No one moved.
The Heartwood’s words echoed through the clearing.
“One heart hides the truth.”
The silence became unbearable.
Elara looked from one face to another.
The Keeper.
Adrian.
Noah.
Lily.
Someone was hiding something.
But who?
“I didn’t lie,” Adrian said, breaking the silence.
The Keeper didn’t even look at him.
“The Heartwood doesn’t accuse without reason.”
Adrian clenched his fists.
“You don’t know the whole story.”
“And you do?” the Keeper replied.
For a moment, it seemed like the two were about to fight.
“Enough!” Elara shouted.
Everyone turned to her.
“I’m tired of people speaking in riddles.”
She looked at Adrian.
“You said my mother came here.”
He nodded.
“Yes.”
“What happened to her?”
Adrian looked down.
“She was one of us.”
“What do you mean?”
“We were a group of researchers.”
“We came to study Blackwood Forest.”
“The legends.”
“The disappearances.”
“The lights.”
“We thought they were myths.”
“But we were wrong.”
Noah frowned.
“So you found the Heartwood?”
Adrian nodded slowly.
“We found it.”
“And we should’ve left.”
“What happened next?” Elara asked.
Adrian took a deep breath.
“The forest became angry.”
“The ground split open.”
“The lights disappeared.”
“And…”
He stopped talking.
“And?” Elara asked.
“We lost four people that night.”
The clearing became quiet again.
Elara looked at the Keeper.
“Is that true?”
The Keeper answered without hesitation.
“Yes.”
“But he didn’t tell you everything.”
Adrian closed his eyes.
“I knew you would say that.”
The Keeper stepped forward.
“They didn’t come to study the forest.”
“They came to control it.”
Adrian’s face turned pale.
“That’s not true.”
“You carried machines.”
“You broke the roots.”
“You tried to steal the Heartwood’s power.”
“We were trying to save people!” Adrian shouted.
The spirits around the clearing suddenly appeared again.
Every one of them was watching.
Elara felt the crystal grow warm in her hand.
A bright flash surrounded her.
Another memory.
She saw a younger Adrian.
Her mother stood beside him.
She looked frightened.
Someone was placing a glowing crystal inside a metal box.
“No!” her mother shouted.
“Put it back!”
Then everything shook.
Golden roots burst from the ground.
People screamed.
The vision ended.
Elara opened her eyes.
She was breathing heavily.
“My mother tried to stop them.”
Adrian didn’t answer.
He couldn’t.
Because he knew she was right.
“So my mother wasn’t trying to steal from the forest.” Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
“No,” the Keeper said quietly.
“She protected it.”
Elara looked at Adrian.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
He sighed.
“Because I was ashamed.”
“I failed her.”
“I failed everyone.”
For the first time, Elara saw tears in his eyes.
Before anyone could speak again, Lily suddenly looked toward the forest.
“They’re here.”
The Keeper turned immediately.
His voice became serious.
“Everyone, stay back.”
A loud explosion echoed through the trees.
BOOM!
Birds flew into the sky.
The ground shook beneath their feet.
Noah nearly lost his balance.
“What was that?”
Another explosion.
Closer this time.
The Heartwood’s golden light flickered.
Cracks began spreading across the ground.
Someone was attacking the forest.
Then a frightened voice echoed through the clearing.
“Run!”
A young man burst through the trees, covered in mud and blood.
He collapsed only a few feet from Elara.
“They found another entrance…” he gasped.
“They’re coming for the Heartwood.”
Before anyone could help him…
A black arrow shot out of the darkness.
It struck the ground right beside Elara’s feet.
Tied to the arrow was a single piece of paper.
The Keeper picked it up.
His expression changed.
“What does it say?” Noah asked.
The Keeper looked toward the dark forest.
Then he read the message aloud.
“Return the Chosen…
or Ashwood will fall before sunrise.”