Page 50 of Hallow Hill at Halloween: Part Two

It seemed that, even though I was very quiet, Sigrid heard me. She turned and smiled, then pointed up. I looked skyward just in time to see a glorious white and gilded gold chariot descend and land in my backyard. I’m telling you this sort of thing doesn’t happen every day.

To Lochlan, Sigrid said, “Tell your fraigs to work with me until we’re safely back here.”

Lochlan hesitated, not wanting to give up his pets, but complied.

Angus and Aisling shifted into their magic bodies and seemed to form an instant mind link with Sigrid. They took theirplaces in front of the chariot and waited patiently while she attached the braided silk cords that made up the harness.

My dogs were so excited by the spectacle that Keir had to enclose them in the mudroom.

Sigrid checked the harness connections three times before climbing into the chariot and taking up the reins. I hadn’t noticed when she’d donned knee high boots and leather britches worn under a white, nubby weave tunic cinched at the waist by a wide blue leather belt fashioned in Celtic weave design. It was nothing less than a work of art.

I made a mental note to ask where I could get a belt like that when she brought the dogs back.

“Wait!” I shouted. “If you find them, where are you taking them?”

Sigrid looked confused. “Not here?”

“No.”

“Where?”

“I don’t know. The Outer Hebrides.”

She didn’t look less confused until Lochlan said something in Norse that made her nod. To Lochlan, she said, “Tell your magnificent fraigs what the prey looks like by thinking about them.”

“Prey?” I practically shouted. I didn’t have to look in a mirror to know my eyes were impossibly wide. I looked from Keir to Lochlan to Sigrid, but didn’t have the chance to clarify the use of that term. Sigrid slapped the reins and shouted something in Norse. Angus and Aisling reared up on their hind legs, lunged forward and vanished along with Sigrid and her chariot.

“I guess they let her keep the chariot when she retired,” I said.

Keir chuckled. “You’re getting very blasé about magical things. Even I thought that was special.”

“Special?” I looked at him. “Or spectacular?”

“Pick an adjective.” He shrugged. “It was worth the price of the ticket.”

“Are we talking about the chariot and the hounds or Sigrid and her blonde hair that’s always slightly moving? Like it’s being blown by an invisible breeze?”

“What are you saying?” Keir asked. “That Sigrid is beautiful?”

“Well…”

“I’d never noticed, but I’ll be sure to take a good long look when she comes back. So we’ll have something to talk about.”

I slapped his arm lightly. “You’d better not.”

He laughed. “It’s good to know you’re territorial about me. Now you know how I feel when we have a porch full of suitors after who are after my wife!”

“Suitors! No! That’s not…” I stopped suddenly wondering if Keir was right about their intentions. “You think they think they could get me away fromyou.”

“I know. Crazy. But magic-kind have big egos.”

“I’ll say.”

“I’d better go relieve Ivy.”

“Okay. Going to work.”

“Later.”

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