>,,Bark beetle,,<

                                    

                                          
[Trigger warning! Extreme violence and gore!]
                          
Miss Wren did not let go of the tree statue of her former ward. Something was making her believe that Althea was real and not a dirty trick of Caul to play with her feelings. 
                          
Caul was watching them from behind, his arms resting on the big shelf and his head laying on them. He was smiling, happy to finally have the woman, he obsessed about so much, wrapped around his finger. 
                          
"Talk to me, Althea..." Miss Wren said, weakly. "Say something, my dear..."
                          
And she did say something. Despite being a lifeless figure made of vines and roots, Althea's mouth began to open. It was slow and branches snapped as she did, but then actual words came out of her. "Miss," Althea said. "I'm so glad to see you again." 
                          
Miss Wren made big eyes, then squeezed them shut and started to sob and hugged Althea even tighter. 
                          
But those words didn't belong to Miss Wren's former ward—they belonged to Caul and he was mouthing every single one of them, making the fake Althea say them out loud. Unfortunately, Miss Wren fell for this trap and kept on enjoying her reunion with Althea. 
                          
Caul's head turned when he heard voices from the other side of the hall again. "One moment, love." he said to Miss Wren, faking a smile. Then sighed in a frustrated way and stomped to the other side. 
                          
On the other side he saw who was screaming and why they were screaming. It was Horace, Caul's personal fortune teller. He was being tossed around by Myron's telekinetic force, while Myron was casually waving his hand around and staring blankly, as always. 
                          
"HEY!" Caul yelled and Myron turned his attention on him, making Horace float in midair. 
"Put the boy down!" Caul bellowed. "Only I am allowed to do that!"
                          
Myron stared at his brother, unimpressed. Horace was still up in the air. Caul glared at him and after what seemed like a whole minute long staring contest, Myron gave in and put the poor boy down. 
                          
Horace wanted to scurry away as soon as he was back on the throne's armrest, but Caul trapped him in a ball of vines again. 
"How did you even free him without my help?..." Caul muttered and Myron didn't answer. 
                          
"Caul!" Jacob shouted up at the tree giant. Caul looked at him, bored. "Let us go!"
                          
"And why should I do that?" Caul asked and knelt down to listen. 
                          
"Horace told us something bad is about to happen." Jacob said. "And I think we should all leave before it happens."
                          
"Oh, don't worry. It only involves him," Caul nodded to Horace. "And I got my eyes on him—or one eye." 
                          
"No, it involves you." Jacob replied and the giant frowned at him. Then Caul shook his head and laughed. 
"You don't know what you're talking out, my boy. Besides, letting you go free would mean I'd lose sight of my food source."
                          
Jacob had to laugh. "Your what?"
                          
"Speaking of which," Caul said and chuckled. He snapped his fingers and the vines loosened around Emma, then she was lifted up in the air as Caul raised his hand. "Ladies first." 
                          
Emma freaked as she floated in front of Caul's face and he grinned, showing his sharp teeth. Jacob and the others called her name when they realised what was going to happen next.