Read Along: Darktrees

'I cain't stop till I find Lugh. I promised him.'

Upon arrival at the camp of the Free Hawks, Saba has to plan the journey she must take to find Lugh from her new starting point. Help comes from an unexpected source...

'We ride into the Free Hawk summer camp at Darktrees.'

Things seem to have settled down for the time being as Saba and Emmi take refuge at the camp of the Free Hawks. The relationship between the sisters is once again seen to progress in this section. Saba 'swats' Emmi, a very different gesture to when we saw her hit her sister earlier on. There is still a shyness shared between them, however, as they both come to terms with the changing conditions of their relationship, 'would it...would you give me a pickaback ride to the bunkhouse?' This is something Saba has never done before, and her reaction is promising, 'I thought you'd never ask'. 'All the time she keeps hold of the edge of my tunic and sticks close', their physical closeness is reflective of their growing emotional bond.

'Everythin's to do with chaal.'

Saba fills Maev in about what she found out about Freedom Fields from Helen, and the Free Hawks insist on Saba resting up before she heads into the Black Mountains, 'you gotta be strong'. When Saba argues that she's 'gotta git goin', Maev admits that whilst Saba is a 'survivor', everybody needs time to wind down.

'The filth of Hopetown's washed from my body.'

As the girls dive into a beautiful waterfall to cool down, the image juztaposes those of the death water seen in Sandsea. The suggestion is that there are still idyllic, natural places left on earth; it is not all dust lands, thus providing a sense of hope to the novel. Saba discloses that her 'ideas about what's right an wrong ain't so fine as they used to be', denoting that what she went through at Hopetown has changed, maybe even tarnished, her somehow.

'I cain't stop till I find Lugh. I promised him.'

However, Saba soon crashes back to reality and the guilt she feels for momentarily forgetting Lugh causes her to stop enjoying herself with Maev. The Hawk doesn't think much of her behaviour, insisting that she's allowed to enjoy herself - she's allowed to live, even if Lugh isn't there!

'My stupid stummick does a flip.'

The blissful moment is shattered by the arrival of Jack on the scene. Unexpectedly, he appears behind the 'two girls naked in the water an [him] with all their clothes'. The heartstone alerts Saba to who it is that surprises them by stating, 'they don't want you to know about it' as the girls discuss Freedom Fields. His way with the ladies is certainly questionable, 'bloodthirsty...I like that in a woman...she likes me, I can always tell'. Jack's signature lines are not received well by Maev, 'turn around or I'll rip yer heart out'. This is a scene that always make me think of the Greek goddess Artemis  As patron of the Hunt and chastity, she has striking parallels with Maev, especially in Blood Red Road.

'I know the way to Freedom Fields. I can take you there.'

Left alone, Saba questions Jack on why he's at Darktrees. Although seeming shady at first, it is suggested that he was just concerned for her safety, 'Is..everythin okay?' Once again, Jack describes their chance meeting as 'fate'. Saba responds by calling him 'the most infuriatin person [she's] ever met in [her] life'. When he offers to take her to Freedom Fields to find Lugh, she quickly stops with the insults. The situation beings to grow more serious between them as Jack confronts her about her actions at Hopetown, 'you risked yer life to save mine an you didn't even know me'. Saba, in her usual stubborn way, refuses to tell him about the heartstone. Perhaps she is denying the truth that the reader has already realised. Jack, too, withholds his own information. This leads me to the conclusion that their parallel dealings with their angst-filled relationship connotes mutual feelings; the heartstone accepts Jack as Saba's heart's desire...is Saba therefore Jack's?

'The space between us feels heavy.'

It is not long however until Jack's flirtacious ways are back on the cards, 'Be careful Angel, when you stare at a man like that, he's likely to git any number of innerestin ideas'. He's a typical Jack the Lad, with a sense of humour that every reader, naturally, comes to love. Saba doesn't stay to watch him undress, much to his amusement, as he takes his own turn in the pool, 'I can still hear him laughin'.

'He's got secrets.'

Maev isn't as trusting of Jack, and Saba admits it's a 'leap of faith' to rely on him to actually get her to Freedom Fields. The fact that she takes the leap proves just how determined she is to find Lugh. They agree that Jack can be summed up in three ways: 'arrogant...annoyin...slippery as a snake'. In an echo of recent pages, Saba refuses to admit her evident attraction to him, 'he ain't my type', but Maev and the reader knows the reality, 'he's jest yer type. The trouble type'. (On a side note, Jack's horse - Ajax - is another Greek mythology reference. Described as having a 'bad temper an bite', this is not a reflection of his owner, but his namesake - the fearsome Geek warrior. You can probably tell I'm a bit of a classics nerd!)

'Well if that ain't a nice sisterly thing to do.'

I've previously suggested that Saba wants Emmi to stay with the Hawks for her safety and this is reiterated, 'I gotta know she'll be okay'. It is not just Emmi who puts up a fight to this, using her usual manipulation skills, 'her head droops down like a wilted wildflower', but Jack also. It's hard to tell if he does it merely to wind Saba up, or if he actually believes Emmi should stay with them, after all he admits, 'I've always wanted a sister'. He does, however  make it very clear where he stands on Saba's past behaviour to her sister, 'you don't fool me...all you care about's yer precious brother'. Saba is embarrassed by the way she's treated Emmi, a clear sign of regret and guilt, especially when Jack says 'yer sister'll be safer with me than she could ever be with you'. She eventually has to relent to their challenges, allowing Emmi to join them after she successfully shoots a slingshot spot on, 'I ain't never seen her so happy an excited'. 

'You'd make a damn fine Free Hawk.'

As the three are about to depart, Maev gives Saba a ring to send back to the Free Hawks with Nero if they run into trouble on their journey. She also threatens Jack, 'keep em safe. If you don''t, we'll hunt you to the ends of the earth'. In his usual way, Jack appears indifferent to this, but the threat is real - the Free Hawks respect and have become protective of Saba and Emmi. Our hard female hero has found acceptance with others. But Maev doesn't appear particularly optimistic about their future, 'lookin like she don't especk to ever see us agin'.

Let the action begin...

~Ella