Book 1: Brutality

Covenant

16

"The appearance of rainbow in the cloud shows a lasting covenant between the Creator and his creation on earth." - Lailah Gifty Akita

~Trigger Warning~

Reluctantly, I nod. Behind me, Valindra shifts uneasily.

"Hmm." Edhelel regards me intently a moment more. "Let's experiment." Moving stiffly, she extends a gnarled, twisted old foot. "I've always had trouble with this foot since I was young and an Unseelie knight decided to play with me." Her voice holds no hint of bitterness. "Could you do something about it?"

Could I do something about it? I have no choice. My hands leap forward and wrap around the foot. The unicorn's power flares and I feel, fleetingly, the magic writhing within me, correcting the crushed and twisted bones, rerouting the blood vessels and knitting the flesh back together. A flash of light and it's done - Edhelel's foot is whole, smooth and untwisted.

The tribe lets out a collective gasp and a frenzy of whispers. Edhelel flexes her foot in satisfaction, appearing completely unsurprised. "Well, well," she says, "it seems the unicorn did bless you." At my startled look, she smiles. "I'm old, child. This isn't the first time I've encountered the unicorn's power."

The goblins gibber even more. Off to the side, I see Gael staring, red eyes round and I sigh. This story is going to spread, so much for obscurity. Nervously, I hope this rumour doesn't fly too far or too fast.

"Well, Albia," Edhelel says, sounding pleased, "I do believe you are welcome here." She rests her weight on her formerly bad foot and lets out a pleased gasp at standing without pain. "Oh, that's better!" She beckons at me. "Come, Albia."

After a nervous look at Valindra, who nods encouragingly, I follow Edhelel across the platform to the great, hideous mass of branches. Up close, it's even uglier, but more fascinating — the vines of the living tree tie around one another in a fabulously complicated puzzle, stained with lichen and strung with spiderwebs. There's also a strange, dark stain covering it.

"This is the Knot," says Edhelel. "It is the centre of power for the Red Branch tribe of tree goblins and the means by which we maintain our covenant with the trees." She turns to me. "The covenant is this: that any Red Branch goblin, or those we permit, are safe from most predators and other faeries as long as we are in or touching one of the trees. The trees also provide us with food, shelter and materials."

"There is of course a price for this." She shrugs. "We must feed the trees our blood, at least once a year." She points and I see the stain is old, dried up blood. "If you enter the covenant, Albia, you too must feed the trees. Will you do so?"

An awestruck murmur runs through the crowd. "Covenant...a mortal?...But we don't even know her..."

I do not turn to look at the tribe. I know what this is — a chance at protection and also a test. I nod, placing my right hand over my heart.

"Very well." Edhelel looks at Valindra. "Will you vouch for her, Valindra?"

"Yes, Chieftainess." Valindra nods. "She is a good and helpful girl and will bring no harm to the tribe. Indeed, I think she will bring much good."

"I think so too." Edhelel turns to me, drawing a small copper knife from her belt. "In exchange for healing my leg, Albia, I grant you the protection of our tribe and the covenant of the trees. Hold out your arm."

A little hesitantly, I do so and she draws the knife shallowly across it. Blood trickles down my arm and onto the knot.

A cheer rises and Edhelel smiles. "There. You are now under our protection and that of the trees. The trees will feed you and as long as you are touching one, you will be safe from enemies."

I can't stop myself from smiling. Maybe she's only doing it in return for healing her leg and because I look like I'll be a useful addition to the tribe — but I am now protected and part of the community. Like Valindra, I may not be one of them but at least I have some sort of place now.

My cut is still bleeding. Raising my other hand, I try to summon the unicorn's power to heal myself, but, though the white glow appears and the power cackles, my cut won't heal.

"What's the matter, Albia?" Valindra comes up, through the chattering crowd.

Frowning, I show her how the gift isn't working on me. Edhelel, still standing close, leans in interestedly. "Looks like the unicorn's gift works on others but not you," she observes. She then turns. "Oi! Baruil! Seiveril!"

"Here!" Two younger goblins swing through the branches, landing lightly before their Chieftainess.

"A pair of idiots like you must have some injuries," Edhelel says in a calm, observational tone. "Have our new Lady Healer heal one."

The two goblins fall about, laughing. They must be identical twins, like me and Ari, because I can't tell them apart.

"Okay, okay," giggles one, and shows me a small bruise on his arm.

With some trepidation — what if the power isn't working at all anymore? - I lay my hands on the bruise and it heals instantly. I breathe out a sigh of relief. Edhelel must be right, the unicorn's gift works on others but not me. That's a bit disappointing but better than it suddenly vanishing.

"All right!" cheers the goblin twin. I curtsy and smile.

Edhelel looks at me closely. "Can't you speak at all, child?"

I shake my head, tears stinging my eyes. Valindra speaks up. "I think it's a curse, Edhelel." I look at her in surprise and she shrugs. "What else could it be?"

"Ah." Edhelel looks at me sidelong. "Like that, eh?" She turns back to the goblin twins. "You like stealing things from Ironside, don't you? And you owe the Lady Healer now. So, next time you're out shopping, get Albia here a book on sign language. Humans have that sort of thing, I understand." She pauses thoughtfully. "Get me a copy too, while you're at it. And some salt."

"Salt!" They draw back, making disgusted faces.

"Mortals need it just to stay alive," Edhelel says. "Our new healer needs it."

Behind me, Valindra sucks in her breath, dismayed. But what can we do? The goblins are already chattering and exclaiming enthusiastically. They start pushing forward to showcase their injuries and small, squalling babies. "Please...Touch my daughter!...I've got a cut...See this?"

"You can touch me anytime, lovely," leers a male, only to be cuffed back by his tribe-mates. I shudder away, hoping no one notices the flash of disgust.

Barathalion's fingers, digging into my breasts, my hair being dragged back through the mud as I'm raked brutally back and forth across the ground-

~Fun Fact~

Someone actually paid $10,000 for invisible artwork. The artwork was billed as an "endless tank of oxygen."

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