Moon Flowers (Book 1 of the Flower Trilogy) #Wattys2016 #Featured

CHAPTER FORTY -- PHI (Edited)

"Thanks for staying with me," I told Eskain. "You've always been nice to me. But aren't you afraid the women will shun you too?"

"Don't worry about that," Eskain said. "I am an old woman and they will respect me no matter what."

Her eyes shone.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Tell me," she said. "Do you plan on having children?"

Her question shocked me. I almost lost my balance, tripping over a branch.

"I never gave it too much thought," I muttered. "A fairy only gets pregnant if she is with the person she loves and if she wants a child."

She pondered my words for an instant. "You mean to tell me that a loveless union can never be fruitful?" she asked.

"That's right," I said. "Grannie thinks that fairies evolved this way, or were transformed this way at some point in their lineage, to deter the horror of carrying the life of someone that did you harm. If it is impossible for a fairy to get pregnant by force, they are less inclined to be forced to share someone's bed." I paused. "This is only what Grannie thinks, though. It might be true, but there are other reasons why someone might force another to bed."

I bit my lip. I had said too much. I shouldn't accuse her chieftain of forcing me into anything, even if it was true.

Damn. Speaking too fast before my brain even had the chance to censure.

"Are you telling me you do not love Agamet or how he treats you?" Eskain asked, too directly to my liking.

"I care about him," I said, prudently.

"But you are not in love with him," she completed.

I laughed a little to shake it off. I was not going to answer that.

"I know you love someone else," Eskain murmured so that only I would hear. "It's obvious."

I turned my head to look at her so quickly a sharp pain crawled up my neck. I forgot to breathe.

"What . . . what do you mean?"

"I saw how you two look at each other."

"Who?" I gasped.

"You and Feyn," she said. "Don't worry. It doesn't seem to be that obvious to the others yet. I wonder why that is—maybe I've had more experience in the matter. I am old, you know."

I was floored. Will she tell Agamet? Ruin my chances at keeping my people safe, when I was so close to succeeding?

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone," she said.

*

At last, we arrived to a place that looked familiar. I wasn't sure at first, having only seen the Hidden Land from the sky, but my suspicions were confirmed when Eskain insisted that I continue by flying.

"Go find Feyn," she said.

She was reading me like an open book.

"Are you sure?" I asked. "I don't want to leave you alone . . ."

She was old and someone needed to hold her arm. Like I had been doing for years with my grandmother.

"Yes," she said. "We are not so far off. We will be right behind you."

"I can carry you," I offered.

"Don't be silly. My bones are too old for that. I will just ask someone else to keep me company. Go!"