Chapter 51
Gylfie and Cron lay on the ground. Cron lifted himself up about half way and started coughing. "Cron! Gylfie! You made it." Ruby shouted in relief.
Gylfie shifted her head, without moving her body, to see Ruby. "But . . . where's Soren?" Pelli asked.
Gylfie and Cron looked at each other. "He . . . he didn't come out?" Cron asked.
Digger shook his head. "Oh no." Cron breathed.
"Soren! Soren's died!" Pelli cried out. She probably would've tried to go through the portal, but there was rubble on this end too. The portal couldn't be used, and unless another basilisk came along, it was going to stay that way.
It was a few nights later they found a hint on Soren. Otulissa was sorting books in the library, when a slip of paper fell out of one. There was writing on it that looked familiar. Otulissa looked at the book in her talon, then decended onto the paper. There was only one owl she could think of who'd leave a note in a book about King Arthur.
Dear reader,
My name is Soren, and I was once king of this tree. If that doesn't sound familiar, I suggest you stop reading for the good of the tree. If it does sound familiar, I'm hoping whoever has gotten this knew me. I wanted to make sure you knew, I was not killed in the collapse. I am stuck in the Other time, and I won't be alive by the time it's my own time again, so I can see how that might not be better for some. But I hope it will make a slight difference, at least so that you won't morn too much.
I'm sorry that this has happened, and I miss all of you. And Pelli, Blythe, Bash, Bell, I love you four.
Soren
Otulissa put the letter up to her beak. Soren hadn't died in the earth quake. True, he was dead in this time, but this letter made a huge difference. "Pelli! There's something you should see!" Otulissa shouted, flying out of the library.
