Lost Wings

19~ The Great Tree

Previously on LW, the book were nothing bad ever happens to Chase, ever
The five friends, still escorted by the fairies finally reach their destination: the Elder Tribe. However, a sad surprise awaits them. They discover that the expedition of which Chase's father was a part was frozen in stone. Upon seeing the statues, Chase breaks down. As Hailey and Aiden try to comfort him, the Famous Elder One shows up. He leads them to the Great Tree, which he claimed is the reason the statues are there. At that moment, Hailey sees her:

Chapter 19

The head and upper body of a woman peeked out from underneath the rough bark of the Great Tree. Her long brown hair grew with the branches, intertwined with leaves, and her arms embraced the trunk, fingers melting into it like sprouts from the tree itself. Only the soft features of her face were distinguishable, eyes closed and mouth slightly parted.

"Mom?" My voice was weak, childish. No one seemed to hear me.

"She is not prisoner," the Elder One spoke over me. "It was a willful sacrifice. Your companions, ears ringing with the tales your kind tells of ours, did not let us explain. They tried to break her free from her bed in the Great Tree, tearing, breaking, hacking, crushing. The tree was mad. Great magic was at play. The results are those forever frozen stones, standing around our village in an immortal memorial."

"That's Princess Delilah." Aiden was the first to find his voice, blinking as if he couldn't believe his eyes. "She's older than on the paintings, but it's her."

"The Great Lady is key to the balance of the forest," the Elder One said. "She forever sleeps in the arms of the Great Tree."

My legs swayed with the weight of truth. Chase shoved the Elder One away and caught me before I could lose my balance.

"Maybe you should sit down." His voice was soft, gentle with the understanding of one who knew the same pain.

He lowered me down.

"My mom," I whispered. "What did they do to my mom?"

"The tree was sick," the Elder One explained. "The Darkness inside struggled to break free. It needed balance only a being of magic could offer. None of ours succeeded. Our energy didn't fit. Only one who knew could save the tree. The Great Lady came to us for help, and she saw. We gave her what she wanted, and she promised to come back. We were afraid of the treacherous tongue of those with the bird-wings, but we had no choice. In the end, we were right  to trust her. She returned. She knew. She knows. She saved us and now still keeps the forest alive."

A sob formed in my throat.

"If you don't shut up," Chase threatened the fairy, "I will drive my sword through your throat. Don't think I won't."

My mother was gone. I was too late. My dreams had crashed and collapsed. I had just found out one of the harsh truths of life: sometimes, knowing is worse than wondering.

The fairies gave us space, fluttering away from the clearing. Chase held me as I cried. He kept holding me as I calmed down.

"I was just..." My voice was hoarse. "All I ever wanted was to talk to her. I asked Santa Claus to give her back to us until I was old enough to know it was no good."