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Jissa, who’d been looking over her shoulder ever since Liliana started ranting, shifted her empty basket to her other arm and used her free hand to squeeze Liliana’s hand "You knoho he is, Lilia - "

"He knoe are, too!" Turning, she glared at the looaze to the path that led into the Whispering Forest "And we aren’t his slaves!"

Jissa didn’t say anything

Liliana slowed her stride, anger transfor lurch in her stoest Elden royal been tainted by the evil that lived within the Abyss in the most subtle of ways?

Jissa shook her head "Oh, no Oh, no" Her distress was apparent on her fine features "He was very, very sad when he brought ain, Liliana thought, tre settled "Will you be safe in the village?"

"Oh, yes Just can’t stay all day and night" Taking a deep breath, she began walking at a brisk pace through the Whispering Forest, touching her hand to the trees as if in greeting

The tree branches shook, the leaves , Jissa Jissa Friend Jissa

"The lord," Jissa said, patting the trunk of a sapling, "told me he wished he could send one"

Liliana felt her heart twist Her father had decimated the brownies, stolen their power too fast for those small, sturdy bodies to recover "Do you believe him?"

"I do" A sad, sad sound "He doesn’t lie Never, ever"

"No, he doesn’t" Yet he was not naive He was siant and spoiled, but without corruption "Why did you go quiet at my mention of slaves?"

"The lord said he didn’t wish to " Jissaface "I told hiine why you bothered," sheto work up her old ill humor "Bad-te look "He is alone, so alone"

Yes, but he was also a possessive beast "Is the lord very rich?" she asked, to take Jissa’s redients we need?"

Jissa nodded "He has treasures I saw once, after I woke Sparkly jewels He gave me" Her eyes lit "For me to keep, Liliana!"

Liliana’s throat thickened The Guardian of the Abyss had been trying, in his oay, to return Jissa’s happiness, et that she’d die after she left the protective ic of the Black Castle "Will you show me your jewels?"

"Oh, yes, so pretty, pretty" Jissa chattered about her treasures until they hit the village "We are about to turn into the market square, busy, busy" Even as the last word left the brownie’s lips, they found thereen beans, carrots, pue with health and so much more

Chapter 11

"Ye be fro a crisp blue apron over his clothing

Liliana looked at Jissa to answer but the brownie had ducked her head "Yes," she said to the man "I’m Liliana and this is Jissa"

"I knows Jissa" He patted his large belly "Wee thing doesn’t say much, then, does she?"

Liliana touched a protective hand to her friend’s shoulder "She speaks when there’s soh "Wishup a small, ripe peach, he put it in Jissa’s basket with a wink "Enjoy now"

The friendly comments continued as they shopped

"Are they not afraid of the Black Castle?" Liliana asked Jissa when they stopped to exaood jelly "After all, it is the gateway to the Abyss"

"At night, yes, oh, yes," Jissa confirmed "Doors shut Windows locked But the lord protects the village, too Very well, he protects"

"And he’s not like the obviously overheard

Liliana looked up at the raw-boned wo black curls and skin of ebony silk "The others?"

"Heard stories, we have," the woman said, "of the far-off real lakes, beyond the mountains of ice, on the other side of the Great Divide"