He turned to face her. “Your sister—would she not seek to detain me?”
Alys appeared perplexed. “Likely she will wish you away from Fallstowe as soon as possible, if only to prevent me fromlegallymarrying you. I hope you’re not offended, but I do doubt Sybilla would consider you a catch.”
Piers stared at the girl for a moment. He could feel the weight of her foolish hope from where he stood.
“Get your monkey and your bag.”
Alys had never been so nervous and excited in the whole of her life as she skipped-ran to keep up with Piers, Layla unwillingly riding in Alys’s drawstring sack. They were retracing the way back to Fallstowe, together.
Now all Alys had to do was to figure out a way to convince Piers that they were truly meant to be together, forever, as the stones had very obviously decreed. Difficult, as he had refused to respond to her attempts at conversation for the past hour. She didn’t have much time left, but she was confident that something would intervene. After all, it was the Foxe Ring at work. One might even venture to call it fate.
“Where are you going once you leave Fallstowe?” she tried yet again.
He merely shrugged.
“You’re in a terrible hurry, and yet you have no destination in mind?” she teased.
“London.”
“Oh, I adore London!” Alys said happily, thrilled to her toes that he had at last responded. “I haven’t been in ages though—since before my mother died.”
Piers, ever the skillful conversationalist, grunted.
But Alys was undeterred. “Are you to visit family there?”
“I have no family.”
“Oh. Friends, then?” She giggled. “No, don’t tell me—you don’t have any friends either.”
“Right.”
She reached out an arm to snag a fold of his robe and gave it a playful tug. “I’m your friend.”
“You’re a ninny.”
Alys laughed. She was quite certain Piers was in possession of a wonderful sense of humor if she could just coax him to open up a little bit wider than a shoe seam.
“My favorite activity by far is to market. The markets in London are so very entertaining! Why, I’d wager that you can buy anything at all there. What is your favorite thing to do in London?”
“I don’t know. I’ve not been.”
“Really?” Alys was shocked. “Then how do you know where you’re going?”
“I simply plan on looking for the very biggest palace in the city and then going there.”
Alys’s mouth fell open. “You’re going to see theking?How exciting! I’ve never met the king. Were you summoned?”
“Somewhat, I suppose.”
“Sybilla herself is dreading another summons from Edward.”
Piers grunted.
“Do you want to know why?”
“Not especially.”
Alys let her voice lower dramatically. “He wants to take Fallstowe from her.”
