My shock softened as I realized she intended me no harm, but when I looked up to meet the woman’s eyes, my surprise returned. She had light blonde hair, pale blue eyes, and fair skin. Those traits were extremely rare for Sybettians—almost as rare as red hair and green eyes. For a quiet moment, I simply stared at the strange woman. It was difficult to guess her age because she was incredibly beautiful yet held a semblance of maturity. It took me a moment of staring to remember that she had spoken to me.
“Oh, there’s no need to apologize. I was merely startled.” I had to step closer to the woman to ensure my words were heard over the screeching wind.
She leaned down to match my height, now holding her blanket above my head as well. “Please forgive me for spooking you. I saw you walking and wondered if you were in need of any help. This is dreadful weather for a young girl to be traveling alone in.” She blinked nervously at me as she darted her head around to observe the rain’s wrath.
I withheld from answering from a moment, pondering if my current situation was safe to share with a stranger.She didn’t seem like the type to kidnap; in fact, she didn’t even appear to be Sybettian. She might not even be aware of the rebellion.I thought back to the flickering fire I had seen in the distance.
“I’m actually a little lost,” I said honestly. “I live in the eastern side of the kingdom but fell into the river and got separated from my family. I’ve been trying to seek shelter from the rain.”
The woman gasped, her expression full of sympathy. “Oh, you poor darling! Why don’t you stay with me until the rain ceases? I have a cottage back behind the trees. It’s only a short walk from here.” Her warm smile lit up her face, but her eyes were too blue to look warm, holding too much natural ice in them.
I smiled back. “That would be wonderful, thank you so much.” The woman stretched out her hand to me and I accepted it gratefully. “I’m Nixie, by the way.”
The woman’s smile broadened, her beautiful features glowing even under the clouded sky. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Nixie,” she said sweetly. “My name is Minerva.”
chapter ten
When we approached the small stone cottage, I was instantly surprised at how nice it was. Very few people had more than a single room home, and those who had anything larger were usually accommodating large families. Minerva’s cottage appeared to be twice the size of our home and was in far better condition. It was difficult to get a great view of it through the blaring rain, but the stone looked clean and uncracked, and the windows had full shutters and polished panes.
As we stepped inside, I relaxed as the weight of the pounding rain lifted off my shoulders. Burning candles dotted the windows and a fresh fire burned in the center of the room, making the cottage delightfully warm. There were two doors that, I assumed, led to the bedrooms and a spacious living space centered around an elegant stone fireplace. As beautiful as the home was, it still held its own unique charms. It was clear that most things in the home were hand-crafted because the doorframes were slightly askew and some of the windowpanes rattled in the wind. While Minerva kindly took my cloak and boots from me, I surveyed the room a little more suspiciously.
It was very...empty.
There were a few chairs and a table, and even a bench with a couple of mismatched cushions strewn across it, but overall, the house was rather bare. There were no worn-out patches of flooring, no clutter of any sort, and no personal knick-knacks or memorabilia. It was as if she had only moved in a few days ago.
That’s rather odd...
As I scanned over the vacant space, Minerva’s eyes seemed to follow mine. “Oh, I’m sorry, I bet you’re confused.” She hung my cloak over the fire. “I haven’t lived in Sybettal for long, so there hasn’t been much opportunity for me to do more than acquire a proper home. I know that it isn’t much, but I do hope you can make yourself at home.” She smiled sweetly as she gestured around the room.
She hasn’t lived in Sybettal for long...
“Thank you, madam.” I smiled brightly. “I do hope I’m not imposing too much on you. I would hate to be any trouble.” I slid into the nearest chair, keeping a cautious eye on my host.
People never willingly move to Sybettal...The only people who come here from other kingdoms are soldiers or—.
“Oh, no trouble at all, dear!” She beamed. “I never have company anymore, and I do so love to entertain. Do you like tea? I would be happy to put on a pot.” Her brilliant blue eyes sparkled as she smiled at me, maintaining the most perfect posture I had ever seen.
I kept my concerns from slipping into my expression. Something definitely was off here, but I didn’t necessarily want to run back out into the rain. I’ll just have to be cautious for now. “That sounds lovely.” I nodded. “I’m sorry to hear that you don’t get many visitors anymore. Where did you live before?”
I tried to feign innocence as I questioned her, but a small twitch in the woman’s smile alerted me I had touched on a sensitive topic.Careful Nixie... you don’t know who this woman is or what brought her here.
Minerva quietly positioned the kettle over the fire before turning to face me. Her smile was a touch more solemn than it was before. “Isalla.” She sighed heavily. “I used to live in Isalla with my daughter before...” She bit her lip. My suspicions slowly vanished as I noticed the tears cluster in the corner of her eyes.
“I’m terribly sorry, I didn’t mean to—” I stopped, not sure what I was trying to say. Sybettal has been a dumping ground for banished criminals for years. Seeing a foreigner with no evidence of a past was typically a sign that they were banished here, and only the worst criminals were banished... Although, despite that knowledge, I probably shouldn’t have been so careless about poking into this woman’s past, especially after she took me in. “You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to, madam. I was merely making conversation.” I gave her a reassuring smile, hoping I hadn’t offended my host too terribly. My eyes greedily gazed at the warm fire, then flashed to the drenched window. I would rather take my chances with a foreign stranger right now than get thrown back into the rain.
Minerva blinked the tears from her eyes. The droplets collected against her long dark lashes and sparkled almost enchantingly against the fire’s glow. “There’s no need to apologize, Nixie darling. I cannot blame you for being suspicious of a stranger whose home you’re now stuck in.” She retrieved a delicate pair of teacups from a small box and placed them on the table. “I’m well aware that I don’t look like a local, and I know how Sybettal receives most of its newcomers.” She sighed, keeping her eyes trained on the heating kettle.
A fresh wash of guilt tore through me. This poor woman clearly had experienced heartache and within the first few minutes of being invited into her home, I went and picked at her old wounds. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed you were banished. It was a broad assumption, and I shouldn’t have been so overcautious.” I lowered my head apologetically, feeling too ashamed to look my hostess in the eyes. She had been so kind to me, and I had instantly distrusted her.
“Oh, Nixie, you weren’t being overcautious.” Minerva laughed brightly, and I couldn’t prevent a puzzled expression from glossing over my features. Her chuckles continued as she removed the kettle from the fire. “Of course, I was banished. How else would I have ended up freshly moved to Sybettal with no companions?” Her smile never faltered as she calmly poured the boiling water into my cup.
I stared at her in silence for a moment, uncertain of how to proceed.So, she had been banished after all...My gaze fell onto the steaming teacup, and I wondered if it would be safe to drink.
“You don’t need to look so worried, dear.” Minerva laughed daintily. “It’s true that I was banished, but I never did anything wrong. It was merely a political overreaction.” She picked up her teacup with pristine grace, then took a delicate sip.
I kept my eyes glued to her. “A political overreaction?” I questioned nervously. “I’m not certain I understand, madam.”
She placed her teacup down gently, then corrected her posture before placing her hands on her lap. “You see, dear, I possessed a particularly high status when I lived in Isalla, so part of my duties included looking out for those who were below me.” She paused, pursing her lips for a moment while considering her next words. “I had a daughter... She was an unruly thing, you see, and despite my best efforts to set her straight, she was always too selfish to care for those beneath her.”