Her friends knelt beside her and wept along with her. As they did, they asked all about the girl’s parents and learned more about them in that short time than they did the entire time they had known her. When she had told all of the stories she had wanted to tell, she scooped up handfuls of flower petals and placed them inside the vases. She then encouraged her friends to do the same before they stood.
“Thank you,” she said to her friends.
As Son and Maren walked back to the garden together, the girl scratched her head and murmured, “I thought it was supposed to be special.”
“What’s that?” the boy asked.
“I thought it was going to be something special.”
“Wasn’t it?”
“No, it was sad. It wasn’t special.”
“I’m sorry,” the boy apologized.
“Thank you, though,” Maren said, and she skipped off to the garden to finish her chores.
Maren stood on a rock, eye to eye with Earl. It was midmorning, and birds were floating across the gray sky as their early songs turned into midday chatter. The freshly broken ground of the garden carried a rich scent that was carried along by a gentle breeze.
“Well, Smarmy Kidd Black,” she said, gazing sternly at the mule. “I suppose you think you’re going to get away with it, don’t you.”
Earl gently nudged the girl’s shoulder, then lowered his head to take a bite of the lush, cool grass at his feet. Bringing his eyes back up to meet hers, he exhaled sharply through his nostrils and shook his head.
“You can’t run forever,” Maren added, this time with slightly less authority. She then pushed her mouth to the side and looked around the garden. She could hear Dulnear and Faymia finishing the repairs around the house. They were required after Earl’s occupation during their absence. She could also hear Son in the shed making new toys to sell in town.
The donkey brayed, pulling her attention back onto himself.
Startled at first, the girl giggled to herself in amusement. “So that’s it, eh, Kidd Black?” she asked. She waited for a reply, but none came. There were only the birds singing, the breeze blowing, and her family working to make their house a home. Once again, she whistled the tune she had learned from Athas. It made her feel light and peaceful. Getting down off the rock, she scratched the mule behind his ears. “Thanks for playing with me, Earl,” she said. “I’m going in the barn to help Son.”
Whistling her way to the barn, Maren noticed the accompaniment that the wind through the tall grass provided. The scented air and whispering breeze seemed to make the tune come alive. Opening the door, her heart beat just a little faster. She had chosen her world, and somehow knew that her story would be greater than anything she had ever read.
I hope you enjoyed reading Daughter of Two Worlds. Its characters and their adventures are near and dear to me. If you would like information about the next book in the Aun series, as well as other forthcoming projects, please visit my website at www.leebezotte.com and sign up for my e-newsletter. You can also join me on Facebook and Twitter.
Thank you for journeying with me!
Lee Bezotte
