Page 17 of Black Dog

“Smells good. Tastes good,” she replied with a special smile for Helm. “But the main thing is that it helps me ‘see’.”

Helm looked tragically sober. “Ye think ye can find him?”

“Will do my best, Helm. Promise.” Song sat down at the kitchen table next to Litha. “Alright.” She raised her voice and took on the air of authority that all Hawkings possessed. “Everybody out. Litha and I need the room. And try to keep it quiet.”

As if to punctuate that with a farcical blast, Litha sneezed hard enough to rattle the shutters.

Duff was sitting by the fire talking quietly with Elora, telling her stories about his Scotia wolfhounds.

Ram looked around. “The angel leave?” he said.

“Aye,” Helm affirmed. “Dropped Auntie Song and Uncle Duff off then disappeared without another word.” Ram winced a little at Helm’s use of ‘uncle’ in combination with the prince of Scotia fae. “Come on, Da. He’s nice enough. Give him a chance.”

Ram gave Helm a look. “He’s. Fae.”

Helm ran a hand through his hair. “I know. But it turns out they’re no different from us. You know that. Right?”

“Helm,” Storm said, “it’s a tale as old as time. Your dad is old and too set in his ways to change. Sad. But true.”

Ram gave Storm a look that said the killing would begin momentarily. Storm responded with a smile so slight it was barely there.

Turning to Helm, Ram said, “I have promised your mum I’ll make an effort and I will.”

Without further fanfare Ram walked toward the fireplace. When Duff saw him coming, he stood and said, “Happy Yule, Hero.”

Without missing a beat, Ram said, “Welcome to Ireland, your heinie.”

At that, Elora closed her eyes and began counting.

Duff chuckled. “Message received. I won’t call you ‘hero’ and you won’t call me ‘heinie’.”

“Done,” Ram said and held out his hand.

When the two shook hands, Elora let out the breath she’d been holding. “I’d ask if people are getting hungry, but the kitchen is occupied. Nobody’s doing delivery today. So…”

It was one of the moments when the twins drifted through. Gale said, “I’mhungry!”

“The point of that was to say I can’t feed people right now, Aelgale,” Elora said.

“Take off those reindeer antlers and you’ll be able to hear better,” Helm told his sister.

Duff said, “I’ve been stuffin’ it up at state occasions for two weeks. Goin’ for a couple of hours without eatin’ will be like a cleanse.”

“How long do you think they’ll be in there?” Helm asked.

Duff answered as if the question was directed at him. “Song’s look-sees are unpredictable. Could be seconds. Could be hours.”

Every eye in the room jerked to the sound of the kitchen door opening. When Song saw the hope on every face, her shoulders sagged. “Got somethin’, but not as much as we need.”

“Song.” Elora rushed over. “Is Blackie okay?”

Song stared at Elora. “Truth or polished up?”

Elora sucked in a little gasp and her eyes immediately went red-rimmed. “Truth.”

“Aye. He’s alive and okay. But he’s no’ happy.”

“Where is he?” Helm demanded.

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