Guomin sauntered over just as we were finishing cleaning up. He set his hands on his hips and grinned at us. “I heard good things about your shop today. It’s the talk of the city, too. People are wondering when you’re going to set up shop permanently.”

  A little color drained from my face and Arian spoke on behalf of both of us. “I do not believe we could keep up with the demand.”

  He threw back his head and let out a great guffaw. “No, I reckon not! You ran out an hour before your time and I expect you’d run out sooner if you did it again.”

  My fingers twitched at the thought of having to make that many chocolates again. “I think we’ll wait a while until we do another one.”

  “You could do it during the festival,” he suggested as he patted the spit. “I could offer this for you to use, too.”

  Arian cast a worried look at me. “That’s very kind of you, Lord Guomin, but we really must decline.”

  He sighed and shook his head. “Pity. I heard we were having some pretty big guests.”

  “You mean the wolves?” I asked him.

  Guomin cupped his chin in his hand and lifted his eyes to the sky. “Can’t quite recall but I suppose we’ll see them soon enough. Less than four weeks until the festival and then we’ll be too busy with that wolf mead to care who comes.” He sauntered off with eyes dreaming of the succulent wheat beer.

  I turned my attention to Arian. “Who would be coming to the festival?”

  “Dignitaries from the other clans often come to renew alliances and enjoy the festivities,” Arian told me as she picked up the empty pan. “But shall we go tell Father?”

  I gave an affirmative nod. “Definitely.”

  Arian led the way, but a tempting breeze blew over me. I paused and glanced over my shoulder. The breeze had come from the road and beyond. A few muscles in my legs tensed, ready to go in that direction. I balled my hands into fists at my sides and stiffened my jaw. Not today.

  I hurried after Arian and we met Dian at the woodshed where he had deposited some unused pieces. His front was covered in bark flakes and there was a nice black smudge on his left cheek from the ash. I smiled and licked my thumb. “Here. Let me clean you up a bit.” He stiffened as I rubbed my thumb against his cheek. They grew red and warm under my careful touch and his eyes flashed with a bright light as I turned to sweep off his front. “We couldn’t have done near as well without your help today. The chocolate would’ve been burnt to a crisp under my care.”

  He swallowed a lump in his throat and nodded. “I-it was no problem.”

  I clapped a hand on his shoulder and had to suppress a smile at the shudder that ran down his body. “Come on. Let’s tell your dad the good news.”

  We ventured through the city and were greeted with smiles and waves from the children. The parents, too, offered us salutations.

  “Thank you for the treats!”

  “You are so kind to have done that!”

  “I haven’t seen my child smile this much in ages!”

  I leaned toward Arian and lowered my voice to a whisper. “Looks like everybody’s forgotten about the wolves.”

  She smiled and nodded. “So it would appear.”

  I noticed a tension in the corners of her eyes. She hadn’t forgotten it. I nudged her arm with my shoulder and nodded at her brother who walked ahead of us. “It’ll be okay. Your family will be okay.”

  She looped an arm through mine and some of the wrinkles around her eyes lessened. “Thank you. Truly. You have made coming home all the better for your presence.”

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  I leaned away and snorted. “You’re just saying that because you want me to make you a chocolate bar.”

  Arian laughed. “I may perhaps like one. There was nothing left to even swipe a finger against.”

  I shook her arm. “Then I’ll make sure to make one before I take a long, quiet nap.”

  We reached the gated lodge of King Pangberan and found the royal waiting for us at the pit. He had a gentle smile on his face as he acknowledged us with a slight incline of his head. “You don’t need to tell me. I’ve heard quite a bit about your success from our subjects.”

  Arian beamed while Dian, having given up his lead to stand off to one side, said nothing. The king’s attention fell on me and his gentleness was somewhat hardened. “All of this is thanks to you, Lady Roberts. You have an extraordinary gift.”

  I clasped my hands in front of me and bowed my head. “I was glad to help.”

  “And no doubt you are tired from your long day,” he mused as he stepped aside. “Thank you both again.”

  Arian and I strolled past him, but he wasn’t quite finished with us.

  “A moment, Lady Roberts. I had a question I’ve been meaning to ask you.”

  Arian and I paused, and Dian’s curiosity was piqued. We two turned to the imposing monarch who examined me with a critical eye. “You would not happen to know of a woman with silver hair who escaped to our land realms, do you? I had heard some vague stories from the vendors that the king of heaven still seeks her whereabouts.”

  I stiffened and my eyes widened. There it was. The secret that had made him not trust me. My eyes flickered to Arian. Her face had become pale. Think fast, Anna, or you are going to be in big trouble.

  I slapped a smile on my face and tried to keep my voice steady. My efforts didn’t bear very good fruit. “I-I did hear about that but I’m sure there’s some misunderstanding?”

  He lifted one bushy eyebrow. “Oh? What sort of misunderstanding?”

  I swallowed the frog in my throat. “L-like she didn’t mean to get lost but things just happened, and going back to the king now with her explanation would get her tossed into the dungeons.”

  The king’s sharp gaze studied me for another hair-raising moment before he slowly nodded. “I see. Well, see that you aren’t mistaken for her. That would lead to a lot of problems.”

  I bobbed my head. “Definitely. Thank you, sir.”

  I grabbed my friend’s hand and half-dragged her up the stairs and into the lodge. My heart and breathing didn’t slow until we were at the end of the hall. I leaned my back against the wall near my door and clutched my chest. My heart felt like it was doing the tango.

  “I think your father thinks I’m who I am,” I commented.

  Arian bit her lower lip and glanced down the hall. “I fear you are correct. I had hoped news from heaven had yet to reach this far but my father does have many contacts among the vendors.” She hung her head and her muffled voice floated to me. “I am very sorry. I thought you would be safe here.”

  I clapped my free hand on her shoulder. “There’s no need to apologize. I’m as safe here as any place. Besides, I don’t think your dad’s going to kick me out anytime soon. I just think he wanted the truth and didn’t like that you didn’t bring it up.”

  She winced. “Yes. He does prefer honesty. I. . .I just feared he would not allow you to remain here.”

  “I just need to keep a low profile from now on, so no more chocolate jamborees,” I advised the two of us. I dropped my arms to my sides and heaved a great sigh.

  Arian whipped her head up and examined me. “Are you well?”

  I grinned. “Well but exhausted. I think I’ll take a long nap.”

  She reached in and wrapped me in a tight bear hug. Some of my breath was squeezed out of me before she drew me to arm’s length, her eyes shimmering with pools of tears. “Sleep well, and thank you for giving smiles to my people.”

  I gave her a lazy salute. “Will do.”

  Arian slipped away and I ducked into my room. The hearth was cold but the warm day had brought with it the fresh scent of grass and flowers. I plopped down on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. My mind was abuzz with all the smiling faces and the laughing parents at the sight of their children’s faces smothered in chocolate.

  The tempting breeze blew in through the window and wafted over me. That mournful cry made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, even in the full light of the sun. I sat up on my arms and glared at the window.

  “What do you want?” I snapped at the incessant wind. Its reply was to rustle the curtains and make the window sway to and fro.

  I hopped off the bed and stomped over to the window. I was just about to slam it shut when movement below caught my attention. I leaned out the window and examined the gaps between the porch boards. Something was definitely moving down there. I eased myself further out and squinted at the cracks.

  That’s when it jumped out at me.