Banished: Book 1 of The Grimm Laws by Jennifer Youngblood, Sandra Poole Page A

embarrassed. “I’m sorry, Mi’ Lady. We were just having some fun, and it got out of control.”
    “Yea, at my expense! My apples are ruined.” Angry tears filled her eyes as she started picking up the few apples that were salvageable.
    “What were ye going to do with the apples?”
    “Sell them. I was going to sell them, but thanks to thee and thy heathen companions that’s no longer possible!” There would be no going to the market and no apples sold, hence no supper.
    She saw his expression soften. He reached into his tunic and pulled out a handful of coins. He held them out to her. “Here, take these for thy trouble.”
    Her eyes widened. Two schillings? That was more than she could earn in a month selling apples. Seraphina would be so pleased. They would have enough to buy a chicken and some cheese to go along with the vegetables in the garden. She reached for the coins and then stopped. “I can’t take them. It’s too much.” The words cut as they came through her lips.
    He placed the coins in her palm and clasped his hands around hers. “Take them.”
    She was so unaccustomed to kindness that she couldn’t fathom that he would offer the coins wanting nothing in return. She eyed him suspiciously. “What dost thou want in exchange for the coins?”
    “Thy friendship.” And then he smiled a smile so pure that it encapsulated the cloudless sky and everything else that was good and true on the earth. He bent down and plucked a daisy from the field and held it out to her. “Please accept this daisy as a token of my friendship, Maiden …
    “Cinderella,” she inserted.
    “Cinderella, wilt thou allow me to earn thy trust?” His eyes held hers, and she thought about how they were as blue as Suncrest Pond in the height of the summer. He gave her a crooked smile. “Please.”
    He seemed genuinely sincere, and she needed a friend. How desperately she needed a friend! A smile played at the corners of her lips as she tentatively reached for the daisy. “I’ll think about it.”
    He laughed. “Fair enough, Lady Cinderella, I can live with that.”
----
    “ E lle , wake up, dear.”
    The voice was coming from far away.
    “Wake up, Elle.”
    She opened her eyes. “Where am I?” She looked up to see Adele standing over her with a concerned expression. She sat up in the chair. “What happened?”
    “You fell asleep. The fire was so nice and toasty that you dozed off.”
    The fire. She jumped up as everything came tumbling back. “You started the fire with a flick of your hand, and then you opened the book. I went to another land. I was there. I saw the girl, and the apples, and him,” she finished excitedly.
    Adele patted her on the arm. “Take a breath, dear.”
    Elle looked at her. “What are you? Some kind of wizard?”
    Adele gave her a nervous laugh. “Now, now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. You have quite the imagination.”
    “But I saw it!” Elle protested. She stood. “You know I saw it!”
    She held up the silver tray. “I saved you a truffle.”
    “I’m not hungry,” Elle grumbled. “I don’t understand why you’re acting like none of this happened—”
    “Eat the truffle,” Adele said. There was an edge to her voice.
    She blew out a breath. “Okay.” She plopped the milk chocolate truffle in her mouth and practically swallowed it in one gulp. “Now, about what I was saying. I don’t know how you did that book thing, but it was cool! Super cool! I can’t wait to tell Rae …” A wave of dizziness enveloped her, and she stumbled.
    Adele grabbed her arm. “Here, sit down. I’m afraid meeting your aunt for the first time after the accident was a little much for you.”
    Elle blinked hard and looked at her. “You’re Adele, my father’s sister.”
    “Yes, that’s right, Elle. I’m your aunt. What do you remember about our visit today?”
    “You hugged me when you came around the bakery cases, and then we came up here, to your study, where we had hot