Page 50 of Must Love Scones and Secrets
As the men continued discussing logistics, I slipped away to beseech Emmalyn’s help.
I found her in the stables, grooming a beautiful chestnut mare. She looked up as I entered, her face breaking into a warm smile.
“Rosalyn! What a lovely surprise.” She set down her brush and dusted off her hands. “Come to brighten my day with baked goods?”
“Not exactly,” I said, trying to smile but not quite managing it. “I’m headed out with Kellen and Bjorn to Whispering Woods. I wondered if you would mind going by the shop to let Zarina know I might be detained for a while?”
“Of course. The Whispering Woods?” Her eyebrows rose. “What business do you have there? Those woods are not for casual wandering.”
“We think we’ve discovered the source of the chaotic magic. It’s a long story involving unicorns, wild fairies, and magical disruptions.” I leaned against a stall door, suddenly feeling exhausted. “And apparently, a stone circle that can fix it all.”
“Hmm,” Emmalyn mused, then looked me over. “I’ll see to Zarina, but what’s really bothering you? You look like you accidentally used salt instead of sugar in a birthday cake.”
I hesitated, but the concern in her eyes broke through my defenses. “It’s Bjorn,” I admitted. “We had a moment… A rare, magical night, but this morning, something changed. He’s pulled away, and I don’t understand why.”
“Men are strange creatures.”
“It’s more than that. Wizard Thorne had an orb that detects lies, and when it came near me, it lit up like a Midsummer bonfire. And now I can’t stop wondering?—”
“If Bjorn lied to you,” Emmalyn finished for me.
I nodded miserably. “And about what? He’s built a wall between us, and I don’t know why.”
Emmalyn was quiet momentarily, then said, “Some secrets are hard to share, especially when you’re afraid of how the other person might react.”
“But after what happened between us…” I broke off, not wanting to be too explicit about our night together.
“Lord Thornwick level?”
“And then some.”
Emmalyn sighed softly. “Vulnerability can be terrifying.”
I sighed. “I just wish he’d talk to me. Whatever it is, we could work through it together.”
“Have you told him that?”
“I haven’t had the chance. He’s barely looked at me today.”
“Rosalyn, I’ve known you since you came to Moonshine Hollow. You’ve never been one to sit back and wait for things to happen. Talk to him.”
“And if he has a girlfriend? Or worse…”
“Better to know than wonder.”
I managed a small smile. “You’re right. Once this Thread Stone business is sorted out, I’m going to corner that Rune elf and get the truth, whatever it is.”
“That’s the Rosalyn I know,” Emmalyn said with a grin.
I hugged her.
“I smell like horses,” Emmalyn said.
“I love you just as you are.”
“Horse smell and all?”
“Of course.”
