Under The Oak Tree Ch 7 Novels & Stories

Like it knows something important is about to happen and doesn’t want to miss it. We stop near the old oak tree that holds the swings. It survived the battle somehow, some part of it cracked but still alive. Someone wrapped glowing charms around its trunk to help it heal. Soft light pulses from them, slow and steady. Karl leans against the tree. I sit on one of the swings. My lips curl into a teasing smile, gesturing to the empty swing by my side. “You don't want to sit?” “Nope, I think I'm good standing here.”

The sound of soft weeping draws my attention to one of the few remaining trees on the lot, a large, aged oak that at this distance I can see a patch of pale skin contrasting with the tree's wood. I change the course of thoughts of the past with the inopportune curiosity of discovering who is hiding, I look over my shoulder confirming the endless line of associates sucking up to the most important new name within the mafia, with his pet dog beside him feigning pain with the loss. The funereal atmosphere is not strange, the cold wind raises some fallen leaves despite the clear sky at that moment the announcement of the storm lurks around the corners like the darkness in my chest, hidden by the

CHAPTER 3 He led me across the lawn towards a large oak tree. My toes sunk into the soft loam of the yard, feeling the lush grass caressing my toes as I walked naked towards the tree. The boughs of the aged giant swayed across the sky as though trying to sweep the clouds away so that it could be reunited with the sun once again. “Hug the tree, slut. Your body needs to be tightly pressed against it, and your legs need to be spread.”

The dying oak meant something. “Should we tell Jax?” Sarah asked downstairs. “We should mind our business,” I said. She shook her head. “It’s our duty.” She was right. But I already knew how it would end. Jax would never believe us. I returned to the temple at sunset. The oak tree stood in the courtyard, barely alive. I pressed my hand to the bark. “What are you trying to tell me?” It didn’t answer. But I understood. Something was coming. And I was running out of time to stop it.

I grin and the nymph pauses and nods. "It must be a mighty oak, tall and sturdy and located in the same place as my last," she growls, eyeing me curiously. I nod and hold out my hand. She reluctantly put her boney hand in mine and I searched her mind for the location. We appeared at the dead stump and I could sense the creature's sadness. I felt like an ass and manifested my staff. I tapped the tree stump and stood back as the branches began to shoot upward, they spread open and covered themselves with thick foliage. I grinned and looked down at Euclea.

The sound of crickets and insects filled my ears, a little hum of life in the dark. I stopped at the edge of a clearing, scanning the trees in front of me. They had to be close. I could feel it. "Um, Queen—" Jake opened his mouth to speak, but I silenced him with a finger to my lips. Then I heard the sound of footsteps heading our way, heavy fast and voice shouting through the tree. “Stop! It’s pointless running away from us!” "We have you guys surrounded!" Lights flickered through the branches, bouncing off the grass and bark. I snuck closer to the massive oak tree in front of me, resting my hand on its rough bark. The hanging moss obscure my view, but the footsteps were getting louder.

“Think. She’s a phoenix. She can fly. She’s probably circling overhead right now, cursing my name.” But the sky above the canopy was darkening fast, and no flames cut through the gloom. I kept moving, picking the direction that felt least wrong. Roots snagged my boots. Branches clawed at my sleeves. The air smelled of wet earth and something sharper—ozone, maybe, or the faint char of old fire. A sound stopped me cold. Soft. Muffled. A sob. Then a whisper, barely audible: “Stop… stop… please stop…” I followed it, slower now, careful not to startle her. The trees parted into a small clearing. A massive oak dominated the center, trunk wide enough for three people to stand around. At its base, k

Before I could even think of what to reply him, he quickly ran off to meet Theran and the two began rummaging through the baskets and crates at the back of the carriage. Defeated, I let out a soft sigh as I glanced around for the tree Alexander had asked that I rest under. My eyes fell on a large oak tree with sprawling branches and thick foliage not too far from us. It's shade did look inviting as the sun above us had begun to grow hotter as we were diving deeper into the afternoon. Despite my protest, I decided that a good rest didn't sound so bad after all. "Miss Elora," I heard Theran call and my attention shifted to the driver. He held to his chest a stool with intricately carved legs a

It began with a cryptic message delivered to our doorstep, a message that hinted at a hidden truth yet to be discovered. "Amelia, Ethan," the letter read, "there is more to your story than you realize. Seek the forgotten sanctuary beneath the old oak tree at midnight, and you shall find the key to unlocking the next chapter." Intrigued and filled with a sense of trepidation, we followed the instructions and arrived at the designated spot under the cover of darkness. The moon's gentle glow filtered through the branches, casting an ethereal light on the ground below. As we approached the ancient oak tree, a soft breeze whispered secrets through its leaves, beckoning us forward.

The next couple of days follow the same routine. I’m left alone through most of it. Outside of Willow, no one speaks to me. I continue to try meditation with little luck, and balance seems impossible. Willow seems patient, but I’m sure she is growing frustrated. During our lessons, Willow often reminds me to clear my mind. It sounds so easy, yet my mind is never clear. On the seventh day, I sit under the oak tree trying to meditate when I hear a familiar voice, “Hello little dove.”