Page 45 of Gilded

The woman bunched her lips to one side, still giving Serilda that contemplative look. “Märchenfeld? That’d be a quick enough walk through the wood, but I wouldn’t recommend that.” Her gaze turned suspicious. “But how did you get here without a horse or carriage of your own?”

“Oh. I was brought last night by my business associate, but he had to continue on to …” She tried to picture the surrounding area, but she still wasn’t entirely sure where Adalheidwas.“Nordenburg. I told him I’d be able to meet him there.”

“You came last night?” said Lorraine. “Where did you stay?”

Serilda tried not to huff. So many questions, when all she wanted was breakfast.

She probably should have started with the truth. She forgot, sometimes, that lies had short legs. They never got you very far. Plus, the truth was usually easier to keep track of.

And so, she answered. With the truth.

“I stayed in the castle.”

“What?” said the woman, a shadow crossing her features. “No one ever goes in that castle. And last night was …” Her eyes rounded in horror, and she took a few hasty steps back. “What are you, really?”

Her reaction startled Serilda. “Whatam I?”

“A specter? A wight?” She frowned, inspecting Serilda from head to foot. “Don’t much look like a salige …”

Serilda slumped, suddenly exhausted. “I’m a human girl, I swear it.”

“Then why would you tell such a story! To stay in the castle? The monsters in that place would have torn you limb from limb.” She cocked her head. “I don’t care for falsehoods, young miss. What’s youractualstory?”

Serilda started to laugh. Her actual story was so far-fetched she was having trouble believing it herself. “All right,” she said. “If you insist. I am no scholar, just a miller’s daughter. I was summoned by the Erlking last night and ordered to spin straw into gold. He threatened to kill me if I failed, but after I fulfilled the task, he let me go.”

There. It was the truth. Mostly.

Lorraine held her gaze a long time, and Serilda expected her to scoff and cast her out of her restaurant for mocking the local superstitions.

Instead, some of her irritation seemed to fade, replaced with … wonder. “You are a gold-spinner?”

Serilda’s hesitation was short. “Yes,” she said. This lie had been told often enough now that it no longer seemed outlandish. “Blessed by Hulda.”

“And you mean to tell me,” said the woman, lowering herself into the seat across from Serilda, “that you were inside that castle on the Hunger Moon, and when the sun rose and the veil returned, the Erl-king just … let you go?”

“So it would seem.”

She grunted, astonished. But not disbelieving. At least, Serilda didn’t think so.

“And I truly would like to go home today,” Serilda added, hoping to steer them back to more pressing concerns.Herpressing concerns.

“I imagine one would after such an ordeal,” said Lorraine, still staring at Serilda like she didn’t know what to make of her. But also like shebelievedher. Cocking her head, she peered out the window toward the castle, deep in thought. Finally, she nodded. She stood and wiped her hands down on her apron. “Well. I do believe that Roland Haas was planning to head down toward Mondbrück today. I’m sure he’d let you ride along in the back of his wagon. Though it wouldn’t be kind not to warn you, it probably won’t be the most pleasant ride you’ve ever enjoyed.”

Serilda beamed. “Any help would be marvelously appreciated.”

“I’ll get word to him, make sure he’s still planning on going over today. In which case, best get your breakfast. I suspect he’ll be leaving soon. Supposed to be another cold one.” She started to turn away, but paused. “You did say you were hungry, didn’t you?”

“Yes, please. I’m happy with whatever you have,” said Serilda. “Thank you.”

Lorraine nodded, her gaze lingering a moment longer on Serilda’s eyes. “And I’ll bring some ointment for that cheek.” She turned and headed behind the bar, disappearing into the kitchen.

Which was about the time that Serilda was hit by a quiet guilt.

She had no coin. Nothing with which to buy this heavenly warm cider or the food that her stomach was howling for.

Except?…?

She twisted the moss maiden’s ring around her finger, then gave a quick shake of her head.