“No, of course not,” I gushed. Maybe not so eager next time, Frey. I tried to explain, “Chevelle’s been training me.” I could hear the distaste in my voice.
“Well, we can certainly help with that.”
I grimaced at the thought of Ruby’s training methods.
“Don’t fret. She’s actually very talented.” His smile warmed. “An asset, you’ll see.” An asset?
Ruby came through the door, almost whirling. “Come on, Steed. We need to set you up outside of town. Chevelle is afraid we are causing a scene in the village.” She laughed a little. It seemed like she was having fun, I wondered if that meant she was causing trouble. “Don’t think he trusts you with the girl.” She smiled playfully at him.
“I prefer the outdoors anyway.” He dipped toward me, his hand folding his waist as he stood to go. “My lady.”
My head still pounded a little and now it was swirling with confusion. His sister? Traveling with us. An asset? I leaned forward, placing my head between my knees.
“Are you ill?” Chevelle was beside me. I hadn’t heard him come in. He was sitting forward on the bench next to me and when I sat up in shock it put us too close, causing me to totter. He steadied me but didn’t move away.
“Oh.”
“You smell,” he leaned in a bit more, “… like morning.” I flushed but he lingered there for a moment, breathing in the scent.
“Ruby,” I said. He looked confused. “Soap.” I had been reduced to one-word sentences.
“Oh.” He nodded as he leaned back. “She does have a way with potions and such.”
“I enjoy the mixing,” she said, startling me as she entered the house again. “But not to worry, I keep it contained to elements and minerals, no breeding. I leave that to Steed.” She laughed at her own words as she passed us on the way to her room. I found myself reevaluating her now that I knew she was Steed’s sister.
Chevelle noticed me watching her. “Do you mind staying with Ru–” My expression cut off his sentence. He explained, “I have some business to take care of outside of town. She has given me her word, she will behave.” He looked at her as he spoke the last part, a warning.
She replied from the open door of her room, “Yes, yes. No naughtiness.” And then under her breath, “on my part.”
“No qualifications, Ruby.”
“Just teasing. Now, go, we have stuff to do.” My stomach knotted. Stuff.
Chevelle looked reluctant to get up. I thought he might reach out to me, and then he just stood and left. Ugh, why did he have to hate me?
Ruby whirled into the room and grabbed me around the waist from behind, spinning me up, over the back of the seat and through the door before I could process what was happening. She plopped me down in the center of her bed and swung around to sit in front of me. My head was still reeling from the spins as she smiled at me, waving her hands and bringing a plethora of bottles and canisters flying toward us to drop on the bed. I thought, with disappointment, that I hadn’t responded to her attack as Chevelle had taught me and laughed quietly at the image in my head. Ruby took the laughter as approval for her plans and gave me a genuine smile as she began twisting the lid on a small metal canister.
“No mother to teach us the tricks of the trade,” she sighed as she leaned in.
I jerked away from her, I wanted to be angry about the comment but couldn't think of a response while her own story was so tragic.
She mistook my reaction, “Oh, don’t be silly, sister. I wouldn’t play the same design twice.”
I relaxed a little.
“Besides, I will let you in on a little secret… the fairy’s breath isn’t really breath. Can you imagine if it were, why, everywhere we go we’d be causing a terrible ruckus. It’s a blend is all. We keep it in a tiny capsule in our cheek and when we need it…” She chomped her teeth together with a click. She held a finger to her lips to protect the secret. “Old family recipe you see. My mother left a diary.” She smiled as she was thoughtful. “Ah, what a thing, a mother’s diary.”
I wondered if she was returning to her conversation any time soon.
Her eyes flicked back to me from her reverie. “It was very fortunate for me she’d kept a journal, you see, for I would have no fairy knowledge without it.”
I felt my brows draw together and tried to smooth my face.