Pachi and Tejón made themselves comfortable in the hay, which was dry and clean thanks to the many enchantments I had paid for over the years. I was the proud owner of the one leak-free roof in town, with the exception of the church. Enchantments, even minor ones that repelled water, never came cheap.
Hana peeked around me into the house beyond. “Wow, can we see the rest of it?”
I closed the barn doors, leaving us in the dim golden light of the lamp above. “One moment, please,” I said, and walked over to the small furnace that had been built into the side wall. I’d owned several horses in my time in Gilsby, and though my latest mounts seemed cursed with a shortened life—the dangers of bearing a gunsinger were many—I had maintained the barn in case my luck changed.
Inside was a bundle of sticks and some tinder set in advance. Laying the foundations of a fire was not something one enjoyed when it was late and cold. I produced a match and lit the furnace. The wood caught flame with enthusiasm, having been dry and curing for over a year by now. I added a few larger pieces from a pile in the corner and then closed the glass grate. The contraption was rare—no open fire should be lit in a barn full of hay, after all—and arrested any spark that tried to escape the fire.
“Nice digs, viejo. I’m impressed,” Madi said as she watched me finish the task. Normally, the compliment would have stoked my ego, but the sorry state of my house had dampened my mood entirely.
“Thank you, Madi. Now I will show you my home, but please know it is normally well kept.” I turned and led them down the hall. I passed my room, which could more easily be amended. The kitchen was the heart of any home, and when I lit the two lamps that hung in mine, I heard my two companions gasp.
“You see my hesitation,” I said. “Someone must have found a way to pry open a window.” I stood and surveyed the damage more closely than before. My grain and dried goods were scattered about, and the various implements of life littered every surface. Thankfully, I always made sure to only keep a small amount of food. Even so, weevils writhed in the grain. Someone had dumped out the jars I kept, each with its own stasis charm. Having been set free of the charm’s protection, nature had run its course eagerly.
A hand squeezed my shoulder, and I looked over to see Hana’s worried face. “Oh, Alysand. I’m so sorry. This is awful, but we can clean it up in no time. Do you have a broom?”
I nodded and wiped away the tears that had come unbidden. We fell into the gentle process of cleaning up the kitchen and main room. I spent most of my time tucking away and sorting the various items I could easily find. Madi and Hana cleaned up the spoiled food. In just a few minutes, we had restored the small home to a tolerable state of dishevelment.
Watching my companions bend their battered backs in my service moved me greatly. Had I the inclination, they no doubt would have spent the night helping me restore my home to its full glory. I held up my hands, though, and cleared my throat. “Please, let’s stop now. This is enough to allow us to make use of the place without undue trouble. And I believe we are all still weary, injured, and travel-stained. Why don’t you both make use of my washroom, and we can share a meal?”
As the girls left me, talking amongst themselves in low voices, a knock came at the front door. Just in time.
When I answered, the panting face of Shadrick greeted me. “Here you go, Alysand, sir. Mr. Pithers sends his regards by the way, and here is the change. Got everything he said you love and a few more items. You gave me a lot of coin, sir, so I wanted to make sure you and your friends had plenty to eat. They’re quite pretty I happened to notice, too, if I’m not too rude to say so. Where are they from? Some of the kids said they were from the capital, but I told them they are probably from another world by the look of them.” The boy rattled off every thought he’d held in his head and I smiled at him.
I took the canvas bag he handed me and ignored the handful of copper he tried to give me. “Keep it, Shadrick. And sorry to be short, but we need to rest. Could you come by in the morning, one hour after first light?”
The boy nodded so hard his eyes seemed to rattle in his skull. “Yes sir, Alysand. Course I can. I’ll meet you right here and…”
I cut him short with a lifted finger. “Thank you for your service, my friend. Give the coin to your ma, but keep a copper for yourself, okay? Oh, and you were right. My friends are travelers from another land.”
Awe filled his face as he stepped back into the waning light of dusk. And before he could ask another six questions or tell me a juicy bit of local gossip, I closed the door.
After we had all had time to run water over our faces and hands, and our muscles began to cool and complain of the day’s work, I prepared a tea that old Corbrae had taught me.
Thank the saints of Old Gil, whatever vermin had tossed my home had neglected the pouches of herbs that I kept above my stove. I removed the ingredients needed and drew enough water to fill the kettle. In short time, the complex bouquet of the tincture was filling the air.
We all
