Fifteen: Green river

We reached the edge of the forest where we stumbled upon the river. Tristane sat near the bank and washed his face with the cold water.

I looked around and settled in one of the rocks. No one was around, we should be safe. The cold was back, I hugged myself absently.

"Are you hurt?"

I shook my head. Lucian was true to his word and meant no harm to me.

Tristane sat across me, his face drenched from the water. He looked fine for now, but by morning he'll be swollen and bruised.

"What happened back there Tristane?"

He pursed his lips.

"Why did you hurt him?!"

"He was hurting you Krista! I had to do something!"

"No, he won't hurt me. He never did. I came to the forest to find him, I came for Lucian!"

"That was not him, Krista."

"And how do you know? We both saw his portrait."

"A boy of ten, not the adult Baron Lucian. For all we know it was some sick guy who was stalking you."

I gaped at him, what's wrong with this man? Seriously?

"I knew it was him Tristane. I've seen him before, it was Galbraith. And you hurt him."

He let out a heavy sigh and stood up, pacing towards the river bank.

"I didn't mean to. He was.. he was not suppose to be out. I put him back where he belonged."

"What do you mean? How could you do that? What... are you exactly?"

He turned and faced me but his eyes were somewhere else.

"My family had witch blood. It was passed down but often skipped a generation or two. My Dad, he got it and I did, too. He taught me magic." He gestured towards the river, "I insisted we come here so I could tend my injuries, the water has healing effects. It was his element, too."

His jaw tightened again, the memory of his parents are still painful.

"When you called...him, I knew he was covered in magic. Dark magic. He was not supposed to be out, he was trapped. I can't explain how but I just knew."

I continued to gawk at him, Tristane's a witch? And he knew magic?

"I swear Krista I didn't mean harm, my magic is good. My Dad made sure of that. What I did to him, it was to put him back where he was kept. If I didn't do it, bad things could happen."

"What bad things?"

"The spellcaster.. he or she, would know if the prisoner escaped. If the prisoner keeps wandering away from the barrier the spellcaster would return and strengthen the spell once again."

"The more that we need to set him free! You see Tristane, Lucian never disappeared. He was captured!"

"We can't just do that Krista."

"Why not?" I walked towards him, face serious, "Or you mean you won't?"

"I can't. I'm not strong enough."

My shoulders slumped, not his fault. Its hopeless.

"Then how... how was he able to come and talk to us? He threw you a punch!"

"I'm baffled as well. Wether the spell is wavering or someone is helping Lucian break free for a short time." He touched his jaw, "It bloody hurts you know, the guy could hit like a rock."

I wanted to smile but I didn't.

"But it wasn't him Krista.."

"You're still saying that? I know how Lucian looks like, I saw him when I collapsed—twice."

"The face yes, but it wasn't him entirely. Lucian has been locked away for a very long time, you don't know what it can do to a person. Somehow his spirit was distorted."

"Oh my god.." Is this what Lucian mean when he said time was running out?

"What are you planning now?" Tristane went back to the river and dipped his hands into the water.

I couldn't come up with answer because there wasn't any.

"Where are we?" I asked instead.

"Green river."

I flinched, "This is where she died."

"Yes."

I walked towards him my eyes watching the water flow beautifully. The moonlight made the rocks glow.

"I saw her die Tristane.."

He stood and stared at me. Does he know, too?

"Show me.." he said.

"What? H..ow?"

He took my hands and squeezed lightly.

"I can weave my magic to your memories so I can see it. You'll just have to focus on that memory."

He can do that? Well, that's helpful.

"Close your eyes Krista. It'll help."

I did. He began chanting again still holding my hands. I tried to focus my thoughts on that dream, the settings, the weather, the noises.. everything faded.

I opened my eyes and found myself under the oak tree once again. The sun was shinning above, it must be mid afternoon.

"You're here."

I turned my head and saw Tristane sitting beside me.

"How?"

"We're in your dream. I can see what you're seeing."

He helped me up and we approached the river. It looked as beautiful as it did under the moonlight.

"They were across the river. Claus was chasing her."

As if on cue, the girl came out of the forest wearing the same green dress. Her brown hair was free and tumbled down her waist.

"That's her!"

I heard Tristane gulped. The woman was pretty and he was just a man. Of course he would gawk at her.

"Here comes Claus now.."

We watched Claus emerged from the forest following the girl towards the river. Just like in my dream the woman pointed the knife at Claus.

"I'll kill you!"

Screamed the woman. Wait, I can hear her now. How?

I saw Tristane chanting again, oh, so it was him.

"Yra please, do not do this!"

Claus called to her. Yra, so that's her name. It was as beautiful as her face.

"I am going away with him! No one will take us apart!"

"You cannot! She holds your family captive! If you do not go now, she will kill them."

Yra stiffened, so that's what Claus told her when she finally dropped her hands on her side. But who are they talking about?

"I love him so much, this is not fair! We were going away, he told me so! He was supposed to meet me here."

"I wrote that missive Yra, not Lucian. He does not know you are here. I am here to give you money, you can use this and start a new life."

"He is my life."

"I know."

"But she has my family."

I saw Claus slowly approach her. I knew what was going to happen next, Tristane flinched when Yra cut Claus' arm. Blood marred his sleeve.

"You wench!"

"I may be lowborn Claus, but I am not a wench. I'd rather die than give my family to her!"

Then she stabbed herself.

"No! You cannot die! You cannot leave Lucian you evil woman!"

Claus went to her body but there was nothing he could do. She was dead. He looked over the river, to where we stood but I knew he wasn't seeing us. He was just lost in thought.

Carefully he pulled the knife from her throat and wiped the blood on her skirt before throwing her off the river.

Tristane and I watched her body roll with the current.

Claus was gone.

A sudden surge of energy pulled me back from the trance, I opened my eyes and was staring at Tristane's. He was out of breath.

"I..I used too much magic tonight.."

I guided him down a rock to sit. He was really dizzy.

"Rest."

He nooded and closed his eyes. I went to the river and splashed my face with the cold water. I saw her die again.

"Krista.."

I spun and went back to Tristane. He was calmer.

"You saw it all. I don't know how I am seeing these things Tristane but I've seen her die, no one killed her. She took her own life."

"Yra.."

"Yes, I was surprised as well when I heard Claus. You did that, didn't you?"

"Yes. We were too far to hear them.. I just had to hear."

"He set her up. She came to the river thinking Lucian was going to elope with her."

"No. Someone else was behind it all. Claus said so."

"So who was she? Why did she have much influence over Claus? And Yra was scared of her because she held her family captive."

"I don't know. But I bet, she was behind it all. Even Lucian's disappearance."

"What do we do?" I asked, my voice was small.

"We find out who she is."