Nirrin (Forestfolk, Book 3)

Chapter 9a

I continued staring at them, openmouthed and speechless. (Sember would never believe I was speechless, but there it was.)

"Niralessa," I repeated. Niralessa? The woman who raised Fen? The woman he said I resembled? The woman he thought was my mother? How could he have left out the fact that she was green?

"Has Fenrook told you anything about us?" Niralessa seemed to hold her breath, as if anxious about my answer.

And there was that familiar voice again, coming out of a stranger's mouth. How could I possibly know that voice? "Only that I looked like you," I answered. "He also hinted that . . ." I briefly thought about keeping quiet about the rest. Fen couldn't really have thought I was this woman's daughter, could he?

But keeping quiet just wasn't my style.

"Fen also said—I hope you don't mind me calling him Fen, I just like the sound of it. He also said—well, it was more of a suggestion, really—that you might be my mother." The gravity of that statement staggered me a little. This could be my mother.

My breath ran shallow, my thoughts spinning out of control. I pressed on before it could turn into a full panic attack. "Can you believe that? What a strange thing to say. I mean, look at me." I held out an arm. "Not even a little bit green. Fen must have been joking, right? He must have. I'm going to have a stern talk with him about appropriate jokes when he gets back. You don't joke about parents to an orphan." I ended with a weak laugh that didn't convince anyone.

My words hung in the air like wet laundry.

I was about to spew even more words when Fen finally appeared, looking just as I remembered him. I hadn't realized how tense I was until my body practically slumped with relief. "Took you long enough!"

His eyes lit up briefly before he schooled his features and approached. "You're awake."

I decided I wanted to stand, so I pushed myself up. My head swam a little, but the water I drank seemed to have helped with the dizziness, and I stayed on my feet. "Yeah, about that. What did you do to me?"

He looked to Niralessa, like he needed permission to talk.

Annoyed, I stepped between them. "Fen, I asked you. I came with you to find some answers, but all I'm getting is more confused. Please tell me what's going on here. You said—"

"It's all right, son." Niralessa edged up next to Fen and placed a comforting hand on his arm. "I'll talk to her."

Son. She called him son. I mean, he did tell me she raised him, but I was somehow unprepared for the actuality of it. It just made even less sense that she could be my mother. I mean, why raise him and not me?

He stepped aside.

"Nirrin, you need to calm down," she told me.

Didn't she know that telling someone to calm down had the opposite effect?

My pulse increased in tempo. "Calm down? I freed a possibly dangerous—" I glanced around me and realized I was surrounded by possibly dangerous people. "I mean, I left Foresthome without supplies, took a nap, and magically ended up here. Wherever here is. I somehow thought I'd find my mother here, but I don't see how I could be related to any of you." I paused as my words crystallized the reality of my situation. "What have I done?" I mumbled and covered my face with my hands. "I'm so stupid. Bren's always telling me to think. Think, Nirrin! But I never do. And now . . ." I dropped my hands. "What happens now?"

"Dear child." She reached for my hand and held it in both of hers. "You're safe among us."

"Then why won't any of you answer my questions?" I wailed. "I don't know anyone here." My eyes landed on Fen, but he looked away. "And you're all acting so fishy."

"It's all right." Niralessa's voice remained calm as she held my hand. "Everything will be just fine."

My eyes grew heavy, and my thoughts slowed. "What . . . ?"

That was the last thing I said before my knees buckled.

What just happened? They must be voting behind her back...