“When your father and I left the woods, it wasn’t just because we were poor...” I made a noncommittal hum of acknowledgement and pulled my hand away to inspect the jewel, only half-listening. “There’s things in the forest we wanted to protect you from…” She gripped my forearm painfully tight to get my attention, and I startled. “Listen to me. I don’t want you to go, but if you do, once the sun sets, don’t talk to anybody you hadn’t set eyes on before nightfall.”
