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Her brain just kept swirling around and she was no closer to sorting out her thoughts when Toan changed direction up ahead. He made a sharp right, passing underneath a tree with silver-tipped leaves and silver patches on its dark green trunk.
“I buried it here,” he indicated, with a wave of his hand to one of the trees surrounding a small clearing. The tree’s trunk was a deep red and its leaves were green tipped with gold.
Claire sank to her knees in front of its trunk and placed her hands on the earth. She pushed her magic outward, looking for the unique Energy signature that seemed to accompany every journal. Her eyebrows pulled together as nothing stuck out. She tried again, sending her magic farther out to the whole clearing in case Toan was wrong about the location. Still nothing.
“I don’t sense anything,” she said, looking up and frowning at the group.
“What do you mean?” Toan said. “It’s definitely here.” His surety had Claire doubting herself.
She bit her lip and closed her eyes, trying again and this time sending her magic into the ground and far past the clearing. Still nothing. Except… she frowned deeper and focused. There was something that was trying to elude her. Like it was trying to cloak itself or it was so old there were only faint whispers of it.
She hesitated briefly. Should she push more magic out? Especially with it being so volatile lately? Puck dropped to the ground next to her and Claire decided to try. She pulled more magic out of her center and pushed it into the ground.
The magic she sent into the ground seemed to blow up her senses. She could feel where the group stood without having to open her eyes. Where the remnants of an old tree had fallen and sank into the Forest floor providing nutrients for the surrounding plants. Each living thing left an Energy signature and everything affected the Forest’s Energy.
Claire focused on that something she was feeling. It was faint and felt old. Like it hadn’t been in the clearing in years. She pulled on it though, coaxing it out of the ground where it had settled.
As soon as she pulled it to the surface, she recognized the oily feeling of the Energy instantly. Dark magic had been here. She debated releasing the tainted Energy but didn’t want it to sit in the Forest disturbing the rest of the Energy here even if it was old and faint.
She released even more magic. Now that she knew what she was looking for, she was able to find the dark magic easier, pulling it until she held the tainted swirling mass of magic in front of her.
She felt Desmond kneel in front of her, cupping the back of her hands with his as he lent his fire magic to her until together they burned the dark magic out.
Once it was gone, Claire recalled her magic from the Forest’s floor. It came reluctantly and when it settled back in her center, she opened her eyes.
“What the hell was that?” Synora said, eyes wide with shock.
“Dark magic,” Malcolm growled.
“The journal is gone,” Claire said. “I can’t sense it anywhere. Just the faintest dark magic. Whoever used it here is long gone.”
“How?” Toan demanded. “No one should have been able to touch it. Unless…” He trailed off and his face whitened.
“What is it?” Claire asked.
Toan closed his eyes and hung his head, grief and despair seemed to settle on his shoulders. “Winona thought there was a spy in the Capital. Someone who had breached the Forest’s defenses. The Elders didn’t take her seriously as only Elves can open the spelled gates. That’s why she fled with you, Claire, and had me hide the journals. She sent me out to hide them the same night she fled with you. Someone must have followed me and caught her trail. I should have realized that earlier when we found her body not far from here. I didn’t even think to check on the journal.”
“It’s okay,” Claire rose to her feet and crossed to where Toan stood. She placed her hand on Toan’s arm. “She didn’t blame you. She knew what was going to happen.”
Claire swallowed hard against the sudden lump in her throat. She hadn’t had a chance to tell Toan about her mother’s letter.
“She knew,” she said softly, “and she chose to run anyway. She doesn’t want you to carry the guilt from her actions.”
Claire stepped into Toan, wrapping her arms around him as she pressed her forehead to his chest. It was the first time Claire had hugged her uncle, she realized. Possibly her only living family left. If he was shocked by her actions, he didn’t let on as he wrapped his arms around her and they shared in their grief for a few moments.
Taking a breath, she pulled back and looked up at him. “Take me there?” she asked. Whether or not she was ready to face the place where her mother died was irrelevant. If it brought them answers, she needed to do it.
Toan sighed and closed his eyes but nodded grimly.
He turned away and Claire glanced over their small group. Aeris and Synora were looking out into the Forest, trying to give their leader his private moment. As if sensing her eyes on her, Synora gave Claire a sympathetic smile which Claire returned.
Malcolm stood with his arms crossed, his stance like an unmovable mountain. Puck had chosen his shoulder to sit on, tail swishing to match Malcolm’s agitated Energy. His eyes softened when Claire looked at him and she gave her grumbly dragon a half smile.
Everett stepped up behind Claire, placing a hand on her back as Desmond grabbed her hand and linked it with his. She smiled up at him. Whatever answers they were about to find next, her men would be there with her.
9
She didn’t know if it was because her magic seemed to be getting stronger or if she was just more in tune with the Forest’s Energy, but she sensed that they were there before Toan said a word. He paused at the edge of the clearing and looked back at Claire. Claire released Desmond’s hand with a squeeze. She threw a smile over her shoulder at Everett and placed a soft hand on Malcolm’s back as she passed him. She was grateful for their support but her magic was telling her she needed to do this alone.
