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The mother remained tense, clearly understanding there was something more behind my broad statement.
“I’m hungry!” Nina repeated, escaping her mother’s arms and sliding out of the bed.
Seeing her standing, I guessed her to be about five. Dropping to one knee, I offered her my hand and she shook it gravely.
As soon as she’d finished, she looked over her shoulder at her mother, her eyes bright.
“Did I do it right?”
“You did an excellent job,” her mother assured her, then looked at me, vaguely embarrassed. “She hasn’t met anyone outside the family, other than her ladyship, of course, but we’ve tried to teach her proper manners in case…”
She trailed off at the confused expressions on both Amara and my faces.
“Why don’t we join the others,” Amara said, “so we can talk properly, and you can get this young lady some food?”
Nina jumped in excitement and raced for the door. Her mother watched her go with the dazed expression of someone who’d just had a violent and unexpected shift in emotion.
Amara put a gentle hand on her arm. “Don’t worry, she really is better. My apprentice might be young, but she’s strong.”
The woman flinched, pulling away, and Amara quickly removed her hand.
“Don’t worry,” she said. “I have an elements seed myself.”
“You’re cross-influenced?” the woman asked me, showing the same amazement as the man at the door.
“Yes, that’s right,” Amara said. “We’re not from the island.”
“Not from the island,” the woman repeated slowly, as if she couldn’t quite wrap her mind around the concept.
“I’m sorry to hurry you,” I said. “But we need to talk to you about an urgent situation.”
The woman still looked bemused, but she allowed us to lead the way out to the main room. Nina was already seated at the table, being plied with food by the two delighted-looking women there. Even the men at the door had relaxed since Nina’s appearance. My healing had done far more than our words in convincing them of our intentions.
“Could the rest of our party come inside now?” Amara asked, looking from the matriarch of the group to the patriarch. “It sounds like there’s a lot you don’t know about the current situation on the island, and our time is limited.”
Glances flew between all five of the adults, but after a moment the older woman nodded, and the two men slowly moved over to the table to join the rest of us. I hurried to the empty doorway and leaned outside.
Nik appeared in front of me before I could even wave them over. From the tension in his muscles, he had been poised and waiting to spring into action.
“You can relax,” I told him. “I healed the girl, and everyone seems willing to listening to us now. She was close to death, so we arrived just in time.”
“But who are they?” Costas asked, half to himself.
“I have no idea,” I said. “But did you really not have any idea there were people living in the forest?”
He shook his head. “I’ve never heard of anyone living outside the town.”
“It’s a very sensible set up if you ask me,” Ida said. “It must have been very peaceful out here without the Constantines breathing over them.” She calmly entered the house and nodded a greeting to the group gathered inside.
There weren’t enough chairs for everyone, but we gathered around the table anyway, some remaining standing. I would have liked to stand myself since my body was buzzing with nervous energy, but Nina’s mother insisted I take her seat.
In the face of her earnest protestations, I couldn’t refuse. But as soon as I was settled, their attention turned to the rest of my companions, and a reaction spread through them. Several of them leaned forward, the others exchanging whispers as they examined Costas.
He cleared his throat awkwardly. “Do you know me?”
“You look just like her!” The matriarch exclaimed. “Who are you?”
“Do you know where her ladyship is?” the mother asked in a rush, not giving him a chance to answer the grandmother’s question. “Has anything happened to her?”
