Sleepy Fox Hollow shadows that lift off the bloom and the velvet

satisfied by her mother’s effort with the meal, phaedra relaxed some, an unpresuming smile touching her lips. 

and upon being prompted to divulge the details of her trip here, the girl sighed with bliss and flumped heavily into her seat. “it’s been… pretty great,” she informed. “really great, actually. maybe it’s the mountain air, but i feel lighter. more like myself.” 

an unsure air swept her smile away. there was another thing; an angst furling in her belly with regards to her father’s health. she chewed her lip and dropped her eyes. it’s not a big deal, don’t even worry her, thoughts soothing and pestering in succession.  

after a beat of doubt, phaedra elected to put it aside for now. 

“he told me to never breathe a word about it,” her tone smacked of troublemaking, “on account of you being right and all,” she went on. aureate stories came so naturally. “but... i nearly killed myself on one of those spires. yep. it's true. almost became a phaedra shish kabob.” 

it was a lie — demonstrably so, there wasn’t a scratch on her person — but she didn’t suppose her story about finding a tumbledown garden would inspire much awe. 

she couldn’t resist glancing up to see the expression on her mother’s face, the seam of her mouth gathered with stifled amusement.