Tree Singer by Jacci Turner (best novels for beginners TXT) 📕

instead of her. Mother would know what to do, how to figure out what the problem was and how to solve it.

“We must figure out what is causing this before the winter storms come back,” Nan continued. “Last winter we lost over one thousand trees.”

One. Thousand. Trees.

Mayten could barely breathe. Her clan harvested about two hundred trees a year. She couldn’t picture the loss of a thousand. Something like this could devastate a forest—an entire economy—in no time. Why hadn’t they asked for help when they first noticed the problem?

“Of course, they weren’t a total loss,” Nan said with a shrug. “Father brought in loggers to salvage what they could, then ship the logs off to several ports, including yours.” She nodded at Tray.

“Excuse me,” Mayten said hesitantly. “I can’t help but wonder if that was the best decision? What if the trees had some unknown sickness that might spread to the trees in the ports where they’d been shipped?”

“The wood was still good,” Nan snapped. She turned back to Tray. “We built furniture and other items with the wood before exporting it. Everything has remained sound. Then we inspected each tree before it was shipped.”

Her face flushed and her voice rose in pitch. “There is much more at stake here than the loss of the trees. The entire forest system will become imbalanced—if the trees die, the plants and insects that live in them will die, the birds and other small creatures that live off those insects will die, the larger animals that live off of those insects will die. The entire island, and possibly the entire world could become imbalanced, shifting the weather patterns and changing the seasons until we are all just a barren desert!”

The king laid a hand on his daughter’s arm. “One thing at a time, Nan. One thing at a time.”

Nan took a breath, crossed her arms, and leaned back in her chair. The storm boiling inside her showed on her face. Her eyebrows met in a seething glower, her face flushed red as though burned by the sun.

She’s been carrying this burden too long. Though Mayten still had no idea how long. The girl was probably relieved to finally get some help.

“Nan tends to look on the dark side of things I’m afraid, “ the king said with a sigh. “I’m sure the singer can help us figure this out.”

Nan slapped her notebook closed and clamped her lips together, glaring at Mayten.

I guess I’m not the one she was hoping would come.

Where did all this animosity come from? Did the girl resent Mayten for being a singer? Perhaps—not having grown up around singers—she felt science should have revealed an answer. If that were the case, perhaps she also felt those gifted with a calling were nothing more than frauds performing magic tricks.

Though something the princess said stuck in Mayten’s mind. She mulled the words over. Something about the seasons changing . . .

The oak tree she had last sat on had tried to show her that too. Just as the tree tried to show her that something threatened the very life of the forest—quite possibly all of their lives.

“Mayten,” said the king, and from the sound of his voice, it wasn’t the first time he’d tried to catch her attention.

“I’m sorry, King Redmond. What did you say?”

“I’d like your team to start out tomorrow, after the noon meal. Take the evening to rest up and restock your provisions. I’m sorry I can’t let you rest longer. I don’t imagine this will be a long quest—no more than a week or so. You should be able to at least get an idea about what is happening so we can make plans to correct it.” He looked at her hopefully.

Suddenly the room felt less like a library and more like a room for a war council. Mayten nodded, struggling to look confident even though she was quivering like a raw egg inside.

How was she supposed to know if she could figure out what was happening in a week, let alone what they could do to fix it? The question weighed her down like a heavy blanket.

“Adven, you will lead the team, of course,” the king continued. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to keep Tray here and send Thomas in his place. I’d like my son to have a chance to see what a quest is like before he decides to join you on a longer adventure.”

The prince grinned, that beautiful smile Mayten had seen only once before. He had the king’s charm when he smiled like that, the gap between his front teeth visible again. For a moment, she could not look away.

Adven nodded, although she could tell by the set of his jaw he was not happy. She supposed there was only one way to reply when a king made a request.

Tray’s wide eyes showed his shock and dismay. Mayten could tell he wanted to protest, but he clamped his mouth shut.

“Cather Healer, may I ask you to please stay with the queen?” the king asked. “She found your visit this afternoon quite comforting. With more time, perhaps you’ll be able to discern the problem.”

“Of course, Your Majesty,” Cather said, dipping her head. Her dark hair glistened in the firelight.

She belonged in the castle, Mayten realized. Much more so than a ruffian who rushed to dinner half-dressed and didn’t even know how to curtsy properly or which fork to use.

Tray’s shoulders relaxed and a slight smile creased his face. He put his arm on the top of the couch above Cather’s head, as if to claim his territory.

“Also, I’d like to have Nan join you. She has done a great deal of research that may be helpful to you.” The king smiled at his daughter, a smile that Mayten didn’t share.

Dread dragged at her stomach, churning the evening’s lovely meal into heavy mud. Might as well fill the entire team with I Hate Mayten members.

Adven cleared his throat. “King Thomas, we’ve lost our woodsman—” His voice