Free Avondale V by Toby Neighbors Page B

he was looking through a telescope, only the magical enhancement allowed him to see much further and more clearly than any spyglass. The unnatural forest came into view, and Tiberius felt his stomach knotting up with fear. The forest looked horrific. Most of the trees were gray and lifeless, some were tangled sideways in the mass of trees, and other were even upside down, their roots reaching out like gnarled limbs desperately seeking a way out. The trunks and branches were entwined like the forest was a giant knot, both frightening and oddly curious at the same time.
    “What do you think could have caused that?” Tiberius said.
    “Magic?” Lexi asked.
    “No magic I’ve ever heard of,” Tiberius said. “It must be a result of the cataclysm.”
    “At least we can sail over it.”
    “No, we have to go down there. The Emerystone is there. I’m sure of it.”
    “In there?” Lexi asked. “Ti, if it’s in that forest, you’ll never find it. You could search your entire life and not find it.”
    “I have to try,” he argued. “We can’t turn back now.”
    “But how are you so sure? There’s no sign of the wizard village down there. Why would they build something in that forest?”
    “That forest was grown or created to hide the commune. Perhaps it was supposed to wipe any sign of the Four Orders away, but I know I have to go down there.”
    “Your back is just now getting better,” Lexi said. “Let’s sail over it and explore it first.”
    “No, don’t you see? That won’t do any good. That forest is meant to hide something. We have to go down there and find out what it is.”
    “Anything could be hiding in that forest, Ti. Creatures we’ve never seen before. More sentient trees. We can’t risk going down there.”
    “I have to,” Tiberius said. “You can stay here.”
    “Don’t be ridiculous. If you’re going, I’m going. You probably wouldn’t last half an hour without me anyway.”
    As the war ship sailed closer to the strange forest, Tiberius and Lexi gathered supplies. Lexi carried food and water for several days in a pack that she strapped securely to her back. Tiberius gathered rope and blankets. He hoped they wouldn’t be in the forest long, but he had to be ready to spend at least a few days in the tangled mess. He guessed that finding the Emerystone wouldn’t be easy.
    “Tell me you’re not going in there,” the captain said, pointing toward the forest that was now clearly visible from the ship.
    “We have to,” Tiberius said.
    “You’re out of your mind.”
    “Just take us as close as you can.”
    “Dancer’s back,” Lexi said. “She found a way in.”
    “What do you mean?” Tiberius asked.
    Dancer was standing on Lexi’s shoulder, trilling and pointing with one small paw.
    “There’s an opening further south,” Lexi said. “It’s hard to explain. A tunnel maybe, I’m not sure.”
    “Can she lead us there?”
    The little animal jumped up and down on Lexi’s shoulder.
    “I’ll take that as a yes,” Tiberius said. “Show the captain where to go.”
    Tiberius checked his weapons. He was carrying a dagger, but he had lost his whip. He didn’t know what he might need in the strange woodland. A spear would be too difficult to carry through the tangled forest, which looked almost like a junk heap. He had no idea what they might face and he knew he had to be ready for anything. He slid a throwing knife into a hidden sheath in his right boot, and Robere brought him a climbing pick.
    “Where did you find that?” Tiberius asked.
    “The ship has a small armory,” the aging servant said. “That pick looked useful.”
    “I guess a flying ship should have climbing equipment,” Tiberius said.
    “You will be careful, Master Tiberius. That forest looks dreadful.”
    “I will be—don’t worry.”
    When Tiberius got back on the main deck of the ship, they were over the forest. Some of the trees had leaves, but they were all brown and brittle looking. Nothing