The Tree's Heart

IX

The next day they got the potion from the gnomes and could make their way back towards the cabin. Clover had barely managed to sleep at all, so she was tired and was glad that Willow was walking a little more slowly now. She was probably doing it to keep an eye on her, so she wouldn't run off with any fae men, but Clover was too tired to be annoyed by this. Besides, she didn't even know whether she was going to see him again. And she had no idea if she could resist him if she did see him again.

But as much as she was looking out for a shadowy figure or even a rustling between the trees, there was nothing. No one in sight, just her and Willow and some birds. And trees. Trees everywhere. Clover had no idea how Willow managed to find her way through this place – to Clover it all looked the same. But Willow was leading them through the trees, as if she had some sort of innate GPS. She never even seemed to doubt her way for once. Clover concluded that it had to be some witchy stuff or something like that.

They walked for the entire day until they finally got to a place where they could rest. It was a little closer to the cabin than the first place they had been resting at, which meant that they would likely get back home by midday tomorrow. Clover couldn't wait to be back home and to sleep in a proper bed. Her bones were hurting from sleeping on the floor for so many days in a row. And Clover was hoping that when they were back in the cabin, she'd possibly be able to forget about that man she had seen.

This whole thing was starting to get annoying because she could barely get any sleep. Clover wasn't sure whether it would make things worse if she saw him again or if it would make things better. She wasn't sure how any of this worked and how this man would be able to ruin her, even if he was fae. It made no sense to Clover and Willow also wasn't explaining much. Maybe Willow was being too careful...

After all, what was the worst that could happen? And surely Willow would know a way to undo things. She had lots of little spells and rituals scribbled in her books and she was constantly working on new ones. Clover had seen her. She had seen how Willow was carefully keeping her notes and how she was making sure to always keep records of things that she had done and how they had turned out. So why would there be so much harm in simply talking to the fae? She had been fine talking to the faeries after all.

Thinking about this in the middle of the night wasn't doing Clover any favours, either. She was curious about this, she wanted to sate her curiosity. She also didn't just want to take Willow's word for it. She didn't know much about Willow at all – what if she was lying? What if Willow wasn't the good person, she made herself out to be? What if it was actually the fae that would be able to get her out of this forest again? And even if she was going to be stuck with them forever... would that be so bad?

Clover remembered the joy and elation and the wonder she had felt when she was watching the faeries dancing and singing. Something about it was making her feel whole and happy. Like she was a different person. A better person. Maybe she was never meant to leave this forest. Maybe she was meant to become one of them – to become fae herself. How bad could it be? There was this entire soul thing, but... Clover didn't even believe in souls or whatever it was that Willow had been talking about.

Clover turned in her sleeping bag, trying to close her eyes, but it didn't seem to help her get any sleep. She opened them again with a frustrated sigh and looked out into the forest between the trees. The moonlight was shining through the treetops and was making the ground appear in a silverish blue. The trees themselves looked black and menacing. It made her shudder a little, but she knew that she was going to be fine. Nothing had happened the few nights she had spent outdoors, so why would it be any different this night? At least there was no mist wafting between the trees tonight.

Clover was about to close her eyes again when she saw it. It was harder to make out than the first time, but there was that shadow again. That shadow she had seen right before seeing that man for the first time. She quickly opened her eyes again, sitting up slightly. It took a little while until she managed to make out his shape among the trees. He was giving her a mischievous smile and Clover was unable to think.