Rituals (Cainsville 5)

"But that doesn't explain my vision this morning," I said.

"We're going to ask you to tell us exactly what you saw," Grace said. "But not here. You've poked around my home, Liv. It's time to show me yours."

--

"I'm tired," Gabriel announced as we walked into my parlor.

Ida turned to him. "I realize you didn't sleep last night, and for humans that is difficult. But I'm also well aware that as someone who is less than half human, one night without sleep hardly impedes you, Gabriel, so if you are using that excuse--"

"It is not physical exhaustion. It is mental. Psychological. Emotional. I am tired. Beyond tired. Tired of your bullshit, Ida. I don't use that word lightly. Olivia is your Matilda--the woman who can save your town--and you treat her like a nosy and meddlesome child."

Ida's mouth opened.

Gabriel cut her off. "If you dare to say she brought this on herself--with the contract--then I swear, Ida, I will do everything in my power to convince Olivia that the Cwn Annwn are the proper choice, and you--and all of Cainsville--can go to hell."

Patrick slow clapped. When Ida spun on him, he said, "Oh, but you deserved that. You've deserved it for a very long time."

"You aren't helping, bocan."

/>

"And neither are you, Ida," Grace said. "Gabriel has had enough. And he's finally found the guts to stand up to you and say so. You'll do well to remember who he is and listen."

"Sluagh," Patrick said. "Gabriel and Liv saw the sluagh, so let's cut straight to that and leave the do-si-do'ing to the local square dance chapter."

"We have a square dance chapter?" I said.

"No, but we should. Maybe I'll start one."

He shot me a smile for helping him break the tension. We moved to sit, Gabriel and I taking the davenport.

"Sluagh?" Ida stayed standing where she'd been.

"Yes, and don't pretend you're shocked, Ida," Patrick said.

"If you're suggesting--"

"That you knew they were here? Of course not. I'm suggesting that Grace saw enough to know what it was."

"I'm surprised Olivia still runs to you for help, Patrick, after she learned who you really are, what you did."

"Round and round we go, getting nowhere. Liv and Gabriel went to Rose for sluagh folklore. When I spoke to Rose, she told me about it. I sought them out to correct the folklore. Now, moving along..."

"The sluagh," I said. "No matter how old they might be, I don't think they warrant a room in Grace's Home for Aged Fae."

"Absolutely not," Ida said.

"Then what the hell were they doing there?"

"That's what Veronica is trying to find out. Walter is assisting. At this point, we don't wish to involve the other elders, and we'll ask you to respect that. For fae, sluagh are..."

"The bogeyman." Patrick met Ida's glower with a level look. "The darkness. The unforgiven. The thing we cannot name. What else is that if not the bogeyman? Unfortunately, in this case, it's not an imaginary monster concocted by parents to frighten children. But yes, Liv, I'll agree you should keep this quiet until we know more. And stay in Cainsville until we know more."

"Even if the sluagh are here?" I said.

"Veronica has applied wards as a precautionary measure," Ida said. "We'll ask you not to return to Grace's building, because we can't use the wards there--they would affect the elderly fae."

"So we need to stay in Cainsville?"