Shortly after the chill had started to leave the tips of Lily’s fingers, Lorenna appeared holding a bowl of steaming soup with a wooden spoon and a hunk of bread slathered in dripping. Lily’s stomach growled with appreciation and she thanked Lorenna multiple times in between mouthfuls.

‘He’s gone. I told him we didn’t have any spare rooms for this evening. Before he left, he asked me something strange… He asked me if I’d heard about the Lightkeepers. Is that anything to do with you?’

Lily frowned and spluttered through a mouth full of bread, ‘No, no, I don’t know anything about any lightkeepers.’

‘Odd.’ Lorenna shrugged. ‘He wasn’t happy, but I watched him ride away. You’re safe.’

Lily just nodded and smiled gratefully, still shovelling food into her mouth.

‘I’m telling my tale very shortly. You shouldn’t have to move though, just pull your chair around a little and you’ll have an acceptable view. Finish your soup and then I’ll get started.’

Chapter Ten

Lorenna stood on a stumpy barrel that was covered in animal furs and, lifting her fingers to her lips, let out an ear-piercing whistle. Silence blanketed the room. A few people glanced around, confused, but the majority of the guests simply sat and stared.

‘Now gentlemen,’ she cleared her throat and her eyes paused on Lily for a second, ‘and lady,’ she smirked not unkindly, ‘I have a tale to tell. For some of you, this will not be the first time hearing it. But I must implore you – because I have reason to believe that they have returned – to pay attention to everything I’m about to tell you. This is the story of the notorious demons that are stalking the land once more: the Shadow Sect, or, as they are sometimes called, the Sisters of Shadow.’

Lily gasped, her hand covering her mouth.

The Sisters of Shadow?

Surely Lorenna must be mistaken. That was the name Alice had given their friendship, years ago. They’d sworn their friendship in the name of the Sisters of Shadow; it was who they were. Could she have known about this connection?

Lorenna must have heard Lily’s gasp and she paused. But Lily nodded to her, encouraging her to continue, even though her mind was racing.

‘Once, long ago,’ Lorenna began, a hushed silence falling once again over the room, ‘there was a child who discovered she was cursed. By the age of eight, she could command objects to move and bend at her will. She would often dream about what it would feel like to join the birds in the trees, and then find herself sitting on the highest branch of the tallest tree, amongst the birds of which she had been dreaming. But she had little control over her powers; she was reckless, careless, dangerous. Now, this little girl was also sweet and kind and, generally, innocuous. But her mother was terrified that she would be taken away or persecuted.

‘A few days after the little girl’s birthday, her mother woke her in the dead of night, helped her pack a few bags, and the two of them set off with the intention of hiding themselves away from whispering and gossip. The plan was to return to an old, long-abandoned lighthouse to which they travelled on occasion. They had always spoken about moving there forever, and it seemed to the child that her mother had just decided that it was time for them to make that move.