Eliza Twitchel & The Haunted Forest

Eliza Twitchel & The Haunted Forest--Chapter 24

                       Wood Trolls

"Doesn't this bloody forest ever change?" Talan grumbled as he plodded along past mist-shrouded trees with twisted limbs and burled faces.  Grizzle sat on his shoulders, chewing on a hunk of honey root and looking nervous as he held tight to Talan's cloak.

Quinn followed several paces behind, deep in thought.  So many things had gone awry: The destruction of Sprudlende; Eliza taken to Castle Malwyrn and bargaining with the troll witch; Fayne injured and Jynx setting off to rescue his fellow gnomes with nothing but a young giant by his side.  What else could go wrong?

He was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he didn't noticed the woman strolling beside him until she spoke.

"Read from the Black Book and remove my curse," Fayne begged.  "Save me, Quinn."

Quinn stared with disbelief at the selkie.  "What dark magic is this?"

Fayne's azure blue eyes, moist and shining, pleaded with him.  "Have I not suffered enough for you?" The pain in her voice tore at his soul.

"How many times did I beg you to leave me and return to the sea?"  He closed his eyes and wished the image away. This couldn't be Fayne.  The curse allowed her one hour each night to assume her Selkie form.  It was still daylight. Besides, she was far from this place. It was just a trick; a ruse the forest dreamed up to unsettle him.

"Do I not deserve this one kindness, Quinn? What harm will it do to look inside the witches' grimoire? A quick peek; that's all we need; just a peek to find the spell and release me from this torment. And if the others protest, kill them. Kill them all."

"Leave me be!" Quinn opened his eyes and turned to Fayne, only to find her gone.

"Quinn? Are you alright?"

Quinn turned to see Talan and Grizzle staring at him.  "Fayne was here.  She spoke to me."

Talan shook his head.  "You know Fayne cannot appear in daylight."

Quinn nodded.  "She just seemed so real."

Grizzle looked around nervously.  "Do not believe anything you see or hear in this forest.  Once you do, you are lost."

"Wise words, Master Brownie," Quinn said, still shaken. "I'm alright. Let's keep going."

Talan turned and continued onward. Grizzle craned his neck and looked back at Quinn, who scoured the woods, looking vexed as he muttered to himself.

They had walked another hour when Talan came upon a grove of trees loaded with black plums.  The woodsman eagerly headed for the nearest tree.  "Thank the Mother!  At least we will not starve in this accursed forest!" He plucked a plum and sniffed it. "It smells ripe.  He handed the plum to Grizzle and picked another. Eat up! Who knows when we'll get this chance again?"

Grizzle sniffed his plum gave the tree a dubious glance.  "Remember what I said, Woodsman. Nothing in this place is what it seems.  Think. Why would someone plant an orchard in the middle of a haunted forest?"

"Who cares? We have not eaten a thing all day. Does it matter why it is here?"

Just before Talan took a bite, Quinn knocked the plum from his hands.  He pointed at the ground several trees away.  "There's your answer."

Talan followed Quinn's finger. Lying on the ground was a small figure. He hurried to the tree to find a dead elf dressed similarly to the Bear Clan elves they had fought earlier.  Lying beside the elf was a half-eaten plum.