#elsewhere

"Miriam.. well, I would imagine she's at the shop."

"Mmm she works long hours" A shake ofh is head "Nockers"

"Aye."

"I'm sorry, love. I had hoped you and she would get more time together.... but what we have is what we have. " A pause "Hannah didn't send you back with a gallon of troll food did she?"

"AND sluagh food. It's in the fridge."

"Mine's in the purple."

"Yes, I only got them mixed up once." Sheepish "NEVER again"

"You just need to be adventurous!"

He chuckles and kisses her neck, "I Have a sluagh girlfriend and there's a cat that hunts my shoes. I'd say my life is an adventure"

"Fair enough. Tea?"

"Yes, that would be grand." he says "Love, August asked aftre you, where you went etc."

She pours. "Ah."

"Well, I have much to get ready for school."

"I thought it might cheer you to know that after Curiosity stopped distracting him, he did kind of realize he'd been rude"

"Mmmph. It is fine. What does he care of affairs here?"

"I think he cares when it upsets you but he misses clues like I missed footballs when i was kid"

"It is fine."

At the word fine he realizes it's probably not

Zara drinks her tea.

Earl sips his "I did get some painting done. I confess, Earth Runes' Art Gallery makes a good studio"

"The light is fair, aye."

"I'm going to ask... not that I need to eat that much, but.. did Hannah put in some of that soup? It's better than a flu shot"

"Matzoh ball? Aye."

"mmm and those little rolls?"

"Earl, I have two scrawny arms. Do we need to go visit?"

"no no.. best I don't let her fatten me up remotely... do you have any idea how much winter squash we're going to get from MY relations?"

"Ooo... butternut?"

"I can put in requests... " he smiles "Clem's always glad for an excuse to visit"

"Oh, Clem..."

"I was found at home by a pair of 'withfinders,'..." and she relates the visit of Olgi & Ruby.

"They are lucky I realized they were children. But they're Rivervale's problem, now... Kerri should be a safe target."

"Olgi and Ruby? The miners rescued by the Earth Runes gang? Oh goodness"

"Much like CUriosity, they are lucky they're cute."

then he chokes and laughs softly "You passed them onto Hearth Kerri? That's.. you're brilliant"

"To enter her kitchen, unseen."

"Funny thing, you can't really lose this.. and she'll be good to them if she does catch them. And if they pull it off, well, rightfully proud" He is impressed

"Exactly!"

"This is great practice for you too, when you're the scary crone on that street corner, which ever street is lucky enough to have you, you'll be glad to have this experience to use on the kids of the future"

A soft chuff.

He smiles at her. "I love it. Even in small ways, you shine."

"Flatterer."

"When your lady is a night lily and a sonnet in minor key, it's easy to flatter her- just observe and speak the truth"

"You can do that all day, if you wish."

"Oh I could and happily, though daylight's allure holds little interest ot me... let me plead with the shadows to engulf me... for me the hidden pleasures and soft whispers of the night even when the bully sun shines. For me, my autumn shelter....cool and crisp to the kiss"

Siiiiigh.

"For you, I have studied the poets of the masters"

"And still I am at a loss for words. " A sip of tea "Yet if words you wish, they will be unearthed. No relic of romance, no set of bones of love's longing is too sacred to be sacrificed on the altar of night"

HIs eyes dance with love

"Words make me weak, aye? My strength is my weakness."

"Words make you weak? Nay... you know you ... words of beauty do not weaken you, they make you float.. like the lily on blackwaters that you are, they bouy you... you do not weaken, you glory, you luxuriate. And in doing so, you are truly glorious and those who worship the night see you as the high priestess, and you make a heathen of us all"