Page 35 of Songs of Retribution

The other woman stood and turned around. She had short, dark hair and wore coarse slacks over a pair of stained boots. Her eyes widened as she took me in. "Who are you?"

Janet reached out like she'd touch my arm but seemed to think better of it. "She's on the run and could use some of y’er corn cakes for strength."

Mags hissed through her teeth and spoke to Janet like I wasn't there. "If that is who I think it is, this is a mistake."

"She needs our help."

"She's the girl Carrington is ripping through the countryside looking for." Mags looked at me as if challenging me to deny it. I stood, dripping water onto the plank flooring, and couldn't find words.

"No one's going to find her out here, anyhow." Janet clucked her tongue. "Now, you gonna make us some breakfast, or not?"

Mags frowned at me again but nodded and moved towards a shadowy corner to pull a pan off a hook.

"Come on in," Janet said. "Dry yer'self by the fire."

I hesitated again. It was a one-room house with no other doors and only two windows. A large bed heaped with thick blankets sat in one corner, a table with two chairs was arranged in front of the fire, and a rocking chair took up the remaining floor space, a basket of ivory yarn beside it. I couldn’t escape if they blocked the door.

"Come on, come on," Janet chided as she gestured to the fire.

I eased closer to it, startling as she shut the door. God, what if this was all a scheme to trap me? Like a fool I followed right along. Then again, I was so tired; the fire was so warm and crackling pleasantly in the stone hearth. Besides, what were two women who lived so far from any town going to do to announce my presence without me knowing?

I took another step closer, clutching my bag.

"Yer scared half to the grave, child," Janet said. "Mags, show her what you can do so she don't have to be afraid anymore."

Mags gaped at Janet, halting the spoon in the bowl of golden batter she’d been mixing. "Janet—"

"Go on, then. Y'know rumors say she's the same as you."

Mag's jaw jumped, then she turned towards the fire, her eyes paling, and the flames flickered and climbed.

I startled. "You're elemental," I whispered. "You're a fairy?"

She walked up beside me so that I stumbled back a step. I suddenly wished I knew how to ward and thought about reaching out to Sai. But he couldn't do anything, and it would only panic him. The mangalsutra necklace I'd used as my zevar slid around my chest, and I reached for it with my magic, not quite tapping into it, but feeling the energetic buzz of what few powers I had left in case I needed them.

When Mags was close enough to touch me she whispered, a deadly sound like a sword cutting the air. "I only have a bit of power over fire. All we want is to live a quiet life out here. We’re not looking for trouble."

"I'm elemental too," I said, my voice trembling. I hummed, and the fire flared, crawling over the stone. Fire had never been my strongest element, but I didn't imagine icing the inside of their house would warm them to me. "And my father is trying to kill me."

Mags released a breath like a puff then gestured to the fireplace. She shifted to Janet. "All right."

The next few hours passed quickly as I dried before the fire, ate corn cakes which Janet fried in thick pads of butter so that they tasted like heaven, and rested in the rocking chair Mags had moved over for me.

As I packed my bag up, I realized I needed to compel them. I couldn't let them remember me, and I needed to restore my magic as much as I could before traveling again. "Thank you both, again," I said as I lifted the cloak Aila had given me and tucked it back over my shoulders. It was too warm for the weather but would help keep the rain off.

Janet nodded. "Best of luck to ya." Her and Mags standing side-by-side in front of the fire sent a lurch through my heart. I didn't want to use them.

"Is there anything ya need?" Mags asked.

An idea sparkled in me. It filled me with so much hope and also misery. I'd spent too much of my time thinking of my magic as either pure or evil. Life was much more nuanced than that. Maybe there were more options besides compelling them against their will or going to face the world drained of my powers.

"I'm a siren," I said.

Janet's lips pinched.

"My magic is gone, stolen by King Carrington. If one of you would allow me to compel you…" My words picked up at their looks of shock and suspicion. "I'd only do good things, I swear it. But it would give me a chance to escape."

"All right," Mags said.

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