Read Online Oak And Mist (The Ambeth Chronicles Book 1) by Helen Jones - Free Book Online
Authors: Helen Jones
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glanced at him, unsure and he looked taken aback. ‘You don’t mind, do you? I mean, we did the other day-‘
‘No, no, it’s fine,’ said Alma hastily, smiling at him, It was fine - in fact she liked it. She just wasn’t used to it. There was an awkward silence before Caleb spoke again.
‘So, how was the crossing?’
‘Well, it was fine, I guess,’ replied Alma. ‘I mean, I just did the same thing as last time and it seemed to work. I’m here, anyway.’
‘It’s good that you’re wearing your bracelet again,’ went on Caleb. ‘Do you know it will also protect you from being trapped here too long?’
Alma looked at him, surprised. ‘You mean, I could get stuck here if I wasn’t wearing it?’ That didn’t sound good – she had better make sure she was wearing it every day from now on. Caleb looked serious.
‘Well, it has happened – some humans have crossed over by accident and not been able to get back. There is a village on the other side of the meadow which is mostly humans – those who have come across and chosen to make their life here, others who have come over and not been able to get back for one reason or another.’
‘Really?’ said Alma, amazed. She didn’t remember noticing a village last time but then there had been so much going on it wasn’t surprising. As they came through the low bushes into the meadow, Caleb stopped and pointed.
‘See?’ he said. Alma looked to where he was pointing and saw a small huddle of stone houses at the far end of the field, some with smoke coming from their chimneys. Their small gardens were bright with flowers and greenery. It looked pretty and peaceful, a perfect small village. But if what Caleb said was true…
‘But how awful,’ she said, glancing again at the village as they started across the field, ‘to be trapped here! I mean, I wonder what their families think?’
She looked at Caleb, her face creased in concern and he nodded, although he looked unsure as to why she was so worried. ‘I believe they all look after each other, you know, regularly checking the Gates just in case. Newcomers are welcomed into the community and looked after very well, by all accounts. It’s not so bad a place, you know,’ he added, smiling again.
‘Well, no, I guess not,’ said Alma, a little shocked at Caleb’s casual attitude. They had reached the gardens and went to sit down on a cushioned bench in the shade of a giant eucalypt, silver green leaves scenting the air. She tried to get Caleb to understand. ‘But… What about their lives in the human world? I mean, can they ever get home, if they want to?’
Caleb sighed, looking at her with eyes blue as the sea, his expression gentle. ‘Well, for those who wish to return to their homes, there are some members of the Light who will take them back across, if petitioned. The problem lies in how much time may have passed since they crossed through.’
‘So, they might have been gone only a few days here,’ asked Alma, struggling to understand, ‘but they could get back and find-’
‘-that much more time has passed in their world.’ Caleb finished. ‘So you can see, it’s not always the best solution.’
‘Wow,’ said Alma. ‘That is… a lot to think about. I mean, there are stories in my world of people who spend a night in fairyland only to come back the next morning and find a hundred years have passed. I just thought they were fairy tales, but now…’ She was silent for a moment, her hand to her mouth. ‘So how is it that I’m able to cross through in normal time? Is it the bracelet?’
‘I guess,’ said Caleb. ‘At least, that’s how I understand it.’ He ran a hand through his hair, making it even more unruly than before. ‘The best person to ask would be Thorion, I suppose. He knows far more about these things than I do.’
‘I-I will,’ said Alma, a little distracted at the thought of the handsome High King. Her face lit up. ‘So, will I get to see him
‘No, no, it’s fine,’ said Alma hastily, smiling at him, It was fine - in fact she liked it. She just wasn’t used to it. There was an awkward silence before Caleb spoke again.
‘So, how was the crossing?’
‘Well, it was fine, I guess,’ replied Alma. ‘I mean, I just did the same thing as last time and it seemed to work. I’m here, anyway.’
‘It’s good that you’re wearing your bracelet again,’ went on Caleb. ‘Do you know it will also protect you from being trapped here too long?’
Alma looked at him, surprised. ‘You mean, I could get stuck here if I wasn’t wearing it?’ That didn’t sound good – she had better make sure she was wearing it every day from now on. Caleb looked serious.
‘Well, it has happened – some humans have crossed over by accident and not been able to get back. There is a village on the other side of the meadow which is mostly humans – those who have come across and chosen to make their life here, others who have come over and not been able to get back for one reason or another.’
‘Really?’ said Alma, amazed. She didn’t remember noticing a village last time but then there had been so much going on it wasn’t surprising. As they came through the low bushes into the meadow, Caleb stopped and pointed.
‘See?’ he said. Alma looked to where he was pointing and saw a small huddle of stone houses at the far end of the field, some with smoke coming from their chimneys. Their small gardens were bright with flowers and greenery. It looked pretty and peaceful, a perfect small village. But if what Caleb said was true…
‘But how awful,’ she said, glancing again at the village as they started across the field, ‘to be trapped here! I mean, I wonder what their families think?’
She looked at Caleb, her face creased in concern and he nodded, although he looked unsure as to why she was so worried. ‘I believe they all look after each other, you know, regularly checking the Gates just in case. Newcomers are welcomed into the community and looked after very well, by all accounts. It’s not so bad a place, you know,’ he added, smiling again.
‘Well, no, I guess not,’ said Alma, a little shocked at Caleb’s casual attitude. They had reached the gardens and went to sit down on a cushioned bench in the shade of a giant eucalypt, silver green leaves scenting the air. She tried to get Caleb to understand. ‘But… What about their lives in the human world? I mean, can they ever get home, if they want to?’
Caleb sighed, looking at her with eyes blue as the sea, his expression gentle. ‘Well, for those who wish to return to their homes, there are some members of the Light who will take them back across, if petitioned. The problem lies in how much time may have passed since they crossed through.’
‘So, they might have been gone only a few days here,’ asked Alma, struggling to understand, ‘but they could get back and find-’
‘-that much more time has passed in their world.’ Caleb finished. ‘So you can see, it’s not always the best solution.’
‘Wow,’ said Alma. ‘That is… a lot to think about. I mean, there are stories in my world of people who spend a night in fairyland only to come back the next morning and find a hundred years have passed. I just thought they were fairy tales, but now…’ She was silent for a moment, her hand to her mouth. ‘So how is it that I’m able to cross through in normal time? Is it the bracelet?’
‘I guess,’ said Caleb. ‘At least, that’s how I understand it.’ He ran a hand through his hair, making it even more unruly than before. ‘The best person to ask would be Thorion, I suppose. He knows far more about these things than I do.’
‘I-I will,’ said Alma, a little distracted at the thought of the handsome High King. Her face lit up. ‘So, will I get to see him