Twisted Fate

Chapter Two: Liber

Liber means The Book in Latin

I cursed under my breath as the door creaked loudly. I looked over my shoulder, checking to see if the twins had waken up. They turned over in their sleep and murmured incoherently. I pushed the door open, this time very quickly. There was a quick loud creak and then it was quiet. I took one last look at the sleeping twins before I stepped out and closed the door behind me quietly.

I ran down the hall. My heels didn't even touch the floor, only my toes made contact as I ran down the hall. I skidded to a halt at the top of the stairs. I stepped down one step and it made a groaning sound. I heard a doorknob jingling and my heart started to beat fast. I couldn't get caught. Not now. I raced down the stairs and ran across the living room, out the front door and into the back yard.

Glowing yellow dots blinked in and out of existence as I stepped outside. I broke into a run to the middle of our back yard that touched the edge of the forest I was forbidden to enter.

I cupped my hands around my mouth and whispered. "Amele!"

Nothing.

"Amele!" I whispered again.

Once again, silence.

"Amele?" I said a third time. This time, I was more doubtful that that she would show up.

Suddenly, a tree started to shimmer. It was a red maple, the only red maple I had ever seen and it was very tall. I used to climb it a lot. A glowing foot emerged from the bark near the roots. Then two hands popped out and gripped either side of the tree trunk. The hands turned into arms and shoulders as something appeared to be pulling itself out of the tree. When it had emerged I saw that it was Amele.

Her hair was really long. In the window, when I first saw her, I didn't see how long her hair really was. It fell in curls down to her waist. She had on a simple floor length white dress.

"Dalya?" she asked softly. "Is . . . is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me," I confirmed as I ran over to her. "How . . . did you?" I stared at the tree she had emerged from.

"I'm a nymph," she said simply. "this is my tree. I'm connected to it and . . . it's my home, I guess you could say."

"Really?" My eyes widened. How come I hadn't guessed that? I think the green skin should have been a dead giveaway.

"Yes, really," Amele placed a hand on my shoulders. "so, you called? Is there a problem or . . .?"

"Well," I paused "no. I just wanted a better explanation about this whole 'Chosen One' thing. You were pretty vague before."

Amele looked over her shoulder and into the forest. I could see her narrow her eyes before she turned back to me. "Come with me."

She took my hand and gripped it tightly.

"To where?" I asked as she pulled me to the red maple tree. "Where are we going?"

"My home." she said simply.

She placed her other hand on the tree. A glowing green outline appeared around her hand and her hand began to sink into the bark.

Amele must've felt it when I tensed. I pulled back slightly which made her turn and say, "Trust me."

"I do . . ." I paused and looked at the tree. "I've just never done something like this . . ."

"It'll be fine," Amele reassured. "Just . . . trust me."

She started to sink into the bark. Up to her elbow, shoulder, until she was halfway in the bark. She turned to me and gripped my hand so tight, I thought I might lose feeling in it altogether.