by Shannon Hale
Rin shrugged casually, though her insides were turning to ice. Had Ma noticed how often Rin ran off lately? Could Ma see that she was broken and shaking inside? Would she speak the words, would she pronounce the problem and then make it all right?
Ma felt her forehead and her cheeks, made her stick out her tongue, prodded her belly, listened to her elbows for creaks, pulled her earflaps down to look for rash. “Seem fine. You not feeling fine?”
Rin shrugged again. She’d never bothered anyone about the little spiny things in her heart, the piercing disquiet. It did not seem right to complain, especially not to Ma, who was working from the moment her eyes opened until she groaned as she lay down at night. Maybe everyone felt all knotted once they grew up, and no one talked about it because it just was not done. Or maybe only Rin was all wrong. If so, she’d never speak it. She had first learned to crawl on moss and walk on pine needles, and by the age of five could climb a fir as easily as falling into bed. How could she even explain, let alone think, that she felt wrong under the Forest canopy?
“Could you…” Rin stopped.
“Ask me, Rinna.” Her mother rarely told her what to do. Rin was the child who never needed scolding, who cleaned her plate before being asked, who heard what her mother wanted before she’d even finished speaking. But Ma commanded her now, with fists on hips and eyes almost angry, daring her daughter to stay quiet now. “Ask me.”
And so Rin was surprised into saying exactly what she was thinking. “Could you hug me?”
Without hesitation, Ma pulled her in tight, hugged her as if she were a tiny baby scared to be out in the open world. Rin’s head pressed into her mother’s warm, soft shoulder as she smelled wood smoke and the juniper berries Ma loved to chew. Rin sighed a very tiny sigh.
“Oh, my girl,” Ma mumbled against her daughter’s head. “My treasure. My perfect girl. How I love you and love you.”
There inside her mother’s arms, something tight inside Rin eased a bit, but the knotted unease did not untangle. Rin had not really thought that one embrace might be enough to fix what was wrong, but she’d hoped enough to try.
“Thanks,” she whispered, the cue to let her mother know that was enough. Ma hugged her a bit tighter still and smattered her head with kisses before letting go and returning to Yuli, who had begun to cry again.
“Anytime you want a hug, my treasure, you just blink,” Ma said over her shoulder as she took care of Yuli. “Can’t think what’s wrong with me if my little girl has to ask for some Ma love. Just isn’t right.”
Rin did not answer, and Ma did not expect it. Rin returned to the stew, scraping the bottom of the pot to keep it from burning, and stared into the fire. But her mind refused to relax. Again and again she kept thinking, there’s something wrong with you. You’re not who they think you are; you don’t belong in this big, wild family; you don’t fit in the Forest; you’ve got to go away, away.
But where could she go?
Shannon Hale
is the Newbery Honor–winning author of Princess Academy, Book of a Thousand Days, and the highly acclaimed and award-winning Books of Bayern: The Goose Girl, Enna Burning, and River Secrets. She has also written a novel for adults, Austenland, and a graphic novel with her husband, Rapunzel’s Revenge. She lives with her husband and two young children near Salt Lake City, Utah.
Visit Shannon on the Web for more information about all of her books, including deleted scenes and other fun extras!
www.shannonhale.com
ALSO BY SHANNON HALE
THE BOOKS OF BAYERN:
The Goose Girl
Enna Burning
Princess Academy
Book of a Thousand Days
GRAPHIC NOVEL
with Dean Hale
illustrations by Nathan Hale
Rapunzel’s Revenge
FOR ADULTS:
Austenland
Praise for River Secrets
An ALA Teens’ Top Ten
“This novel will be a special treat for readers of Hale’s other two companion books, but it also stands on its own as a unique and tender coming-of-age story.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“This high fantasy is rich in detail and lyrical in writing. …Fans of the genre will no doubt rejoice in immersing themselves in this magical world.” —SLJ, starred review
“[Hale’s] language glimmers like firelight, like sunshine on water as she propels readers along a river of wonderful writing to the tumultuous and heart-tugging climax.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“Suspenseful, magical, and heartfelt, this is a story that will wholly envelop its readers.” —Booklist, starred review
“The settings, customs, and festivals of both Bayern and Tira are easy to imagine. Fans of Hale’s previous books will enjoy this one and will hope that there is more to come.” —VOYA
“All elements join together to form an adept Tamora Pierce–like fantasy adventure—although when it comes to Hale’s subtlety of description and limber turns of phrase, there really is no comparison.” —The Horn Book
“Hale’s imagined world is danger-filled: gruesome deaths are alarmingly frequent, attempts on lives more so, and even talents or gifts are double-edged as potential curses if used incorrectly. It is to the author’s credit, therefore, that she has also created a landscape and characters with enough beauty, depth, and complexity to keep readers eagerly anticipating visits.” —BCCB
First published in Great Britain 2006
Copyright © Shannon Hale 2006
This electronic edition published 2010 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
The right of Shannon Hale to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
All rights reserved. You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (including without limitation electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, printing, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 36 Soho Square, London W1D 3QY
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 978 1 4088 1199 3
www.bloomsbury.com/shannonhale
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