#debukefarmhold

She nods. "Agreed. I am not always a very good sluagh, either."

"But - we try, nu?" A smile.

He nods "yes." His own accent is all over the place which makes sense.

"This place is mostly trolls, like Clementine." A nod at the Chieftain. "But no Balor, not a single one."

"They're pretty much our enemies" Clem says

"No balor" he nods approvingly

"Aye. No Balor, and plenty of spiders."

"I saw some, there's a big one by barn, she reminds me of.. uhm"he blushes "Charlotte's web"

"She reminds us too," Clem says "And no need to be embarrassed, the kids around here know plenty about that. They have the book, and the movie... "

She nods. "That's a good book. Do you like to read?"

"some... I like to hide in libraries, they're quiet. and lots of books" the sighs "libraries would be perfect if other people would just go away"

Clem glances over at Zara "Okay, this is getting spooky"

"What? He is being perfectly sensible."

"Jacob, I shall bring thee books to read. Know you of Lemony Snicket?"

"no... whose that?" he asks

"Oh! You are in for a delight. I shall bring those first!"

"I..thank you. I haven't been able to read much" he says "sometimes when I read, I get lost in the book... and I don't hear or see anything and I'm.. " He tries to think of the word "unsafe"

"Vulnerable. Aye. So - we'll look for safe places to read, places where you can hide."

"..I always like the cupboard, myself."

He smiles "once I hid on top of a book shelf in a corner, I was wedged in tight, but it was like I was over this whole world of books. " A happy sigh

Then he sighs "Then the light came..and I had to run again"

"You needn't run here."

"You'll be safe while you read, at least from Balor" Clem says

"Now Earl could show you some quiet spots here if you want to avoid"

She nods. "Earl knows some nice places."

"Oh, and you should meet Mr. DeVere!"

"Who is Mr. DeVere?" He asks

"He's a sluagh ,like you and Zara, and one of the oldest friends of our Lodge" Clem says "Long before I was born, let alone chieftain, he was helping us. Which I suppose goes to show that sluagh are good friends to have"

"And he has this wonderful cave, full of secret tunnels and blue crystal...."

Clem raises a brow "Zara... not just anyone can know about that"

The boy perks "but I'm not just anyone. And I can keep a secret" insistent

"He is a sluagh."

"And aye - it is a secret."

"so i should see it" he says wanting too really badly now

"Well," Clem says "it is pretty sluagh esque now...ice and winter... and yet forlorn... kind of creepy...but you are so young"

"I'm seven and a quarter" he insists

"We shall ask Mister DeVere. After all, it is his desmense. And sluagh must always respect that."

Clem nods

"Been awhile since Zara has been too I think"

She nods. "Some time.:

"maybe we can go together? If.. if it's okay with mr. DeVere"

"I shall ask him, aye."

"Thank you," he sips his tea "So as a sluagh I should learn secrets?"

"Absolutely."

"they're also known, and Miss Zara I hope will correct me if I'm wrong, for showing an appreciation for a higher class of fear, not just guts and blood horror, but the kind of terror you get from the little things. Was a time they're big purpose was punishing the wicked and ill behaved by scaring them into more mannerly behavior"

That from Clem, of course, with a respectful nod to Zara

The boy looks at zara curiously at that

She nods. "Aye. Sluagh punish the wicked. We are the shadows that go bump in the night."

he grins , all gums at that, "neat"

Clem mutters into her own glass "let's hope this doesn't bite me in the butt"