"It was a mistake us coming back. I knew it.”
They were sat at the dining table; Maggie, Alastair, and Rose. The children were in bed. After the walk in the woods, they had headed straight back to the house, and Rose had arrived not too long afterwards.
“It was a mistake,” repeated Maggie, more to herself than anyone else.
Alastair took her hand. “No, it wasn’t,” he said gently. “We love this place - we’ve always loved this place - we can’t just stay away forever.” He looked at Rose. “What do we know? How did you hear?”
“My contact in the Greenwood told me almost as soon as it happened. They didn’t see who did it, but they felt the shift, they knew something had happened so went to check. I think they got there just after you left.”
“It was only by chance we were nearby,” said Alastair.
“It changes things,” said Maggie. “This means that the woods aren’t safe. We shouldn’t stay here. We can’t risk anything happening to the kids.”
“It doesn’t mean that exactly,” said Rose. “We don’t know for certain what effect this will have on the protections. But,” she conceded, “not knowing isn’t helpful. It could go either way.”
Maggie nodded. Alastair squeezed her hand.
“Alright, I think it’s best we think about this and make a decision tomorrow,” he said. “It has been a long day - a very long day - and we need to take stock.” He glanced at Rose. “Do you think we’ll find anything else out from your contact?”
Rose shook her head. “I don’t know. They’re investigating, tracking what they can. But the fact that we haven’t already found out how this happened suggests this may be more complicated than we would like to think.”
“It’s revenge,” said Maggie. “It can’t be a coincidence. Nothing for years, then this, less than a handful of days after we come back. It’s revenge for what we did.”
“You did what you had to do,” said Rose firmly. “And it was no more than what needed to be done. And you did it to protect many people.”
“It may have been necessary, it may have been right, but it doesn’t mean that the Wildfolk see it that way,” said Maggie. “And you can’t pretend this is coincidence.”
“No,” said Rose. “I don’t think it is coincidence.” She stood and picked up her stick which had been leaning against her chair. “I need to get back, to see what we have learnt. I will come back in the morning with any news. Please don’t make a decision yet, until we have found out what we can. If you need to leave again, I will understand. But there has been a change these last couple of days. It is as if the woods - and the peoples of the wood - are grateful to have you here again. As allies, and as family.”
“We’ll make a decision tomorrow,” said Alastair again. “We won’t decide anything before then. Where are you going now?”
At that moment, the door to the sitting room crashed open and Autumn dashed in. She glanced round the room then turned to face them all, a look of panic on her face.
“Dad! Mum! Erland isn’t in his bedroom!”
