Author:
Alex McGilvery has been reading since before he can remember, and writing almost that long. He has published 18 books and is author and editor at his imprint Celticfrog Publishing. He lives in Kamloops with his dog and the stories clawing their way out of his head.

Ten year old Justine has lived with the loss of her mother for two years. Even while she misses her Mom, she is discovering the gifts they share. When bullying at school makes Justine’s life miserable, she befriends a tree she calls Drasil. It isn’t fair that life causes so much pain for Justine, so her father is happy when she makes a friend, even when that friend is a tree.

She tells stories of visiting a land where peace is valued above all else and hospitality is the primary virtue. Her father listens to her stories and marvels at how she changes, even as he wonders if her stories are true, or the fantasy of a lonely young girl. When the stories get darker and more dangerous, he worries that she is being hurt, even in this land of peace.

He has no idea how much they will both be changed as they get caught up in the struggle between a people who believe in peace, and those who trust in war.

Playing on Yggdrasil

The next morning the boys asked what Patrick knew of the invaders. He told them what he had seen, but they were disappointed he had only seen them from a distance.


Once again Brother Reston had no good news from the Library. He was running on about trying to sort out some confusion in the Guest House so Patrick left him without argument.


"I am looking for the Street of the Leathersmiths," he asked Barsta. "Perhaps one of your group could show me the way?"


"You are looking for the Westers?" the boy said.


"Yes," Patrick said, "what can you tell me about them?"


"They're from the mountains," Barsta dodged through the crowds as he talked. "They are the same and different from us. They live by the peace, of course, but they dress in leather and fur and talk funny."


"They're Westers." Barsta shrugged. "They've always been like that. We don't have many in the city."


"So if you knew about Westers, why did you challenge my daughter and me?"


Chapter 54