“Reckon it might be time ter leave, afore night closes in on thet lane,” Anna suggested.

The sheriff tipped his hat to them (the bailiffs did not), and all three trotted hastily down the path, collected their horses from where they had been tied up to the stile, and rode away at a canter.

Young Raven emerged from the woods to the right and hopped over the fence, a grin on his face. When he reached them, he broke into a laugh. “Josh an’ me was a-talking when them fools arrived,” he said. “I slipped inter th’ woods ter wait an’ see iffen I was goin’ ter be needed, or iffen I’d need ter bring y’all he’p. I heered y’all purty good where I was, an’ when y’all talked ’bout bears, wall—” He chuckled. “Couldn’ resist.”

“Y’all couldn’t hev done better if I’d’a arst y’all to,” Anna said warmly. “Thenkee kindly, Raven. It’s good t’hev friends.”

And with a little gesture on a wisp of power, she added, Thenkee, Jolene.

For a moment, she thought she wouldn’t get an answer. But then she looked down at her feet.

A little, jewel-green lizard looked up at her from the ground, bobbed at her once, and vanished.

But not before Anna had heard Jolene’s reply in her mind.

“Yes, my dear Anna. It’s good to have friends.”

About the Author

Mercedes Lackey is a full-time writer and has published numerous novels and works of short fiction, including the best-selling Heralds of Valdemar series. She is also a professional lyricist and a licensed wild bird rehabilitator.

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