“No. This can’t be,” she said, “There are no…trees.”
No trees? That couldn’t be right, because everywhere he looked there were trees. Many of them were on fire.
He had to admit the place didn’t look hospitable for trees. What with the jagged gray rocks everywhere. And the dim, gray light. Trees tended not to do very well without an abundance of sunlight.
These trees appeared to be very healthy. At least the one that weren’t being consumed by flames.
So healthy that some of them were running after the ogres who had set their brethren on fire. Some of them had ogres wrapped in their branches and were beating them against the jagged rocks. Still others were throwing rocks at the ogres.
All in all, it appeared to be a very busy bunch of trees.
But, even for the unseen world, he had to admit this was abnormal behavior for oak trees. Carnivorous saber leafed wer-maples maybe. But oak trees? Hardly.
“Don’ts remembers treeses,” Roger said, “Treeses bees news.”
The massive oak tree blocking the road rose up on its thicks roots and stalked toward the van. Its great branches rustled and swayed. Wood creaked and groaned.
Its approach seemed more than a little menacing. Given the battle going on.
Hilario stomped his foot on the gas pedal. The engine rattled and the van pulled away from the majestically pursuing tree. Which, as he glanced as his rearview mirror, had a root wrapped around an ogre’s neck.
Oh, this was not good. Why did things keep getting worse?
Ha, ha. Silly clown. Things always got worse.
“Roger!” he said, “Where is Lord Igdibon’s keep?”
Roger pointed a thick knuckled finger at the road. “Follows thats,” he said, “Roades onlys goses ones ways.”
Of course. Why had he even asked?
Hilario wrenched the wheel and slalomed the van around another walking oak tree. The entire forest appeared to be on the move.
In the same direction he was going.
Because, of course, that’s why.
He pressed the gas pedal flat against the floor. At least he could out run the trees.
For now.
The van bounced and creaked over the rough stone path. Hilario’s rolls of fat jiggled and slapped against each other. His insides felt like a well shaken martini.
The roads of the unseen world weren’t all that friendly to wheeled conveyances. Normally materials for road construction were select for the amount of sparks created when iron horseshoes struck them.
Because dramatic effect was more important than avoiding lower back pain and motion sickness.
The trees were smaller and less mobile the farther into the realm he drove. Though they appeared to be growing rapidly. Tiny saplings sprouted fresh green leaves from stretching branches as he passed them.
Odom the Paladin thrust his magnificently handsome face between the seats. Hilario fought the wheel for a moment. Compensating for the shifting weight of Odom. He refrained from telling the big metal lug to sit back down. He was pretty sure Odom would have not issue drawing his sword in this realm.
A thick grove of saplings grew across the road. Hilario clenched his teeth and drove through them. Their tiny branches thumped against the van.
“Never have I seen such green in a dark lord’s realm,” Odom said.
And the realization smacked Hilario across the face like the little tree branches were slapping against the windshield.
Green.
“She’s alive,” Hilario said, “She’s here.”
Larry’s ghostly head snapped around. Hilario gave him a hard look. But Larry didn’t speak.
Detective Marco gave up his thumb sucking and clambered up beside Odom.
“Who?” he said, “Who’s alive?”
The van bounced over a rise in the road. For a moment everyone was weightless. Then the van crunched back down to the rough road. The trees got sparser as he drove deeper into the realm The scent of smoke was gone, too. The only evidence of the fires was the red glow in his rearview mirror.
The lack of smoke was making the stench of his companions more noticeable. Rotten cabbage and musky cologne. Bleh. He rolled window a little farther. The air coming in was musty. Tinged with decay. Like a flatulent swamp.
He rolled the window back up.
Marco grabbed Hilario’s shoulder. He had a plaintive note in his voice. “Who? Who’s alive?”
Hilario gave Larry another glare. Larry avoided his eyes.
“Rachel,” Hilario said. He waved a white gloved hand and the saplings springing up along the road. “This has to be her.”
“What do you mean, clown?” Odom said.
“Yeah, what the fuck?” Marco said, “Rachel’s got a wicked green thumb but she can’t make trees jump outa the ground like popcorn.”
The road dipped down into a depression. Black water covered the roadway. He lifted his foot from the gas pedal. Should he try to cross it? Floating wasn’t one of the van’s capabilities. Quite the opposite.
“Clown,” Odom said, “Who is this Rachel we have been seeking? What realm is she from?”
That was the question, wasn’t it? Was there any doubt about it any more?
He glanced at the rearview. The Sapphire Witch sat on the stool by the makeup cabinet. Her arms crossed over her chest. Her brows furrowed. Her mouth downturned.
She was a traitor to her own realm. Trying to overthrow the Lady Alexandrite. Become a queen with her own realm.
Nothing extraordinary about that. In the unseen world it was an odd day where there wasn’t a knife sticking out of your back.
He brought the van to a stop at the edge of the black water. How deep did it go? Could he safely cross?
This was the unseen world. Puddles could be puddles. Or they could be gateways to places worse than could be imagined.
“Why’d you stop?” Marco asked. He slapped Hilario’s arm. “Get going.
