Page 20 of A Skirl of Sorcery
‘Friend?’ Muriel shrieked. ‘You’re friends with one of those … things?’
‘She’s a person. She’s not a thing.’
‘She brings death!’
‘No, she doesn’t.’
‘She’s a fucking ban sith! That’s what they do! She can’t stay here! We all have a responsibility to keep this neighbourhood safe!’
‘Ban sithspredictdeath, they don’t bring it,’ I said. ‘In fact, that’s why she’s here. I asked her to stay for a few weeks to ensure that everyone is safe.’
‘What?’Arthur Dinsbury was baffled – and very, very loud.
I waved my arms expansively and hoped that the Dinsburys were too irate to notice my outlandish lie. ‘I love this neighbourhood. I want to be sure that everyone is fit, healthy and nowhere near death’s door. Having a ban sith around is the best way to guarantee everyone’s safety.’
Muriel’s face scrunched up. ‘That makes no sense! She’ll kill us all!’
‘She’s in my house so if anyone is likely to die, it’ll be me. But I won’t die because Keres told me that there’s no death anywhere near me and there never has been. I am a death-free zone.’
That was a bald-faced lie and if the Dinsburys hadn’t been so full of self-righteousness, they’d have realised it. I warmed to my topic. ‘In fact, Keres has told me that nobody on this street is in any danger of dying – not me, not you, not anyone.’
The couple stared at me. If anyone did pass away in the next few weeks, I’d be screwed so I mentally crossed my fingers that all my neighbours would remain hale and hearty.
I produced an earnest smile. ‘I was concerned about all those recent burglaries. I thought the thief might end up hurting someone, so I asked Keres to check and make sure that nobody was in mortal danger. I thought having her stay around would be a good idea because it’ll keep that burglar away.’ I blinked a few times and silently congratulated myself on my quick thinking, though that damned thieving trow had better stay away or there would be a lot of explaining to do.
Arthur nudged his wife. ‘That makes sense,’ he muttered.
Muriel wasn’t so sure. ‘How long is she staying?’ she barked.
Good question. ‘Until the danger has passed,’ I replied smoothly.
Her eyes narrowed. ‘There are other ways to keep Danksville safe. A ban sith is extreme.’
‘You know that Jimmy Leighton was targeted the other night?’ I said.
‘I heard that,’ Arthur said.
His wife’s expression turned mutinous. ‘If anybody on this street dies…’
‘They won’t,’ I replied. They’d better not.
‘She can’t stay for long.’
Keres was in no state to harm me, so as far as I was concerned she could stay as long as she wanted to – although given her current condition that might not be long at all. ‘She’s here as a favour to me and to Danksville,’ I said. ‘She’s not here to harm us. Once she’s confident we’re all safe, I’m sure she’ll leave.’
‘She’d better!’ Muriel grabbed her husband’s hand and they marched back in the direction of their own house. I exhaled. That could have gone worse.
‘Was any of that true?’ Dave called from his porch. I glanced over my shoulder at him. ‘You know that Sitwell on the corner is ninety-six years old?’
‘I’m aware,’ I replied.
‘And that Alicia Timmings at number forty-eight has stage three cancer?’
‘I know that, too.’
‘All hell will break loose if either of them croak while Keres is here.’
‘I took a calculated risk. Given enough time, everyone will realise that there’s no reason to be afraid of a ban sith living in this street.’
