Chapter 3 Hidden Ancestry

My eyes adjust to the room slowly, I could hear the door close. I look too where we just entered to find the door was gone. Replacing the spot it should have been, was a tall wall of wood."Are we inside of a big tree?' I ask.

" Kind of", my mother replies." We can speak freely here, and there are some things I need to tell you both before you leave."

I look around the inside of this magnificent tree, the hollow trunk the size of a small house. Several twisted branch like pillars lined the walls, beautiful flower vines growing around each one, the petals brightly glowing a shimmering bluish green.

They were like torches, lighting the ceiling and borders of this breathtaking Garden.I bring my eyes to my feet and we're standing on a square of colorful cobblestone, with a beautiful border of moss between each stone.

Looking further ahead I could see it was the beginning of a pathway. Bordering the path were more glowing botanical plants I've never seen before , each their own vibrant color. Mushrooms the size of bar stools, this place was surreal in its beauty.

"What is this place?"I asked, still looking around in amazement. I just noticed the Fireflies, leisurely floating above a clear quarts table in the middle of the garden.

Sitting at this table, drinking what I imagined to be tea, Was a beautiful young lady with hair down to her feet. She wore a slightly sheer forest green toga, with gold accents shaped like the same flower vines that were growing on the pillars and ceiling. Her hair was a bright sapphire blue at the root that faded to a sea-foam green, all the way to her feet which were bare. I could see little glowing bugs sprinkled through her curls. Strands here and there were floating slightly, giving her an almost astral appearance.

"I call it The Bolthole, But technically you are in the belly of Drys," the woman spoke up in a bubbly tone, from her circular crystal table.

"I am Druanthia!', she says in the same bubbly tone, as she waves to my mother and I to join her, not looking up from the table.

"Come Ella!' My mother calls to to me as she hastily starts walking down the short path to the center of the garden, a bright smile on her face. I hesitated, still in shock that my mother just opened a door to a secret... realm?? 'Whatever this is, its enchanting Ella!' Selene swooned in my ear. We both love gardens but this... 'I've never seen anything like it, that's for sure' I replied to Selene, agreeing with her.

"Its okay Ella, Dru is practically family!" Mom waves for me to hurry when she realized I hadn't started walking yet. She had this soft look in her eyes as she looked from me to Dru. My feet start moving forward, following my mother's path.

"Hello Penny, its been a long time.. almost 30 years if I'm not mistaken??" Dru says in a light quizzical voice, not taking her eyes off her hands as my mother and I reach the table.

"Not quite!" My mother said with a giggle, bending down and kissing Druanthia on both cheeks. To which Dru returned enthusiastically, setting down these opaque multicolored stones she appeared to have been holding so she could place her hands on my mothers shoulders.

Both Selene and I were extremely curious as to what was going on, why we were here, who this woman was, who is Drys and why are we in their belly? But I was speechless.

" I heard about Xavier's call for The Trials."Dru whispered, finally looking up from the table top.Her eyes! Shining silver stars shone over a gold dust that seemed to shift and flow behind the stationary dots. Framing her stunning orbs, were thick grey lashes that flared dramatically at the ends. Her entire body was covered in glittering tattoos of runes, and plants I didn't recognize. She wore no make-up, she needed nothing to enhance her beauty. As I took in this magnificent goddess, I knew she was just that.

"Yes, I believe this is Adaleena's doing. There would be no other reason for Xavier to do so unless his mother was in his ear, guiding his decisions. Although I hear he's just as cruel. His destined mate was killed in what they're proposing is an accident, but there are rumors that his mate was Fae..." Penny said her voice fading with that last word. She looked at me with tears in her eyes and continued ," That disgusting beast Horatio was here today Dru, we weren't expecting anyone outside the pack until the October Festival and I... I wasn't wearing the necklace. He knows now and it's only a matter of time before they come, William and Caroline can protect me from Horatio, but they can do nothing if it's Adaleena or Xavier."

" Do You wish for me to take you and your daughter somewhere ?" Dru spoke again in a quizzical tone, picking up those multi-colored stones and tossing them onto the table.

Spotting the symbols on the stones, "Are you reading runes?" I asked her.

" Oh no dear, Drys and I are in the middle of a game of Fox and Geese. He is winning yet again. My love is very good at strategy... well I do insist on being the Geese every time." Druanthia replied smiling airily.

"That is because you must pick your rune strategically my darling, this isn't Yahtzee.." Said a husky voice from somewhere underneath the table.Selene and I give the air a sniff, searching the area surrounding the table trying to figure out where that voice came from.

A slight wind picked up around the table next to Druanthia, swirling into a mini vortex. Dirt , stone , clay and foliage began to collect at the center, slowly forming a figure. Each twist of the wind revealing inch by inch more and more, until a tall masculine figure was standing before us. He wore a gladiator style suit of armor, made from a dark Amber. Twisted vines and smooth moss covered branches made up the majority of his body, with stones for kneecaps and long vibrant green grass for hair. His eyes were smooth Emeralds, a golden orb in the center that served as his pupil.

Selene and I looked at this Tree person in front of us with awe, our minds are having a hard time wrapping around these celestial beings before us. We've never seen anything like this before and we've seen a Lot of magical shit, I mean I know I haven't seen it all but the divinity of the beings standing just feet away from me is something I didn't expect to experience until maybe after death?

"Hello Penny! Hello Isabella!", said the Tree man as he bowed dramatically, his nose almost touching the floor before he straightened back up with a creak."Welcome I am Drys, please do sit down!", he waves towards two crystal stools that just emerged from the earth next to the table.

"Why thank you kind sir!", my mother said to the Tree Man, taking a seat and patting the stool next to her. She gave me a smile and said" Come sit sweetheart."

I took a seat next to my mother and quickly jumped back to my feet, the seat was not what I was expecting!

"Why is it warm!? Why is it squishy!?" I exclaimed in surprise. Looking at this crystal stool, you would expect it to be cold and hard, but as I placed my hand on the seat it emitted a subtle orange hue that seemed to follow my fingers and the stone turned to a soft gel."Is there anything about this place that isn't extraordinary..." Selene and I whispered, and turned to the trio.

Both Dru and this Drys had huge grins of appreciation on their face.

"They're to warm you up! Pretty neat if I do say so my self!" Dru said raising her eyebrows up and down and gave Drys a playful nudge in the leg with the tip of her toes

"Isabella, Dru is...well basically, a self appointed protector of the Fae. Drys is her husband and he has offered his um, well stomach.." My mother started to explain.

"Bolthole!!", chirps Dru, who was now standing next to her mate, holding his hand.

"I'm not calling it that Dru..", Penny rolled her eyes and continued." Drys has offered this place as a way station for Fae that needed to flee quickly and not be traced."

"Eighteen years ago Fairies started vanishing, at first it was just one or two every few months, but within a year, whole families would just disappear in the middle of the night without a trace. Not one of our warriors we sent to investigate returned. We asked for help from our gods and goddesses, but they all refused to intervene. All but Dru and Drys. They saved us." Penny smiled at the celestial couple."I met your father one day in the woods close to the Pack house. Me being the only shapeshifter in the group of refugees I was escorting, I went alone to hunt as a wolf. As soon as we were within range of each other, the mate bond took over. We found each other quickly, and upon hearing my story, he offered my group safe passage through his territory and ordered his pack to remain silent. He brought me to Caroline and she offered her protection, and her help in finding my missing kinfolk, and the decision to hide my ancestry was made. I was only meant to stay hidden until we could find out what was happening to the Fae."

" We've heard rumors they're being harvested for sick potions and rituals, but could never find any evidence to either prove or disprove these rumors.", said Drys.

"Until five years ago, when the King Alpha Andrew passed away and Adaleena became Queen Regent. That's when Horatio came into the picture and the disappearances became more frequent. We're still not sure what they're doing with the fairies, no clues, just rumors that always point back to the Queen and her crony.", Penny finished.

"So let me get this straight, you're a fairy shapeshifter and not a werewolf. You've been in hiding basically since before I was born, due to some unknown force kidnapping the fairies. And you two are just your friendly neighborhood god and goddess power couple here to save the day?" I asked all in one breath.

"There's a lot we've held from you Ella, thinking we had enough time. Unfortunately with today's events, it's obvious I became complacent under the protection of your father and grandmother."My mother said to me as she gladly accepted a cup of tea from Druanthia." Mm Moon Rose Tea!! I haven't had this in ages!!" Penny squealed in delight.

"Do we really have time for tea?", I asked nervously, remembering Horatio's words, 'I can assure you the penalty for being late will be much more severe than today's little lesson in respect.'

We must have been here for at least half an hour by now, and I still need to pack and call my friends.Unless...

"Mom, did you bring me here to escape?" I asked hopefully.

"No. Another extraordinary feature of Drys' belly..."my mother started.

"Bolthole!!!" sings Dru, twirling her fingers around the ends of Drys' hair.

"Ok, fine, Bolthole...", My mother tried to continue.

"Victory!!" exclaimed Dru, twirling away from Drys' and back onto her stool. She places her chin in her palms and gave my mother a playful tap to the foot with her toes, then gives her a wink.

"Anyway, Time moves slowly here. A week here is the equivalent to an hour in the earthly realm.",said Penny taking a sip of her tea," Your father and I came up with the plan to bring you here to train, it would give you the time you need and you've got some really great teachers here as well. If we try to hide you or run they would come not just for your father and I, but every member of the pack just to set an example. You and Selene are strong and together you have the potential to be unstoppable. Even with the little training we can squeeze in will be valuable in the days ahead."

"Looks like you'll be our guest for the next few weeks!" Dru said to me excitedly as she stood up and started walking down a pathway behind her stool I hadn't noticed before. Long star jasmine vines separate as she approaches to reveal a wooden spiral staircase just as beautiful as its surroundings.

" You've seen the garden, now let me show you where you'll be doing all your training.", Drys said joining Dru, who had already started to walk down the wooden steps.

' What kind of training do you think?', Selene asked through our link.

' I'm not sure, but lets go find out!' I said , and started down the staircase. My mother following suite...