Page 44 of Lost

I nodded in agreement. “She’s also talking about medicine bags—plural. Oak, the Wise Woman you’re talking about must be my grandma. Are she and Kevin wielding Old Magick in that Other World?”

“The Wise Woman did not wield Old Magick, though out of respect for her ancient blood, I would answer if she called and needed my assistance. It was the Redbird Boy. He required our aid.”Oak’s dark eyes flicked to Stark.“He needed protection against a Warrior much like yours.”

“Kevin must be working with the Resistance,” Stark said.

“Where were Kevin and my grandma when they used Old Magick?” I asked.

“On a ridge not far from here. That is where their people gather and hide from those who hunt them.”

“That’s it. Other Kevin joined the Resistance,” Darius said.

“And you really didn’t see me anywhere?” Aphrodite asked the sprite.

Oak gazed at her.“No. You were not one of the Redbird Boy’s people.”

“Well, shit,” Aphrodite said.

“Why does that make such a difference?” Rephaim asked Aphrodite.

Stevie Rae answered for her. “Because Aphrodite is the reason red fledglings and red vampyres in our world can choose to maintain their humanity. Without her, we’d all be monsters like poor Other Jack used to be.”

What Stevie Rae said nudged my memory, and I suddenly had another question for the sprite. “Oak, you really are formed from Old Magick, right?”

It almost seemed that the sprite struggled against laughter.“Of course, Redbird Girl. What else would I be?”

“Well, I don’t know, but I’m confused. I thought Old Magick didn’t take sides in the struggle between Light and Darkness. Yet here you are, telling me you protected my brother and his people against the Red Army, and the payment you want is for me to basically cleanse the Darkness from this tree. That sounds like you’re taking sides—not that I mind. I’m glad you’re choosing Light. I just wonder why.”

“You are partially correct, Redbird Girl. Old Magick does not choose sides as we see the many layers that make up Light and Darkness, and we understand deeply that no one is completely good, nor completely evil. I granted your brother sanctuary because I accepted his payment, not because I sided with him against Darkness. As to this tree—elemental sprites are not neutral when an abomination is committed against nature. And this tree—this place of elemental power—has indeed been desecrated, which is an abomination against nature. It must be set to right.”

“That’s understandable, Z,” Stark said. “She sounds a lot like Sgiach did when we first got to her island. She wouldn’t leave the island to fight Darkness, but when it trespassed on her island, she fought against it.”

“Ah, Queen Sgiach. We are saddened by the loss of her Warrior.”

“You know her!” I said.

“Yes. For centuries.”

“How is she?”

“In deep mourning.”And then Oak closed her mouth, making it clear she was done speaking about Queen Sgiach, the Great Taker of Heads.

“Okay, so, how’s my brother doing in the Other World?” I asked.

“His wound heals. We have granted his people sanctuary on the ridge. He wields Old Magick well.”

“His wound?” My question came out as a squeak.

“It heals,”Oak repeated, like she thought I might be slow.

I wanted to ask more about Kevin getting hurt, but Aphrodite snagged my wrist and spoke urgently to me. “Kevin is wielding Old Magick. That’s what you felt.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Z,” she looked exasperated. “Remember what it’s like to wield Old Magick.”

And I realized what Aphrodite was saying. Kevin was in trouble, and he probably didn’t know it.

“Oak, can you get a message to Kevin for me?”

“Your payment was for information. Not for messaging.”

I looked down at my hand. The wound had begun to clot, but I knew I could dig it open again with my fingernails. “Blood. I’ll pay you with my blood to take a message to my brother.”

“No, Priestess. You misjudge me. I am not your messenger. I have no allegiance to you at all. You offered a payment for information. I gave you that information. Now you must complete what you owe me. Do that, then perhaps ask me for another task. Just be sure the payment you offer is enticing…”And without a sound, Oak turned her back on us, and in apoofof fog she disappeared into the middle of the fallen tree.