Page 2 of Hallow Hill at Halloween: Part One

Wow.

I knew that regular fluid exchanges between myself and my husband was the best beauty regime ever invented. Even I could see that my dark-blue eyes were enhanced with tones of azure and sparkled with flecks of gold, my hair was darker and shinier, my cheeks were rosier, and no pore was visible. Not even with a magnifying glass. Still, I never expected to be called good-looking by the fae.

When we reached the ridge, I turned in a circle to take in the indescribable beauty of a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree panorama.

“Who’s asking for this interview? Who would conduct it? And how would my answers be used?” He opened his mouth, but my next question beat him to his first answer. “Are you prepared to steer me clear of answers that could make trouble for future rulings?”

“The request has come from the Rita Rules Club.” I choked, but he went on as if I wasn’t making strange noises. “Apparently they have a forum where they post various things about you.”

Forgetting all about the fact I’d just learned there was a club called Rita Rules, I jumped straight to, “Like what?” I could feel my curiosity swelling like a living thing.

He rolled his eyes. “Rita. If you want to know, you can go to the forum like anyone else.”

“Lochlan! I didn’t even know there was a forum until a minute ago. And I don’t think I can go there like anyone else.”

“If you really want to waste your time reading what people think about you, ask Keir. He’ll show you how.”

“I’m getting mixed signals. I got the feeling when you brought this up that you wanted me to do this interview. Now it sounds like you think these people who admire me are kinda, um, foolish?”

“Both things can be true. I think it could be awkward politically to say no. At the same time, when it comes to such nonsense,” he cast a tiny, crooked smile my way, “I’m not a fan.”

“Funny, Clerk. You haven’t answered my question about causing future snafus.”

“Rita, when you’re presiding as magistrate, you’re not in the human world. You’re the supreme decider.”

“Gosh. I like the sound of that.” I jerked my head his way. “Don’t try to seduce me with absolutely corruptible power, Lochlan. That’s out of bounds.”

I could see by the measure of sternness settling into Lochlan’s face that I was truly trying his patience.

“Rita,” he began in a fatherly tone, “no one is trying to either seduce or corrupt you.” A tiny chuckle had me jerking my eyes toward him, once again. “As a matter of fact, I’d like to see someone try.” He shook his head. “That really would be entertaining.”

“Lochlan!”

“Hmmm?”

“Are you saying I can’t germinate conflicts of interest or anything of the sort, so don’t worry about it?”

“In a nutshell, yes.”

“And you think it would be good for community morale for me to agree.”

“Well said.”

“Alright, then. I will give it a try. But if I don’t like the way it’s going, I will un-mic and walk the hell out.”

“There won’t be any…”

“I know.”

“Right. No one would expect less from you.”

“Then we’re agreed.”

“She’ll be here tomorrow morning. Do you want to be interviewed at home or at my office?”

“I don’t know. Recommendations?”

“You’ll be relaxed at home.”

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