AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Thank you,” he said. “You’ve a knack for that.”
“There weren’t many formal animal healers in the village,” I shrugged.
The man nodded in understanding. “It’s hard to find good help here, what with a few old prejudices about our helpers here. How long are you here?”
It wasn’t hard to surmise I was an outsider, what with my being human and all, I guess.
“Just until tomorrow,” I said, feeling Lina’s eyes on me as I spoke.
“That’s too bad,” the fairy said. “If you change your mind and are looking for something to pass the time, I’m sure Aster can tell you where to find me.”
His offer stopped me in my tracks. I was saved from any kind of a response when Aster flitted over to speak to him, pulling Lina along with her.
Which was just as well, of course, because the idea was ludicrous. I had a family.Who are taken care of between Lina’s farm and the money you left them,an annoying voice in my head tacked on.And I was a sworn member of the Huntsman.Which you hate,the voice added.
Finally, I forced myself to look over at Lina. For all that I was in turmoil, her skin was a perfectly neutral rose-gold.
My heart sank, some hope I hadn’t realized I had dissipating in her complete lack of reaction.
Like I said, the idea was ludicrous.
45
Lina
It was hard to control my coloring as I watched Edrich tend to the poor guinea pig. Seeing his features so clearly, so close, the nuances in his expression—the thoughtful way his brow furrowed and the tilt of his mouth—it stirred something painful inside me.
I tried to shake the feeling away, but it didn’t help when I would catch his eye and see the same expression mirrored there.
Did I imagine his moment of hesitation when the healer mentioned needing help?
My breathing was uneven as my mind raced in circles running through too many possibilities that would probably never come about.
Fortunately, Aster was astounding at providing distractions.
Soon after leaving the healer, she had us dashing from one shop to the next in a mad sprint.
First was the dressmakers, where she purchased tunics and trousers and dresses, for every occasion, that she deemed would look perfect with my hair or complexion.
Telling her it was all too much was a waste of breath. She just ignored me, already on her way to the next stop.
Wherever we went, though, we had a sea of eyes watching us. Gasps came from the shoppers and vendors as they commented on my wings. I didn’t miss the way Edrich stood protectively close by, or the way his eyes assessed everyone who recognized me to determine if they were a threat.
Ever the soldier, even now.
The more I looked around at the fairies surrounding us, the more I understood why Uncle said that people would recognize me for my wings. There were wings in every size and shape and color, it seemed, but none of them were iridescent like mine.
Mixed into the comments about me or my wings, were ones about thehumanin our midst. Several uttered the word disdainfully, while others sounded only curious.
The longer we shopped and the more Aster treated us normally, the less of an attraction we became for the others. Eventually they began to drift further away, allowing us some modicum of privacy.
It felt a little easier to breathe then. I was used to being a spectacle for being so small, but usually those observing me were much bigger, and felt further away. Here, it was different. More personal and claustrophobic, somehow.
Aster’s shopping cycle continued with hats and shoes and jewelry, even weaponry, much to Edrich’s delight, until we eventually begged her for a rest.
“Fine, you two hang out here and I’ll be back after I finish up, then,” she said, before flitting away once more.
The tension between Edrich and myself had lessened throughout the day with each passing glance or comment, but now that Aster was gone, there was an awkward void between us that was hard to know how to fill.
