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Soon, her snores filled the room.
It was just as well. We had a long journey ahead of us, and she needed the rest. Once I was done, I stood to stretch, and a cramp by my spine reminded me that I needed to reapply my medicine before we left.
Uncle had supplied us with the strange ointment for as long as I could remember—peppermint and eucalyptus, and something earthy I couldn't quite place. He said it was common among people my size.
People my size.
When I’d asked him about it later, he insisted that it was something he’d heard from a healer from far away… someone who had encountered another person like me. The mere idea that there was someone else out there like me was wonderful. I was enraptured with the thought for a whole minute before he crushed my dreams as they formed.
“They are long since gone, my child. There is no use trying to find them.”
Still, the idea never fully left me. Mama indulged me and found every book, rumor, tale, and anecdote she could on little people, fairies, sprites, and more.
Uncle wasn’t happy when he found out, but Mama had convinced him it was fine.
I closed my eyes and could see them before me, plain as day. I could practically hear their voices… Wringing my hands and squeezing my eyes shut tight, I tried to block out the pain and worry that had been plaguing me. I’d lost Mama, and I hadn’t heard from Uncle since her funeral.
“He’s a nomad, Lina. You’re used to him being away for long periods of time.” I whispered the assurance to myself, though I didn’t believe a word of it.
Because he’d never been gonethislong…
Is he dead, too?
I shook my head as if that would erase the dread. That wasn’t a thought I could entertain now, or ever. I’d had too many goodbyes, too many worries. Glancing around the dark, empty bedroom broke my heart enough that I couldn’t indulge some awful thing that might not even be true.
Looking over my checklist one more time, I marked off each item I’d already packed away. There were only a handful of things left, and I busied myself with folding up a few dresses and tunics with leggings, my nightdress, extra unmentionables, toiletries, snacks, and of course, my map.
It wasn’t fancy. In fact, it was barely legible, but it would have to do. All of the research I’d done led me to believe that the ancient fairy kingdom still existed, and it wasn’t leagues away as Uncle had made it seem.
It was just through the Enchanted Forest.
I took a deep breath and prayed I was right, that this wasn’t just some fool’s errand that would lead me to more questions than answers.
But it’s a risk I’m willing to take.
I wasn’t sure if I would ever come back here… or that I even wanted to. I couldn’t hide here anymore, wallowing in a life that no longer existed.
No, I needed to make a new life for myself.Or at least try.
A rooster crowed, pulling me from my thoughts.
“Frolicking centaurs! I’m going to be late,” I realized, with a start.
I ran back up to the window frame to wake Magnolia as gently as I could.
“It’s time, Maggie,” I whispered.
She stretched and yawned before wobbling to her newly manicured paws with a small nod.
We made our way down the built-in staircase from the window to the floor, winding our way toward the front door.
I looked back at the only home I’d known and sighed. In my mind, I painted a portrait of each detail—each speck of dust, each rickety floorboard, of each memory of the only home I could remember.
A small grunt sounded behind me as Maggie’s snout rested under my hand. I took her subtle reminder and used the pulley system to close the massive door behind us.
“Goodbye, Mama,” I said, pressing a kiss to my palm and resting it against the frame.
Maggie and I made our way down the path to the wagon that our farmhand had readied for us.
