They entered, and Danielle's nostrils were immediately filled with the scent of stew—rich, savory, and comforting, like it had been simmering all day.
"Mmm, that smells delicious, Rose," the youngest guard said, grinning as he stepped through the doorway.
Inside, the cottage felt impossibly larger than it looked from the outside. Danielle blinked, trying to make sense of it. Maybe it was just her imagination—or maybe not. The main room stretched wide and warm, with two doors leading off of it. A small galley-style kitchen nestled into an alcove, its shelves stacked with jars of herbs and labeled tins. A wooden table sat in the center, surrounded by four chairs that looked as if they’d grown straight from the earth—gnarled and beautiful, with bark still clinging to their legs.
A soft cou
