her skirts and stalked toward the girls. âWhatâ¦are you doing?â
Mae stepped close to Poppy. Poppy pulled the dress close to her chest as if it were a shield.
Huldfrejya yanked the dress from Poppyâs grasp and threw it to the floor. Her fangs gleamed. Her eyes narrowed, first at Poppy and then Mae. âNever mop in my chamber again whenI am present.â She turned and fled the room, the great door banging closed behind her.
âDid you see that?â Mae asked.
âWh-which part?â stuttered Poppy. âThe fangs or the steely gaze?â
âHer feet.â
Poppy turned toward Mae. âThatâs what you noticed? Her feet? Are you insane?â She stormed toward the broken window and peered outside. âWe have to get out of here. If we break the window a little more, I think we can climb down the ivy. Maybe we can send Trina for help.â
âNo.â Mae shook her head.
âWhat do you mean,
no
?â Poppy yelled. Her eyes darted around the room. The gargoyle followed her movements as she approached Mae.
âThere is something not right about this.â
âOf course there is something not right. We are slaves to a lunatic troll, and you donât want to escape at the first chance!â
âWhat about the others?â
Poppy stared at her. âWeâll come back. Weâll get Aletta and weâll come back.â
Mae swallowed. âThen no one will be there to protect the Wedge or care for the sick. Callum wouldnât want us to do that.â
âCallum isnât here!â Poppy shrieked.
âNo, he isnât,â Mae said. âAnd thatâs my fault. I should have listened to him.â
Mae stared out the broken window. A meadow stretched out around the castle, and the path wound over the hills and into the forest. The meadow was ablaze with purple flowers.
Corley thistles. The cure for the Bricklebear Fever.
A tingling sensation ran up her spine. She had to find a way out of here, and soon. But when she left, she wasnât leaving anyone behind.
Maewyn pulled the owl carving from her pocket and looked at the broken pane again. âI think I have an idea.â
Chapter 7
A bout midmorning on the day after the villagers left, a knock sounded on the door. Leif set his carving on the table and brushed the wood dust from his pants. His mother bustled in from the kitchen. âWell, arenât you going to answer the door?â she said as she wiped her wet hands on her apron. âItâs only polite.â
Leif rolled his eyes and sighed as Faria opened the door. âOh, good morning, Aletta.â
Jogging to the front entrance, Leif pulled the door open wider and grinned at the wizard. Her cheeks were pink from the brisk morning air. A basket hung from her arm. Steam curled through the cloth covering what smelled like a batch of lavender honey muffins. âThanks for coming over, Aletta.â
Fariaâs hand fluttered to her breast. âComing? For what, son?â
âWe have been invaded by piskies, Mother. I told you last night,â said Leif. He had a hard time keeping the irritation out of his voice.
âOh, such a silly notion!â Faria laughed. She pushed Leif out of the way and began closing the door. âPay no attention to him. He doesnât know what heâs talking about. Sixteen-year-olds, what can you do with them, really? Have a good day.â
Leif stuck his foot in the closing door. âWeâ¦have⦠piskies. A whole nest of the blighters in the wall of the diningroom. Get over it.â He pulled the door back open and gestured with his hand. âPlease, come in, Aletta.â
Aletta looked from one Burrbridge to another. One eyebrow quirked into a near-perfect Iâd-better-handle-this arch. She coughed to hide a chuckle and held her wrist to her lips before clearing her throat. âYes, teenagers, such imaginations! What are we to do with them?