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Authors: Toby Neighbors
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explained.
“Dung?”
“Yes,” Olyva said, smiling at the way her sister wrinkled her nose in disgust. “On the plains there aren’t many trees. The Hoskali use dried tamaka dung to build fires.”
“They burn poop?”
“Yes, it’s very effective.”
“It sounds gross.”
“It won’t seem that way for long,” Olyva said.
She had gotten a blanket spread out on the ground for Desyra and unpacked some food. Desyra had her own small pack with survival supplies, including a blanket, flint, rope, and dry rations, but she didn’t bother to unpack any of the items. Instead, she used the pack as a pillow and stretched out on the blanket Olyva had laid out for her.
Olyva cut up an apple, several carrots, and sliced several slivers from a block of hard cheese. She also gave Desyra a small loaf of sweet bread. The younger girl ate happily while Olyva stood with her toes in the small trickle of water.
“Aren’t you going to eat?” Desyra asked.
“I don’t need to. The sun nourishes me.”
“The sun?”
“Yes, remember I told you about the Hosscum grove. The trees changed me.”
“That’s why you’re taller,” Desyra said.
“Yes, the Hosscum can change people into trees, or into a type of tree, I guess.”
“There aren’t any nearby, are there?”
“No,” Olyva said with a smile. “They started to change me into a tree, but Rafe stopped them. So I have some special abilities, like being able to feel vibrations in the ground.”
“What else can you do?”
“I can hear better,” Olyva said. “And I can smell things. Everything has a very distinct scent. I could tell if something was nearby even in complete darkness, just by how it smells.”
“That’s amazing.”
Olyva nodded. “The changes the Hosscum worked on me weren’t bad. It’s an honor to be chosen to be part of the grove.”
“Where are the trees?”
“The Hosscum aren’t like regular trees. Their roots run along the top of the ground, and the groves can move, although they move slowly.”
“So the trees might come looking for you?” Desyra asked, with just a hint of worry in her voice.
“No,” Olyva said sadly. “Rafe and Tiberius burned down the Hosscum grove that changed me.”
“They burned the trees? You mean they killed them?”
“They didn’t realize what they were doing,” Olyva said.
Night fell suddenly, and the world around them went from bright, amber light to almost total darkness. Only the candlelight gave them any illumination. When the sun set, Olyva felt a wave of fatigue. She had planned to stay awake until her sister was asleep, but once the sun set, she wasn’t sure if she could.
“Wow,” Desyra said. “It’s really dark.”
“The mist blocks the stars and moon. There are very few people on the plains, so there isn’t much light. We should get some sleep.”
“Are you staying close to me?” Desyra said.
“Right beside you,” Olyva said, settling down on the ground beside her sister. “All night.”
“Can we let the candles keep burning?”
“Maybe just one,” Olyva said.
“Okay.”
Desyra yawned. She lay down on her side, watching the candle flame as it burned steadily. There was almost no wind, and the night was warm. Soon Desyra was asleep, and Olyva blew out two of the candles. Then she lay down on the ground, feeling the earth beneath her skin. Her toes burrowed into the soft soil, and Olyva fell instantly asleep.
Chapter 10
Leonosis
“The ships are ready?” Draggah asked.
“Everything except for provisions,” the general said quietly.
“How long will it take to get everyone onboard the ships?”
“A few hours, my king.”
Draggah screamed in fury, pummeling the officer in his rage. The demon had grown more irritable by the day as they waited to hear from the scout ships that had been sent back. Rumors were flying around the city, and the mood inside the castle was total fear. Four servants had been slain for no reason other than being in
“Dung?”
“Yes,” Olyva said, smiling at the way her sister wrinkled her nose in disgust. “On the plains there aren’t many trees. The Hoskali use dried tamaka dung to build fires.”
“They burn poop?”
“Yes, it’s very effective.”
“It sounds gross.”
“It won’t seem that way for long,” Olyva said.
She had gotten a blanket spread out on the ground for Desyra and unpacked some food. Desyra had her own small pack with survival supplies, including a blanket, flint, rope, and dry rations, but she didn’t bother to unpack any of the items. Instead, she used the pack as a pillow and stretched out on the blanket Olyva had laid out for her.
Olyva cut up an apple, several carrots, and sliced several slivers from a block of hard cheese. She also gave Desyra a small loaf of sweet bread. The younger girl ate happily while Olyva stood with her toes in the small trickle of water.
“Aren’t you going to eat?” Desyra asked.
“I don’t need to. The sun nourishes me.”
“The sun?”
“Yes, remember I told you about the Hosscum grove. The trees changed me.”
“That’s why you’re taller,” Desyra said.
“Yes, the Hosscum can change people into trees, or into a type of tree, I guess.”
“There aren’t any nearby, are there?”
“No,” Olyva said with a smile. “They started to change me into a tree, but Rafe stopped them. So I have some special abilities, like being able to feel vibrations in the ground.”
“What else can you do?”
“I can hear better,” Olyva said. “And I can smell things. Everything has a very distinct scent. I could tell if something was nearby even in complete darkness, just by how it smells.”
“That’s amazing.”
Olyva nodded. “The changes the Hosscum worked on me weren’t bad. It’s an honor to be chosen to be part of the grove.”
“Where are the trees?”
“The Hosscum aren’t like regular trees. Their roots run along the top of the ground, and the groves can move, although they move slowly.”
“So the trees might come looking for you?” Desyra asked, with just a hint of worry in her voice.
“No,” Olyva said sadly. “Rafe and Tiberius burned down the Hosscum grove that changed me.”
“They burned the trees? You mean they killed them?”
“They didn’t realize what they were doing,” Olyva said.
Night fell suddenly, and the world around them went from bright, amber light to almost total darkness. Only the candlelight gave them any illumination. When the sun set, Olyva felt a wave of fatigue. She had planned to stay awake until her sister was asleep, but once the sun set, she wasn’t sure if she could.
“Wow,” Desyra said. “It’s really dark.”
“The mist blocks the stars and moon. There are very few people on the plains, so there isn’t much light. We should get some sleep.”
“Are you staying close to me?” Desyra said.
“Right beside you,” Olyva said, settling down on the ground beside her sister. “All night.”
“Can we let the candles keep burning?”
“Maybe just one,” Olyva said.
“Okay.”
Desyra yawned. She lay down on her side, watching the candle flame as it burned steadily. There was almost no wind, and the night was warm. Soon Desyra was asleep, and Olyva blew out two of the candles. Then she lay down on the ground, feeling the earth beneath her skin. Her toes burrowed into the soft soil, and Olyva fell instantly asleep.
Chapter 10
Leonosis
“The ships are ready?” Draggah asked.
“Everything except for provisions,” the general said quietly.
“How long will it take to get everyone onboard the ships?”
“A few hours, my king.”
Draggah screamed in fury, pummeling the officer in his rage. The demon had grown more irritable by the day as they waited to hear from the scout ships that had been sent back. Rumors were flying around the city, and the mood inside the castle was total fear. Four servants had been slain for no reason other than being in
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