Lilyana
Lily awoke to the sounds of an argument. The words were low and whispered, but they pierced the air nonetheless.
“He knows me, and he knows my face. He’ll never stop looking,” came the first voice.
“I can keep you safe,” said the second. “I know of a small village, far out of the way. Come with us. I can protect you.”
“No,” said the first. “I am not important. She is. And he doesn’t know her.”
That was when Lily realized they were talking about her. She rolled over to wake her mother but found that she was alone. She pushed back the thick blanket that had kept her warm all night and climbed off the end of the wagon. Standing by the embers of a dying fire were her mother and her uncle Thaurson. She wiped the sleep from her eyes. In her grogginess, she hadn’t even recognized their voices.
Her mother was the first to notice that they were no longer alone, turning to her with a look of concern on her face. “Oh, Lily,” she said, kneeling down and spreading her arms. “Did we wake you?”
Lily nodded and walked over to give her mother a hug.
“I am so sorry, my darling. It isn’t safe yet. But I have a plan that will protect you.”
Lily looked expectantly at her mother.
“Your uncle knows someone who can take good care of you,” Cora said.
Thaurson nodded. “He’s a good man. Still a little young, but he means well. And he can be trusted.”
“Where is he?” Lily asked.
Her mother and her uncle looked at each other. Looking back at Lily with a smile, Thaurson said, “We’ll take you to him.”