"Why?" The question came spilling out, half indignation, half a desperate attempt to distract him from her awkward staring. "Why does he hate humans? And why are humans being hunted?"

Sam hesitated. He sat back on the stool, glancing once over his shoulder, toward the doorway into the next room, which was empty. "it's not really my place to tell you about Edward, but it's safe to say he has a decent reason to mistrust humans." When he turned back and saw Natalie's face he added, "I mean, some of them. I'm sure once he gets to know you he'll warm up."

Once he got to know her. Natalie bit her lip. How long exactly was she going to be here for? Her hand twitched, and she forced herself not to reach for the necklace.

The thought that it might not, that she might be stuck here forever, sent a ripple of panic flashing over her skin. "And the human thing? Why did I have to have the hood up?"

Sam cleared his throat, gaze flickering over her face once before he looked back at the wound on her cheek. "It's one human in particular they're looking for." He shook his had. "It's a long story."

She was about to ask more question, but Sam spoke hastily before she could get anything out.

"Alright. That shouldn't get infected. We've cleaned it up, I don't think you need a bandage or anything." He paused, and Natalie waited for him to get up, but he stayed still for a moment, still staring at her.

"How did you get into Brookland?"

The question came so suddenly that Natalie blinked, flinching back. She half expected him to demand to see the necklace, and again she had to stop herself from reaching for her pocket, this time to cradle it protectively, lest he make some kind of motion toward it.

But he was only regarding her curiously, his face grave.

"I—I was just...I was being chased," she said. Surely it was alright to tell him that much. "But a man, and I was hiding, wishing I could get away from him. And then I was here."

Sam stared at her, brows creased, and again she felt her face burn. But this time it was half shame and half fear. Could he tell she was lying? She wanted to be able to trust him, to be able to trust someone here at least. And yes, he had rescued her, but what about the others? What about Edward and his narrow, glowering stare? She couldn't tell him about the necklace, she was sure of that.

"Why were they chasing you?" Sam said.

To get the necklace, she almost said. Instead she shrugged, forcing her expression into blankness. "I don't know. I didn't stop to ask."

Again, Sam tilted his head to one side, his brows creased. He looked suspicious. Natalie, feeling a sudden, desperate need to change the topic, blurted out, "Who is she? The one you keep talking about, who made this place the way it is?"

Sam sat back on the stool, huffing a loud breath out through his nose. He was still frowning, perhaps about to tell her he wasn't going to explain if she wasn't going to cooperate, but there came a shuffle in the doorway, and then a gentle thump as Gwen pushed past the door, with Jewels close on her heels.

"She's the queen," Gwen said shortly, and rolled her eyes when Jewels snorted. "Okay, the self-professed queen."

"You can call yourself anything you want when you have magic like hers." Jewels settled onto the side of the bed, folding her arms over her chest. She examined Natalie somewhat critically. "Did he put anything on that cut for you?"

"I cleaned it." Sam rose from the stool, bending to lift it out of the way, but Jewels bounced up from the bed and strode over, seizing it from him. She plunked it right back down in front of Natalie, who blinked at her in surprise. "Samuel, go get my kit."

"It's only a scratch, she's not about to die of infection." In spite of his grumbling, Sam retreated to the front room. As soon as he was gone, Jewels settled onto the stool, placing her hands on her knees. The woman wore a jewel green pendant on a long chain, and Natalie examined it with narrow eyes, half expecting something in the pendant to move. Thankfully it stayed blank. It appeared to be nothing more than a thin sliver of forest green precious glass.

Jewels noticed her looking and caught the stone between finger and thumb. "Do you like it? It's magic, though not as quite as powerful as your pendant. And it certainly doesn't do the same thing. You know, you might want to tell Sam about that necklace of yours."

Shock crashed through her, and for a moment she could only stare at the other girl. Then she straightened, alarm buzzing through her, sending goosebumps up both arms. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Gwen, who had taken up a post beside Natalie, leaning against the wall while she watched, and now she laughed softly. "Jewels isn't her real name. It's a nickname, and there's a reason she got it."

Jewels grinned and leaned back, pushing up first one sleeve and then the other. On her wrists were an assortment of sparkling bracelets, knotted cord and clay beads. Some had jewels and others were completely plain. The largest bracelet was on her left wrist, a simple cuff of leather with a smooth metal half globe set into it. "I forge it myself. Jewelry calls out to me, especially the incredibly powerful type. Plus we all figured you might have it, since she's looking for you."

Natalie's mouth dropped open as she took in the colorful array on the woman's arms. "The necklace...that's why she's hunting humans?" Her stomach sank. It made sense. She hadn't wanted to think about it, not really, but now she realized she'd suspected it all along. The pirates in the village, the dogs chasing after them...they wanted her, not Gwen. The librarian had tipped them off somehow, told them to look out for her.

"Yup, and that pendant in your pocket is like a blazing beacon. It would be more subtle if your left leg was actually on fire." Jewels gave her an impish grin. "I'm guessing that's how you got to Brookland. It's one of the keys. We'll have to do something to mask it. It may take me a day or so to figure something out. In the meantime, can I have a look?"

Slowly, reluctantly, Natalie dipped one hand into her pocket. "It's not a key, it's a necklace."

Jewels' smile stretched wider. "Sorry, I mean it's called a key. Anything to unlock a door to Brookland we call a key. There were only two of them." Her smile vanished the next instant, and she became grave. "That would be why they were hunting you. You have no idea how valuable that is here. You could have been killed over it."

Natalie took a deep breath, darting a look toward the door. Sam was just coming back in. "I think I would have been, if it wasn't for him." She felt her face grow hot as she dipped one hand into her pocket, catching the chain between her fingers. She drew it out slowly, letting the pendant drop into Jewels' open hand.

The curly haired girl sat back, letting out a breath that was almost a whistle. "Damn, that's beautiful. I've only ever seen drawings of it."

Sam appeared in the doorway, and a look of surprise crossed his features, quickly replaced by irritation. "Really, Jewels? I'm gone for one second and you..." he gestured helplessly at Natalie, who frowned at him.

He'd suspected she'd had the key all along and hadn't said anything. Why hadn't he said anything?