Page 20 of Lady Tamsyn and the Pixie's Curse
He looked between her and the injured animal. “It’s not awhitehare?”
She crept closer. “Not unless Cornish white hares spout rams horns below their ears, sharp claws and a ridge of spiked dark hair along theirspines?”
“It’sJump.”
They both started as a young boy stepped up behind them. Gryff glanced at the gravel path and then at Tamsyn. “Did you hear him coming?” heasked.
She was focused on the boy. “Jump?” sheasked.
“Yes. That’s his name. He’s Tuft’s mount—and his friend. They worktogether.”
“And Tuft is . . ?” She waited, eyebrowsraised.
But Gryff was blinking, trying to reconcile what he was seeing. “Tamsyn? Who is your friend?” He could swear that where the sun’s rays hit . . . he could seethroughthe boy to the pathbehind.
“Oh, yes. Mr. Gryffyn Cardew, meet Master Paul Hambly.” She paused and turned a surprised expression to the child. “Oh, I hadn’t thought. We’re cousins, of a sort,aren’twe?”
“Paul Hambly is dead, Tamsyn.” Gryff announced, stillstaring.
The pair of them just stared backathim.
He sucked in abreath.
“You are the one who told me Cornwall was a land of magic and mystery,” she reminded him with animpertinentgrin.
“Fine, then. I am pleased to meet you,” he said with a short bowtoPaul.
Tamsyn turned back to the animal in the grass. “The poor thing is hurt.” She removed her cloak and crouched down beside it. “We should take it to the castle,” she said, folding thecloak.
“We should take him to Tuft,”Paulsaid.
“Who is Tuft, Paul?” sherepeated.
“He’s a . . . pixie.Thepixie, really, the most ancient and powerful one. He can heal him. He takes care of . . .everything.”
“Fine, then,” she said, echoing Gryff’s words. He had to admit, she was handling the exceedingly strange situation well. “I’ll wraphimup.”
“No, let me. Wounded animals can be dangerous.” He bent to ease the creature onto the cloak, but it raised its head and bared its teeth at him. “Since when do hares growl?” heexclaimed.
“Let me try.” Tamsyn gently ran a hand over the long ears and the creature submitted, its breathcomingfast.
“Here.” He fashioned a sling from the cloak and she tenderly laid the animal in before he fastened it around her shoulders and back. “Let’s get you home, Jump,” she said and looked toGryff.
He looked to the ghostly boy. “To the barrow?” heasked.
The boynodded.
“Then let’s go.” He cupped a hand under Tamsyn’s elbow and theysetout.
* * *
She knewshe was flushing more and more as they walked that never-forgotten path, but she could not help it. Passing the gnarled oak was bad, but she nearly groaned out loud in embarrassment when Gryff helped her navigate the fallen log with herburden.
Paul walked with them and he drew close to her as she stepped into the open meadow. “There’s something you should know,” he saidslowly.
She arched a brow at him andwaited.
“Hares can growl and spirits can look nervous,” Gryff remarked to no one in particular. “I am learning so muchtoday.”
