“We didn’t talk of Cabhan, and isn’t that odd? We just drank tea and talked of her husband, the baby to come, Boyle, the wedding plans. At the end of the dream, she gave me a little charm, and said it was for Alastar.”
“Do you have it?”
“I put it on his bridle this morning before I came. I had a charm in my pocket, one I’d made for Alastar, so I gave it to her.”
“We’ve exchanged tokens, each of us with each of them. I think it’s more than courtesy. Something of ours in their time, and something of theirs in ours. We’ll want all three gifts with us when we face Cabhan again.”
“We’re still not sure when.”
“It’s a frustration to me,” Branna admitted. “But it can’t be done until we have all we need to destroy the demon. I have to believe we’ll know when we must.”
“Demons and visits in dreams with cousins from centuries ago. Battles and whirlwinds and weddings. My life is so different from what it was a year ago. I’ve been here nearly a year now, and it feels as if the life I led before was barely there. Is it silly—and unrealistic—for me to plan and cook a kind of anniversary dinner for Boyle? Surprise him with it—and I mean something he can actually eat without pretending it doesn’t suck.”
Both amused and touched, Branna glanced over while Iona rearranged her towers. “Of course it’s not.”
“I can still see him just the way it was when he first rode up on Alastar. The way both of them just shot straight into me. Now they’re mine. I want to mark the day.”
“So you will.”
Something brushed the edge of her thoughts. Branna paused, waited for it to come, and the door jangled open.
One of her neighbors, a cheerful, grandmotherly type, stepped inside.
“Good day to you, Mrs. Baker.”
“And to you, Branna, and here’s Iona as well. I hope I’m not a bother to you.”
“Not at all. Would you have some tea?” Branna offered.
“I wouldn’t mind it, if it’s no trouble. It’s tea I’ve come for—if you’ve the blend you make for head colds. It would save me a trip to the village if you’ve some on hand I can buy from you.”
“I do, of course. Here, take off your coat, and sit by the fire. Have you a cold coming on?”
“Not me, but my husband has one full blown, and is driving me mad with his complaints. I swear a cup of tea by your fire here with women who know better than to think their life’s finished because they’ve got a cold in the head would save my sanity. Oh, and aren’t these soaps as pretty as candy in a jar.”
“I can’t decide which is my favorite, but this one’s leading the charge.” Iona held up a bold red cake for Mrs. Baker to sniff.
“That’s lovely. I’m going to treat myself to one of these as a reward for not knocking himself unconscious with a skillet.”
“You deserve it.”
“A bit of the sniffles and men are more work than a brood of babies. You’ll be finding that out for yourself soon enough, with the wedding coming.”
“I’m hoping to get a good skillet as a wedding gift,” Iona said, and made Mrs. Baker laugh until she wheezed.
Accepting the invitation, she took off her coat, her scarf, and settled herself by the fire. “And here’s your Kathel—it’s a fine thing, a dog, a fire, a cup of tea. I thought I saw him when I started over, prowling along the edge of the woods, even called out a greeting to him before I saw it wasn’t our Kathel at all. A big black dog for certain, and for a moment I thought: Well, God in heaven, that’s a wolf. Then it was gone.” She snapped her fingers. “Old eyes, I imagine, playing tricks.”
After a quick glance at Iona, Branna brought over tea and biscuits. “A stray perhaps. Have you seen it before?”
“I haven’t, no, and hope not to again. It gave me gooseflesh, I admit, when it turned its head toward me after I called out, thinking it was Kathel. I nearly turned round and went back inside—which should prove it gave me the shivers, as inside I’ve Mr. Baker’s whining.
“Oh, Branna, what a treat! I couldn’t be more grateful.”
“You’re very welcome. I’ve a tonic you could add to Mr. Baker’s tea. It’s good for what troubles him, and will help him sleep.”
“Name your price.”
They entertained Mrs. Baker, rang up the sale of tea and tonic, and gave the pretty soap as a gift. And Branna sent Kathel out with her, to be certain she got home safe.