The Edge of Strange Hollow by Gabrielle Byrne (best affordable ebook reader txt) 📕

had enough form for Poppy to see some of it without cutting her finger again. She turned to the page with the image of the Oak surrounded by clasped hands. She ran her fingers over the page. “The witch said the thorn trees were the Holly Oak’s too. I just … I didn’t make the connection.” She turned to Mack.

The Holly Oak pressed her lips together. “All the trees are mine. I told you this.”

“What connection?” Mack asked.

“To the maledictions. Like the Faery Queen said.” Poppy narrowed her eyes at the Oak. “You left that out. You didn’t tell us the maledictions are yours too!”

The Holly Oak didn’t speak, but a streak of black rolled over her face. Poppy took that for confirmation.

Mack took Poppy’s arm, lowering his voice. “If the maledictions are truly hers, then she … she kills people, Poppy!”

Nula glued herself to Poppy’s other side.

“Wait. Listen,” Poppy said. She turned away from the Oak so the three of them faced one another in a huddle. “I admit, if it’s not just the thorn trees that belong to her and it’s the maledictions too, it … doesn’t look good. But Nula, she gave you the book—or drew your attention to it. That means she wanted us to know about Prudence Barebone. And we know she’s been under a geis—unable to tell us everything. Mack, you’re the one that said there had to be more to this story, right? The Faery Queen told us the truth, but only part of it.”

She spun to the tree. “I want the whole truth—all of it.”

The Holly Oak gave Poppy a tight smile. Her dark eyes sparkled—with excitement or anger, Poppy couldn’t be sure.

“I cannot tell you what you don’t already know, Pandora Sunshine. Not about this.”

“Okay, then … we’ll figure it out. All you have to do is nod when we get it right. Okay?”

The tree studied Poppy as another streak of black furrowed her brow. It cleared and she smiled. “I was right to trust in you, girl. You are as clever as your parents said.”

Poppy’s cheeks grew hot. She cleared her throat. “You and Prudence Barebone struck a bargain—made a promise.”

The tree looked away.

“Prudence wanted to keep the peace, but she wanted more than that … didn’t she?”

The Holly Oak’s expression turned thoughtful. “Yes,” she said softly. “Much more.”

Nula clutched the tuft of her tail in her hands. “So, keeping the peace … that means any creature with ill intent stays out of the Hollows, and the people don’t try to cut down the forest. No one gets hurt? That sort of thing?”

Poppy nodded, but Mack shook his head. “But maledictions do hurt people.” He lowered his voice. “So … is the Oak breaking her promise?”

“Depends how it was worded, I guess.” Nula chewed the tip of her tail thoughtfully. “Maybe they said no one could attack the Hollows or the wood. Maledictions don’t attack.”

Poppy considered. “I mean, I don’t know if maledictions are … alive exactly? But whether they are or not, we know that their magic puts people in a trance. It doesn’t hurt them. Then the pickers lead them into the wood—they don’t hurt anyone themselves either. Each piece by itself is harmless.” She turned to the tree. “So, you’re not breaking the promise … it’s more like a trick … a series of loopholes.”

The Holly Oak’s honey gold cheeks grew pink, but she said nothing to defend herself. Her dress of leaves rustled as she shifted uncomfortably.

“Harmless until they get to the thorn trees,” Mack amended.

“Right,” Poppy acknowledged. “The thorn trees kill people.”

“More than just people,” Nula objected. “They kill anything they can get their … uh, hands on.”

Poppy spun to the tree again, who was just waiting … her expression shifting between frustration and what Poppy thought might be pride. “But why would you allow that?” she asked.

They fell silent.

“Every creature must be true to its nature.” The Holly Oak held out her palms.

Nula shook her head. “But that’s not a reason to go to all that trouble. Sure, thorn trees gotta eat. I can see that. But that’s different from seeding maledictions that lure people from Poppy’s Hollow … or some other Hollow.”

Poppy met the Holly Oak’s bright eyes. “She’s right, isn’t she?”

The Holly Oak nodded.

“But you can’t tell us why.”

She shook her head.

“But it is you, isn’t it—the maledictions? They’re part of your magic.”

The Holly Oak looked down to where her fingers twisted against her leafy gown and gave a stiff nod. “It is.”

Beside her, Nula breathed in sharply. The pooka had paled to a light blue.

“What’s wrong?” Poppy asked.

Nula’s voice was so quiet, Poppy had to lean toward her to hear.

“Maybe … she had to,” Nula choked. “Maybe there was something that she wanted so much—”

“Who? The Oak?” Mack scoffed.

“Or Prudence!” Poppy gasped. “The witch said she was greedy. Clever and greedy, but that she wasn’t selfish about it. Everyone benefited … something like that.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Nula protested.

“Benefited how?” Mack asked.

“What do people in the Hollows have that other people don’t?”

“The fog? The wood?”

Poppy shook her head. “I guess, but what else?”

“You don’t get sick?”

“That’s right…” Poppy’s heartbeat quickened. “We don’t get sick. Plus, we have really long lives.” Everything stilled. “Long life,” Poppy said, suddenly certain. “The witch said Prudence asked for long life. People in the Hollows … live.”

Poppy spun to the Holly Oak. “Prudence was afraid of dying!”

“What did I tell you.” Nula gave a grim nod. “Fear turns everything rotten. And she had to bargain for a long life for everyone. She didn’t want to be alone without her family … and friends.” Nula’s voice hitched.

“And magic has a cost.” Mack met Poppy’s eyes, his face stricken.

Poppy felt the blood drain from her face. “The peace was free, because it was equal. But when Prudence bargained for long life, the maledictions were the cost.” Bile rose in her throat. She’d never been so certain of anything. “Maledictions are the price of our extra years. Did they know? Did the people know? Did they agree to that?”

The black streaks had stopped writhing over