Page 10 of Hallow Hill at Halloween: Part One

“Lochlan, if you’d ever been in Braden’s shop, you might know that he often works gemstones, magnificent gemstones I might add, into his silver designs.”

“Oh.” Lochlan sounded a little deflated.

“Yes, solicitor. Oh. The first rule of being a lawyer is that you don’t ask a question without knowing the answer. Right?”

“Right,” he said quietly, even more deflated.

“Rita.” Keir’s calming voice came from my right. “If it will make you happy to restore this diamond to its display and bring you the replica, we’re all happy to do that.”

“Thank you.” I hesitated. “But there’s no need for others outside this room to know, right? I mean, they were all so pleased to be giving me this. I don’t want to seem like I’m rejecting their gift.”

“Even though you are rejecting their gift,” Lochlan said. I gave him a look. “Yes. Very well. But the operatives we used to make the exchange will know.”

“Do you have a way to swear them to secrecy with consequences?”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. Like they’ll turn into frogs if they ever tell.” The laugh that gave everyone at the table told me what I needed to know. “Alright. Alright. How do you insure secrecy?”

“No worries, Magistrate. I have my ways. They don’t involve transmutation to lithobates clamitans.”

I was treated to his smirk for a second time in one night.

“Please know that I am sincerely pleased and grateful for the party and for the, um, thoughtfulness behind the gift.”

“We won’t pretend to understand, Rita,” Keir said, “but we will be pleased to fulfill your wish.”

I sighed. “How could I ask for more? Really.”

“Well,” Evie said brightly. “What are you going to wear it with?”

“I don’t know. Maybe that mustard-colored scarf with the Japanese waves woven into the fabric?”

“Ooh. Perfect,” she agreed. “I know you’re going to have fun with it.”

I grinned. Now that the guilt was set aside, I could enjoy my birthday and all that had gone into the event. “This coffee is awesome.”

“I try.” Evie smiled.

CHAPTER TWORita Rules

Strains of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” roused the household to life at precisely ten. My pups scrambled to the front door in a remarkable imitation of domesticated dogs.

Standing on my porch was one of those fae beauties who made Lochlan’s reference to my looks sound like a cruel, Carrie-style joke. Make the ugly girl think she’s special.

Over tan suede boots, she wore a shin-length dress made of the sort of Chinese silk that absorbs color like no other medium. It was dazzling, but no more than she was. Like many of her kind, her face looked airbrushed for perfection. Her copper-colored tresses fell to just above her waist and were as thick at the end as at the beginning. Her lips were full, lush and pronounced with red lipstick that matched the dress perfectly.

I might’ve been a little intimidated, but there was an unmistakable spark of excitement in her pale-green eyes.

“Hello,” I said.

She clutched her little portfolio closer to her chest, bent her knees into a little jump, and said, “Oh my stars!!! It’s really you!!!” It was a remarkable impression of fan girl.

I looked around outside to see if Keir’s brothers were going to appear any second clutching their sides with hysterical laughter. It was the very sort of prank they lived to torture me with.

No one.

“Yes. It’s, um, really me. And what’s your name?”

---