Daughter Of the Ember - F.A.E Trilogy

Chapter 1 - The first Crack

The first crack in the world appeared the night I decided I wanted to leave it, I didn’t see it happen. There was no thunder, no splitting sky, no sudden shattering of the world beneath my feet. 

Briar Hollow looked the same as it always did, quiet, small and tucked safely beneath a sky that never seemed to change. But tonight, something shifted. I felt it in the air first. A subtle wrongness, like a breath drawn too deep and held too long. The kind of feeling that settles under your skin and refuses to leave.

I stood at the edge of our field, where the grass thinned into bare earth and the stream curved like a silver thread between our land and the forest beyond. The water whispered over stones, soft and steady, as if it didn’t care about the line, it crossed so easily. The boundary stood just past it. Invisible. Unmoving. Unquestioned. Everyone in Briar Hollow knew it was there, even if they pretended otherwise. You didn’t have to see it to understand where the world ended. 

I stepped forward anyway. The cold water soaked through my boots as I waded into the stream, my breath steady even as my heart began to pound. I had stood here a hundred times before, staring into the forest and wondering what lay beyond it. Tonight, I wasn’t wondering, tonight, I was going to find out for myself.

The thought had been building in me for weeks, quiet at first and it was quite easy to ignore. But everyday the feeling grew, until it filled every corner of my mind. Every time my parents refused to answer a question, every time the council spoke about the forest without explaining why it was forbidden, every time I felt the village closing in around me, I couldn’t stay, not when something inside me was telling me there was more.

I climbed the far bank of the stream slowly, my eyes fixed focused into the forest, the trees rose tall and dark; their branches tangled together in a way that swallowed the light. Even under the pale glow of the moon, the forest seemed deeper than it should have been, like it stretched farther than distance alone could explain. 

Then suddenly something moved within the shadows. I froze, It wasn’t the wind, the leaves hadn’t stirred, this was different, subtle but unmistakable. A tall figure, just beyond the first line of trees, watching, waiting. My breath caught in my throat and for a moment, fear curled low in my chest, hot and sharp. The sensible part of me, the part that had grown up listening to the warnings and rules, told me to step back, to return to the safety of the field, the cottage, the life I understood. The rest of me, the part that had bought me here in the first place refused. I took another step forward and reached my hand up to the boundary, suddenly I felt it, a pressure pushed back against my chest. Something like excitement pounding through my ribs. For a heartbeat, there was nothing, then all at once, resistance.

It was cool and smooth, like glass. My fingers splayed against the invisible surface, searching for some weakness, some place where it might give. But it held, silent and absolute. I pushed harder, nothing. Frustration flared sharp, rising from somewhere deeper than I expected. My jaw tightened as I leaned into it, every muscle in my body straining forward, “Move,” I muttered under my breath. The boundary didn’t listen, of course it didn’t, it never had. I had tried to cross before, when I was younger, when I still believed the council's warnings were nothing more than stories meant to keep children from wandering too far. I had run straight at the trees, convinced nothing would stop me. I was wrong. 

The air hummed faintly beneath my skin, like a low note vibrating through my bones. The pressure against my chest wasn’t just resistance, it was hot, alive. I swallowed hard, my pulse quickened. Behind me, the stream continued its quiet journey into the forest. 

I exhaled slowly, letting my forehead rest for a moment against the wall. The coolness of it seeped into my skin, grounding me, trapping me. “Let me in.” I whispered. The words sounded so small in the open air but they were true, I couldn’t stay here, The village might have been enough for everyone else. Not for me. 

A flicker of movement caught my eye again. I lifted my head sharply. The figure in the forest had shifted closer. This time, I saw the piercing green eyes of something watching closely.

The heat in my chest flared suddenly. I gasped, taking my hand off the boundary and grasping my chest. For a single, impossible second, the air rippled, like water disturbed by a falling stone. I jerked back, stumbling away from the wall, and the pain in my chest vanished. The boundary stilled, my heart pounded in my ears and I stared at the space where the eyes had been, my mind racing. Someone's in the forest and they saw me.

The forest beyond the boundary seemed darker now, the shadows deeper, the eyes I had seen moments ago were gone. Still, the feeling of being watched remained, stronger than before. 

I took a step back towards the stream, my thoughts spinning. I turned away from the forest after a last look, the weight of the moment settling into something sharper, more certain. Maybe tonight wasn’t the night, but soon, very soon. I will be leaving Briar Hollow, one way or another.

Chapter 2 -  Briar Hollow 

Mornings in Briar Hollow always arrive the same way, slow and predictable.

By the time the sun rose fully over the rooftops, the village was already awake. Smoke curled from chimneys, doors creaked open, and the quiet stillness of dawn gave way to the familiar rhythm of daily life. It was the kind of routine most people found comforting.  

The market square sat at the centre of the village, a worn patch of cobblestone surrounded by crooked wooden stalls and low-roofed shops.  By midmorning it was alive with movement, chickens wandered freely between people’s feet, goats bleated impatiently near the well, and someone was always arguing over the price of grain. I moved through it all like I always did, unnoticed and quick.

 “Morning, Rae,” Elin called from her cart, her arms already dusted to the elbow with flour. “Sofia sent you for bread?”, I nodded, offering a polite smile as I handed over a few coins. 

“Mum said to choose the freshest loaf.”

“They’re all fresh. I baked them an hour ago.” Elin Snorted.

“That’s what I told her!” She shook her head amused, passing me a warm loaf wrapped in cloth, the heat seeped into my hands, for a moment I lost myself to the thoughts of last night, the heat in my chest, the feeling against my hands. After a moment, I looked down to see the bread in my hands had been squeezed just a little too tight. As I adjusted my grip on the bread I looked to Elin giving me a concerned smile, I smiled back and continued on through the square, letting the noise of the market wash over me. It should have been comforting really, instead, it all felt… rehearsed.

Near the centre of the square, a small crowd had gathered around Tamsin, one of the elders in the village. She stood with her hands clasped tightly in front of her, voice low but firm as she spoke to a group of children sitting cross-legged at her feet. “…and you must never cross the stream,” she was saying. “Not even a step beyond it. The forest does not easily forgive those who enter.” I slowed to listen in, I don’t know why as this is the same story told to the children every spring. A young boy raised his hand “But why?”, Tamsin’s expression tightened slightly as I smiled to myself.  The same questions from the children every single time. “Because it is forbidden.” She said through a tight jaw. “That’s not a reason,” the boy muttered beneath his breath. A few adults nearby exchanged glances, their smiles strained. “It’s the only reason you need,” Tamsin replied sharply. The story ended there just like it always did.

I carried on walking through the square, my smile widening as I imagined that same boy heading home to his parents and bugging them with, no doubt, many questions. This was how it worked in Briar Hollow, questions were allowed but never answered, every tradition in this village circled back to the forest, every rule, every warning, it all circled back.

At the edge of the square looking towards the forest, a cluster of carved wooden symbols hung from a tall post, swaying gently in the breeze. Each one was different twisted shapes, unfamiliar markings burned into the wood apparently they were protection charms, at least that’s what everyone called them. They were replaced every season in a quiet ceremony that never changed, flowers of the season presented to the forest as a gift and hymns sung in the old language that only the elders knew at this point. The council would gather at dawn, speak words no one else really understood, and hang new carvings in place of the old.

   “Rae!”I didn’t need to turn to know who it was. Rowan fell into step beside me, as if he’d always been there. He was taller than most in the village, easily a head above me, with broad shoulders from years of working wood with his hands. His brown hair was a mess as usual; a brush was never a thing to him, he would always just run his fingers through his hair and somehow it would sit perfectly every time. His eyes are ice blue, sharp as broken class and they carried that easy steadiness I had known my whole life.      “Only a few days until you finally join me in the eighteen crew,” he said lightly. “How does it feel to be close to ancient?” I huffed a quiet laugh. “If I’m almost ancient, what are you?” Rowan grinned. “Superior! But be careful. You’ll offend half the village with that attitude.”    “Wouldn’t be the first time” I spoke as I heavily rolled my eyes.

We walked together through the square, weaving between stalls and villagers. It was easy with him. It always has been. Rowan didn’t ask questions I didn’t want to answer, and he didn’t fill the silence when it settled between us, he just existed next to me.

“You disappeared after the gathering last night,” he said after a moment.

My grip tightened slightly on the already squashed bread. “I needed air.”

 “By the stream?” Rowan turned his head to look at me.

I glanced back at him. “You went looking for me?”

He shrugged, but there was something more behind it. “You always go there when something's on your mind.”

 “I’m that obvious?”

 “To me? Yeah. And that sad loaf of bread just gave you away” He chuckled as he took the bread from me.

I looked ahead, toward the far end of the village where the fields stretched out beyond the last row of cottages.

“You ever wonder why we’re not allowed out there?” I asked.

“Rae…” Rowan exhaled slowly.

“No, really. There must be more than this village out there!”

He ran a hand over the back of his neck, his gaze drifting briefly toward the council hall at the edge of the square.

“They say it’s dangerous.”

“They say that about literally everything they don’t want to explain.”

Rowan stopped walking. I took a few more steps before realising he wasn’t beside me anymore. Turning back, I found him watching me with a look I couldn’t quite read.

“You’ve been thinking about this a lot,” he said.

“Yes.”

I hesitated. This was the part I hadn’t actually said out loud yet. Not to him. Not to anyone.

“I don’t think I can stay here" “Rae.” "I don’t want to choose my place when I turn eighteen. I don’t want to do the same thing every single day until my last winter. I need to see what else is out there, how far it really goes, where the stream leads.” I admitted. The words felt heavy as they came out. Rowan’s expression shifted, something guarded slipping into place.

“Rae.”

“I mean it,” I said. “Something’s not right. No one talks about the forest, no one explains the boundary, and everyone just accepts it like we are supposed to live our whole lives without knowing why.”

“That doesn’t mean you have to leave Rae.”

“I need my own answers Rowan, either someone here tells me what this is all about and why we need protecting from such ‘dangers’ or I go and find out for myself.” A silence stretched between us, thicker than before. Rowan looked past me, toward the distant line of trees barely visible beyond the fields.

“You’re serious,” he said quietly.

“I’ve never been more serious about anything.”

Something in his jaw ticked. “The council are going to make another announcement today, maybe they will tell us a little more about the forest. It has been almost a full turn since their last announcement, and the last one answered your question about how long it's been here.” he said after a moment.

I frowned. “What good that did, they ignored my follow up questions about how it was made.”

“Well, they told everyone to be in the square at midday. Try asking again, maybe it was a one question per person type deal.”

A familiar unease settled low in my chest. More warnings, more rules, more things we aren't meant to question no doubt. Rowan met my eyes again, something steady and unyielding in his expression now.

“Whatever they say,” he said, “promise me you will listen and consider this plan.”

“I always listen,” I said as I looked into his eyes. We turned the corner to my cottage and Rowan handed me back the sorry looking bread and went back to his workshop without saying another word. Mum was going to be so mad, but we couldn’t afford another, I'm sure everything will be fine.

Chapter 3 - The Forest Watches Back

The village square felt smaller than usual this evening, I stood near the back of the gathering with tightly folded arms as villagers crowded together beneath the pale morning sky. Briar Hollow’s council hall loomed over the square, its grey stone walls casting long shadows across the cobbled ground. Something about this whole meeting felt wrong. I wasn’t the only one to notice it, people whispered in uneasy voices, children clung to their parents, and even the village dogs paced restlessly. 

The council elders walked out of their 7ft wooden double doors out onto the platform. Their dark robes hung heavily around them despite the warmth of the day. I couldn't stop my eyes from drifting around the square, protection charms hung from nearly every doorway, small carved wooden symbols swayed from bits of string knocking together with a rhythmic tap. There were fresh ash markings around the windows and edges of homes, far more than I had seen before, I couldn't help but roll my eyes at it all. Have the council finally gone truly mad? 

A chill settled low in my stomach as Elder Harrow stepped forward into the center of the platform. His weathered face had a harsh stern expression. “We have received reports,” he announced, his voice carrying easily across the square. “Of villagers approaching the boundary!” A ripple spread through the crowd. I felt my pulse quicken, the elder raised a hand for silence. “The forest remains forbidden,” the whispers stopped immediately. “No villager is to approach the boundary after sunset. Any unusual sightings are to be reported directly to the council.” Yet again, no explanation of why we might see anything unusual, like a dark figure lurking in the shadows. My jaw tightened, then I saw movement from behind the councillors. Two council guards emerged from the hall, dragging a young boy between them, a boy no older than twelve, then it hit me. It was the same boy who had asked simple questions during his history class in the village square. The crowd fell silent, and his mother sobbed silently, alone, just to the side of the platform. My stomach twisted, the guards forced him to stand before the villagers, his shoulders shook. “Consider this your warning,” Elder Harrow bellowed out above us all. The boy lowered his head, nobody dared to speak a word, nobody objected. All around, villagers stared at the ground, seeming to all now be more interested in their own footwear than what's happening before them. This silence felt worse than shouting. After several moments, the guards pulled the boy away again and threw him to his mother, who grabbed him with so much force they both fell into the dirt and remained still hoping to become invisible to the world. The gathering continued with the weekly updates as usual, as if nothing had just happened. I barely heard the rest, the anger in my chest felt raw and hot, like a scream trying to get out. How could they do that to a small boy.

Later that afternoon, I sat beneath the shade of an old oak tree near the edge of the square. Several younger children had gathered nearby while old Brenn told stories. The old man loved to tell his tales to the children, the council tolerated him because most of them were harmless tales of fairies and monsters that come in the night, usually to get children to listen to their elders. Today's story was new though and something about it felt heavy. “The fires burned for weeks,” Brenn said quietly whilst the children leaned in closer. Rae pretended not to listen. “Forty turns ago, before you were born, there was a war beyond the forest.” A few children gasped. “Beyond the boundary?” one child asked, Brenn nodded tentatively. “The sky glowed red every night, smoke rose above the trees, and strange things crossed into Briar Hollow.” The children shifted nervously. “What sort of things?” The old man's expression darkened. “Creatures no one could name.” The air seemed colder suddenly. “People disappeared too,” Brenn continued “Entire families gone. One night they were sleeping in their homes. The next morning—” “ENOUGH OLD MAN!” The sharp voice cut through the story as Elder Harrow stood several paces away. Brenn immediately fell silent, and the children scattered back to their parents who were all shopping around the local carts. Brenn's shoulders sagged, and for a moment his eyes met mine, something passed between them. Regret, fear, a warning perhaps. Then he looked away and I remained seated whilst he walked away with Elder Harrow. Entire families disappearing. Why had I never heard that before? Why did nobody talk about this war? And why the hell did the Council always stop anyone who tried? 

The familiar scent of cedar greeted me as I entered Rowan’s workshop. Wood shavings covered the floor, sunlight streamed through the dusty windows, the steady scrape of carving tools echoed softly. Rowan sat humming to himself at his workbench; at first, I thought he was making another toy and humming a children's tune whilst he did it but then I saw the symbols. Strange symbols, not the usual village protections. He spun the carving over, a little too quickly, really. “What are you making?” I asked. “Nothing,” his answer came immediately. I raised one eyebrow because by this point in their friendship I liked to think I knew when he was hiding something. “Looks like something.” A flash of irritation crossed his face before disappearing. “Just work.” I moved closer, dozens of carvings lay scattered across the table, far more than anyone needed. His fingers shifted protectively over them. “People seem nervous.” I said whilst still tring to work out what he is making. “They always are.” “Not like this,” Rowan's carving knife stopped moving, the silence stretched. Finally he sighed. “Why can’t you leave it alone?” I blinked. “The forest,” His voice sounded tight. “Why are you so obsessed with it?”

I folded my arms. “Because nobody tells the truth around here” Rowan's jaw tightened. For a second, a genuine alarm flashed across his face but it was gone within an instant. “Some truths should stay buried.” “Why?” “Because digging them up hurts people.”

"You sound like the council."

His smile was faint "They aren't always wrong" I almost laughed "No one can even tell me what they are protecting"

Rowans jaw tightened. "They're protecting everyone." "From what?" "The truth Rae!" For a brief moment his calm expression slipped. That answer felt strange, personal. They spent the next few moments in silence as I tried to make sense of what on earth is with him this evening, I left the workshop after that feeling unsettled.

"We should get you home."

I nodded, though my thoughts were already elsewhere. Home... i'm not completely sure the word meant much anymore.

The stream whispered over stones as evening settled across the fields, I stood alone at its edge once again. The village felt distant here, smaller and calmer. I crossed the water and climbed the opposite bank, the forest waited beyond, dark and silent. The boundary stood between us, at least, it should have. Tonight something felt different, the air hummed faintly and ran like a vibration through my bones. I reached my right hand forward slowly until the tips of my fingers touched the unseen wall. At that moment warmth spread beneath my skin, I froze. The sensation this time wasn't resistance, it felt almost like a friend, like someone was holding my hand, then a pulse came a moment later. A steady rhythm, alive. My breath caught, the world tilted and for an instant I was looking up at golden trees stretching towards a glowing sun, leaves shimmering like sunlight trapped in a glass cage, and a crown burning with living fire. However, beneath the crown stood a figure surrounded by flames that did not consume. They were just watching me, waiting. Then all at once the vision disappeared, and I fell backwards into the stream. The forest returned to dark trees, cold air and pure silence. My heart hammered against my ribs. “What was that?” I whispered to the trees. No answer came. Then I felt it, that same sensation before, being watched. Slowly, I lifted my eyes towards the tree line where a figure stood once again with piercing green eyes. Tall and motionless, but a little clearer than before, definitely not an animal, nor a monster, it was definitely someone. Their outline remained still between the trees, watching me, only me … 

Chapter 4 - The Hidden Path

Sleep never came easily that night. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the golden trees and the figure standing beneath the burning crown then by dawn I gave up trying.

The village was beginning to wake up as I slipped outside. The mist drifted low across the fields and into the forest and I found myself heading toward the stream without consciously deciding to, it was as if my feet already knew the way. The closer I drew to the boundary, the stronger the strange humming became, a vibration beneath the world itself. The invisible wall shimmered faintly in the morning light, and for a moment I wondered if I imagined it. As she looked down to cross the stream, she noticed something unusual. Footprints, fresh footprints on the far side of the stream. My pulse quickened; someone had been here recently, someone besides me. I followed them along the edge of the boundary, the trail wound through the tall grass and tangled roots, then stopped. No, not stopped, they continued straight through the boundary. I couldn’t help but stare. This is impossible, the footprints simply vanish beyond the invisible wall as though whoever made them had walked straight through. The realisation sent a chill straight down my spine. Someone discovered a way to cross it, someone crossed it recently, and for the first time, I saw the boundary less like a prison wall and more like a locked door, and locked doors can always be opened.

That evening, Rowan visited the town hall. The building stood empty except for a handful of elders. Elder Harrow waited inside on his usual chair by the fireplace, whiskey in hand. “You saw her?” Harrow asked without looking back at Rowan. Rowan nodded “She’s getting closer.” Harrow’s expression darkened “Then we may be running out of time.” Neither man spoke for several moments, the room felt heavy, ancient, as though secrets had soaked into the stone itself. “She's seen something,” Rowan whispered. Harrow’s eyes sharpened as Rowan came around to where Harrow could see him "What?” “I don’t know.” That wasn’t entirely true, but Rowan had no intention of explaining more. Not yet. Harrow took a sip of his drink and exhaled slowly "The boundary is weakening.” The words settled heavily between them. “If she discovered what lies beyond–” “She won’t!” Rowan interrupted, his certainty surprised even himself. Harrow studied him for a moment. “You sound certain." "I've spent sixteen years making certain." Harrow studied him "You've grown attached, how sweet." For the first time that evening Rowan laughed, it was was a cold sound. "No." He placed his carving he made into a locked wooden box by the side of Elder Harrow. "I've simply invested to much to walk away now." Harrow frowned "What are you planning?" Rowan closed the lid "The boundary isn't the only prison in Briar Hollow." He lifted his cloak from the chair. "If she insists on leaving..." His expression hardened into something almost unrecognisable. "Then i'll make sure she believes the forest chose to reject her. As Rowan turned his back to walk away the small carving in the box gave off a deep hum and the air became chilled.

Late that night, I returned once more to the stream, where the footprints still remained. Waiting just like everything else on this side of the stream. The air hummed louder than ever, the forest impossibly still as I once again approached the boundary and placed my hand against it. Warmth once again answered instantly then the pulse came, but this time stronger almost like a complete heartbeat. All at once another vision struck, a city of gold with towering trees throughout. A crown engulfed in white fire and a voice. Faint, distant yet unmistakably real. “Find me.” I jerked backward and the vision vanished once again, my breath came hot and fast and the forest was silent once more. Then movement between the trees, the watcher closer than ever, close enough that I could make out the outline of a face. The figure raised a hand, not as a threat or a warning but inviting. The boundary shimmered for a single heartbeat and a narrow opening appeared. A crack, tiny, clear then gone in the next second. I couldn't help but stare at my pulse thundering through my veins. The boundary had opened, only for a moment but it had opened and somewhere in the darkness beyond the trees something had found a way to reach me.

Chapter 5 

The crack was gone by morning. I stood at the edge of the stream, boots damp from the dew, staring at the place where it had appeared only hours before. The boundary shimmered faintly beneath the rising sun, smooth and unbroken, as though nothing had disturbed it. I reached out, her finger tips met the familiar resistance. No opening, no strange vision. Nothing. I let out a slow breath I hadn’t realised I had been holding. “It happened,” I whispered to myself. “I know it happened.” The words sounded foolish in the empty morning air. The footprints remained in the far bank exactly where I’d left them. They still travelled straight towards the invisible wall before vanishing completely, no returning prints, no signs of whoever crossed. Someone had walked through the boundary, someone had called to me and someone was definitely waiting for me beyond it. The thought settled into my chest like a stone as I finally turned back towards the village. 

Briar Hollow no longer felt like home, perhaps it never had, every doorway now bore fresh protection charms carved from pale ash wood. Bundles of dried herbs hung above the windows where they had never hung before, filling the air with a bitter scent that lingered through every street. Even the villagers had changed, silence filled the square rather than the usual chatting about the day's events, children who normally chased each other around the fountain now stayed close to their parents. Fear had settled over Briar Hollow like morning fog. I wonder whether I actually was the only one beginning to ask why. As I crossed the square, I spotted Brenn sitting alone beneath the old oak tree, slowly carving another tiny wooden bird, he looked older than she remembered. “Morning,” I called to him. The old man smiled faintly whilst continuing his carving.“Morning.” I sat beside him without speaking. For several moments neither of us said a word, only the scrape of his carving knife broke the silence. Finally I asked, “Did there really used to be a war beyond the forest?” His hands stopped instantly. “Who told you that?” “You did.” Brenn sighed, “I talk too much.” “No one talks at all.” A sad smile crossed his weathered face. “Sometimes silence keeps people alive.” “Does it?” He looked toward the distant tree line. “No.” His answer surprised me, “It only keeps them obedient,” Before I could ask another question, a familiar voice interrupted. “There you are.” Rowan approached across the square, carrying a bundle of carved toys beneath one arm, his smile appearing warm, almost relieved. “I’ve been looking everywhere.” I stood “Have you?” “You weren't home helping your mum on the fields this morning, she said she hadn't seen you since sunrise.” “I couldn’t sleep.” His eyes searched mine for a fraction longer than felt comfortable. “You’ve been to the stream.” It wasn’t a question from him. I hesitated “I just needed some air.” Rowan smiled again, “You’re a terrible liar Raegan” his tone remained gentle, but something beneath it made my stomach tighten.“I was worried.” “You didn’t have to be.” He shifted his gaze briefly towards Brenn. “The old stories can fill your head with strange ideas.” Brenn snorted quietly “The stories aren’t what should frighten her.” Rowan ignored him and instead he turned back to Rae. “Come” “Where?” “Where we always go to hang out… my workshop.” “I don’t…” “You’ve barely eaten Rae” There was nothing forceful in his words, nothing anyone else would question, yet somehow I found myself following him.

The scent of cedar greeted us as we entered the workshop, sunlight streamed through the dusty windows, catching tiny flecks of sawdust floating through the air like always. Usually this room felt comforting but today it felt smaller and a little claustrophobic for some reason. Rowan busied himself preparing tea, “You’ve seemed different lately” he said from the fireplace. “I’ve been thinking” “That’s exactly what worries me” I laughed awkwardly “You make thinking sound dangerous.” “It can be” he placed a cup of warm tea on the worktop in front of me. “There are questions that don’t have answers worth finding” I stared into my drink “What if someone wants to find them anyway?” “They shouldn’t” “Why?” “Because some doors stay closed for a reason” His words echoed inside my mind. I looked up. “What if whoever closed them was wrong?” for the first time Rowan’s smile faltered, only for a heartbeat, then it returned. “The council has protected this village for generations.” “They humiliated a CHILD in front of everyone because he asked a question!” “They were protecting him Rae” “Were they?” “They try to protect us all, they can’t win no matter what they do!” Rowan took a breath “They put a barrier up, people go mad. They try to show us what will happen, people get mad. They ask us to stay away from the boundary and people ignore them! They must have a reason to go through it all and quite frankly, if there is danger out there, I do not want to be the one to find it, the council clearly knows something, sure. Why can’t you just be happy with the life we have all created here?” I looked to my feet “Because…” “Rae, there is no 'because' your parents have spent nearly 18 years protecting you and helping you have the life you deserve, they feed you, you have clothes on your back, they love you no matter how much trouble you get yourself into and how do you go and treat them? You want to leave them. I wish I had the life you live, I wish I still had my parents but alas I don’t!” “I KNOW!” I yelled in frustration. “And why don’t I have my parents Rae?” “Because they went too close to the boundary when you were 5 and were never seen again.” I said with tears in my eyes. “I’m sorry Rowan that life has been hard on you, but I don’t need people deciding what I should and shouldn’t know in this life. I am grateful for both my parents and they know that” “Do they? You left this morning without a word. They weren’t too happy when I got there.” As I reached the door Rowan spoke quietly “I am trying to keep you safe, you are all I have.” I stopped walking with one hand on the handle “I know.” “No.” his voice remained calm. “You don’t.”

That evening Rowan climbed the worn stone steps leading towards the council hall, the great wooden doors opened before he reached them and Elder Harrow was sat waiting beside the fire. 

“You took your time.” “I needed to speak with her.” “And?” Rowan stared into the flames. “She doesn’t trust me like she used to.” Harrow poured another measure of whiskey. “Then you’ve already waited too long.” Rowan looked towards Harrow “Her visions are only going to get stronger.” “You’ve seen the evidence haven’t you?” Rowan nodded once. “She crossed the stream again.” Harrow closed his eyes “Did she see him?” “I think so.” Neither man spoke, the fire crackled softly between them, finally Harrow whispered “It’s weakening.” Rowan looked sharply towards him “There must be another way” “There isn’t” “I can stop her.” Elder Harrow studied him carefully. “I know her.” “No” Harrow’s expression hardened “You know who she used to be.” Those words struck deeper than Rowan expected. “If she reaches the other side…” He couldn’t finish the sentence, Rowan did it for him “Everything ends”

I don't remember walking home from the workshop, by the time I reached the cottage, the moon hung high above Briar Hollow, bathing the fields in silver. Warm light spilled from the kitchen window, and for a fleeting moment I considered slipping quietly upstairs before anyone noticed I’d returned, all of a sudden the door opened before I even reached it. “There you are.” Her mother’s voice wasn’t angry, it was frightened. She hurried across the small garden and pulled me into a tight embrace before I had time to speak, her hands trembling against my back. “We’ve been looking everywhere” “I’m sorry mum.” “I thought you were only going for a walk around the square and then you’d return, then Rowan came looking and I didn’t know where you were.” Her father appeared in the doorway as me and mum walked into the house, his expression stern, though the relief in his eyes betrayed him. “A walk in the square doesn’t last half the night.” Rae lowered her gaze.“I lost track of time with Rowan, I'm sorry.” my father studied me for a long moment before following us over to the fire where three bowls had been laid out on a table. The familiar warmth of the cottage wrapped around me as my father closed the door, they had waited for me. My stomach tightened with guilt, my mother ladled stew into a bowl and placed it in in front of me. “You need to eat.” “I’m not hungry.” “You are.” The gentle certainty in my mother’s voice made me pick up the spoon, though I barely tasted a mouthful. Silence settled over the room, broken only by the crackle of the fire, finally my father spoke. “You’ve been going down to that stream.” It wasn't a question. My hand froze.“Who told you that?” “No one needed to Raegan, You come home with wet boots every morning,” my mother said softly. “You’ve barely slept for days.” “We are worried about you,” my father added. I looked between them. “I am just trying to understand” my father sighed deeply, rubbing a weary hand across his face. “Some things aren't ours to understand.” “That’s what everyone keeps saying and it’s really starting to piss me off!” “Raegan! They say it because it is true!” my mother said with a passion I hadn’t seen before. After a deep breath my mother reached across the table and took my hand. “There are questions that cost more than they are worth in this place” “How do you know if no one will answer them!” Tears welled in my mothers eyes “You sound just like…” she stopped herself. I frowned “Like who?” mother looked quickly at my father, he gave the smallest shake of his head. “It’s nothing.”  “NO!” I pulled my hand away “You were going to say something please finish” My father stood, staring into the fire “There was another girl, years ago,”

My heartbeat quickened. “What happened to her?” Neither of them answered, Mum wiped at her eyes. “She asked too many questions” “And?” “She disappeared.” The cottage fell impossibly quiet. “Disappeared where?” “We don’t know” “You do know!” “WE DON’T!” Dad's voice cracked with a frustration I had never heard before. “We searched for weeks.” His shoulders sagged “There was nothing to follow, nothing to find, no track, no trail. Nothing” I stared at him and for the first time in my life, my father looked… afraid, Not of the council, nor the forest, of losing me. He crossed the room slowly and rested both hands on my shoulders, “When you were born,” he said quietly, “I promised myself I would never stand over another empty bed.” I felt something tighten painfully in my chest, my fathers voice has become barely a whisper. “I don’t care what is beyond that forest.” His eyes glistened in the firelight as he sat beside me “I only care that you’re here and safe.” Mum stood beside him, taking my hand “We know you feel different,” she said “We have always known, it’s just who you are. You have never quite belonged to this village.” A smile crossed her face. “But you belong to us.” Those words broke something inside me, I threw her arms around both of them and for a long while none of us spoke. The fire crackled quietly, outside the wind whispered through the fields. Eventually dad kissed the top of my head “Promise me something.” I looked up. “Stay away from that boundary.” The room fell silent again, I wanted to promise, I wanted more than anything to ease the fear in their faces, but all I could hear was the voice echoing in my mind. ‘Find me.’ I closed my eyes “I’m sorry.” Neither of my parents spoke because they already knew, it wasn’t a promise I could make. 

Night settled over Briar Hollow and I waited until every light inside the cottages had faded before leaving once more, this time my heart felt heavy with the thought of the conversation I had with my parents last night however, I knew Rowan would disapprove and the thought of that almost made me smile. The stream whispered beneath the moonlight exactly as it always had, I crossed slowly as every instinct told me someone was already waiting. The humming began before I reached the boundary, I pressed my hand against the invisible wall and the warmth answered instantly. A heartbeat echoed beneath my fingertips as I looked towards my hand I saw another hand appear on the opposite side, separated from mine by nothing I could actually see. Long fingers with stacks of gold rings decorating them disguising the pale skin that hasn't seen sunlight in what seems like many years, the stranger stood only a few feet away now. His face remained hidden beneath the darkness of the trees, but his eyes shone with an impossible emerald light. Neither of us spoke, slowly … very slowly, he lifted his other hand and pointed beyond the forest, towards something far deeper within, then he looked back at me. The boundary pulsed once and a single hairline crack spread between their hands, light began to escape through it like a golden glow breaking through water. I reached forward instinctively and the stranger shook his head, not yet. The crack sealed itself and the light vanished in a blink, he stepped backwards into the darkness until he was swallowed by the shadows once more. I stood alone beside the stream, with a hot pulse running through my arms, the boundary recognised him and somehow.. It had recognised me too.

Chapter 6

Sleep had become a stranger. For the third night in a row, I found myself staring at the wooden beams above my bed while darkness stretched across the room. Every time I closed my eyes I saw it all, the golden trees, the burning crown and the stranger standing silently beyond the boundary, but it was his eyes I couldn’t escape. They didn’t look threatening, if anything they looked… lonely. I sat upright with a sigh and lit the small candle on my bedside table. Pulling a scrap of parchment toward me, I chose my charcoal stick carefully and began to draw. At first it was only rough lines, then branches which became towering trees with a crown towering suspended above them, engulfed in white fire, then finally without thinking, I drew the stranger. However, I had to stop halfway through, no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t remember his face. Only the impossibly green eyes. A sharp knock startled her, the shoved the parchment beneath another sheet just as the door opened. Mum smiled softly, “Someone’s here to see you.” “Who, it’s 3am?” “Darling it's 8am and you already know.” I hadn’t realised the sun had come up and morning had broken outside my window as I drew all from my mind. Rowan stood outside the cottage carrying a small woven basket, “I bought breakfast.” A forced a smile broke across my face “You didn’t have to.” “I wanted to. To say sorry” we walked together through the quiet village, neither of us speaking for several minutes. Eventually Rowan glanced sideways. “You look tired.” “I haven’t slept much.” “I noticed.” I frowned “Thanks…” Rowan laughed gently “I didn’t mean how you look I meant I've noticed the light in your room stayed on.” I looked at him concerned “You’ve been watching my house?” “I couldn't sleep either.” The answer felt reasonable, yet something about it unsettled me.

We reached the old oak overlooking the square and Rowan unpacked fresh bread and apples. “I’m sorry I got so intense the other day, I just care about you.” I just gave a small smile. “You’ve been avoiding me since” “I’ve been busy,” “Doing what?” “Doing that dangerous thing of thinking” I shot at him sarcastically. “You think too much.” “I didn’t realise that was a crime.” “It isn't.” He paused, “It just leads people to terrible places where they don’t belong.”

We sat under the tree the rest of the morning barely saying a word to each other and just watching the people wandering by.

Later that day I returned home and spread my drawings across the kitchen table, something about the burning crown felt important, so I added more details from memory. The growing branches, a strange city, and mostly the enormous trees rising like pillars into the sky. “So that’s what you’ve been hiding.” Rowan's voice came from the doorway. I jumped "You could have knocked." “You left the door open.” His eyes settled on the sketches and the colour drained from his face, for a heartbeat he looked genuinely frightened. “Where did you see these?” I hesitated, “They’re just dreams.” “No,” his voice sharpened. “Where did you see them?” I folded my arms, “Why does it matter?” Rowan stepped closer “Answer me, Reagan!” Something in his tone made the room feel smaller. I had never heard him speak like that before. “I am not a child.” “No.” “You don’t get to demand answers from me, Rowan.” Silence stretched between us, and then Rowan slowly gathered every drawing into his hands. “What are you doing?” “They’re dangerous!” “They’re mine.” "Rae, they're filling your head with things that shouldn't be there," Rowan said calmly as he led them towards the fireplace. “Rowan.” Without hesitation, he dropped the drawings into the flames. The parchments curled instantly, then blackened and within a second they disappeared. I stared at him in disbelief.“You burned them.” “I. AM. TRYING. TO. PROTECT. YOU!” Hot anger rose deep inside me “What has happened to you” His expression softened again "You’ll thank me one day.” “No, I don’t think I will. Who do you think you are!” For the first time since we'd met, I saw irritation flash openly across his face, it vanished as quickly as it appeared. So I barged past Rowan without saying another word, Rowan remained standing beside the dying fire, his fist slowly clenching as he watched me walk out my front door.

By evening I found myself at the edge of the village square, when I looked around I saw that Brenn was all alone on a bench beneath an archway, as though he'd been expecting me. “You look troubled.” he said as he looked up and smiled. “I trusted someone.” “And now?” “I’m not sure.” The old man nodded knowingly, “The hardest cages to escape are the ones built from kindness.” I looked at him “What does that mean?” He carved another careful stroke into the small bird resting in his hands “There are people who will tell you every choice they make is for your own good.” “Even when it isn’t?” “Especially then,” Brenn said, giving me the sideways glare. I lowered my voice “Do you know anything about the boundary?” His knife stopped. “I know enough." “Tell me.” “I can’t” “Because of the council?” Brenn shook his head “Because the walls have ears.” I followed his gaze, two council guards were walking slowly across the square, watching, not Brenn. Me. By the time I looked back, the old man was already standing, as he passed me, he spoke so quietly I almost missed it “When someone fears your questions…” He paused “...ask them more.” 

I left the square as darkness settled over Briar Hollow, the familiar path to the stream seemed as though it was almost pulling me towards it, I barely even noticed my own footsteps. Half way there another voice broke the silence “I knew you’d come.” Rowan emerged from between two ash trees as I rolled my eyes, moon light caught his face and he looked exhausted. "Have you been following me?" "I was trying to stop you." "I don't need stopping." "You don't know what's waiting beyond that boundary." "And you do?" He said nothing, his silence answered the question "You've been lying to me." "I've been protecting you." "You keep saying that and i'm bored of hearing it as an excuse." "Because it's true not an excuse." I stepped around him and he caught my wrist, not painfully but firmly, I froze. "Don't." His voice was low, urgent. "Please." I looked down at his hand, then back into his eyes. "Let go." "You don't understand." "Then explain." "I can't." "Exactly." I pulled my wrist free. His shoulders slumped "You think I'm your enemy." "I don't know what you are anymore." The words hit harder than either of us expected, for a long moment neither of us moved. Finally Rowan whispered, "If you cross that boundary..." His voice cracked "...I'll lose you." I searched his face, for the first time I couldn't tell whether his fear was for me...or for himself. Without another word I pulled my arm away from him and walked away, Rowan remained standing alone beneath the trees, watching until I disappeared into the darkness, only then did he whisper to himself, "I can't let him find you."