Nirrin (Forestfolk, Book 3)

Chapter 5a

"Hey, Siena?" I rapped on the doorway of her cabin later that day.

"Come in," she called from inside. She smiled when I ducked through the curtain. "Nirrin, what brings you here?"

I smiled back at her. Even if she hadn't had the amazing ability to heal people with a touch of her hands, just her blue eyes and pale hair made her different from all the brown-eyed, brown-haired people of the area.

Yes, envy and I were close friends.

"I wanted to ask you something." I perched on a chair at the table where she sat weaving a basket. Or was it a hat? Or maybe it was a—I blinked away the errant thoughts and focused on my actual question. "Do the Gifted sometimes look . . . unusual?"

She set down her work. "Typically, no. They tend to look like anyone else. But I have heard stories. Are you talking about our guest?"

"Guest," I scoffed. "They've had the guy tied to a chair since they caught him. Isn't that wrong?"

Siena dropped her eyes to consider this. "Well . . . " Her mouth twisted as if undecided. "Galen is very wise because of his gift. If he thinks this is the right course of action—"

"But what do you think?"

"It's not for me to say," she hedged.

"They're your thoughts. You're free to say them whenever you like!"

She smiled at me, even as she shook her head. "You are brave in a way that I never was."

"Me?" I squeaked, a glow from the unexpected compliment lighting me up.

"Yes. You speak your mind without hesitation. I could never do that."

"Well, I don't know if that's a good thing."

"I imagine it must be pretty liberating."

I leaned back, pondering. "I never thought about that." Then I remembered why I came here. "So you've seen him, right? The guy they caught?"

"No, but I've heard rumors. Is he hurt?"

"I don't know if he can be hurt. He's covered from head to toe in . . . I don't know, some kind of natural armor? Is that a Gifted thing?"

"Sounds like it might be."

"It's kind of inhumane, the way they're treating him. Shouldn't we say something? Or do something? They'll listen to you."

She hesitated, her eyes settling to the reeds on her table.

Ten years in Foresthome, and she still doubted her clout in this community. I loved her, but sometimes I just wanted to shake her.

"I'll have a word with Galen," she finally said.

"You will? That's great! They shouldn't be treating him that way just because he looks weird."

"Nirrin, I wouldn't discount Galen's senses," she said carefully. "I've never seen him be wrong. If they've tied up the visitor, it was with good reason, and not because he looks strange."

I wasn't so sure. Jeribo had called Fen an "it" instead of "he," which meant they were already prejudiced against him. But Siena had a point. Galen's hunches were always right. So what was Fen hiding?

I said goodbye to Siena and went to round up the children for supper. By bedtime, I was still thinking about how to sneak back into that cabin to talk to Fen again. Maybe this time I could get some concrete answers.

But it turned out I didn't need to worry about that. I was tucking a particularly fussy child into bed when Bren tapped on my shoulder.

"Galen is outside to see you," she said.

I turned around. "Galen? Wants to see me? Why?"

She shrugged. "He didn't say. Best not to keep the man waiting."

I hurried outside, and found him hovering near the doorway, face pensive and arms crossed.

"He wants to talk to you." His tone indicated he wasn't pleased about this.

I, on the other hand, was oddly tickled by this news. I didn't have to ask who 'he' was. "He does?"

"He refuses to talk to anyone else."

"Hmm, I wonder why?" I tapped my cheek in mock speculation.

Galen took a long, slow breath, as if trying to calm himself. "I would appreciate it if you could try again. And perhaps this time, you might glean why he's here? For the safety of Foresthome. I truly believe he has nefarious motives."

It was strange, but I didn't get any kind of evil vibe from the stranger. He seemed . . . more frustrated than anything else.

"He could harm the children," Galen continued. "We just don't know."

This got my attention. Plotting to steal something from us was one thing, but hurting the kids? That would be unforgivable.

I wiped the doubtful expression from my face. "I'll try to find out what I can."

"Thank you, Nirrin. That is all I ask."

Maybe this time she'll find out how often Fen likes to vote for chapters...