Isher gave me an intense look that nearly had me taking a step back. “What?” I asked.
“It’s no problem to make one right now.”
I worried at a hangnail on my thumb. “Bit anti-social to rev up a chainsaw at nightfall, man.” I wasn’t sure what magic he was capable of, so didn’t like to assume he’d be comfortable wasting energy on this when a lake of ice was more important. Right now an earth mage would have been handy.
His lips twitched. “Agreed. I shall call Edwin over.” Everyone was chatting nineteen to the dozen like most of us hadn’t been holed up together in the very recent past.
Edwin dutifully regarded the greenery and listened to Isher explaining how it would be beneficial to reinstate the archway we assumed had once led to the drive. Edwin rounded on me.
“You didn’t tell me this because? This will be yourhome,Trace. It makes perfect sense to access your land from the driveway.” He looked aggrieved.
I shrugged. “It’s been full on, man, it’s okay. Not a deal breaker.”
Dalziel stuck his head into the group. “Problem?”
“Not at all,” I said hastily. “I don’t want Isher to wear himself out before the big event though.”
At a hike of Dalziel’s expressive eyebrows, Edwin explained.
Dalziel looked as if he was having trouble keeping a straight face. “Isher, perhaps you should be a little more forthcoming to the assembly about who you are and why this will barely put a dent in your magical energy.” Well, this was interesting. Dalziel, who was known for being guarded in his dealings with the Fae, looked for all the world more like a proud if slightly anxious parent than a Council member with a potentially unstable Faerie living under his roof.
Isher shoved his hands in his pockets and stared at the ground. Everyone went suddenly very quiet.
“Well?” I said when I couldn’t bear the silence a beat longer.
“Yeah, so. Volik’s my uncle. This is child’s play for me.”
By the Goddess, I didn’t expect that.Hoping I didn’t look as green as I felt, I managed a weak smile. “An archway would be very useful.”
Baxter’s eyes were on stalks, her gaze zapping between Dalziel and Isher, before she suggested with a smirk, “That’s spiced up Lucansburn, I bet.”
Isher’s high cheekbones and the tips of his ears reddened. Dalziel rested a hand on the Fae’s arm and snapped in an undertone, “Inappropriate, Baxter. Borderline speciesist too. Isher was given no choice in the matter,as you know,and he’s been a model of propriety, as well as bloody good to Charley. Apologise, if you please.”
Baxter’s mouth opened as if she was about to argue, clocked the furrow of her sire’s brow and hastily begged Isher’s pardon. Face now glowing like a peony, he gave her a tight smile, then turned back to Edwin.
“How wide do you want the archway?”
I’d seen plenty of Fae magic in my time. The biggest appeal was in watching those for whom it was a new experience. I kept my eyes on James, then Edwin and Baxter in turn, assuming that Dalziel’s staff had probably seen plenty since Isher’s unceremonious arrival at Dalziel’s Lanarkshire estate. Isher spoke again to Edwin, then addressed Dalziel.
“It will be subtler to work from the other side of the hedge. I won’t be long.” He clicked his fingers and disappeared. James gasped.
“Where’d he go?”
“The garden.” He looked at me disbelievingly. “Honestly. There’s a chance of being overseen if he does it from this side, so it’s better for him to work privately if he can. We don’t want a nosy neighbour calling the cops if they see stuff they can’t explain.”
“But he just…” He made apooffgesture with his hands.
I chanced a hand on his shoulder. “James, I promise you, that’s Fae magic. Any minute now… And there you go.” A perfectly symmetrical archway began to carve itself out of the hedge, leaves and branches melting away to form a short tunnel heading towards us.
“Fucking hell,” James breathed. He went a little paler than usual. Edwin was by his side before I could look for him.
“Hey, love, I’m here.” He wrapped both arms around James from behind and wedged his chin on the boy’s shoulder. “I gotcha.”
“I’m notscared.”His tone was scathing. “Just…” He shook his head violently. “Never mind. I’m watching.” His‘hush, please’was as clear as if he’d spoken the words aloud.
Isher walked through the completed arch to a sea of impressed faces. Charley was vibrating with excitement.
“Can I learn to do that? Please tell me I can! I really?—”
