Ghost of Glasgow: Immortal Stonekeeper Case Files #2 (2023) Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Run, Forest! Run!

Read chapter 3 of Ghost of Glasgow: Immortal Stonekeeper Case Files #2 (2023) by Mercynarie on NovelPedia.

“What’s the situation?” Jonathan lifted the cordoning tape, bending his body slightly to go under it. He took a look at his surroundings; the Paranormal Bureau was efficient, no doubt about that. It had barely been ten minutes since the first emergency broadcast, and they had already managed to direct the public away from the crime scene. “We’ve done the best we can, Inspector Warner.” A freckled agent clutched his radio tightly with one hand, leaving the other free to hang around his weapon holster. “Meaning?” “Meaning we boxed her up in that section of the Subway.” An older and obviously more experienced agent stepped in before the young agent accidentally shot out his own foot in a nervous fit. “Not like we had to do much anyway. She’s already laid her roots there, literally.” “Oh, Cornelia, what are you up to now?” Jonathan sighed out loud. “We could blow up this whole place, but that would just mean killing off the last Dryad on Earth,” the older agent said grimly. “To make things worse, she’s filled her domain with poisonous gas. We can’t get through, but you can. Talk your friend down from this, will you?” Jonathan nodded wordlessly and climbed down to the train tracks. His surroundings lashed out at him the moment the gas hit his nose. He kept his mouth shut and ceased breathing immediately. Barbed roots, perfectly camouflaged with the grey walls they lay against, pulled themselves out and swung around violently. They were easy enough to avoid, considering the speed Jonathan could move, but they were still annoying to deal with. Jonathan shook his head as the world slowed down around him again. He didn’t have time to deal with her nonsense. A burst of speed later, he found himself under a tree canopy. Fortunately, the gas emitted by the roots did not reach this deep, so he was at least able to speak now. “ Who goes there?! ” “It’s Jonathan, your old friend!” Jonathan yelled back at the shrill voice. He had met Cornelia during his first mission with the Bureau, right after he’d received the invitation to join the Immortal Association. That forest Dryad was the jumpy sort, mostly due to human deforestation, but she had found a friend in Jonathan nonetheless. Now, he could only hope their friendship would save her from being blown up by his nervous colleagues. A wall of vines parted, leaving a hole for Jonathan to walk through. He smiled slightly; that was a promising start. “Cornelia, hey…” the man cooed as though he were calming a wild horse down. His gaze shot to a small group of children wrapped in a huge leaf as though they were part of a gigantic Mexican tamale. They were still breathing, thankfully, but greenish translucent eggshells were already beginning to form around their unconscious bodies. The man pursed his lips; he had less than half an hour before their bodies merged with the eggs completely. “Jonathan?” The Dryad tilted her pink flower-like head to him as vines unwrapped themselves from her body, revealing a stalk that served as her torso. “I beg of thee. Thou must protect me. Thou must help me.” “Is it the pollination season already?” Jonathan laughed nervously. “I don’t see how I can help you with that. My… ‘pollen’ isn’t compatible with your species. Why don’t you release those children first? I’ll see to it that you’ll breed successfully.” “No, no…” The ground shivered as Cornelia twisted her body frantically. Jonathan stifled a gasp, only then realising that he was standing on a huge platform of intersecting roots. “My end is nigh!” Cornelia screamed hysterically. “I hath divined my future, and it is nigh! She is coming for me… She is coming for me! I must need use the spawn of men to bear mine brood now before I perish!” That’s not good… “Calm down, Cornelia. I’m here, alright? I won’t let any harm come to you.” Jonathan approached her carefully, doing his best to ignore the pockets of yawning darkness poking in from below the roots. “Who is coming for you? How did you…” The man’s voice trailed awa