Page 70 of Season Warriors & Wolves

“Why, is it high?”

“Must you ask?”

She smiled, fluttering her lashes at me. “Yes. I love seeing you all frustrated.”

“Why are you two with your noses down those damn books?” Caiden asked the two quiet Crafters. “Should you not be dealing with the witches Snow had found?”

“I’ll deal with the witches Snow has found,” Snow herself said. “Just waiting for the full moon fog to clear off the Deadlands. Visha says we cannot cross it.”

Tristin took a seat, finally. She’d looked more relaxed since Snow’s return. “What now? There is not much we can do. Are we simply waiting for this thing to play out?”

“Now, I will take my father apart little by little.”

“How?”

“I’ve already planted the seeds. Just waiting for them to sprout.”

Nia sighed. “Please, no more galleys and oars or seeds and fruit.”

“Thought you would have appreciated this one.” My wife stood, sauntered to her and pinched both her cheeks. “Maybe when they start becoming poisonous little flowers. Just wait.”

A little gathering, Larg had said. Little. Small. A few. Those were the words he’d used to describe the crowd of people gathered in his front lawn lit with pyres and torches we used during celebrations and decorated with all sorts of glittering shapes that hung all over the house, trees, chairs and even the blessed bonfire which he was roasting a lamb over and a long skewer stacked with dozens of different types of mushrooms.

The loud music did go down a few decibels when Snow and I approached the bunch, but picked up again when my wife gave everyone a little forced smile.

“Bet they would have preferred that beheading now,” she murmured.

“Larg would have never invited anyone who would have wished that.”

“Tis true,” the big man said, sliding between the two of us and throwing an arm over our shoulders. “My godson would have turned this into their beheading for your exclusive entertainment.” He patted her head and Snow blinked a bit taken aback. “I’ve put some big mushrooms on the bonfire for you. The best I could find. Picked them myself with these hands.”

“Could have been worse,” Mal said, strutting to us. “He could have picked them with his toes like he picks his ear wax.”

Larg sighed. “This boy.”

My brother glowered at him. “Where have you hid the wine?”

“In the grave you are digging for me, you rascal.”

“Snow, here!” Penelope shouted from a table positioned in the far distance, under the shade of a willow.

“What’s with Thora?” Snow asked Nia who was fanning the younger sister that had rested her forehead on the table.

The friend winced. “Drank a bit much from Larg’s handmade whiskey and I don’t have any of my stuff with me.”

“Told her it was deadly.” My godfather laughed. “She insisted she was deadlier.”

Something the little Skygard would say.

Mal sneaked behind her and blew on her neck, making her jerk upright. “Headache?”

She groaned a little. “The worst.”

He extended a hand to her. “Come. Larg has some tea in his kitchen.”

Instead of taking his hand, she grabbed onto his sleeve and followed him inside the house.

“Oh, look, it’s the children you kidnapped,” Caiden said, pulling a chair and taking a seat.