Midnight Wonders

5.4.2. Recollections by the Fireplace

Oh, you're here!" said Tristan, letting Annabel, Emma, and Cora in.

Cora made a beeline for Luc, and he had barely gotten up when she nearly knocked him into the fireplace with the force of her hug. "You're here!" she said, muffled against him, as if she couldn't believe it, and he could hardly believe it either. He couldn't even say anything, he just held her as she held him.

Faintly, he heard the others speaking, though what they were saying he neither knew nor cared to know. "You ran," Luc said into Cora's hair, the only thing he could think of.

Cora laughed, and it almost sounded like a sob. "I know. How'd you...How'd you get in here?"

Luc finally pulled back so he could look at her as he said, "I went through the hill looking for you, of course." He felt as if he were seeing her for the first time. He didn't even know how long it had been since she'd disappeared, but it had felt like an eternity that was now seconds. Here she was, looking as bright-eyed and pleasant as ever. Perhaps even more so than before. She was standing so easily, and her eyes were eager and attentive. He noticed, then, that she was wearing an unfamiliar red dress, bright as blood. "Looks like you've found a new wardrobe."

Cora laughed again. "Looks like you've lost your tie."

"Ah," he said. "No, I just...gave it away."

Cora sobered suddenly. She glanced at Emma, Annabel, Tristan, who were still talking. "You know...I'm from here."

Luc nodded. It still didn't feel any more real to have it come out of her mouth. "Tristan told me. And...so am I. I guess he told you?"

Cora blinked. Apparently not. "Where are you from?"

"The Sycamore." Luc tilted his head towards Tristan. "He says we're—well, I suppose we are brothers."

"Oh." said Cora. "Um. Emma and I are sisters. Kind of. Step?"

"Oh," said Luc. "So your father is the King of the Yew?" He supposed his interaction with the King made sense now.

She nodded. There was a moment of silence between them, and then she laughed once more. "It's all so very strange," she said, sighing. "You're still my brother, right?"

"Of course I am," Luc said. "You're still my sister."

Cora nodded. "Then that settles it. That's all that matters." She looked over at the others. "Sorry, what are you talking about?"

"Just about why he didn't think to wait for us," Annabel said, giving Tristan an accusatory look, though it was playful.

"Probably because you took so long," Tristan said. He shrugged. "Well, we're all here now."

"I do hope someone has a plan," said Cora. She looked at Luc. Luc looked at Emma, who looked at Annabel.

"I have one," said Annabel, "but it's a bit risky."

"But you're going to tell us it anyway, right?" Cora said.

Annabel nodded. "We'll have to wait until Midsummer."

"I thought you wanted me out before then," Cora said. "Isn't that the point?"

"Why?" said Luc. "What is Midsummer?"

"Apparently they're going to force me to get eaten by a tree," said Cora, "and it gives us magic." She made sparkly hands.

"How does it consume someone?" said Luc, not sure if he wanted to know. "Does it come alive?"

"It's already alive, Luc," said Annabel. "Midsummer comes, and the lights go off. It's the only time it's dark in here. That's when we know it's time to pay our debt. So the debt-payer," she gestured with a flourish to Cora, "goes over to the tree, which gives her its berries, and when she eats the berries with nothing else in her stomach, she becomes the tree and thus the tree consumes her."