He drove through a stone-pillared gate and they saw his house. It was beautiful! It had a columned porch across the front and a steep roof with a long row of dormer windows. He halted the wagon in front of it.
Mekos spoke up. “It’s another of Kaley’s fairy-tale cottages.”
No one said any more because from the side of the building came a... They weren’t sure what it was. It looked like a tall man but it was made entirely of metal.
In awed silence, the four of them watched it come forward and go around the wagon. It put articulated hands on Qip’s waist and swung him down.
“This is Darr.” Qip’s voice was full of affection. “He is my friend and my helpmate.” He puffed out his chest a bit in pride. “I created him.”
Darr turned to the three of them, still sitting on the wagon. His head was shaped like a human’s, with metal ears and big green eyes. However, the green was where a human’s eyes were white. The irises were black. He had no mouth.
Qip said, “Darr can hear, think, listen, and understand, but he doesn’t speak. He is a perfect person. Come inside and get settled. You have a lot to tell me.” He entered the house.
Tam was the first to get out of the wagon. He went to the side and put his hands up to Bree to lift her down.
She gave a sigh of disappointment. “I was hoping for Darr.”
Tam grinned. “If you stage a fight with him, let me know. I want to make a wager.”
As they walked toward the house, she said, “And who would you bet on?”
“You!” he said.
“Smart man.”
Laughing, they entered the house.
Behind them, Aradella and Mekos were staring at the couple that were so close together. They seemed very familiar with each other. “What the fark?” she muttered.
Only Mekos could hear what they’d said. “She would fight the metal man? What do you think they did when they weren’t with us?”
Aradella wasn’t smiling. “If anything happens between those two it will cause problems. Zeon needs to stay our friend. He won’t be if his married son...” She tried to shake off the idea. “If we tell Qip our story do you think he’ll help us? Or will he say that what we did was so awful that we’re doomed?”
“I don’t know, but I hope he has food.”
“If he does, do you think it’ll be made of metal?”
Mekos smiled. “With creepy green eyes on all of it?”
Clasping arms, they entered the house.
The interior was as lovely as the outside. It was furnished with soft chairs and couches covered in well-worn upholstery. Tables and a wall of shelving held interesting artifacts. They ranged from woven items to an intricately carved stone to a bird’s nest. There were several metal objects with wind-up keys at the back. It appeared to be the lifetime work of an inventor-collector.
The whole back of the house was glass doors that looked out onto acres of garden.
“My father would be envious,” Tam said.
At one end, in front of the doors, was a table laden with food.
“Help yourselves,” Qip said. “Then come to my library.”
When their plates were full, they weren’t sure if they were to eat first or go to the library with food in hand.
Qip stuck his head out of a doorway. “Come on!” he said impatiently.
The four young people settled themselves in a room that wasfloor-to-ceiling books. There was a wide glass door that showed a small walled garden with pink-flowered trees.
“This is divine,” Aradella said in awe, with her eyes on the books.
