Nirrin (Forestfolk, Book 3)

Chapter 34a

Sember and Remi left early the next morning to warn the Forestfolk, so our arrival wouldn't seem like an invasion. The plan was to pack up the camp, head out, and eventually reach Foresthome, where, hopefully, they would be ready for us.

Tessia was ecstatic. I'd nearly passed out from the steady stream of excited chatter funneled directly into my brain. It started from the moment she found me this morning and bounced between Fen and me through all the packing. I didn't have the heart to tell her to stop. She'd settled down a little by the time everyone began trekking through the forest in the afternoon, but I was already dizzy by that point.

I stumbled over a tree root.

"You all right?" Fen asked, bracing me with a hand on my arm.

"I'm fine." I glanced over at Tessia, to make sure she hadn't noticed. She plodded ahead of us, merrily swinging her sack to and fro. "Have you ever seen her so happy?"

He grinned and shook his head. "I don't think I have. It's nice." He gave me a long look. "You made this happen."

"I kind of did, didn't I?" I sighed happily. "Did you ever think something like this was possible?"

He looked over his shoulder, around the large pack on his back, to where Niralessa brought up the rear, herding stragglers. "Not really. It still seems like a dream."

"Does that make me your dream girl?" I slid a hand up his arm, just because.

The warmth in his gaze and in his smile was unequivocal. "Absolutely."

***

Our arrival wasn't as delightful as I'd hoped. After spending the night in a small clearing, we reached Foresthome by early afternoon. I'm not sure what I expected, but it certainly wasn't an earful of Benzi screaming as he ran away.

"The snake man is back!" he screeched. "Don't let him eat me!"

Fen gave me an unamused look. "Again with the snakes."

I shrugged. "Sorry. I didn't get a chance to correct him before we left. Maybe you should—"

"Nirrin!" Sember bounded over and gave me an enthusiastic hug. "I was starting to worry."

I used to wonder if anyone would worry about me if I'd disappeared. Now I had my answer.

I hugged her back. "We stopped to rest. The kids were tired."

She raised an eyebrow at me.

"Yeah, okay. I was tired too." I set down the small pack I helped carry. "What did they say when you told them about all of us?"

Fen beamed at my use of "all of us". Without thinking, I'd included myself as part of their group.

"Galen was a little wary because of what happened the last time." Sember's eyes flicked to Fen. "But he says he's not getting any bad feelings this time, so . . ." She shrugged. "We'll see how it goes."

It wasn't long before we were swarmed by wide-eyed children. Benzi's alarm had gotten their attention first. They kept a safe distance away and stared unabashedly. "That one has three eyes!" I heard one of them whisper loudly.

Orlo swallowed audibly and took a step back, uncomfortable with the scrutiny, even from children.

I advanced on them. "What have I told you kids about staring? Did you all turn into savages while I was gone?"

"Benzi was always a savage," one girl mumbled.

I stifled a smile. I'd actually missed these little miscreants. "These people are my friends. All of them are Gifted, so be nice!"

Bren, having caught up with her charges, wended her way through to greet me. "You are in so much trouble, young lady!" She gave me a stern look. One heartbeat later, she wrapped her arms around me. "But I'm glad you're safe."

Before I could respond, she abruptly pulled away. "Now, I hear we have some new visitors." She surveyed the ragtag assortment of people behind me. "It goes without saying, but I'm going to say it anyway. Respect is a way of life here. If you give it, you'll receive it. But make any trouble, and you will receive my foot in your backside."

She waited for the nods of acknowledgment before turning to the children. "Well, then, I think that's enough gawping for one day. Let's give our new friends some time to settle in." When no one moved, she switched to her disciplinarian voice. "That means turn around and walk."

The kids stampeded away.

Maybe she can train those kids to vote as well.