Page 9 of Burn Bright
We bothsubsided.
"Thank you. I have to admit I wasn’t payingattention."
"Of course you weren’t," she scoffed. "You saw a pretty pair of yellow eyes and all of a sudden you weren’t thinking about whether the prince was lying toyou."
"Thewolvren?" Heat flamed in my cheeks. "I wasn’t— I was curious, that was all. He’s the first wolvren I’ve ever seen. And utterlyaggravating."
"He’s the first wolvren I’ve ever seen too," she replied. "You didn’t see me losing my wits overhim."
I held up thumb and forefinger threateningly and pinched themtogether.
Averill laughed. "I forgive you. Even I have to admit he’s a very well put together creature. For aman."
I’d never hear the end of this. She was right. I should have been thinking. But the second they started talking about my woods, I’d bristled up like a hedgehog. "Let’s presume you’re correct. Why would they be interested in the firebird? It’s a creature of legend, and it’s made from pure flames. It’s not as though the Crown Prince can mount its head on hiswall."
"Who knows," Averill drawled. "Perhaps his highness has got a flagging staff. Some fools believe if you grind a unicorn’s horn into powder and consume it, you can restore your, uh, vitality. Maybe he needs a little fire in the oldpipe."
"Sweet Vashta," I groaned. "I don’t want to know about that. Where did you even…." I stopped there. Averillknewthings. She could always sense a storm on the horizon, or knew when a man or woman was bound to drop dead during thenight.
"Ellie told me about it. The healer had her helping search for some mandrake in the edges of the forest." Averill gave an evil grin. "You should hear what the mayor does every full moon withit."
Clapping my hands over my ears, I glared, until it became clear she wasn’t going to sayanymore.
Slowly I took them away. "I think his highness’s conquest of the princessa proves he doesn’t have any problems of that nature. No. You’re right. They’re definitely interested in the firebird. I just can’t imaginewhy."
Averill shuddered. "Hopefully they’ll leave in the morning, and we won’t have to see them again. Perhaps something will eat that horribleHussar."
"Avie! That’s a horrible thing to say! I wouldn’t wish that upon any poormonster."
"True. He’d give even a dragonindigestion."
Through the small gap in the curtains, I could just make out the moon. "Whatever they plan on doing in Gravenwold, it can’t be a good thing. And if they make the forest angry, it’s us villagers who will have to bear the burden, you mark mywords."
We both fell silent, thinking itover.
"We don't want to make the forest angry," Averillwhispered.
And once again I thought of the strange old woman I'd met in thewoods.
"No, wewouldn't."
