Page 80 of Woods of the Raven

I wasn’t even going to ask what mitt, because I’d used a dish towel for as long as I could remember. The fact that there was suddenly a mitt, with a hook for it to go back on, was pissing me off. It was like the house was on its best behavior, first for Lorne, and now for Declan, whom it also seemed to want to impress. It was similar with Amanda, and I remembered how my grandfather had been when she came to live with us.

“Oh, look,” he’d say sarcastically. “The broom is suddenly in the closet with everything else.”

“Where else would it be?” Amanda had asked innocently.

It was the same for Lorne and Declan. Everything they needed—a butter knife for Declan, a platter for Lorne to put the biscuits on—suddenly, inexplicably, was accessible in places one would expect them to be. It was annoying and also sort of sweet.

“Do you want milk with that cinnamon roll?” Declan asked me.

“I do, yes, and this is amazing, by the way.”

“I’m sorry. Your mouth is full, so it’s hard to understand you.”

I glanced at Lorne, who made a face.

Asking him what his problem was proved as useless as speaking to Declan—he couldn’t understand me either.

“Chew your food,” Lorne directed, shaking his head, then told Declan, “You know, for a guy who used to be a faun, you seem very comfortable being human.”

“That’s because I’ve lived as a human all over your world in many different places and times. I loved being one of you before I got to be one now, forever. So yes, I’m better at being human than fae.”

“What do you mean, different times?”

“Well, as you know, fauns live for centuries.”

“I didn’t know that at all.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I—all this, the magic, it’s all brand new. I mean, just hours before we barged into your office, I was completely unaware any of this existed.”

“Well, I must say, you’re handling it all very well.”

“Thank you. I’m trying. The shape-changing threw me this morning.”

“Are you talking about the cat?”

“No, I haven’t seen—I meant Xander.”

Declan leaned sideways to smile at me. “It’s a raven your line changes into, yes?”

“It is. I change into a whole flock.”

“Really,” he breathed out. “How remarkable. To be many at once… My word, Xander, but you are a very powerful witch.”

“You wouldn’t know that from how my cottage is treating me,” I groused.

“I’m sorry?”

“Nothing.”

“Wait,” Lorne interrupted, “so…you had a long life as a faun. Does that translate to a long human life as well?”

“I certainly hope not,” Declan answered, chuckling.

I felt terrible. “Shit, Declan, I should have asked that before I—”

“Oh, good heavens, no. Xander, you have absolutely nothing to be sorry for. You’ve given me everything I’ve always wanted, a chance to have a real life away from every part of being a member of the fae. I couldn’t be happier. I’m forever in your debt.”