The willow’s twisted trunk was split into dozens of gnarled branches, wispy leaves drooping down like sheets of rain in a storm. Not only was it larger than the surrounding trees of the forest, but it almost appeared older—aged and withered, as if it had been standing there, marking its place, from the beginning of time. Its thick, bulbous roots protruded from the base in haphazard spirals, sprouting from the ground in cresting waves. The strangest part, however, wasn’t the ancient tree itself, but whatsurroundedit.
All around the willow stood what appeared to be statues made of bark and vines. Limbs and faces coated in earth and twigs.Who would have made these?Emilio wondered, approaching the closest one with slow, tentative steps.
“Have you ever seen anything like this?” Masika asked, breaking the piercing silence that had fallen upon the group. She approached another one of the statues—bark and roots fashioned to look like a woman standing with her hand raised to the sky—and gently pressed her fingertips against the statue’s cheek.
Catherine shook her head. “Never.”
“I don’t like this,” whispered Dina. The silver-haired girl unsheathed two daggers from the dozen strapped to her thighs. “Something doesn’t feel right.”
Dina wasn’t the only one unmoored by the strange statues. A queasy feeling had erupted in the pit of Emilio’s stomach. An unsettling shiver on the back of his neck. Even Benji let out a low whine, burrowing his face into the crook of Emilio’s elbow.
Emilio gently brushed his palm against the creature’s head. “It’s okay, buddy…” he whispered, though he hardly believed it himself.
Olivier strode up to one of the statues, squinting in scrutiny.
“Why the hell would someone come all the way out here just to make these?” Olivier asked. “Some weird art project?”
“Better question is…if someonedidmake these…then who got here before us?” asked Analisa, expression solemn.
“Well. That’s not at all ominous,” muttered Dina with a snort.
“Does the map indicate where the first clue might be?” asked Olivier.
“No…there’s just a circle around the willow tree.” Catherine unfurled the map, eyes dancing across the page. “It doesn’t say anything else.”
“Wonderful.” Olivier rubbed his face. “Profoundly helpful.”
At that same moment, Analisa let out a gasp. The healer’s eyesseemed to be focused on the ground; her face was drained of color. Emilio dragged his own eyes down, following her line of sight.
And that’s when he noticed the tree root wrapped around Analisa’s calf.
It wasmoving. Slowly constricting around her leg like a snake. Panicked, Analisa shot a wave of flames toward the root, but it remained unharmed, as if the fire had been nothing but a light gust of wind.
“What the hell?” Dina choked out, charging toward Analisa. She sliced down on the root with one of her daggers, but the blade simply ricocheted off its surface. At that same moment, another nearby rootjoltedfrom the ground, wrapping itself around Dina’s arm with enough force to knock the dagger out of her hand. Just the way the tree root had latched itself onto Analisa, it began slithering its way around Dina’s arm, tightening its grip with every movement.
“Uh…” Olivier cleared his throat. “I think we might be in trouble.”
Emilio didn’t even have time to process what was happening. Without warning, a dozen more roots rose from the ground and launched themselves at the group, taking hold of limbs, until they were all completely trapped where they stood. Both of Emilio’s legs had been seized by roots, and a third wrapped tightly around his wrist. He’d accidentally dropped Benji amid the chaos, and now the little creature was pacing back and forth by his feet, anxiously barking at the roots and swatting at them with his paw.
Olivier’s panicked eyes flitted to Emilio. His own legs had been completely engulfed by the ravenous roots. They climbed higher and higher at an impressive speed, swallowing his calves and lower thighs. It made it appear as though Olivier’s legs weremade of plant matter. Almost as ifhewere turning into the roots themselves. Just like…
The realization hit Emilio only a second later. “They’re not statues,” he whispered, voice shaking.
“What?”Dina snapped, furiously attempting to kick her leg away from the tree root that was currently ensnaring her thigh. Another one had coiled itself around her neck, creeping down over her chest.
“They’re not statues,” Emilio repeated, this time loudly enough for the entire group to hear.
“You mean—” Dina’s face fell. The fury in her gaze shifted into panic. “No.No, no, no.I am not turning into a freaky tree statue. That is not fucking happening.”
“Just stay calm,” Catherine snapped. A million thoughts seemed to be reflected in her hazel eyes, emotions coming and going too fast for Emilio to register. “There has to be a way out. Just let me think.”
“Why the hell wouldn’t there have been anything about this on the map?” Masika stared down at the roots in horror. “Why wouldn’t the True Headmaster have warned us?”
Analisa had gone impossibly calm since the tree roots had come to life and trapped them. Her expression remained stoic and serene, not a hint of strain in her muscles. She casually flexed her fingers, observing her situation with detached curiosity.
“I don’t sense a natural life-form…” the healer whispered softly. “The tree itself isn’t alive, despite the intention in its movements. It’s almost as though it’s doing this against its will. As if someone has programmed it to behave this way.”
“I don’t give a damnwhyit’s doing it, I just need it tostop,” Dina sneered, scowling down at the roots slithering over her stomach.
