Suddenly, the air to my left began waver. Alarmed, I whirled and stepped backward, but the motion of the wavering air grew more rapid, and then…something solid began taking shape.
I went still.
There, right in front me, a great three-paneled mirror now stood where there had been only empty air an instant before. The thick frames around each panel were of solid pewter, engraved in the image of climbing ivy vines. The glass of the panels was smooth and perfect, but I didn’t see myself looking back.
Instead, I found myself looking into the eyes of a dark-haired woman in a black dress. Her face was pale, and she bore no expression at all.
There she was, inside the right panel gazing out me.
Was I going mad? Had events from the past two days driven me mad?
“Don’t fear,” the woman said. “There is nothing to fear.”
I couldn’t help my rising fear, but I also could not seem to speak.
“You are at a crossroad,” she continued, “with three paths.” As she raised her arms, the material from her long black sleeves hung down. “I am bidden to give you a gift.”
Could this be real? Was it happening?
“You will live out three outcomes…to three different choices,” she said. “Three paths await you. Three actions…or inactions you might decide upon. Then you will have the knowledge to choose.”
I shook my head, finding my voice. “Wait! What are you saying?”
Lowering both hands to her sides, she said, “The first choice.”
My thoughts went blank, and the shabby room around me vanished.
The First Choice
The Road
Chapter Four
I was standing in the darkness just outside the door of the shack, feeling dizzy and disoriented, as if I’d forgotten something and needed to remember. What was I doing out here?
Then I remembered. I had to make a decision.
Looking to the left, I saw the long tree line stretching along the backs of several dwellings. I could make my way along these trees far enough to slip down into the chute and escape.
But instead, I just stood there, knowing I could not force myself to take such an act.
Ashamed, I went back inside and crouched down by the fire, still feeling disoriented. What was it that I had forgotten?
I stayed like that all night, even after the logs had burned to ashes.
Outside, once the sky had begun turning gray, I heard footsteps approaching, and I watched the door. Caine entered first, with Raven behind him. Both men appeared tense, but Raven’s eyes flickered in surprise at the sight of me. Had he expected me to run? Perhaps I should have.
Caine wasted no time. “Raven’s just asked me that you be given a choice to go on the road with his troupe. I’m asking you to stay.”
His voice was tight, but before he’d finished speaking, I’d made up my mind. I didn’t know either one of them. And yet, I knew Raven a bit…more, and leaving with his people would give me the best chance to send my lady a message.
“I’ll go with Raven’s troupe,” I said quietly.
Caine’s expression grew desperate as he stepped toward me. “Don’t. Stay here.”
Quickly, Raven moved in front of him, cutting him off. “You told me you’d let her choose. It’s just for the autumn. We’ll be back in winter, and she might want to stay then.”
Caine ran a hand over his face. “Don’t take her with you. Please.”
I had a feeling he rarely said please to anyone, but Raven was unmoved. “I’m not taking her anywhere. She’s choosing to travel with us. And you gave me your word you wouldn’t stop her.”
After drawing in a harsh breath, Caine walked toward the door. “You’d better bring her back this winter.”
Then he was gone, and I was alone with Raven, two strangers thrown together.
“Come on,” he said. “My people are packing up.”
* * * *
Walking through the settlement in daylight, I could see it was indeed larger than my initial view in the night. At least forty dwellings were scattered about in no apparent pattern. Several constructions were larger then others, such as the stable and barn and what appeared to be a smithy.
Beyond the farthest dwelling, I could see more cleared land now growing apple trees. Each dwelling we passed sported its own kitchen garden, but at this time of the year, only potatoes, carrots, turnips, and onions remained in the ground. Chickens pecked in the dirt, and goats wandered loose, eating grass and weeds. There were pigs inside of fenced areas. Even at the crack of dawn, a number of people were up and about, feeding chickens, gathering eggs, and milking goats.
As Raven and I continued on, people nodded to him and cast surprised glances at me.
“It’s just your coloring,” Raven said. “They’ve never seen anyone like you.”
Lady Giselle had often told me the same thing.
Finally, he rounded a large dwelling, and we came upon a gathering of six wagons. I remembered some of these from last night. Houses had been built atop them, some with rounded roofs and others with square ones, but they all had windows and back doors. Most were painted in bright colors of yellow or blue or red. The lead wagon was by far the smallest, with a flat roof. It was faded white with blue shutters.
But I didn’t study the wagons for long, as my attention was drawn to the people working busily to load food or supplies or harness horses or catch chickens for cages. There were nearly twenty people—men, women, and children—bustling about at these tasks.
“Tannen,” a woman on the ground called up to the top of a roof. “That crate on the end won’t hold. You’ll need to tie it down more securely.”
She wore a purple wool dress with long sleeves.
Up on top of a wagon, Tannen was helping to arrange crates. “I heard you the first time,” he called back.
“Then listen to me!” she answered.
In her late twenties, she was tall for a woman, about the height of Raven. Her skin was flawless. As opposed to black, her hair was a rich shade of chocolate brown—and so were her eyes. Though her waist was small, her body showed more curves than mine.
She was lovely.
With her hands on her hips, she scolded Raven. “It’s about time. Where have you…?” The words died on her lips when she spotted me partially behind him. As opposed to staring in shock, she assessed me from toe to head.
“Is that Caine’s girl? The one he took? Everyone was talking about her last night. Logan nearly had an apoplexy.”
Holding in a sigh, I readied myself for another conversation as if I weren’t there.
“She’s coming with us,” Raven answered.
“With us?”
“Look at her. We’ll use her in the show.”
“What does Caine have to say?”
“Jade…” he said slowly as if to cut off further questions. “She’s coming with us.”
With a slight frown, she said. “I don’t know where she’ll sleep. We might be able to fit her in with Lizbeth and Ash, but that would make five in one wagon.”
Raven shifted weight between his feet. “She can stay with me.”
In an instant, Jade’s expression went dark. “With