them. But, just in case you’re tempted. Faerie food stays with you, it changes you—”
“
Faerie
food?” Jenny said, frowning back at him. This seemed to exasperate him more.
“If you take some willingly,” Jack rushed on, “you’re tied to the Realm forever, even if you manage to leave. If it’s forced on you, then the spell doesn’t work. But if you accept what is offered— Just remember.”
“What about you?” The words slipped out before she could stop them. She didn’t care what he did, or what became of him.
“Me?” Jack laughed, a brittle sound now, not the sweet music of earlier, when she’d first pointed out that he was dressed in leaves…and he had deceived her with a trick. “I’m Jack o’ the Forest, Jenny Wren. I’m the guardian. My place is here. Go on. The Goodwife’s husband can guide you back to the Edge, to the gateway, and home.” He glanced toward the sky. “And don’t delay. It’s late enough already.”
“Why can’t you do it?”
A smile tightened his lips, but he didn’t meet her eyes. “I have other duties.”
Jenny made no reply. Just looked at him and pursed her lips.
She heard him sigh, and the sound almost made her smile. Almost.
“Stubborn,” he said quietly, and smiled at her, nearly laughed again. Just for a moment. But then all kindness bledfrom his words. “And foolish. Go home, Jenny. You don’t understand the common dangers of our world. How can you expect to stand against the greatest danger of them all? Your Tom is gone, seven long years ago. Leave him be and go home.”
And then Jack was gone too, as if he had never been there. She couldn’t say how she knew he’d left. It was just that the forest was suddenly still and she could tell. It took on another air now, in the deepening twilight. Cold, silent. She should be glad to be leaving it, but it clung to her, enticing her back. With a curious reluctance she didn’t understand, she started toward the house.
chapter five
“H ead to the Edge tonight?” the Woodsman muttered as he dropped the logs beside the hearth.
His wife looked up from the laundry she was folding. “That’s what he said. Seems foolish though, doesn’t it?” She smiled at Jenny, who sat in one of the armchairs, her feet curled under her. “It’s late. And there’s a storm rising.”
“Well, there you go then.” The Woodsman gave a snort and sat down opposite Jenny. “You don’t want to be out there in a storm, do you?”
She didn’t want to be out there at all, not heading back toward the Edge anyway. “Maybe…maybe we don’t need to go right away,” she said as if she was only conceding to logic. A flash of guilt rose in her. She’d been gone all day. What could they be thinking at home? Or maybe they hadn’t noticed she was missing. No, they’d notice. They’d have to. They might not believe it just yet. And when they did…
Jenny pushed her parents from her mind before the guilt could rise so high it would tumble and crush her. She lookedup at the Woodsman, hoping for some sort of validation. A way out.
He smiled, a warm and pleasant expression. “Morning’s early enough, eh?”
“You must be exhausted, dear,” his wife added. “Let’s get you something to eat and a bed for the night.”
Jenny shifted uncomfortably. “Jack said not to eat anything.”
The Goodwife laughed. “Of course he did. No, you’ll have to prepare it yourself of course, but there’s no harm in some warm milk, is there? Shame though. I’ve bread and scones in the oven.”
The scent of her baking was everywhere, and Jenny’s stomach growled. Warm milk seemed like a sorry substitute, but it was better than nothing. The fire was working on her now, making her eyes heavy. She was tired, bone tired. She’d never understood what that meant before. A bed sounded like the finest luxury in the world.
Outside, the wind was rising, buffeting against the house, making the trees roar. The Goodwife crossed to the
“
Faerie
food?” Jenny said, frowning back at him. This seemed to exasperate him more.
“If you take some willingly,” Jack rushed on, “you’re tied to the Realm forever, even if you manage to leave. If it’s forced on you, then the spell doesn’t work. But if you accept what is offered— Just remember.”
“What about you?” The words slipped out before she could stop them. She didn’t care what he did, or what became of him.
“Me?” Jack laughed, a brittle sound now, not the sweet music of earlier, when she’d first pointed out that he was dressed in leaves…and he had deceived her with a trick. “I’m Jack o’ the Forest, Jenny Wren. I’m the guardian. My place is here. Go on. The Goodwife’s husband can guide you back to the Edge, to the gateway, and home.” He glanced toward the sky. “And don’t delay. It’s late enough already.”
“Why can’t you do it?”
A smile tightened his lips, but he didn’t meet her eyes. “I have other duties.”
Jenny made no reply. Just looked at him and pursed her lips.
She heard him sigh, and the sound almost made her smile. Almost.
“Stubborn,” he said quietly, and smiled at her, nearly laughed again. Just for a moment. But then all kindness bledfrom his words. “And foolish. Go home, Jenny. You don’t understand the common dangers of our world. How can you expect to stand against the greatest danger of them all? Your Tom is gone, seven long years ago. Leave him be and go home.”
And then Jack was gone too, as if he had never been there. She couldn’t say how she knew he’d left. It was just that the forest was suddenly still and she could tell. It took on another air now, in the deepening twilight. Cold, silent. She should be glad to be leaving it, but it clung to her, enticing her back. With a curious reluctance she didn’t understand, she started toward the house.
chapter five
“H ead to the Edge tonight?” the Woodsman muttered as he dropped the logs beside the hearth.
His wife looked up from the laundry she was folding. “That’s what he said. Seems foolish though, doesn’t it?” She smiled at Jenny, who sat in one of the armchairs, her feet curled under her. “It’s late. And there’s a storm rising.”
“Well, there you go then.” The Woodsman gave a snort and sat down opposite Jenny. “You don’t want to be out there in a storm, do you?”
She didn’t want to be out there at all, not heading back toward the Edge anyway. “Maybe…maybe we don’t need to go right away,” she said as if she was only conceding to logic. A flash of guilt rose in her. She’d been gone all day. What could they be thinking at home? Or maybe they hadn’t noticed she was missing. No, they’d notice. They’d have to. They might not believe it just yet. And when they did…
Jenny pushed her parents from her mind before the guilt could rise so high it would tumble and crush her. She lookedup at the Woodsman, hoping for some sort of validation. A way out.
He smiled, a warm and pleasant expression. “Morning’s early enough, eh?”
“You must be exhausted, dear,” his wife added. “Let’s get you something to eat and a bed for the night.”
Jenny shifted uncomfortably. “Jack said not to eat anything.”
The Goodwife laughed. “Of course he did. No, you’ll have to prepare it yourself of course, but there’s no harm in some warm milk, is there? Shame though. I’ve bread and scones in the oven.”
The scent of her baking was everywhere, and Jenny’s stomach growled. Warm milk seemed like a sorry substitute, but it was better than nothing. The fire was working on her now, making her eyes heavy. She was tired, bone tired. She’d never understood what that meant before. A bed sounded like the finest luxury in the world.
Outside, the wind was rising, buffeting against the house, making the trees roar. The Goodwife crossed to the
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