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Tristan dragged his hand down his face and sighed Bloody hell What had seeical solution to their problem now felt like the naive plot of a novice

“Have a little faith,” Tristan replied in a bid to rouse some confidence in his own ability to succeed

The carriage ruhted quickly, the grey blanket of fog proving to be an advantage as they hoped to be in position before Mr Fellows arrived

“The tree is just inside the entrance,” Blackwood said pointing to an eerie shadow in the gloo froh”

Lord Fernall ibberish?”

As they approached the tree, Tristan felt the hairs on his nape juh hiht The natural flow of the earth’s rhyths could sense the ominous shift in the atmosphere, said that they whined and yelped to alert their owners of the invisible yetpresence

“Whilst it appears to look like any other tree in the park,” Tristan began, “I cannot help but feel repelled by it”

Blackwood stared up at the lowest branch The as sht in colour where the bark had worn away “Do you knohat they say about the Dead Man’s Tree?”

“No,” Lord Fernall said with a sigh “But I ahten us with one of your bizarre tales”

“They say the spirits of the dead walk this path” Blackwood’s voice was but an octave higher than a whisper “Their sad souls linger People have seen strange shadows, figures in shrouds, ahis sword”

Lord Fernall snorted “And thisbehind the shrubbery”

“Talking of shrubbery,” Tristan began as he checked his watch for the uestured to the row of shrubs four feet or so in front of the tree “We shall hide here Mr Blackwood shall stand in front”

Despite a few moans and mumbles, they took their positions

“We look utterly ridiculous,” Lord Fernall complained as he knelt down next to Tristan “I don’t knohy I agreed to come”

“It is al to wait”