Relief warms me. I shall have to tell Sebastian when he returns from gathering berries for breakfast. Maybe he’ll want to confide in her too. But I’ll leave that choice up to him.

“Do you know when Lady Aisling took you?” Maeve asks.

I frown. “No. Long enough ago that all trace of my village—Wren—seems to have disappeared. I even asked the Lady myself a couple days ago, but she couldn’t remember.”

Maeve raises her eyebrows. “You faced your captor yourself? You’re brave.” I blush. “And if Lady Aisling can’t remember when she took you, that must mean you are very old. She must have had a life bringer talent in her garden—and a youth keeper, too, I assume?”

“Yes, which has made this all more confusing, really.”

“Don’t worry, if there are answers to be had in the Archives, we’ll find them.” She squeezes my shoulder. “I’m glad you told me.”

“I was afraid you wouldn’t want to be around me. Most people think me strange.”

“I have never minded strange,” Maeve says, releasing me and standing up. “Now, let’s fix ourselves some breakfast.”

I stand too, feeling lighter than I have in a very, very long time.

* * *

I have no idea how far we’ve traveled or how long we’ve walked, but it feels like forever to me. It’s a good thing I have Sebastian and Maeve here to keep me on the path. It seems like at every turn there are new, inviting ones that could lead to somewhere intriguing. I would be hopelessly lost on my own, so distracted by every trail I could take that I’d never be able to keep to the one I need the most.

But with them by my side, I have only gotten sidetracked here and there. Long enough to run my hands over a strange new flower or leaf, or to greet a small bird or animal nearby. Every now and then, I have to let out a burst of energy with a twirl or skip ahead, but they always anchor me. The comforting feel of their minds is the tether that prevents me from floating away on the afternoon breeze.

We left the deep forest this morning as the terrain became hilly, then mountainous. The library is supposed to be here somewhere on one of the highest peaks. We’ve let Maeve lead the way. I suppose we’ve been accustomed for so long to letting someone else lead that it’s second nature to us. Falling back into the habit is a relief.

Both Sebastian and I feel a little safer having someone else in charge.

Safe enough that Sebastian even decided to tell Maeve about his talent. Of course, she embraced it as warmly as mine.

Maeve is happiest this way too. When we first met her, her thoughts were forlorn, but now that she has someone to look after, they’re brighter and more hopeful.

Perhaps we found what we need in each other.

We started up the mountain near midday, and now our feet ache from all the marching. At least we’re well fed, thanks to the supplies Maeve bought at the last village. The sun dips low in the sky, and the shadows encroach from the east. There are curious animals here and there, especially a mama fox and her cubs who have been trailing us ever since they saw us stop for a snack late in the afternoon. The mother’s thoughts reveal how hungry she is and hopeful for an easy remedy for her and her babies. Without letting Sebastian or Maeve see, I quietly remove some of the beef jerky from my bag and sprinkle it behind me.