Something tickled my face and woke me up. I opened my eyes and looked straight into two green cat eyes. Something tickled my face — Socks’s whiskers. I opened my eyes to find him watching me with an accusing look.
“You’re quite the sleepyhead, Bobbie von Falkenstein! Instead of lazing around in bed, you should get up, feed me, and then think about your next tasks. You still need the wand and the money. You can collect your cup today. At least you’ve got today and tomorrow left — even you should manage that!”
Before I could answer, he jumped off me.
I got ready quickly and hurried to the dining hall with Socks. The last thing I needed was a grumpy familiar.
I got there earlier than yesterday; the pages were already gathered around the round table. The mood was more relaxed than the previous evening. The pages, and especially Cal, seemed more at ease with my presence.
Trisha smiled warmly at me. “Good morning, Bobbie. Please don’t take it the wrong way that we didn’t greet you properly before. There have always been only four pages taught personally by Leonora. The Outside World was always a legend to us, a tale for children. And then you appear and tell us it’s all true. That sort of thing can turn one’s whole worldview upside down. I hope we can forget our awkward start and become friends.”
She raised her goblet with a smile, as did Sereina and Amir. With a forced smile, Cal reluctantly lifted his too, and we clinked goblets.
I felt relieved and happy that the pages had made the first move. I wondered whether Leonora had something to do with it, but honestly, I didn’t care. I’ve always found it hard when the mood turns cold, and we’d have to find a way to get along.
Cal? I still couldn’t warm to him, but after what Sereina had told me last night, I could at least understand him a little better.
In his deep voice, Amir asked about my plans. I told him I’d started working on my cup yesterday and still needed a wand and earn some coins.
“You’ll have to decide what kind of wood your wand will be made from,” Sereina said.
“Why does that matter?” I asked. “Isn’t wood just… wood?”
Cal’s mouth twisted into a mocking grin, but before he could say anything, Sereina cut him off.
“No, it’s not the same. Different kinds of wood hold different kinds of magic. But of course, you couldn’t know that. Come to the library after breakfast. I’ll show you some books that can help you decide. We don’t have time to explain it all now, though; we have a lesson soon.. Trisha, please tell Archon Meridis I’ll be a bit late.”
I hurried through my breakfast so Sereina wouldn’t lose too much time. We walked briskly to the library, curiosity already tingling inside me. The library back in Falkenstein had always been my favourite place. I loved the scent of old books and worn leather chairs..
When we entered the library, I was overwhelmed. I had never seen so many books in one place. The shelves reached all the way up to the ceiling, with tables in the centre covered in open tomes and benches for reading. And that was only the entrance hall. The library stretched on endlessly, room after room. What a treasure trove of knowledge!
Sereina showed me the section on natural magic and pulled a few books from the shelves, handing them to me.
“Here you’ll find everything you need to know about the different kinds of wood. It’ll help you decide which tree to ask for your wand. Don’t forget an offering for the dryads, the tree spirits. Fruit and flowers are appropriate. And perhaps you could sing them a song.”
I grinned. “That would be more punishment than offering.”
Sereina laughed. “It’s the intention that counts. Gratitude matters more than pitch. Oh, and before I forget: as the Chosen One, you have access to all the books, but many of them won’t make sense to you yet. They hold advanced teachings. Don’t be discouraged; they don’t make sense to us pages either. And one more thing: in each of the kingdom sections you’ll see portals. Don’t step through them. They lead to the respective realms, and it’s forbidden to use them until we finish our basic training.”
Of course, that only made me more curious, but I promised to behave and carried the heavy books to a table.
“When you close a book, that means you’re done. It’ll be taken away automatically. If you’re still working with one, leave it open.”
With that final instruction, she dashed off to class, leaving me alone.
No one else was in the library. Everyone was probably in lessons. Fine by me.
“I’ll go for a little wander,” Socks meowed and disappeared. I wondered if he could read. It honestly wouldn’t have surprised me.
I sat down on a bench and opened the first book.
Completely absorbed in the magic of trees, I lost track of time until something jabbed sharply against my shin.
Socks was back from exploring, wearing his classic I’m-about-to-starve look. I realised I was starving too. Leaving the books open, I headed for the dining hall.
After a quick meal, I returned to the library. I had taken three apples from the fruit bowl as an offering . Better not anger the dryads.
I delved back into my studies, torn between several trees and struggling to decide.
For protection and banishing spells, oak would be an excellent choice. It stands for strength, endurance, justice, and stability. But I also read that oak wands are best suited for experienced wielders, too powerful for a beginner like me, even though I’ve always loved the old oaks back home in Falkenstein..
Yew, too, was a mighty tree, carrying the magic of transformation and rebirth. Yet its poisonous nature and connection to death and the underworld made me uneasy.
The apple tree, I read, has long been linked to the Otherworld, love, and immortality.I remembered the Arthurian tales I used to love as a child, the apple trees of Avalon that granted eternal life. One book said the apple tree’s energy was gentle, nurturing and harmonising, ideal for healing, love, fertility, creativity, blessings and rites of passage. Not bad at all.
Then I read about the hazel. The tree of wisdom and inspiration. It bridges intuition, vision, and knowledge, guarding against harmful forces. Hazel aids divination, protects against curses and lightning, grants luck and strength, and helps fulfil wishes. Its energy is said to be light, quick and full of movement, promoting clarity of mind and connecting people to their inner voice. Hazel reveals hidden connections.
That was it. My decision was made.
I closed the books and right on cue, Socks appeared out of nowhere.
I remembered seeing some hazel bushes near the forge, so we set off that way.
We didn’t walk long before finding them. I had Hephon’s dagger with me and hoped it wouldn’t harm the hazel too much. Just as the books had described, I closed my eyes and asked the dryads for a sign, which bush, which branch I could take with humility. Quietly, I began to sing an old song from Falkenstein, hoping it was the intention that mattered, not the tune.
Suddenly, I heard a bird sing. I opened my eyes and saw a bird perched on a branch. When it noticed me, it flew away. I took that as the sign. With one strong cut, I severed a thumb-thick branch and trimmed it to the length of my forearm. Then I gave thanks, placed the apples beneath the bush, and poured a bit of water from my flask onto the roots.
A whisper stirred in the leaves. The dryads seemed content. One more task complete.
I would still have to shape the wand, of course, but first, I needed to visit Mira and collect my cup.
Want to find out more about Tarcania?
Then sign up and I’ll notify you when there’s news.
After signing up, you’ll receive regular updates from me about Tarot and Tarcania. I’ll also occasionally let you know about my offers. You can, of course, unsubscribe at any time with just one click. For further information, please see the privacy policy.