The Edge of Strange Hollow Read online

  “OWW!” he hollered, and the blond kid scooted behind him fast.

  “Is that regular girl enough for you?” she growled, spinning on her heel and marching away.

  From behind her the red-haired boy called, “Pop-py Sun-shine ne-ver smiles.”

  “Looks just like a croc-o-dile,” the other boy finished.

  Poppy kept walking, but couldn’t keep her shoulders from sagging just a little. “Shocking news,” she gritted out. “I’ve read the encyclopedia too, you know. We don’t even have crocodiles here.”

  The main road opened up onto the square and the market. She might have avoided the insults completely, not to mention the poke in the ribs, if she’d stuck to the back streets, but this way was faster, and she was eager to get back to Mack. She made straight for Beth’s stall. The old woman’s stand stood all the way at the far end of the market, and so, was one of the last to get people’s business.

  Beth wore a patchwork dress and her white hair was piled up like a bird nest. Poppy had no idea why, but Beth had always liked her.

  “Hi, Beth. How’s business?” Poppy smiled.

  “Why, Poppy Sunshine! What a surprise. How are you, lightning bug?”

  Poppy’s cheeks heated. She hated pet names at the best of times, but she didn’t have the heart to snap at Beth about it.

  “Fine, thank you. How are you?”

  “Oh, you know. I’m a hundred and twenty-six. My knees ache a bit. And my back aches a bit. My teeth aren’t so good, and my eye is acting up again—but mostly I’m fine … just fine.”

  Poppy let a smile slip. “Want me to ask my mom to make you some more poplar salve for your aches?”

  “Oh, that’s sweet of you, dear. Yes. Do. With my thanks. Now! What can I get you? I’ve got some lovely asparagus.” Beth turned to gather up her latest, and as she did, something caught Poppy’s eye. A huge mouse the size of her palm perched on the edge of a bin, nibbling a snap pea.

  Aside from being where it shouldn’t be, there was something about it that didn’t sit right with Poppy. Maybe it was the tufted ears, or the strangely long tail, but she hadn’t even given it a conscious thought when her hand shot out and grabbed it.

  She held the mouse firmly, but not too tight, intending to tuck it in her pocket and set it loose back in the meadow. Before she had moved though, the mouse turned into a long green snake, writhing and hissing as it coiled its tail around her hand and wrist. Poppy yelped, but managed to hang on to it so it couldn’t bite, tucking her hand behind her back as Beth turned her head.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Oh! Nothing! Um. Just a spider. Startled me.”

  As soon as Poppy said “spider” she felt the snake change—and now her hand was cupped around something cold and hairy, with lots of legs.

  Sweat burst out on Poppy’s forehead. Spider bites were no joke, especially if the spider wasn’t really a spider and was really something else. She racked her brain trying to think of creatures that could change form as she jammed the spider into a pocket of her hoodie, zipping it shut. She wiped her palm off on her chest as goose bumps traveled up and down her arms.

  She took a few deep breaths to make her heart stop racing, and stared down at her pocket like it had grown a head, which maybe wasn’t too far off. Whatever the creature was, it changed again. A faint growling came from inside her pocket.

  Poppy cleared her throat. “Uh. A bag of apples, please, Beth, and a loaf of bread and some cheese, please. Oh—and a meat bone for my Dog, if you’ve got one. I—I’m in a bit of a hurry.”

  More growling, and her pocket looked like it was trying to turn itself inside out.

  Beth turned with a loose woven bag of apples in one hand, and an ox bone in the other. “I’d like to see this dog of yours someday, Poppy.” Beth chuckled.

  “Sure.” Poppy clapped her hand down on her pocket. The snarling stopped. “Sure … someday.” She reached out and tucked the bone under her arm, fishing in her jeans for coins to pay Beth.

  Beth patted her cheek and handed over the rest of the supplies. “Never mind about that. You just bring some more salve when you can, and be a good girl, lightning bug. Come back and see me soon.”

  Poppy let her trademark smirk edge up into a smile, and gave Beth a nod, shoving the food into her backpack. When Beth was out of sight, Poppy headed back across town. She ran like something was chasing her—until she turned a corner and plowed into Governor Gale. Poppy stumbled back, but he didn’t try to catch her. Instead he stared down at her, sneering as she tried to keep from falling. When she caught her balance, she lifted her eyes to his. They flashed darkly at her, and she took another step back.

  The new governor was tall, with skin white as paper, and pale blond hair. It was hard to tell how old he was—though that was true of most people in the Hollows. She’d never seen him up close, but there was something familiar about him nonetheless. He wore straight brown pants, and a brown shirt, buttoned all the way to the top of his neck. It was so tight Poppy wondered if he had to keep his chin lifted to swallow. In fact, all of his features were pinched and tight, as though the governor needed to fart … but wouldn’t allow it.

  His face was long and pale, like he spent all his time indoors. As he stared down at Poppy, the corners of his mouth drew down until they looked as if they might fall right off his face. He didn’t look much like his mother. In fact, it was hard to believe he was related to Beth at all.

  “Miss Pandora Sunshine, I believe,” he said, accentuating every word as though he didn’t want them to touch his mouth. “I heard you were here … and I see you are as strange and wild as the rest of your family.”

  Poppy tamped down her instinct to skitter away from him, crossing her arms. “Thank you.”

  His eyes flickered as he pressed his words through his teeth. “It is not a compliment. If you are wise … you will cease running about like a wild thing.” He motioned to the ward next to him—a carving of a bear standing on its hind legs. “The new wards I commissioned will keep the Grimwood at bay. Unlike your family, I have found the way to actually keep us safe.” He narrowed his eyes at her, his chin lifting even higher to avoid the pinch of his collar. “I will make life in the Hollows fair again, and be remembered for it.” He strode past her then, each stride an exclamation point.

  The creature stirred in her pocket as Poppy watched him go. His message was clear enough.

  Whatever, jerk.

  She remembered the first time she had seen the governor, before his rise to power. He’d come to their house when she was … maybe eleven or so. She was on the way to the kitchen to ask Jute for a snack when she heard a strange man talking to her parents in the kitchen. She peered through the doorway. Jute was nowhere to be seen. Gale stood there stiff-limbed as his eyes darted all over their home—probably afraid something might jump out at him. His clothes had been the same mud brown then too, his shirt so tight she could see his Adam’s apple bob when he swallowed.

  He’d gripped their countertop as he spoke. “Once the house is empty, you’ll of course stop this nonsense and move into the Strange Hollow right away.”

  “Certainly not,” her mother had snapped, causing Poppy to shift quickly out of the kitchen door before they noticed her. She’d pressed herself on the far side against the wall where she could still hear every word.

  “We have every right to live here,” her mother finished.

  “We’ve told you before.” Her father’s voice was steady. “We’re not working for the Grimwood. Far from it. We find maledictions and put them in stasis so they can’t harm—”

  “Stasis,” Gale sneered. “No one believes you. Look at this place! I don’t believe you! And why should I? You come and go from that cursed wood without a scratch. You don’t even have any wards that I can see. You. Show. No. Fear. If you expect anyone to trade with you, your only choice is to move into the Hollow and start acting like everyone else. Put up wards—”

  Her father laughed. “Those carv
ings do as much good as your fear.”

  “One day you won’t be so smug,” Gale snarled. “One day someone will teach you a lesson.”

  Her father’s face softened. “Knowledge is what we need most. Knowledge is the way to fight—”

  “Nonsense. That’s an excuse to do nothing. Knowing helps no one. Only action has value.” Gale’s voice seemed strained. “We already know the maledictions are evil—how could they be otherwise? They come from the wood. Knowing it doesn’t keep them from taking—” He swallowed.

  Her mother’s voice was so soft, Poppy had to press her ear hard against the door. “I remember how much you cared for Miranda, Rupert,” she said. “She was your best friend.”

  Poppy’s throat had tightened, and she tiptoed away from the door then, turning to creep back up the stairs to her room. She hadn’t wanted to hear her parents try to comfort another adult. Adults weren’t supposed to need comfort.

  Another snarl from her hoodie snapped her out of her stupor. She spun around and ran for the house. She didn’t have time to worry about Governor Gale. She had a monster in her pocket.

  This time she didn’t stop until she was back in the meadow. Mack saw her running toward him and came to meet her. Eta-Two-Brutus sat panting in the grass, all three smiling, worn out from playing. “What happened?” Mack asked. “What’d they do this time?”

  Poppy held up her hand and bent double as she tried to catch her breath. After a few seconds she stood, and met Mack’s eyes. “I need to show you … something in my pocket.”

  Mack smirked, but it faded fast as Poppy took a fighting stance and pulled the cloth of her sweatshirt out away from her body. His expression went from bemused to wary, his shoulders tensing. “What’s in there, Pop?”

  She shook her head. “No idea … but whatever it is sounds like it has teeth.”

  Mack cast around for a weapon, and spotted Dog’s stick. He reached over and hauled it off the ground, letting go of Dog’s collar long enough to snap a piece off. He held up the thick end like a club.

  “Get ready,” Poppy said as she slowly unzipped the pocket. She reached in and pulled the creature out.

  It went still in her hand—soft. Was it dead? Had she killed it? She brought her hand close and uncurled her fingers.

  Mack’s shoulders relaxed. “It’s just a mouse, Poppy.”

  “It isn’t.”

  “It is. Look at it.”

  “I’m seeing it. But I’m telling you—”

  She brought the mouse up to her face. “Listen, I can stand in this meadow all day. You don’t know me, so I’m telling you. I’m as stubborn as the day is long.”

  The mouse peered back at her with shiny black eyes.

  “Poppy…”

  “Shhh!” Poppy cocked her head at the mouse. “Just show yourself and get it over with already.”

  There was a popping sound.

  The mouse was gone.

  Mack and Poppy both startled, and Eta gave a single bark as a petite girl with bluish skin appeared in the mouse’s place. She had on gray leggings and a long dark blue tunic, but Poppy hadn’t noticed what she was wearing. She was staring at the girl’s long tufted tail, and the two-pointed cat ears that rose out of her close-cropped hair. The girl’s ears were furry and tufted too, just like the mouse’s, and both—ears and tail—were the same warm brown as her hair, but had bluish stripes, like water through sand.

  “There,” the girl snapped, moving her hands to her hips. “Happy?”

  Mack drew himself up. “Who are you and why are you in Poppy’s pocket?”

  “Why am I in Poppy’s pocket?” the girl shrilled, her tail whipping the air. “Why am I in Poppy’s pocket? Because she grabbed me and trapped me in there! And you—” She whirled around.

  Poppy stepped back.

  “You must be Poppy, then. Well, thank you very much. I haven’t had a snap pea in an age.”

  “I—” Poppy swallowed. “I’m … I’m sorry. I just thought you were … up to no good.”

  The girl sniffed and twitched an ear.

  Poppy looked at Mack, who rolled his eyes. Poppy frowned. “I mean, you were up to no good.”

  The girl cringed. “It was only a pea.”

  “That’s … true.” Poppy scratched her head.

  The girl held out her hand. “I’ll take an apple.”

  “What?”

  Her ears flattened. “I’ll take an apple, I said—as an apology. I know you got some.”

  Poppy pulled a face, but she opened the bag of apples and dropped one into the girl’s palm. “Sorry about—”

  “Kidnapping me?”

  “Yeah. I guess.”

  Mack tugged at a curl. “So … who are you?”

  The girl’s tail had slowed to a leisurely flip-flop. “Fionnula. But I prefer Nula. Please.”

  “Mack,” said Mack, holding out his hand.

  Nula paused, then grabbed his hand and shook. “And you’re Poppy.”

  “Yup. And you are?”

  Her ear twitched. “I told you. I’m Nula.”

  Poppy scratched her cheek. “I heard you, but … I don’t mean to be … uh … rude or anything, but what I mean is … I’m asking what you are.”

  “Pooka,” she and Mack said at the same time. Nula gave Poppy an exaggerated look of shock, then tipped her head. “What else would I be? Oh, come on,” she added at Poppy’s blank look. “Shape-shifter? One of the so-called lesser Fae? Don’t tell me you’ve never met one of the pooka-kind? Well, imagine that. And you living so close to the forest,” she added, looking around the meadow. “Why are you all the way over here … wrong neighborhood for a human, isn’t it?”

  “Why were you in Strange Hollow stealing from Beth?”

  Nula blushed. “It was a bit risky with all the people about.” She bit at one torn fingernail. “Obviously, since you caught me! But I couldn’t help it. It’s too early for decent veggies in the forest, and I thought…”

  Poppy gave her a begrudging nod. She knew that look. She owned it. “You thought, why not have an adventure?”

  Nula smiled back. “Exactly. No harm done.” She eyed Poppy’s backpack. “Looks like you’re off somewhere yourself. Where are you headed?”

  Poppy looked hard at Mack, and he raised one eyebrow. She supposed it was as good a time as any to tell him.

  “Bringing the cerberus?” Nula interrogated, not waiting for an answer to her first question. She tipped her chin at Eta-Two-Brutus.

  Poppy thought the girl might be afraid of Dog, what with her catlike qualities, but she seemed more … curious. “I would never leave Dog behind, so yeah, definitely bringing them.”

  The pooka seemed to consider this as she bent to pat their heads. “I totally get it. Anyone would love their company.”

  But Poppy kept her eyes locked on Mack as she answered the pooka’s first question. She had been waiting to tell him all day. “We’re … We’re going into the Grimwood to hunt down a malediction.”

  Poppy wasn’t just going to beat her parents at their own game. She was going to break her blood ward, once and for all, no matter what it took.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Mack’s mouth fell open. “We’re what now?”

  Poppy stilled. “I’m going to beat them to it, Mack. We’re going to find the Soul Jar—the one Mom and Dad are looking for—before they do. Then they’ll see that they need me on their team.”

  “That’s…”

  “Brilliant,” Nula chimed in. “Soul Jar, huh? I bet the Fae know all about it.”

  Poppy shrugged. Her plan was to head into the deeps to the Holly Oak—see if she would let them in. With luck, the tree would be impressed with her audacity. Impressed enough, at least, to point her in the right direction. She had always wanted to meet the Oak, and this was a perfect opportunity—maybe her only opportunity.

  There was just the small matter of the ward her parents put on her to keep her out of the woods. She’d searched their lab, looking for anyt
hing that might point to a way to break it. The only thing she’d ever found was a hint that distance might snap it like a cord stretched too tight. The pain would be unbearable but … the ward should break. It had to. She shook off the thought of what might happen to her if it didn’t.

  “So—what do you say?” Nula asked, her tail curling back and forth in graceful arcs. “Why don’t I show you the way to the faeries and you can ask them what they know about this Soul Jar thingie.”

  “No!” Mack said. “No way are we going to the Fae.”

  Nula flicked an ear. “I’m asking her. She’s the one in charge, isn’t she?”

  Mack opened his mouth to retort, but Poppy gave Mack a tiny shake of her head, keeping her eyes on the pooka. It wasn’t that she didn’t appreciate the thought, but they didn’t know Nula from a field mouse. What Poppy did know was that the pooka wasn’t in charge of her expedition. “We’ve already got a plan,” she said. “But thanks anyway.”

  “Right,” Mack interjected. “There’s nothing the faeries have that we need.”

  Nula’s gold eyes narrowed. “The Fae are the most amazing creatures in the forest. They know everything, and they love telling you all about it. And I’m practically one of them—so I should know,” she added as some emotion Poppy couldn’t decode flitted across her face.

  “Sure—they know lots,” Mack said, raising a hand in surrender. “But I agree with Poppy. They’re dangerous.”

  “I didn’t say that,” Poppy said.

  Nula smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Everyone worth knowing is a little dangerous. Don’t you think?” She flicked her tail. “Besides, they’ll love the novelty of a human in the Grimwood. They love anything that’s rare—anything new or unexpected—and that’s the two of you together, for certain.”

  Poppy put a hand on her hip. “Maybe later. We’re going to the Holly Oak.”

  The tension left the meadow like water draining from a tub, and Nula stretched her arms up, arching her back. “Suit yourselves.” She moved to pet Dog’s heads again, their tail wagging. “How much does your cerberus eat anyway? I mean—do you feed all three of them, or … do they take turns eating?”