Shadows and Light

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 to leave?” she asked, not sure how she’d explain to Aiden why they were no longer welcome.
    “Don’t be foolish,” Breanna snapped. “The way the two of you looked when you rode in, it was obvious you wouldn’t have stayed in the saddle for another mile.”
    “Then what do you want?”
    “The courtesy of honesty.”
    With sharp relief, Lyrra released the glamour that hid her true face behind a human mask. She turned to look at Breanna. “Is this honest enough?”
    Breanna studied her for a moment. “You’re lovely. Why do you hide what you are?”
    “Why?” Lyrra replied softly. “Habit. Perhaps arrogance is the reason we show our true faces only when we choose to show them. Or perhaps we’re like the hares that exchange their brown coats for white when the seasons change. We hide the most obvious means of recognizing what we are so that we don’t stand out.” She paused. “I’m sorry the Clan here has been discourteous. That wasn’t our intention when we tried to get the Fae to pay more attention to the witches.”
    Breanna stared at her. “Why would you want to? Why would we want that attention?”
    “The shining roads are anchored to the Old Places. And it is the presence of the Mother’s Daughters, the witches, in the Old Places that keeps those roads anchored to the human world, that keeps Tir Alainn existing.”
    “So this sudden interest in us is just to make sure we don’t bolt and leave you gasping like a fish thrown up on the bank.”
    Lyrra winced. “That’s part of it. But the other part was to protect you, to keep you safe.”
    “From what?”
    “From the Black Coats, the Inquisitors. That’s why Aiden and I are traveling. To gather news, gossip, any information we can find to keep the Clans informed—and to warn the witches.”
    “So you’ve been to other Old Places? You’ve given your warnings elsewhere?”
    Lyrra shuddered. “We’ve been to other Old Places. We didn’t reach them in time to give any warnings.
    The witches were already gone—or dead.” She closed her eyes, felt the warmth of Breanna’s hand on her arm.
    “I think what you have to tell us will be hard enough to say once,” Breanna said quietly. “Let it go for now. After the evening meal, you and Aiden can tell us what needs to be told.”
    Lyrra nodded, grateful for the reprieve.
    The dog barked.
    Breanna made a sound that might have been a growl.
    Opening her eyes, Lyrra saw the black dog racing toward them,