slowly merging with that of the forest. Any human part of her that might remain, and it was doubtful any did, would be so deeply buried and broken that it may as well not exist. "I would wager something went wrong. But she, and the forest, sleep for now. Can you make it so no one can undo my work, at least for a little while?"
"I can do that," Grete said with a nod. "It won't be more than that, what amounts to a wall, really, but I can do it."
"That's all I need. Thank you."
She stepped out of the way, hovering just outside the tower, wolf at her side, sword drawn—but in the end, all remained quiet as Grete methodically worked, throwing down salt and special herbs as she wove her spell. When it took, it was in a burst of green and yellow light that for a moment looked like a wall of ivy and climbing roses. Then it faded off, leaving only the faint thrum of magic. "That should do it," Grete said, brushing her hands together. "It's a two-fold spell: one part is to mislead, make whoever comes here look somewhere else, not see what is before them. The other part is a wall that requires a key, and in this case I made it a riddle key. It won't stop someone with powerful enough magic from breaking the wall down, but it will confound most everyone else."
"I hate riddle keys," Adamina said with a laugh. "Only once did I ever answer the damned riddle. Clever, witch, very clever."
Grete smiled and rejoined her, stepping in close enough it would be so easy to lean in and kiss her. "How are your hands?"
"Sore, but I'll manage." She did not protest, however, when Grete insisted on treating her right hand again. "Thank you. Shall we get out of this miserable forest?"
"Please," Grete replied. "If I never see this wretched place again I will count myself the luckiest woman on earth."
"Agreed." Retrieving her pack and settling it in place, Adamina led the way back into the dark and tangled woods.
They reached Edge Village a week later, too tired and wrung out to travel as quickly as they had going into the forest. Dusk was falling as they finally left the forest behind, and the smell of wood-smoke and roasting vegetables was most welcome.
No one was about as they walked, but that was hardly unusual. Since her arrival, Adamina had scarcely seen anyone. Superstition and fear locked doors better than any key.
It was strange, however, that when they reached the inn there was no one about except Victoria. "Quiet day?" Adamina asked.
Victoria snorted softly. "So it would seem. I've lived here sixteen years, my lady, and still sometimes this place makes no sense to me. But if the strangest thing happening right now is everyone being slow and lazy, I will count my blessings. At least you'll be left in peace, hmm? I'll fetch a couple of the stable boys to see a bath is prepared for you both. I bet you'd love a good soak after mucking about in those woods for so long. We can't thank you enough."
"I am always happy to serve," Adamina replied, biting back a whimper as a small pot of soup was set in front of them, along with bowls, bread, and a large pitcher of ale. "Thank you."
"My pleasure," Victoria said. "Leave anything you want washed outside your door and I'll see it's taken care of." With a parting smile, she bustled back to the kitchen, shouting for the stable boys.
Grabbing the ladle next to the pot, Adamina dished out soup for both her and Grete, then broke two rolls into pieces and dunked them in the broth between bites of the hearty barley soup. "Not as good as your pumpkin," she said with a wink.
"I do like flattery," Grete replied, "but I am not responding to it until I've had a bath and some rest."
Adamina opened her mouth to agree, but it turned into a jaw-cracking yawn that made her eyes water. "No argument," she finally managed, though the words were mostly lost beneath Grete's giggles.
When the laughter faded, Grete took another bite of soup, then asked more seriously, "The whole village is affected by the spell you
"I can do that," Grete said with a nod. "It won't be more than that, what amounts to a wall, really, but I can do it."
"That's all I need. Thank you."
She stepped out of the way, hovering just outside the tower, wolf at her side, sword drawn—but in the end, all remained quiet as Grete methodically worked, throwing down salt and special herbs as she wove her spell. When it took, it was in a burst of green and yellow light that for a moment looked like a wall of ivy and climbing roses. Then it faded off, leaving only the faint thrum of magic. "That should do it," Grete said, brushing her hands together. "It's a two-fold spell: one part is to mislead, make whoever comes here look somewhere else, not see what is before them. The other part is a wall that requires a key, and in this case I made it a riddle key. It won't stop someone with powerful enough magic from breaking the wall down, but it will confound most everyone else."
"I hate riddle keys," Adamina said with a laugh. "Only once did I ever answer the damned riddle. Clever, witch, very clever."
Grete smiled and rejoined her, stepping in close enough it would be so easy to lean in and kiss her. "How are your hands?"
"Sore, but I'll manage." She did not protest, however, when Grete insisted on treating her right hand again. "Thank you. Shall we get out of this miserable forest?"
"Please," Grete replied. "If I never see this wretched place again I will count myself the luckiest woman on earth."
"Agreed." Retrieving her pack and settling it in place, Adamina led the way back into the dark and tangled woods.
They reached Edge Village a week later, too tired and wrung out to travel as quickly as they had going into the forest. Dusk was falling as they finally left the forest behind, and the smell of wood-smoke and roasting vegetables was most welcome.
No one was about as they walked, but that was hardly unusual. Since her arrival, Adamina had scarcely seen anyone. Superstition and fear locked doors better than any key.
It was strange, however, that when they reached the inn there was no one about except Victoria. "Quiet day?" Adamina asked.
Victoria snorted softly. "So it would seem. I've lived here sixteen years, my lady, and still sometimes this place makes no sense to me. But if the strangest thing happening right now is everyone being slow and lazy, I will count my blessings. At least you'll be left in peace, hmm? I'll fetch a couple of the stable boys to see a bath is prepared for you both. I bet you'd love a good soak after mucking about in those woods for so long. We can't thank you enough."
"I am always happy to serve," Adamina replied, biting back a whimper as a small pot of soup was set in front of them, along with bowls, bread, and a large pitcher of ale. "Thank you."
"My pleasure," Victoria said. "Leave anything you want washed outside your door and I'll see it's taken care of." With a parting smile, she bustled back to the kitchen, shouting for the stable boys.
Grabbing the ladle next to the pot, Adamina dished out soup for both her and Grete, then broke two rolls into pieces and dunked them in the broth between bites of the hearty barley soup. "Not as good as your pumpkin," she said with a wink.
"I do like flattery," Grete replied, "but I am not responding to it until I've had a bath and some rest."
Adamina opened her mouth to agree, but it turned into a jaw-cracking yawn that made her eyes water. "No argument," she finally managed, though the words were mostly lost beneath Grete's giggles.
When the laughter faded, Grete took another bite of soup, then asked more seriously, "The whole village is affected by the spell you
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