Two tiny pricks of light shine from underneath a bush. Eyes. Tiny eyes.
Peace settles over me. I tilt my head and gingerly reach for the apple.
“Is this for me?” I ask the tiny eyes.
They blink twice, quickly.
“Does that mean yes?”
Again, two quick blinks.
“Uh, thank you,” I breathe, wiping the dirt and sand off the apple to take a bite.
My necklace isn’t warm or even cold from the water. It’s strangely neutral.
I bite into the apple, juice drips down my chin. My body heats as I chew the apple.
“This is good. Thank you,” I repeat, wiping the dribble of apple juice from my face with the back of my hand. It’s really, really good.
My calf itches and I pull my pant leg up to glance down at the large slash as it stitches itself back together.
“What the—” I stammer. Watching in horror and awe as my skin heals before my eyes. “Is this healing me?” I look from the apple to the two small eyes.
Two blinks and then they’re gone.
“Wait!” I shout. But they don’t return. “Thank you...” My voice fades into the darkness.
A little while later, splashing reaches my ears as Lachlan wades through the water, pulling his horse behind him. When he reaches the light of the fire, I see the many weapons now strapped to his waist and back.
“Did you tell Dragut about the kelpie?” I eye him from my seat by the fire.
“Aye. He was not thrilled that I left ye here alone.”
I smile to myself and bite my lip. Oh, he’s in for a bigsurprise. What was that he saying to Boudicca? Brownies, fair folk, and wulvers?
Lachlan studies me with keen eyes and tilts his head.
“What?” he asks when I don’t make a retort. He leads his horse up to the trees beside mine.
“Nothing?” I reply, shrugging my shoulders.
Lachlan turns back to me as he finishes tying up his horse. “Nae. I said I left ye here alone, and ye made a face. Why the face?”
I look at the forest’s edge beside him before meeting his eyes again.
“I don’t think we’re alone here.”
Lachlan stiffens, tightening the reins in his grip. “What do ye mean?”
I toss the apple core to him and he catches it in his free hand. “Boudicca didn’t pack this.”
“I had a hard time making it to the shore. The kelpie might’ve injured me a bit more than I told you.” Lachlan’s jaw flexes with my words, but I continue. “While I struggled to stand and change my clothes, I heard noises coming from the forest.” I nod towards the trees where the eyes appeared. “When I got the fire started and sat down, an apple rolled from the tree line and two tiny eyes appeared.”
“So ye ate the mysterious apple that came from the forest?” Lachlan asks bewildered, staring down at the apple core still gripped in his hand.
I shrugged. “I know it sounds stupid, but they seemed like they were trying to help, and after I ate the apple, my leg healed.”
“It what?”
