time for Timothy to grow into his powers Whatever the outcome it would be witnessed by Electra one of the Pleiad sisters come to observe this intersection of history to bear witness to the events leading to the crowning of a new Filidh Timothy had escaped Balor twice once from his workshop and once from a challenge in the Market And Timothy had risked him self for Jessica Church even before she was his friend The Greenman thought of the leaf he had plucked from his own branch In Timothy’s hand it had grown as hard as glass and its color shaded from cool blue to hot red It allowed Timothy to measure danger to gauge whom to trust The leaf grew warmer to the touch as danger increased It seemed a small thing against the growing Dark Yet the Greenman knew Tim othy kept it with him always For now the leaf and its ability to warn was his only defense x
PART 1 THE BATTLE OF THE TREES
1 THE GOOSE WOMAN No one had ever told Jessica Church how to rescue a girl who was enchanted Yet here she was alone in a strange market somewhere in time trying to help her friend Sarah Maxwell who had been turned into an ermine Jessica sat on a bench away from the bustle of the Travelers Market A beautiful white ermine lay curled in her lap The bench was hidden behind a cartload of apples and she was glad for the temporary cover because she had stolen the long sinewy animal from its cage when the Animal Tamer was distracted Now she had no idea what to do next As she worried she absently stroked the animal’s lithe body Don’t fret I’ll think of something soon Did ermines worry She had no idea Sarah can you understand anything I’m saying A leg twitched Did that mean anything Jessica didn’t know She considered the animal’s bright brown eyes She’d never had a pet She didn’t particularly like animals they were smelly and many of them drooled If only the Greenman was here to help A shout dragged Jessica from her thoughts She startled almost 3
