Robin's Blood

Page 9, Ch. II

Once Rayna was in her bedroom, Robin murmured, "Well, isn't she a delight."

Faye's face lost its cheer, and she turned to the pan of buns on the counter, "I was hoping she might at least try with a guest here..." she mumbled to herself. Robin's face shifted to confusion, "What was that?" She questioned, not having been able to hear Faye. "Oh! Uh, can you grab me a knife from the block?" Faye pointed to a knife block sitting on the counter's end. "Wow, of all things that are the same in this world, a knife block?" Robin chuckled, "Yeah! Can you grab a knife!" Faye snapped. Robin's eyes widened in shock at her reaction. Faye turned her face away from Robin and back toward the pan. "Sorry... im just hungry, I guess." Robin pulled a knife out of the block, handed it to Faye, and silently walked to the table and sat down. Faye set a plate with a single cinnamon bun on the table in front of Robin and then at the spot across from her. She sat down at the seat across from Robin, and they silently ate their cinnamon buns. "What did you mean by 'in this world'?"

"You need to be careful, or you might get taken by the Harborers," Faye whispered their name, only adding to the eerieness of it. Robin's stomach rolled, "The what...?" Faye shifted in her seat. It was evident that the name made her weary "They work for the underground market, recently humans have been finding their way into our world and not too long after going missing. We dont know what the market wants them for, but it can't be good...." Faye stood up and took the plates. Robin looked at the ground. "So... What are you supposed to do now that I'm here?"

As Faye scrubbed the plates, she stated, "The elder council announced that any humans should be turned in to them to be imprisoned. We dont know how to get your kind home yet, and we dont want the Harborers getting to them. I think Renata is taking you tomorrow." Robin got an unsettling feeling in her gut and stood up from her chair. "So either kidnapped or imprisoned...." Robin trembled. "I've heard the human prisons are comfortable, but you're still stuck there until they can get you home," Faye said, not acknowledging Robin's nervousness. "Im going to go rest. That cinnamon bun took it out of me," Robin yawned falsely. Faye turned to look at Robin, raising one eyebrow. "Really? Alright, that's the power of carbs" She giggled and walked out of the treehouse. Robin paused in the doorway between the bedroom and the kitchen and watched Faye leave.

Once entirely out of sight, Robin rushed into her room to pack her things. As she shuffled to grab her few belongings, she glanced at the necklace Faye had given her, which she had placed on the bedside table. Reluctantly she reached for it, paused momentarily, then snatched it and stuffed it into her bag. "I'll need something to sell," Robin huffed to herself, then stood and hurried out of the treehouse, pausing only momentarily to grab a hooded cloak. She slowed her pace on the bridge as it wobbled with her movements, gripping both railings in each hand and shimmying across. After four or five bridges, Robin reached the ground. She faced the ground, pulling the hood of her cloak over her head. Trying not to look too suspicious, Robin sped across the village and turned randomly into the woods. She whipped her head around, scanned the area behind her, then faced forward and began sprinting into the trees.