Page 13 of Black Dog

“Good,” said Elora. “We wouldn’t want you to.”

Storm didn’t get a chance to reply. Litha more or less burst into the room. She looked at Helm and said, “You need to leave the room so I can use the words that are on my mind.”

Helm sighed deeply. “I imagine I’ve heard them, Auntie.”

“Still,” she insisted. “You haven’t heard them in front of me.”

“Litha,” Elora said, “do you know something?”

Litha sneezed so violently it made her entire body jump. “Judas Priest!”

“Okay. You got me,” Helm said. “I have no’ heard that one.”

Ignoring that, Litha said, “You know that thing people like to say about a little knowledge being dangerous? Well, I know something, but it’s not enough to help and it might even take us in the wrong direction. So I’m torn about whether or not to even say. Plus, what if this…” she waved at her head again, “is causing false positives?”

Elora cocked her head. “Has that ever happened?”

“No. But I’ve never been this sick. I’m just not sure how it affects my ability to track.”

Elora exchanged a long look with Ram. To an outsider it might have appeared that they were sharing a silent conversation. When her eyes came back to Litha, she said, “Tell us what you know.”

“I don’t want to.” Litha crossed her arms over her pregnant tummy. Seeing that Elora was taking on more intensity, she added, “You would not hurt a pregnant witch.”

Ram stood up. “No. She would no’. But I might.”

Storm stepped in front of Litha like he thought there might be a possibility that Rammel was serious.

“Get me Song,” Litha said abruptly.

That stopped everyone in their tracks. Ram, Elora, and Storm all said, “Song?” in unison.

“Clearly you heard me. All of you. Hurry up.”

“Litha,” Storm said quietly, hoping to calm her. “You’re the only one of us who can move people semi-instantly. And you’re too sick to do it.”

“Nonsense.” She waved a tissue and then sneezed so hard it almost shook the old house. “Where is she, Ram?”

Storm was shaking his head. “No. You should be in bed.”

“Do you have a cowbell?” Litha asked, once again causing everyone in the room to look at each other. Elora mouthed ‘cowbell’ at Ram who shook his head.

“Why would you think we’d have a cowbell, Litha? We don’t have cows,” Ram said.

Litha’s eyes bugged out. “Because…! Don’t all rockers have cowbells?”

Ram blinked a few times. “Great Paddy. I might actually have a cowbell in a case somewhere. Mind if I ask why you need it?”

“I don’t want to be rude. But yes. I mind.”

Helm stepped forward. “I’ll help you look, Da. Where do ye think it might be?”

Ram let his head fall back before saying, “The cases stored in the music room cabinets. Somewhere in there. If I do even have one.”

“Did you ever actually use cowbell in, em, music?” Helm asked.

Ram’s smile was all the answer required.

When they’d left the room, Storm said, “Why do you want a cowbell, Litha? You need to tell me so I don’t think you’re hallucinating.”

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