Ellcinder

By Christina Cody

Once, in Ellcinder Wood, a door formed from the twisted bark and wooden knots on a juniper tree. Not a fancy door but one that held a wonderfully delightful secret, a powerful secret that changed the Ellcinder family forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christina Cody
• Release date: Aug 4, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310323546

Book preview

Ravena’s Wrath

Perched on petite pedestals, three self-stirring cauldrons bubbled and oozed; the brews’ steam swirled upward, staining the ceiling’s wooden beams with brown and black splotches. Across the room, a squat creature wrinkled his nose at the pots’ acrid smells. He scurried around, jostling an array of vials filled with birds’ claws, hazel leaves, and ashes.

Hurry! You dimwitted dwarf! Witch Ravena screamed. If you drop any of those, I’ll . . .

Knock. Knock.

Enter!

The door opened. Two hooded figures stepped across the threshold and shed their cloaks, revealing a plump, grey-eyed witch named Kymber, and a thin-framed, blue-eyed witch, Loretta. Both witches vigorously shook their cloaks; raindrops fell to the floor, creating puddles around their feet.

Have you two no manners? Ravena growled. She waved her hand in the direction of the water. Be gone! Every raindrop hastily swooshed out the door, leaving everything dry.

Outside, the rain stopped.

Kymber bowed and grabbed Loretta’s arm, forcing her into a clumsy bow. Forgive us, Mistress, for being so thoughtless, Kymber said.

Close the door! Ravena demanded.

As you wish. Kymber closed the door and hung her cloak on the iron hook behind it. Loretta, she whispered. Give me your cloak!

Distracted, Loretta watched Ravena’s servant chase a beetle across the floor.

Loretta! Kymber whispered once more.

Loretta held out the cloak to Kymber, but she never took her eyes from the servant. He’s so funny, talking to a beetle. Too bad the beetle doesn’t know . . .

What are you talking about? Kymber interrupted, taking the cloak from her cousin. Never mind, don’t tell me.

Loretta smiled when the servant captured the beetle.

Stop playing with that bug and bring me the powered toad’s tongue! Ravena screamed.

Yes, Mistress. He put the squirming beetle in his shirt pocket and stumbled getting up from the floor.

Did you bring them? Ravena asked Kymber between clenched teeth.

Right here, Mistress. She reached into the folds of her cloak and withdrew a vial containing a single swan feather. She handed it to Loretta. When she pulled out the second vial, holding a tiny twig wrapped with fine, golden thread, Kymber kissed the bottle and passed it over.

Loretta cautiously placed the two vials in front of Ravena and the bubbling cauldrons. She slinked back three steps.

Ravena admired the bottles’ contents hungrily and clasped her hands. A wisp of a smile formed at the edges of her lips and, for a fleeting moment, Loretta glimpsed an excited anticipation in Ravena’s eyes. Where’s the third bottle!

Kymber held out an empty vial on the palm of her hand.

But . . . but it was here, Mistress. It was.

Ravena blinked. Her excited anticipation turned to fury.

No, please don’t, Kymber begged, stepping back.

The servant pulled his knitted cap over his ears and closed his eyes.

Ravena flicked her fingers.

Shards of the empty glass vial littered the floor, surrounding a plump, green snake with grey eyes.

Loretta cowered.

One Year Later . . .

Midnight

Kerplunk.

The raven flinched. Caw!

Creed watched the lake swallow the rock between circling ripples.

His sister Cathryn closed her journal and dropped it into her backpack. Aren’t you excited, Creed? We’ll be eleven at midnight!

"Um hmm." His fingers combed the dirt until he found a rock bigger than the last.

Grandpa says this will be our best birthday yet! Cathryn exclaimed. What do you think he means? Do you think he and Gram bought us a dog? We ask for one every year.

Kerplunk.

Caw!

Cathryn zipped her backpack and rolled her eyes at her brother’s silence. Can you stop throwing rocks for a moment and actually say something?

Creed watched until the last ripple was out of sight and turned to his sister. Grandpa said the same thing last year. We had a year of school, homework, and chores. It’s just another, he paused as he belched a deep, hollow burp, birthday.

Ugh. That’s rude! Say ‘excuse me.’

Excuse me, little Miss Manners. Creed picked up two more rocks.

Cathryn stood up and dusted off her shorts. At least I have manners.

Kerplunk.

Caw! Caw!

You know that’s the raven always watching us at the juniper tree, Cathryn said while attempting to spy the bird among one of the wisteria branches.

Creed rolled his eyes. I seriously doubt it’s the same bird. He hurled another rock towards the middle of the lake. But now you bring up Juniper; I feel like climbing.

When do you not feel like climbing? Cathryn hoisted her backpack onto her shoulder and shouted at the surrounding trees. Hey, Mr. Raven, we’re going to Grandpa’s juniper tree. Want to come?

Really? You think the bird understands you?

Kerplunk.

Caw!

Didn’t you hear that? He understands perfectly. Cathryn walked away. Let’s go. I could use some peace and quiet.

Kerplunk.

With no rock throwing, she said over her shoulder.

Creed picked up one more rock, stood sideways like he was on a pitcher’s mound, peeked over his shoulder at a fictitious first baseman, and looked back at the lake. He hiked his leg and pitched the last rock into the water with practiced ease. Kerplunk. Creed turned and sprinted past Cathryn as if he were outrunning a throw to home plate.

Neither twin saw the pitched rock fly out of the lake and land at the water’s edge. Nor did they notice when the raven launched itself from a wisteria tree and, with a deft pump of his wings, climb to the clouded sky.

Creed and Cathryn hiked through the woods, and the raven flew ahead of them. It landed in front of the juniper tree and hop-walked to the trunk. The raven rapped its beak, tap-tappity-tap, against the grainy bark. A moment later, a warm breeze ruffled the bird’s feathers and a small door formed.

Caw!

The door creaked open and the raven wobbled inside. Caw! A second breeze kissed the surrounding wildflowers. The door closed and faded into the bark.

There it is! Cathryn shouted. I’ll race ya!

Creed sprang forward, zoomed past his sister, and tagged the tree. I win!

Of course you did. You cheated.

Cheated? How? You wanted to race.

I didn’t say ‘Go.’

Whatever. Creed wrapped his right hand around a knobby knot on the tree’s bark. Hello Juniper. You are looking strong today. He grabbed one of the many twisted branches and pulled himself up.

The leafless juniper tree seemed dangerous in its mangled way with long, gnarly branches sprawled in every direction. The massive trunk twisted around like a tight spring into more trunk-like limbs. Dangerous as it looked, the twins knew they were safe with Juniper. They would spend hours swinging on its branches and napping between exposed roots.

Cathryn leaned against the tree and covered the knot with her hand. Hello Juniper. You are looking strong today. She spoke softly as if she were greeting a dear friend, the way her grandpa taught her eight years ago. She wrapped her arms as far around the tree as they would reach. I love you, Juniper.

You’re so weird. Sometimes I can’t believe you’re my sister, Creed said from the branches above her.

I think Juniper likes it. He feels so alive when I hug him.

He? It’s a tree, you know! Creed gripped the next branch and pulled himself even higher.

Whatever, don’t fall and break something. Cathryn slid down against Juniper’s trunk and leaned back. From her backpack she pulled her favorite book of fairy tales; the one with Mother Goose riding an actual goose, and a raven flying high over her head. Cathryn smoothed her hand over the cover and thought about the raven she and Creed had seen sitting in the top-most branches. Will you be here today, Mr. Raven? She looked up into the sky.

What? Creed asked from somewhere high in the branches.

Nothing! Cathryn opened her book and became lost in pages of distant lands and imaginary characters while Creed explored the tree’s limbs and then fell asleep on one of the highest branches as he always did.

Four stories and one cat nap later, Cathryn rolled her shoulders, put away the book, and turned her gaze upward. Creed, time to go! She stood and stretched her tight muscles. I bet we’re late for dinner! Where are you?

Right here. Creed hung upside down by the backs of his knees from one of the branches.

Cathryn jumped. I hate it when you do that! Why can’t I hear anything when you climb?

It’s a gift. He flipped to the ground. Let’s get back. I’m starving.

You’re always starving. Cathryn hiked her backpack onto her shoulder and gently placed her hand on the knot. Thank you, Juniper, she whispered.

Creed touched the knot with his fingertips. Yeah, what she said.

At midnight, the twins slept soundly while the wind howled through the house’s eaves and rattled their bedroom windows. The branches of the juniper tree fiercely shook, reaching out from trunk to tip before snapping back in place as if stretching after a long nap. The roots vibrated the ground, shaking nearby wildflowers into a dance and driving hedgehogs into their leafy nests. A raven watched the tree’s bark twist and turn then mesh together to form a smooth panel of dark wood. The knot the twins used to greet Juniper transformed into a dragon consuming its own tail.

The night stilled.

As he had done earlier that day, the raven hopped to the tree, tap-tappity-tapped on the bark, and waited. A warm breeze ruffled his feathers and he cawed into the silence. A door, exactly the right size for an eleven year old, creaked open.

Birthday Waffles and a Troll

"Happy Birthday!" Grandpa and Gram Ellcinder sang while carrying plates with stacks of waffles to the breakfast table.

For the past three years, both Creed and Cathryn had spent their birthdays waking up at their grandparents’ house, eating delicious waffles smothered with whipped cream, sprinkles, and chocolate syrup. After cleaning up, they would spend the day with Juniper.

Make a wish!

The twins tightly closed their eyes, held their breath, and wished—a dog for Cathryn and a new basketball for Creed. Seconds later, they looked at each other then blew out the melting candles. As he always did, Creed crossed his fingers for double luck.

After breakfast the twins thanked their grandparents and ran off to see Juniper.

On your mark. Get set. Go! Cathryn shouted when they reached the edge of the clearing and could see the juniper tree in the distance. Creed outran her, as usual, but then he stopped short and fell backward into the grass. Look. He pointed. Do you see it?

Cathryn squinted. I don’t see anything but our tree. Stop fooling around and let’s go say hello to Juniper, so I can start reading the new book Gram gave me.

Creed stood but didn’t take his eyes from the tree. It’s different. There’s a door.

"Well then, shouldn’t we run in the other direction? You know, away from the creepy door in the tree? Cathryn teased, walking towards Juniper. You’re not going to scare me! she shouted over her shoulder then tripped on one of the tree’s roots. When she righted herself, Cathryn stood directly in front of the newly formed door. She stumbled backwards. That’s a door alright."

Creed inched forward, reached out and touched it with his palm. This is weird but pretty cool. The knot is a dragon eating its own tail.

Yeah, I’m not touching that. Cathryn put her hands behind her back.

Chicken. Creed traced the dragon with his fingers then covered it with his palm. He cleared his throat. Hello, Juniper. You are looking strong today.

Crack. Snap.

He jumped back, stepping on Cathryn’s toes. Did you see that?

Ouch! See what? She took two more giant steps away from the tree.

The dragon, Creed whispered, it moved.

No it didn’t. You’re trying to scare me.

Creed covered it with his hand once more. Come over here and watch.

Cathryn reluctantly inched forward until she could peek over Creed’s shoulder.

He looked back at her and whispered, Watch the dragon. Creed focused on the knot once more. Hello, Juniper. You are looking strong today. He removed his hand, and the dragon swallowed the remaining piece of its tail. With a loud crack! snap! and another wood-splitting crack again, the door inched opened halfway.

The twins peeked inside without touching it.

Inside the tree span rows and rows of bookshelves, housing large rolls of paper and towers of books with brown and black and purple covers tied with leather straps. The books leaned in every direction, stacked on top of one another like building blocks.

In the far corner, at least the corner Creed and Cathryn could see, were two high-back, pink-and-yellow cushioned chairs with imprints, as if someone had just been sitting on them. Between the chairs sat a small, round table with another leaning tower of books that looked as though it would topple if a butterfly landed on it.

Open the door some more, Cathryn said in a shaky voice.

Creed tried to nudge the door open a tiny bit but when he did, the raven cawed from atop the tree. Startled, he fell forward, pushing the door all the way open. Cathryn’s hands flew to her mouth, stifling a gasp.

Sitting on a high-backed stool and slumped over a large drafting table was the strangest creature Creed and Cathryn had ever seen. Wider than both of them put together, the creature’s fiery red hair, with sprigs of untamed curls, shot out in all directions. His ears were the size of baseballs but with rounded, hairy points at the tip-top. A wooden earring in the shape of a goat dangled from the left one. He wore a pair of brown pants, torn at the calves, and a shirt with a ruffled collar. His abnormally large feet, propped on a tree stump, were shoeless. A magnifying glass, a cloth pouch, a purple bottle, and a dagger hung from a belt around his waist. Both hands were as large as his feet and in his right hand was an equally large piece of wood he used to scrawl across the pages of a book. The creature mumbled to himself, appearing not to notice the twins.

Cathryn’s heart thumped painfully. Should we run?

Creed shook his head. I wonder what he’s doing.

You don’t have to wonder anymore. Come in, the creature said in a deep, growly voice.

For the first time in their lives, the twins ran away from Juniper.

Big Feet and Ruffles

"I think we’re safe, Creed said through heavy breaths. Did you get a load of that thing? He was huge!"

I was, Cathryn sucked in a huge breath, so scared! She exhaled heavily. He didn’t even look at us when he spoke! How’d he know we were there?

Because you don’t know how to whisper, that’s how.

"You weren’t too quiet either, you know."

Either way, we need to think. Creed closed his eyes and walked in circles as he always did when pondering a situation.

I thought he was going to jump up and eat us! Now what’ll we do? Go tell Grandpa? Yes, that’s what we’ll do and . . .

Slow down. Creed turned to face his sister. If he was going to come after us, he wouldn’t have fit through the door, and he was probably a slow runner. Did you see his feet? They were huge!

I’m going home to tell Grandpa and Gram. Cathryn adjusted the book bag on her shoulder. You can do whatever you want. She slowly jogged toward home.

"Juniper is our tree and that creature is part of it, so maybe he’s not so bad!" Creed shouted at her back.

Cathryn yelled over her shoulder, Try not to get eaten!

Creed shrugged and walked toward Juniper, whispering to himself. The creature can’t be that bad. It’s not like he was cooking a human on a stick. He was writing at a desk and wearing ruffles. Ruffles. He chuckled.

Even though she’d never admit it to her brother, Cathryn was terrified. As she jogged home, Creed’s words tumbled in her head. ‘Juniper is our tree and that creature is part of it, so maybe he’s not so bad.’ She stopped jogging and rattled off questions, attempting to convince herself. What if he’s right? What if the creature wouldn’t hurt us? He did look like he belonged there. And what’s up with all those books? Cathryn jogged back to Creed, the tree, and the creature. Wait up! she half whispered, half shouted.

Creed put one finger to his lips. "Shh! Do you want that thing to know we’re coming back? Be quiet, if you can." He turned around and walked slowly.

Hey! You don’t have to be rude. You could be grateful that I’m coming with you. I mean, really? Why do you have to be like that? Always telling me to be quiet and . . .

See, like that, talk, talk, talk.

But we aren’t close to the tree yet.

Creed didn’t want to tell his sister that he was scared and wanted to take his time getting back to