[Envinyatar]

‘Miz Zimzi needs you,’ panted Matty, quite out of breath. He had run from the Inn and spent several frantic minutes in search of Derufin.

Derufin grinned at the lad. His Zimzi needed him, did she? There was something in Matty’s face, however, that made the smile slip from the man’s face. And now he crouched down, a frown creasing his own. ‘Did she send you, Matty? What did she say?’

‘Oh. It weren’t her Master Derufin. It was Buttercup what sent me to fetch you. Miz Zimzi is sitting on the stairs. Had a spell of some sort I think. Miz Buttercup is sitting on the stairs with her.’

With no ‘pardon me’, Derufin took off sprinting for the Inn. Cook growled at him as he left muddy tracks across her kitchen floor and banged opened the door to the Common Room in his haste. The music and Ruby’s song barely registered as he made for the stairwell. Aman and Buttercup stood up and made room for him as sat down beside Zimzi. His arm slipped about her and he drew her head against the comfort of his shoulder, his free hand seeking hers.

‘What’s frightened you, my own dear heart,’ he whispered, pulling her into the circle of his protection.