Julietta.’

  Julietta cleared her mind and focussed on the power of the world around her. Soon, a sense came to her of many minds clustered around her. They were rustling and moving, leaves rippling and roots digging through dirt. They did not seem upset, simply restless, which she had never felt before from trees. Hours later, when she and Dorian returned to where Asmara and Bo had set up camp on the shores of the lake, she asked him about it.

  ‘That’s pretty normal for this forest.’ he replied. It was cooler out of the forest and he tugged his cloak around him. ‘Bo, I think it’s fine. They just felt like moving.’

  Bo nodded. ‘If there was really a problem, they would not have let us use fire.’

  ‘Good point.’ he said. He turned and spotted Asmara, boots off, standing in the lake. The sun was setting and the wild colours streaking the clouds were reflected in the lake.

  ‘Amazing...’ Julietta breathed. Silently, she watched.

  Dorian, who had been about to say something, remained quiet. When the show was finally over and the reds and oranges of the dying day had faded, he scolded Asmara, ‘get out of the water, Asmara, I’m in no mood to rescue you from any water spirits.’

  She turned and smiled. ‘Julietta will rescue me, won’t you? The water’s nice and cool, you should join me.’

  Dorian grumbled under his breath, ‘I’m cold enough already!’, and turned his attention to cooking.

  ‘Is she really in danger?’ Julietta asked Dorian, concerned.

  ‘She’ll be fine.’ Bo said. ‘I wouldn’t go in, but most spirits don’t bother her the way they do other people, mages or not.’

  Julietta watched, curious but silent. She would add these observations about the nature of shadow magic to her notebook.

  ‘Of more concern is the sky, it’s too cloudy to see the stars.’ Bo said.

  ‘Julietta, why don’t you give it a try?’ Dorian said, ‘I need to cook.’

  More pleased than she would ever admit at being asked, Julietta turned her attention to the clouds above. In the dark night the lake was murky, and the only light was the fire and the ever present sparkle wasps glittering from the forest.

  Thinking of the wasps Julietta sighed. But at least it gave her an idea. Directing her mind towards the clouds above, she started drawing in power. Almost immediately little clouds in the shape of people started swirling down towards her. Soon there was a small hole in the clouds that was growing. As the spirits got closer they separated out into water and air spirits. The water spirits dived into the lake while the air spirits swirled around her.

  Julietta laughed as the creatures circled her, their passage stirring her clothes and hair.

  Dorian looked up as he saw what was happening, but he kept his mouth shut. Bo’s attention was focussed on the stars he could see, while Asmara was enjoying the reflection of the stars in the lake.

  ‘Ok, I’ve got it.’ Bo said, his voice cutting through Julietta’s enjoyment. ‘Send them back if you can.’

  Julietta, quashed her disappointment and stopped drawing on the world. ‘It was nice to meet you.’ Julietta said to the spirits. ‘Please, go back to the sky now.’

  The creatures wavered, watching her with their faceless faces. Julietta carefully began releasing her borrowed power back into the sky. The spirits suddenly all swarmed towards the accumulation of power. Letting go and returning to her normal flow of power, Julietta was pleased to see the clouds reforming.

  ‘Good.’ Bo said approvingly. ‘This is the lake we thought it was. Tomorrow we head deeper into the forest.’

  Feeling better than she had in days, Julietta sat down to write her notes, eagerly looking forward to tomorrow.

  CHAPTER 7

  19 Fevror, 1352

  The next day they followed the river deeper into the forest. It flowed southwest, and in the late afternoon they stopped following it and headed due south. The trees were thick and close, the sky above completely blotted out by branches. The group walked slowly, stepping over tree roots and squeezing through the narrow gaps between the trunks of the trees. Asmara took the lead, with Dorian behind, then Julietta and Bo bringing up the rear. Shrubs that thrived in the darkness brushed at Julietta’s legs, and the ground felt soft and damp. The air was much warmer than by the lake, and smelt thickly of vegetation and decay. They had no light with them, and instead let their eyes adjust to the darkness. They had told her it was safest this way, they did not want to draw attention to themselves or bring the ire of the forest down on them. Once they left the river, Julietta was thoroughly confused and did not have the slightest idea how Asmara knew what direction they were taking. Frequently Asmara or Dorian would bend down and leave a coloured wooden marker within the tree roots, or tie a coloured rope around the trunk of a tree. The markers looked so obviously man-made and foreign to the forest Julietta had a strong urge to remove them, she felt as though they were littering in a sacred, untouched place. Despite that, they made her feel a little less confused and disorientated.

  A few hours after they left the river Asmara called a stop. They made camp in the dim interior of the forest, pressed up against and surrounded on all sides by trees that whispered quietly to themselves. Julietta was thoroughly exhausted and after a cold meal went quickly to bed. The next day was the same. As they continued on through the forest Julietta was overcome with a growing sense that they would never escape, and that she would be trapped in this warm, close darkness for the rest of her life. She struggled to control her rising panic, she was not going to make a fool of herself again. She stifled a yell as she felt something on her shoulder. It was just Bo’s hand.

  ‘We’ll reach our destination tomorrow, don’t worry. It’s a tough forest, but it’ll be over soon.’

  ‘I’m not worried.’ she said in a strangled voice.

  His only response was a chuckle.

  The next day they continued on. Around midday the group slowed, and Dorian took the lead. He walked carefully around the trees, peering down at the ground.

  ‘What’s happening?’ Julietta asked, tired and afraid.

  ‘Come here, Julietta.’ Dorian called quietly. He was kneeling down at the base of a tree, its thick, black roots creating ridges and caves in the dirt.

  Julietta knelt down beside him. Almost immediately she spotted what had caught his attention. Nestled in the shadow of the roots was a cluster of mushrooms, their caps a rich, deep red that she could barely make out in the gloom, though her eyes had adjusted days ago.

  As she watched the mushrooms shifted through the dirt making way for one that came forward. It moved through the dirt, as if something beneath the ground was dragging it towards them.

  Julietta watched in fascination. Dorian pulled a sturdy, cylindrical container from his pack and put it down on the ground. Carefully, he gathered dirt and detritus from the forest floor into the flask.

  ‘If you would, please go in.’ he whispered softly. ‘We will take you for use in medicine if you are willing.’

  The mushroom paused at the edge of the flask. Dorian repeated, ‘we will take you for use in medicine, if you are willing.’

  Julietta glanced at Dorian, her eyes wide in surprise. The tense tableau between him and the mushroom was nothing like she had expected. What did Dorian expect to happen, she wondered.

  And then the moment was gone, a decision was made. The mushroom shuffled forward into the flask and Julietta caught a glimpse of white, thread like strands extending from the base of the stalk. Then those strands disappeared into the dirt Dorian had gathered into the container.

  ‘Thank you.’ he whispered. He closed the flask and carefully stood up. ‘I have one, Bo, Asmara. We can leave now.’

  ‘Just one?’ Julietta asked.

  ‘Yes. I did not think one would come with us the first time we asked, I thought we’d have to ask a few communities.’

  ‘I didn’t know you had to ask the mushrooms to join you. Why would they agree?’

  ‘If you don’t have their cooperation whatever you make will be useless. The old mushrooms will agree to go with you sometimes, they don’t mind being part of medicines.’

  ‘Why, that’s very selfless fungi.’ Julietta replied in surprise.

  ‘Yes. Come on, let’s head back.’

  That night after they set up camp Dorian took out the container and Julietta heard him talking with the mushroom.

  Leaving the forest took longer than entering it. Dorian and Asmara took the lead and they walked slowly, checking for signs of their passage. Julietta heard Asmara comment on some marks on the bark of a tree and that of a tree next to it and apparently knew from that they were on the right track. How she could remember specific trees in this dense forest Julietta did not know. Once they reached the river, their pace increased, and Julietta felt a great relief. The forest was not so thick against the steep banks of the narrow, fast flowing stream and the air was cooler and clearer.

  The trees rustled around them, which was normal so Julietta thought nothing of it. Then a dark shape sprung from the trees and toppled Asmara. Julietta froze. Asmara had her sword out, jammed between the teeth of a man-sized black cat with wings.

  ‘Bo, sing!’ Asmara yelled as she struggled with the monster. ‘Sing!’

  Julietta didn’t understand what Asmara was on about, and formed a spell in her mind. She did not have her gloves, but she was still a formidable sorceress without them. She focussed on the cat, whispering under her breath. The air shivered, but the creature took no notice. Julietta drew in more power, preparing a more powerful attack. Behind her, Bo was breaking into song. He had a deep, rich voice that carried far in the dark forest.

  The cat paused and looked up. Julietta unleashed another spell at the creature that did not even singe its fur.

  ‘Julietta can you sing?’ Dorian demanded.

  ‘What?’ she turned to look at the other sorcerer who had so far done nothing.

  ‘Sing, if you can!’

  Startled, Julietta slowly started joining in with Bo’s song. He was singing a well known song about a donkey and a merchant. Her light, clear voice joined his and the cat sat up, its yellow eyes focussed solely on them. Dorian ran to help Asmara, who was wiggling out from under the paws of the distracted cat. He helped her to her feet and they carefully started backing away. Bo gestured at Julietta and started following Asmara and Dorian, still singing all the while. The cat watched them, slowly relaxing as it did. Soon it was lying down, its eyes drooping shut. Still they kept singing, as they walked carefully away, and did not stop until over an hour later, by which time Julietta’s throat was getting quite raw and the cat was left far behind.

  Slowly, Bo drew the song to a close and they finally stopped.

  Julietta glared balefully at the rest of the group. ‘What was that?’ she demanded, her voice hoarse.