“We thought you were dead. All this time.”
Aizel could see tears forming in the woman’s eyes. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him.
“It’s good to see you, my friend,” Doona said as she clung to him. She blinked her eyes rapidly, then noticed Aizel standing behind Peter. “Oh dearie, you look a right sight! Come in and get warm and I’ll find you some food.”
Doona swiveled on her heel and stirred the buried coals in the large fireplace behind her. She waved Aizel closer and then disappeared through an open doorway.
Peter sat in a wooden chair. He looked exhausted.
Aizel knelt in front of the coals, softly blowing on them to encourage their flames.
“She seems quite unbothered by this,” Aizel said.
“Mmh?” Peter responded.
“Is she used to taking in hungry runaways off the streets?” Aizel dropped her voice to a whisper as the woman returned, carrying a plate with bread and cheese.
“It’s what Mama Doona does best,” Peter responded, keeping his voice low as well.
“What was that?” Doona handed the plate to Aizel.
“I was saying that your bread is the best in town.” Peter smiled as he reached for a roll.
Doona beamed. “That surely hasn’t changed. Eat that slowly, though, so you don’t upset your stomach. Would you like some tea, dearie?”
Realizing the woman was talking to her, Aizel tilted her head up. She swallowed the bite of bread in her mouth with a squeak. “Yes, please.”
Mama Doona patted her on the head like she was still a child and bustled back to a cupboard near the door.
Aizel felt the soft heat of the fire melting away her stress.
“How are the others?” Peter turned toward their host.
Others? Suddenly, it hit Aizel—the bird on the sign out front, the secret password to get in—this was River’s Talon! Or, at least it was their meeting place. Hope spread over her. If anyone could help her get Celesta back from Gareth, it was this group of brave heroes—and they were unquestionably heroes, regardless of what Peter thought of himself.
“Luck is finally on your side tonight. Robin is actually here. Right now. Haven’t seen her in a month but then she shows up the same night you do. She isn’t going to believe this. Let me go wake her,” Doona spoke quickly but kept her voice low.
“No, no,” Peter said. “Let the poor woman sleep. We can see her in the morning.”
Doona tilted her face forward, raising her eyebrows as if Peter was a naughty child. Without a word, she swept out a different doorway.
“Robin is here?” Aizel asked.
“We can...” Peter’s words were cut off by a fit of coughing.
Aizel stood, finding the hot water and cups that Doona had left on the table. She quickly brewed the tea leaves—which were darker than any she’d seen before—and handed the steaming cup back to Peter.
He took it from her, his coughs subsiding as he inhaled the warm steam. Lifting his free hand, he started to make a series of motions. “We can ask her to help Celesta.”
Aizel understood his meaning perfectly before she even realized he had spoken to her with his hands. She sank back down to sit on the floor in front of the small fire. It felt so natural and so special to converse with someone this way. “Exactly what I was thinking,” she responded. Peter was already thinking about how to free Celesta, although they hadn’t even discussed it in the short span of hours they had known each other.
A few moments later, the door reopened, and a stocky young woman walked into the room. If she had truly just been sleeping, she didn’t show it. She was wearing man’s clothes that fit her particularly well. It made her look like a competent forest ranger, but a pretty one, with her light hair and stunning blue eyes.
She reached out and grabbed Peter’s wrist, clasping his hand in an affectionate shake. “You look horrible.” Her eyes were filled with concern.
“It’s good to see you, too,” Peter replied drily.
Aizel reached up and took the cup of tea from his hand as it threatened to spill over.
