“See anything that strikes your fancy?” the woman asked.
“How much is this?” I pointed to it.
“One silver,” she said.
“I’ll take it.” I handed her a coin, and she gave me the ring. The band was big enough to fit one of Maddox’s fingers. He didn’t really seem like the jewelry type, but something about it made me think he’d like it. Hopefully.
With both of their gifts secured and my belly full, I smiled as we continued down the street.
“Is Evan ready to return home?”
“Not yet. Is it okay if we stay out a bit longer? I want to see more of the kingdom.”
“Then Kuya will be your guide.”
And what an adorable guide he was. He led me through town, explaining the different establishments and the best places to play and nap. He showed me the school, a brick-type building with a scenic courtyard where kids played. The whole medieval-fantasy atmosphere literally felt like stepping into the pages of one of my favorite books.
More clouds rolled in, blocking more of the sun. The cloud cover was nice at first, but the air soon changed, thickened. Darker clouds approached from the west, quickly filling the sky.
“Rain is coming,” Kuya said, studying the sky. “We should go home.”
“Good idea,” I said, hating the thought of being stuck out in the rain.
But as we changed direction and began making our way back toward the castle, a raindrop hit the top of my head. That one raindrop soon turned into a damn torrential downpour. Kuya was very much like his animal counterpart and scrambled to find somewhere dry. He grabbed my arm and fled from the street and down a narrow dirt path lined with trees.
As we ran, I did my best to cover the bag with my book and Briar’s journal. The thick canopy of trees helped protect us from the rain too, thankfully.
A two-story cottage sat up ahead, some of the windows busted and the paint on the door chipping off. No light—or life, for that matter—came from inside. It didn’t look like anyone had stepped foot inside in months, maybe years. As the rain came down harder, we sprinted toward it and jiggled the door handle. It was unlocked, so we rushed inside and closed it behind us.
“Kuya doesn’t like the rain!” He flung water from his hair, tail flicking in agitation.
“Sorry. If I hadn’t wanted to go sightseeing, we would’ve been home by the time it hit.”
“Don’t be sorry,” he said, batting at his hair again. “Kuya had a nice time in town, and the food was yummy.” He wrapped his arms around his torso, shivering a little. “Abandoned little cottage in the woods saved us from the rain. Wonder why it’s all alone.”
I surveyed the room. Apart from a lone chair and a broken table turned on its side, there was very little furniture. The air was musty, and I sneezed at the dust stirred up by us moving around. The rain didn’t sound like it was letting up anytime soon, so I ventured farther into the cottage, passing from one room to another.
Kuya followed behind me and grabbed the back of my shirt as thunder rumbled. Normally, I would’ve been scared too, but his fear canceled out mine. Funny how things worked out that way sometimes.
“It’s okay,” I said, putting on a brave face and letting him cling to me. When another boom of thunder hit, so close and loud it rumbled the walls, I squeezed my eyes shut and did my best to calm my racing heart. “We’re safe.”
To distract my mind, I continued my walkthrough of the cottage. After passing beneath an arched doorway, we came to a bigger room. A bar ran along one wall, and more tables littered the floor, the wood of the legs cracked and some rotting.
“Maybe this used to be a tavern?” I asked, seeing a tankard with a broken handle lying beside one of the overturned tables. “Or some type of restaurant?”
Suddenly, Kuya released my shirt and jogged over to the bar. Exploring had distracted his mind, too, by the look of it. He glided a hand across the top before turning toward a doorway on the left and dashing through it.
“Hidden little room,” he said with a hum. “What treasures will Kuya find?”
I heard rustling sounds, like he was digging through something. And then, he stopped.
I waited a few seconds, not hearing anything more. “Kuya?”
“Evan!”
“What’s wrong?” I dropped my bag on the floor and rushed over, worry cinching in my chest. Had he hurt himself? Cut himself on a broken board or glass bottle? Rounding the edge of the bar, I ran through the doorway into the other room. I found him standing in the middle of the room and did a quick scan of his body. “Are you hurt?”
He shook his head. “Look what Kuya found!” He bounced over to the counter and hopped on top of it, holding out both arms. “A kitchen for Evan to bake his cakes.”
