The Edge of Strange Hollow by Gabrielle Byrne (great book club books txt) 📗

is to move into the Hollow and start acting like everyone else. Put up wards—”

Her father laughed. “Those carvings do as much good as your fear.”

“One day you won’t be so smug,” Gale snarled. “One day someone will teach you a lesson.”

Her father’s face softened. “Knowledge is what we need most. Knowledge is the way to fight—”

“Nonsense. That’s an excuse to do nothing. Knowing helps no one. Only action has value.” Gale’s voice seemed strained. “We already know the maledictions are evil—how could they be otherwise? They come from the wood. Knowing it doesn’t keep them from taking—” He swallowed.

Her mother’s voice was so soft, Poppy had to press her ear hard against the door. “I remember how much you cared for Miranda, Rupert,” she said. “She was your best friend.”

Poppy’s throat had tightened, and she tiptoed away from the door then, turning to creep back up the stairs to her room. She hadn’t wanted to hear her parents try to comfort another adult. Adults weren’t supposed to need comfort.

Another snarl from her hoodie snapped her out of her stupor. She spun around and ran for the house. She didn’t have time to worry about Governor Gale. She had a monster in her pocket.

This time she didn’t stop until she was back in the meadow. Mack saw her running toward him and came to meet her. Eta-Two-Brutus sat panting in the grass, all three smiling, worn out from playing. “What happened?” Mack asked. “What’d they do this time?”

Poppy held up her hand and bent double as she tried to catch her breath. After a few seconds she stood, and met Mack’s eyes. “I need to show you … something in my pocket.”

Mack smirked, but it faded fast as Poppy took a fighting stance and pulled the cloth of her sweatshirt out away from her body. His expression went from bemused to wary, his shoulders tensing. “What’s in there, Pop?”

She shook her head. “No idea … but whatever it is sounds like it has teeth.”

Mack cast around for a weapon, and spotted Dog’s stick. He reached over and hauled it off the ground, letting go of Dog’s collar long enough to snap a piece off. He held up the thick end like a club.

“Get ready,” Poppy said as she slowly unzipped the pocket. She reached in and pulled the creature out.

It went still in her hand—soft. Was it dead? Had she killed it? She brought her hand close and uncurled her fingers.

Mack’s shoulders relaxed. “It’s just a mouse, Poppy.”

“It isn’t.”

“It is. Look at it.”

“I’m seeing it. But I’m telling you—”

She brought the mouse up to her face. “Listen, I can stand in this meadow all day. You don’t know me, so I’m telling you. I’m as stubborn as the day is long.”

The mouse peered back at her with shiny black eyes.

“Poppy…”

“Shhh!” Poppy cocked her head at the mouse. “Just show yourself and get it over with already.”

There was a popping sound.

The mouse was gone.

Mack and Poppy both startled, and Eta gave a single bark as a petite girl with bluish skin appeared in the mouse’s place. She had on gray leggings and a long dark blue tunic, but Poppy hadn’t noticed what she was wearing. She was staring at the girl’s long tufted tail, and the two-pointed cat ears that rose out of her close-cropped hair. The girl’s ears were furry and tufted too, just like the mouse’s, and both—ears and tail—were the same warm brown as her hair, but had bluish stripes, like water through sand.

“There,” the girl snapped, moving her hands to her hips. “Happy?”

Mack drew himself up. “Who are you and why are you in Poppy’s pocket?”

“Why am I in Poppy’s pocket?” the girl shrilled, her tail whipping the air. “Why am I in Poppy’s pocket? Because she grabbed me and trapped me in there! And you—” She whirled around.

Poppy stepped back.

“You must be Poppy, then. Well, thank you very much. I haven’t had a snap pea in an age.”

“I—” Poppy swallowed. “I’m … I’m sorry. I just thought you were … up to no good.”

The girl sniffed and twitched an ear.

Poppy looked at Mack, who rolled his eyes. Poppy frowned. “I mean, you were up to no good.”

The girl cringed. “It was only a pea.”

“That’s … true.” Poppy scratched her head.

The girl held out her hand. “I’ll take an apple.”

“What?”

Her ears flattened. “I’ll take an apple, I said—as an apology. I know you got some.”

Poppy pulled a face, but she opened the bag of apples and dropped one into the girl’s palm. “Sorry about—”

“Kidnapping me?”

“Yeah. I guess.”

Mack tugged at a curl. “So … who are you?”

The girl’s tail had slowed to a leisurely flip-flop. “Fionnula. But I prefer Nula. Please.”

“Mack,” said Mack, holding out his hand.

Nula paused, then grabbed his hand and shook. “And you’re Poppy.”

“Yup. And you are?”

Her ear twitched. “I told you. I’m Nula.”

Poppy scratched her cheek. “I heard you, but … I don’t mean to be … uh … rude or anything, but what I mean is … I’m asking what you are.”

“Pooka,” she and Mack said at the same time. Nula gave Poppy an exaggerated look of shock, then tipped her head. “What else would I be? Oh, come on,” she added at Poppy’s blank look. “Shape-shifter? One of the so-called lesser Fae? Don’t tell me you’ve never met one of the pooka-kind? Well, imagine that. And you living so close to the forest,” she added, looking around the meadow. “Why are you all the way over here … wrong neighborhood for a human, isn’t it?”

“Why were you in Strange Hollow stealing from Beth?”

Nula blushed. “It was a bit risky with all the people about.” She bit at one torn fingernail. “Obviously, since you caught me! But I couldn’t help it. It’s too early for decent veggies in the forest, and I thought…”

Poppy gave her a begrudging nod. She knew that look. She owned it. “You thought, why not have an adventure?”

Nula smiled back. “Exactly. No harm done.” She eyed Poppy’s backpack. “Looks like you’re off somewhere yourself. Where are you headed?”

Poppy looked hard