RAVENNA

Part 19

Her spirit moved lightly ahead of them, her leafy form gliding through the undergrowth.They followed in silence, weaving through the trees, ducking beneath thorny shrubs, and pushing past branches heavy with snow. Step after step, the forest seemed to shift. The air grew warmer, softer. The sharp tang of frost gave way to the scent of moss and damp earth.And then—

They broke into a clearing.

Before them spread a vast grove, untouched by winter. Trees rose tall and green, their canopies thick with leaves, lush and vibrant as if summer still lingered here. Vines hung low, flowers bloomed at the bases of roots, and life pulsed in every shadow.The spirit slowed, lifted her hand once more—then dissolved into nothing, as though she had never been.

The group froze.

Sebastian exhaled hard, leaning against the nearest trunk to catch his breath. "Well... that was—"He stopped. His voice cracked into a strangled shriek.

Everyone spun toward him. He had stumbled back from the tree, eyes wide in horror.

A face—human-shaped, but made of bark and wood grain—stared back at him from within the trunk. Its lips pressed into the bark... and then moved.

"Gods," Victoria whispered, blade half-drawn. "What—what is that?"

Before Sebastian could answer, other faces stirred. Around them, the trunks shivered, their surfaces rippling. Eyes blinked open where knots had been, mouths unfurled from cracks.

The forest was full of watching faces.

And then, as if one breath passed through the grove, the shapes stepped forward. Wood gave way to flesh and leaf, and beings emerged from the trees themselves—slender forms of bark and vine, hair flowing like green moss, eyes bright as forest light.

Marcus's and Eirene spoke, "Dryads."The beings regarded them in silence, cautious yet unthreatening. Dryads—guardians of the trees, bound to their trunks, living as long as the forest lived. It was said they were shy, reluctant to show themselves to mortals—yet kind to those who honored the woods. And now, a whole grove of them stood before the seven, blinking into life. From among the dryads, one stepped forward.

Taller than the rest, his frame carried no brute muscle, but a presence that filled the grove—calm, guarded, and watchful as the trees themselves. His bark-braided hair fell across his shoulders, and his eyes gleamed like dark amber. The others shifted subtly behind him, whispering in their native tongue—sharp, rustling words that sounded like leaves hissing in a storm.

Nieve felt the hairs on her arms rise.Then, faint as breath on her ear, the familiar voice returned."Don't be afraid. These are my family... what's left of them."

Her eyes flicked toward where the spirit had been. She was there again, half-visible among the branches, watching her brother.

The tall dryad raised his chin. His voice rolled deep and steady."Humans. Why do you come here?"

Marcus swallowed and stepped forward, staff steadying him. "We... we were chased. By monsters. We fled blindly and ended here. We mean no harm."

For a heartbeat, silence. Then the leader let out a low, bitter laugh."Impossible. This grove is sealed. None may enter save those who know our magic."

The six humans froze. One by one, their eyes turned to Nieve. victoria's jaw tightened. "Nieve... what did you do?"

She said nothing—her throat too dry.The dryads' whispers sharpened. This time, the words shifted into human tongue, brittle and cold."Kill them. End it quickly. Then none will know of this place."Nieve's pulse hammered. Then—again, the spirit's voice:"He is my brother. Hazem Sage. Our home... was destroyed by the humans, so he doesn't trust them. Tell him. Only he can guide you to the river. Only he can take you north."

Hazem's gaze swept over them, unreadable. His hand hovered near the hilt of a blade woven from living vine. The other dryads leaned forward, tense.

The dryads' whispers pressed closer, sharp and hostile. Hazem's hand lingered near the living blade at his side. "Kill them! Finish, So we can live!" his clan roared.

Then the spirit's voice came again, low and urgent in Nieve's ear: "Say this to him—he will know me by it."

Nieve swallowed, then lifted her voice, steady but trembling:"Roots remember, even when fire burns. Ivy binds, even when ash falls." Hazem froze. His eyes snapped to her, the guarded composure shattering in a heartbeat. His chest rose sharply, and for the first time his voice faltered."...Those words..."The grove fell silent. The other dryads glanced at one another in confusion, whispering uneasily, but Hazem's gaze was fixed entirely on Nieve—as if she had just spoken a ghost back into his life.

He turned away quickly, shoulders taut, muttering fiercely with his elders. Their debate rose and fell, distrust sharpening their voices.

Finally, Hazem faced the humans again, jaw tight. "I will not welcome you. But... those words belong only to my blood. If they live still, then perhaps fate has spared you. I will not see more blood spilled tonight." His eyes lingered on Nieve, sharp with unspoken questions. "I will take you to the river. Beyond that... you are on your own."
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