some goods to be bought at the market.
Her heart ached at the news. She had believed Aeron to be different, better than the others, but she was just as selfish. She didn't care for her or Cephy.
“I don't trust you, Mist Woman. What do you want?”
Again, that terrible laugh which made her want to run. “Why, my Sparrow, I don't want anything in return. Take the girls with you, they are yours.”
Rachael agreed with the man who had broken into their hut. Her unshakable trust in Aeron had died. People always expected something in return, and Aeron had just proven that she was as bad as everyone else.
“Fine. Have it your way. I will come back tomorrow with some horses. And don't you dare go back on your word!”
“Why, I didn't know my word meant anything to you. But I promise, if it will make you feel better. I will not go back on my word. They will be ready for you in the morning. You don't need to come here again. I will bring them to you once they are ready to go.”
“And you had better make sure they are unharmed.” Rachael's eyes flashed over to Cephy, and wondered if her burnt blistering hands counted as unharmed .
“Or what, Sparrow? Would you punish me? I would love to see you try.” Aeron's voice was a silky purr, but the threat was unmistakable. Rachael wanted to warn the stranger, tell him that Aeron could burn him to a crisp if she wanted to, but her gut told her that he already knew. He acted strong, but his voice betrayed him. She recognised fear in a man's voice when she heard it, and his was thick with it.
The door slammed shut, and Rachael hid under her blanket. She was scared of Aeron. She had trusted her, had loved her, but now it seemed that Aeron had never cared about either of them. Why would she take them in, feed them and teach them, if they were so worthless to her? They couldn't be away from her soon enough. What this man, this Sparrow, wanted with them was a mystery but she couldn't risk trusting him, either. They would take the chance to get away from Aeron, and then they would run.
Chapter Fifteen
The delicious smells of sweet tea and honey woke Rachael to the sounds of Cephy's even breathing. She was stirring in her sleep, too comfortable under her soft duvet to be coerced out of bed by the wonderful smells now filling the whole hut.
The sun was just rising and dipping their room in a wonderful orange glow, and the first birds had begun to sing.
Rachael gently shook Cephy's arm until the girl was awake, and hurried to dress herself. She felt like she had had the worst night's rest, but couldn't think why. She felt like she had suffered a nightmare she now couldn't remember, and it made her feel uneasy.
She sighed, promising herself that she would ask Lady Aeron for some more calming tea. Maybe her body had grown used to the medicine Aeron prepared for her every morning, and she now needed something stronger.
They entered the main room together, where Aeron sat at the table pouring their tea into beautiful, intricately designed tea cups.
“Good morning, girls. Have you slept well?” Cephy nodded and sat down close to Aeron, but Rachael couldn't shake the uneasy feeling in her stomach. Now that she had left the safety of their room and was closer to Aeron it was getting worse, twisting her insides and driving her mind on edge. She felt as if something had happened which had changed everything, but she couldn't remember what it was. Aeron sounded different, her smile looked cooler than it had done yesterday. The interior of the previously warm room seemed strange and foreign.
“Sit down, Rachael. Here, have some honey on white bread. My little Fox here won't leave you any otherwise.”
Rachael felt the hairs on her arm stand on end. Had Aeron always called Cephy her little Fox? She felt like she had heard it before, but she couldn't-
With the sharp pain of realisation, Rachael remembered. Aeron had called Cephy her Fox last night. A man had come into the hut,
Her heart ached at the news. She had believed Aeron to be different, better than the others, but she was just as selfish. She didn't care for her or Cephy.
“I don't trust you, Mist Woman. What do you want?”
Again, that terrible laugh which made her want to run. “Why, my Sparrow, I don't want anything in return. Take the girls with you, they are yours.”
Rachael agreed with the man who had broken into their hut. Her unshakable trust in Aeron had died. People always expected something in return, and Aeron had just proven that she was as bad as everyone else.
“Fine. Have it your way. I will come back tomorrow with some horses. And don't you dare go back on your word!”
“Why, I didn't know my word meant anything to you. But I promise, if it will make you feel better. I will not go back on my word. They will be ready for you in the morning. You don't need to come here again. I will bring them to you once they are ready to go.”
“And you had better make sure they are unharmed.” Rachael's eyes flashed over to Cephy, and wondered if her burnt blistering hands counted as unharmed .
“Or what, Sparrow? Would you punish me? I would love to see you try.” Aeron's voice was a silky purr, but the threat was unmistakable. Rachael wanted to warn the stranger, tell him that Aeron could burn him to a crisp if she wanted to, but her gut told her that he already knew. He acted strong, but his voice betrayed him. She recognised fear in a man's voice when she heard it, and his was thick with it.
The door slammed shut, and Rachael hid under her blanket. She was scared of Aeron. She had trusted her, had loved her, but now it seemed that Aeron had never cared about either of them. Why would she take them in, feed them and teach them, if they were so worthless to her? They couldn't be away from her soon enough. What this man, this Sparrow, wanted with them was a mystery but she couldn't risk trusting him, either. They would take the chance to get away from Aeron, and then they would run.
Chapter Fifteen
The delicious smells of sweet tea and honey woke Rachael to the sounds of Cephy's even breathing. She was stirring in her sleep, too comfortable under her soft duvet to be coerced out of bed by the wonderful smells now filling the whole hut.
The sun was just rising and dipping their room in a wonderful orange glow, and the first birds had begun to sing.
Rachael gently shook Cephy's arm until the girl was awake, and hurried to dress herself. She felt like she had had the worst night's rest, but couldn't think why. She felt like she had suffered a nightmare she now couldn't remember, and it made her feel uneasy.
She sighed, promising herself that she would ask Lady Aeron for some more calming tea. Maybe her body had grown used to the medicine Aeron prepared for her every morning, and she now needed something stronger.
They entered the main room together, where Aeron sat at the table pouring their tea into beautiful, intricately designed tea cups.
“Good morning, girls. Have you slept well?” Cephy nodded and sat down close to Aeron, but Rachael couldn't shake the uneasy feeling in her stomach. Now that she had left the safety of their room and was closer to Aeron it was getting worse, twisting her insides and driving her mind on edge. She felt as if something had happened which had changed everything, but she couldn't remember what it was. Aeron sounded different, her smile looked cooler than it had done yesterday. The interior of the previously warm room seemed strange and foreign.
“Sit down, Rachael. Here, have some honey on white bread. My little Fox here won't leave you any otherwise.”
Rachael felt the hairs on her arm stand on end. Had Aeron always called Cephy her little Fox? She felt like she had heard it before, but she couldn't-
With the sharp pain of realisation, Rachael remembered. Aeron had called Cephy her Fox last night. A man had come into the hut,
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