I let out a squeal of surprise, and so does Sebastian. I clamp my hand over my mouth, and we huddle together.

A woman sits at a small wooden table in the corner of the room, eating a meal of bread and cheese. Our surprise is mirrored in her eyes.

“Who are you?” she asks.

Sebastian glances at me wild-eyed and uncertain. I peek into the woman’s mind and find she isn’t angry, but genuinely curious. Even a little worried about us, given the state we’re in.

My shoulders relax, and I squeeze Sebastian’s hand.

“I’m Simone, and this is Sebastian. I’m sorry we intruded on your home. We needed a place to hide.”

The woman stands, her meal forgotten. She is tall and auburn-haired with gray eyes, keen as a cat’s.

Poor dears. They remind me of my own children…

I pull my magic out of her head. While I’m curious, it seems rude to read her mind since we just barged into her house and need her help. I’m encouraged that her thoughts have a kind bent and that she doesn’t seem the least put off by Sebastian’s scar.

“You can call me Maeve. What are you hiding from? You look as though you’ve seen a ghost, or two at least.”

After what we’ve been through, we just aren’t built to trust strange women. But this one seems kind.

Sebastian stares at his toes. “We were starving. We happened upon an apple orchard and took some to eat.” His words are punctuated by the howls of the dogs closing in on us.

“I see. They’re after you then.” Maeve suddenly lights up. “Well, we can’t just let them have you, now can we? Come, there must be somewhere for you to hide around here while I get rid of them.” She gets up and pokes around the house and soon discovers a crawl space under the stairs. “Here we go.” She gestures for us to follow, but we both hesitate for a moment.

She can’t be worse than the dogs, I think to Sebastian.

Or the dogs’ owners, he thinks back.

We follow and curl up together under the stairs. Panic flits over us as the door closes, leaving us in the dark. But I close my eyes and remind myself—and Sebastian—that this is only temporary. Maeve wants to help. Besides, she has no way of knowing we’re talented and no reason to want to use us like Lady Aisling did.

We hear the front door of the shack open and close, and the sound of the dogs barking up to the front door.

“Have you seen two small thieves hereabouts?” shouts the angry voice of a man. “Our dogs are certain they’re nearby.”

“I’m afraid I’m alone. Haven’t seen anyone,” Maeve says. “The only thing your dogs smell here is my lunch. Here, they can have some of it. Roasted chicken.”

The man growls as the dogs stop barking, no doubt eating the offered food.

“Fool beasts, thinking with their bellies. What good are the lot of you?” He continues to berate his animals as they depart.