Eliza Twitchel & The Haunted Forest

Eliza Twitchel & The Haunted Forest--Chapter 9

                       When Is a Tree Not a Tree?

If there was one thing Eliza was certain of, it was that she was no cowgirl.  The piebald Tinker horse she was riding must have sensed it too because over the past hour, it had done everything in its power to do the exact opposite of what Eliza commanded.  She said ‘go left’ and it went right.  She said ‘hurry up’ and it came to a complete stop. 

Grizzle had been no help at all.  The brownie rode on Eliza’s shoulders, holding tight to her plaited ponytail, moaning and complaining about her lack of equestrian skills until she’d had enough and snapped her head around, causing her ponytail to flick the opposite direction, sending Grizzle flying onto the horse’s crest where he held on for dear life.  He turned and scowled at Eliza, who grinned innocently.

Talan, riding a buckskin Gypsy Cob with black feathering over its hooves, led the party along a deer path through white birch trees, followed by Quinn, mounted on a dappled gray Gypsy Cob, and Eliza who brought up the rear.  There was no sign of Quinn’s owl, Fayne, who had flown ahead to scout the area. 

Talan looked over his shoulder to see Eliza's horse standing frozen in place.  He reined his horse around and galloped back to her.

"The trick with horses is you have to show them who is in charge."

Eliza shrugged helplessly.  "I think he already knows who’s in charge."

Talan dismounted and grabbed the reins from Eliza’s grasp.  "You are half dryad.  That means you have certain abilities. One of those abilities is controlling the minds of less intelligent creatures, such as horses."

"How do I do that?" Eliza looked at Grizzle who sat on its withers. He shrugged.

Talan patted the Tinker horse’s neck and whispered into its ear.  He took Eliza’s wrist and rolled up her sleeve, revealing her mother’s bracelet. 

"A dryad’s heartstone is the source of their powers. You must learn to bond with it, make it a part of your consciousness."

As Talan took hold of Eliza’s wrist, the heartstone glowed yellow.  Eliza jerked her hand back as emotions not her own flooded through her.  Her pulse raced and that odd warm sensation coursed through her veins. 

Talan took a step back.  "I apologize.  I did not mean to startle you."

Quinn rode up, an impatient scowl on his face.  He glanced from Eliza to Talan.  "We'll never reach the Haunted Forest at this pace."

"I was just showing Eliza a dryad trick her mother once taught me." Talan jumped onto his horse and turned to Eliza.  "Concentrate on what you want the animal to do. Use Ru'elawen's experience."  He trotted ahead, looking back over his shoulder. "Focus your thoughts."

Eliza tightened her grip on the reins and concentrated.  Follow the other horses.   The Tinker’s ears perked up.  It whinnied and trotted after Quinn and Talan.

Grizzle turned and nodded to Eliza.  "Well done.  I see my tutelage is paying off."

Eliza looked down at her bracelet to find the stone glowing yellow. Her mother may have given the bracelet to her, but who was controlling it? her or her mother? And why did her heart flutter and pulse race every time Talan touched her? It wasn't as if she liked him? Not as in like liked.  She had never liked any boy in that way. Besides, she didn't even know the man.

Mama knew him. They grew up together. Talan knew her better than anyone--maybe even better than papa.

Eliza groaned in disgust. Her bracelet had a crush on the woodsman and she was helpless to do anything about it. As if she didn't have enough to worry about.