Page 28 of A Court Bright and Broken

Tindra and Turi both let out disappointed moans, and I was surprised to note a slight sense of deflation in myself, in spite of the fact I’d had no intention of attending.

“I wasn’t planning to,” I told him honestly.

“I bet it would be lovely there,” Tindra said in a wistful tone. “And Raewyn works so hard taking care of us. She deserves to have a lovely time.”

Reaching over, I stroked her hair fondly.

“No doubt itwouldbe lovely,” Father acknowledged. “The Fae are good at creating beauty. And temptation. And as I said, not all of them are bad—but they’re not allgoodeither, and with those beautiful facades of theirs, it can be hard totell the difference. Sometimes treachery lurks beneath the most appealing surface.”

“Well the one I met was definitelynotbeautiful—or appealing,” I said.

Clearly unconvinced, Tindra turned to me with stars in her eyes. “What was he like? Please tell us.”

“Tell us,” Turi pleaded.

My step-sisters had never met a Fae person and probably never would. I understood the fascination. Some of the stories we’d read together made them seem magical and even rather alluring in spite of their ferocity and heartlessness.

I described Sam’s slovenly appearance in great detail, even exaggerating a bit to make the girls laugh.

When I began to describe his smell after he’d rolled in the muck and dried in the midday sun, their giggles were like a collection of tiny bells ringing.

Then Tindra’s smile dropped, and her lips pulled into a pout.

“I wish youcouldgo to the ball. It would be so exciting to hear about all the pretty gowns and the inside of a castle. I bet the walls are made of gold. And if you went, you could bring us some sweets. I bet they’ll have lots of sweets there.”

“Sweets!” Turi shouted.

“Perhaps they will,” I said, caressing each of them on the top of the head. “But I will not be going. As Papa said, it’s far too dangerous to consort with the Fae. Besides, I have too much to do around here to go galavanting off to a royal ball. Andyoutwo have a lot to do tomorrow. We’re going foraging for nuts and mushrooms, and it will be a long walk. So off to bed with you both. I’ll be up to say your prayers with you in a few minutes.”

The girls scampered off and climbed the ladder to the loft above where the three of us slept. I could hear their whispers and the sound of little feet on the boards overhead.

When the noise stopped, I stood, preparing to go up and tuck them in then go to bed myself.

“Raewyn?”

My father’s soft voice stopped me. “Yes?”

“I know your life here isn’t easy. You took on far too heavy a burden far too young. I’m sure a golden invitation to a ball in a castle is very tempting.”

Before he could go on, I spoke up. “It’s not. I’m not tempted in the least.”

Apparently, once I’d gotten started on the lies, it was becoming a habit. But I didn’t want him to feel bad. Our circumstances weren’t his fault.

“And you and Tindra and Turi are not a burden,” I said. “You’re my family. I would do anything for the three of you.”

His brows lowered, and his mouth drew into a tight line.

“That’s what worries me.”

Chapter 8

Rumors

Raewyn

Early the next morning, I went to see my closest friend Katricia.

We’d grown up together in the village, born only a year apart. I had memories of our mothers sitting together, sipping lemon water in her garden, as Katricia and I played among the flowering squash vines and tented supports for the bean vines, making stick houses and stick people to live in them.

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