Page 9 (1/2)

So many questions Kira considered whether to tell hilanced at the bed to see if the bed coverings would reveal her tossing and noticed for the first tiht and took away the food, had sn that the bed had been used at all

"Yes," she told Jamison "Thank you And I met Thomas the Carver He ate his lunch with me It was nice to have sos I needed to know," she added "I thought the hot water was for cooking I never used hot water just for washing before"

He wasn't paying attention to her e carefully at the robe, sliding his hand across the fabric "Your mother made minor repairs each year But now it must all be restored This is your job"

Kira nodded "I understand," she said, though she didn't, not really

"This is the entire story of our world We must keep it intact More than intact" She saw that his hand hadthe wide unadorned section of fabric, the section of the cloth that fell across the Singer's shoulders "The future will be told here," he said "Our world depends upon the telling

"Your supplies? They are adequate? There is much to be done here"

Supplies? Kira reht a basket of her own threads Looking now at the nificent robe, she knew that her sparse collection, a few leftover colored threads that her mother had allowed her to use for her oas not adequate at all Even if she had the skill -- and she was not at all certain that she did -- she could never restore the robe hat she had brought Then she remembered the drawers that she had not yet opened

"I haven't looked yet," she confessed She went to the shalloers that he had pointed out to her yesterday They were filled with rolled white threads in many different widths and textures There were needles of all sizes and cutting tools laid neatly in a row

Kira's heart sank She had hoped that perhaps the threads would already be dyed Glancing back at the robe on the table, at its wide array of hues, she felt overwhelmed If only her one, all burned

She bit her lip and looked nervously at Jamison "They're not colored," sheyou to dye," he reminded her

Kira nodded She had implied that, but it had not been completely true Her mother had planned to teach her "I still have much to learn," she confessed "I learn quickly," she added, hoping that it didn't sound vain

Jaht frown "I will send you to Annabella," he told her "She is far in the woods, but the path is safe, and she can finish the teaching that youris not until autumn-start," he pointed out "That's still several er won't need the robe until then You'll have plenty of time"

Kira nodded uncertainly Jamison had been her defender Now it seerateful for his help Still, she sensed an edge, an urgency, to his voice that had not been there before

When he left her roo out a cord on the wall that she could pull if she needed anything, Kira looked again at the robe displayed on the table So many colors! So many shades of each color! Despite his reassurance, autumn-start was not that far away

Today, Kira decided, she would exa, she would find Annabella and plead for help

8

Matt wanted to co me and Branch for protectors," he said "Thehed "Protectors? You?"

"Me and Branchie, us is tough," Matt said He flexed what passed for muscles in his scrawny arms "I only look wee"

"Ja as we stay on the path," Kira reht it would be fun to have both of the, for coet lost," Matt said "Me and Branch can find our way out of anywheres You be needing us for certain iffen you get lost"

"But I'll be gone all day You'll get hungry"

Triumphantly Matt pulled a thick wad of bread froy shorts "Filched this crustie from the baker," he announced with pride

So the boy won, to Kira's delight, and she had company for the journey into the forest

It was about an hour's walk Jah thick trees shaded the path and they could hear rustling in the undergrowth and unfa see Now and then Branch chased a shtening whatever small animal made its home there

"Probably there be snakies all in here," Matt told her with a mischievous smile

"I'irls be"

"Not arden She said they were friends to the plants They ate bugs"

"Like Branchie Look, he catched hi had pounced upon an unlucky creature with long thin legs "That be called a daddy longlegs"

"Daddy longlegs?" Kira laughed She'd not heard the name before "Do you have a father?" she asked the boy curiously

"Nah Did onct But now, ot"

"What happened to your father?"

He shrugged "Dunno