Tears stung her eyes as she gathered up the simple gown that had been left for her and slipped into the adjoining room to dress. The house was much finer, but the feel of the place reminded her of Ari’s cottage.
She hoped that Ari and Neall had found a good place, a safe place.
Pushing away thoughts of Ari that would lead to other, more painful, thoughts of the things she and Aiden had seen, Lyrra found her way downstairs. She hesitated at the kitchen door, reluctant to face the sharp-tongued woman again. The kitchen was empty, so she hurried out the door and headed for the flower beds where Breanna was working.
Breanna saw her coming and rose.
When Lyrra got close enough to see the cool look in the witch’s eyes, she hesitated. “I just came out to admire the flowers. I don’t mean to interrupt your work.”
“I was finished here,” Breanna replied. “Why don’t we sit on the bench under the tree. I could use the shade now.”
What had happened, Lyrra wondered, to put that coolness in Breanna’s voice and eyes?
“You slept well?” Breanna asked.
Lyrra made the effort to smile. “Better than I have in quite some time.”
“Where will you be going when you leave here?”
“Oh —”To Tir Alainn, now that we’ve finally found an Old Place that has a shining road open. “I’m not sure.”
“If you take the trail that leads into the woods,” Breanna said, pointing in the general direction, “and keep heading for the Mother’s Hills, you’ll find the road you’re looking for.”
A chill went through Lyrra, but she wasn’t sure if it was caused by Breanna mentioning a road or mentioning the Mother’s Hills. “What road is that?”
“The shining road.” There was anger mixed with the coolness in Breanna’s voice now. “Isn’t that where you’re headed?”
Lyrra looked away. The prudent thing would be to feign ignorance, but she was suddenly tired of half-truths that were no better than lies. “You spoke to the water sprite.”
“It’s an odd thing, that. We live here. The Small Folk live here. We talk to each other and help each other. Unlike the Fair Folk, who come by whenever they want something but don’t even have the courtesy to acknowledge the presence of those who live here. So you can tell your kin that I’m a good shot with a bow, and if they keep bullying and badgering the Small Folk, I’m going to start shooting them for trespassing.”
Lyrra gripped the bench so hard her hands ached. “Do you want us t