The Lost Girl, part seventeen

"What was that?" asked Peter. 

Chris shook his head, and Antoinette said, "I don't know."

"I think we should trust Agatha," said Morri. "She knows Tammy, and she knows these shadow-walkers. We don't."

Peter looked at Chris. "Why did Egallon approach you instead of us?" 

Chris spread his hands. "I don't know. Possibly because Elyssa and I were leading, and then stepped aside to let you approach Tammy. She might have mistaken that for us giving you orders, but that's pure speculation on my part."

"What do we do if they don't come back?" asked Antoinette. She didn't sound worried, exactly, but there was something insistent in her tone. 

Peter looked at her. "There are bindings..." 

"And a giant who isn't all that pleased to have us here in the first place," Antoinette observed. 

Chris stepped back, placing himself behind Antoinette. Elyssa stayed where she was, carefully out of the way. Clarissa was still hidden in the amulet, but presumably aware of everything that was going on. Morri shifted her weight, then said quietly, "I don't think I could take that thing." She glanced at Chris, but he kept his expression blank. 

"So we're right back where we started," Peter said. "We don't want a fight. We just need a few minutes to talk, and then Tammy either comes back with us or chooses not to."

"It's very good to hear you say that," Egallon said, emerging from the shadows beside the booth. The shopkeeper, her skin touched with scales like glittering jewels, looked at the shadow-walker and hesitated. Her expression changed from anger to exasperation. 

With her were Agatha, Tammy, and Arguil... along with an older man, broad-shouldered and black-haired. 

Agatha stepped away from them immediately and went to stand beside Morri. 

"What are you all doing here?" asked Tammy. "Agatha said I've been gone for weeks, but it's only been an afternoon..."

"Time works differently in the Grey," Peter said quietly. "Different realms move at different paces. When we left the Hargraves, you'd been gone for almost two weeks. I don't know what day it is back home, but it's later than you think." 

Tammy looked shocked. "Truly?" 

Chris turned his attention to the market around them. They'd attracted a certain amount of attention, and down at the end of the lane beside the gate the giant was tossing a boulder back and forth between its hands. 

The shadow-walker Arguil said, "My lady, I thought you knew. I wanted the time to court you, but..."

"You said we would spend an afternoon in the Grey," Tammy said, turning on him. 

"As we have," he answered smoothly. 

"And it's been weeks back home," she answered angrily. "That's not an idle afternoon. I have studies, and a family who's likely worried sick about me!"

Egallon winced. The older man looked like he wanted to object, but held his peace. 

Arguil said, "Ah... I only wished..."  

Tammy sighed. "You're still cute, so I'm going to assume you meant no harm. But you've caused me a great deal of trouble, and I must go now. Or hours ago; that would have been better, it seems."

She turned to Peter, but Arguil said, "Wait. I could come with you..." 

"Could you?" she asked. "After all you spoke of how your people are so important to you?"

Chris watched with no small amount of satisfaction as Arguil turned his head to glance at Egallon, and she responded with a very definite shake of her head. "No," he said. "I suppose I could not." He sounded genuinely saddened by that, though Chris had his doubts. 

Evidently Tammy did as well, because she turned away from him and walked over to Peter. "Take me back."

Peter inclined his head, and then offered a slight bow to the shadow-walkers. He turned away, and Tammy moved with him. 

"Wait," said Chris, and crossed to Egallon. "I doubt we will ever meet again, but if we do then we will know you for honorable folk. I am... relieved... that this was no worse than it was."

Egallon, who looked to be three times his age and might have been centuries older than that -- time did funny things in the Grey, it seemed -- quirked a grin at him. "I am likewise relieved that you did not try to rip us apart. Will this... affect our trades with the Hargraves?"

Chris offered a thoughtful half-frown. "I doubt it, but I don't presume to speak for them."

"Then we will remain cautious, and learn. Safe travels, wolf."

"And to you as well." He nodded quickly to Arguil and the unnamed older man, then turned away and followed Peter as he led them out of the village and back through the Grey.