Page 75 of The Knucker King

“Of course!” he exclaimed, tossing his hands in the air. “They are idiots if they do not see that. Why, if you were my soul-bound, I would tell you every day about how much I adore you, I would serve you in any way you wished, I would build you a nest, and we could have young—”

She reached up and grabbed his wrist. “It is alright.”

Her touch calmed his flames and reminded him of why he had followed her outside, to apologise and enquire about her wellbeing. He wrapped his fingers around her arm.

“Are you injured? You have blood on your face, your gloves, and I think I see some on your dress,” Trewoofe pressed.

“Not all of the blood is mine,” Avice replied.

A lot of it is though, Bramble piped up.

The midwife rolled her eyes at her familiar. “Some of it is.”

“Please come inside,” Trewoofe begged. “I have much to tell and show you. I long to hear your news, and I would like for you to be warm, fed, and comfortable.”

Avice’s eyes flicked from him, to Bramble, to Ashling, and finally settled on the open door. “I cannot believe,” she tutted, “that we have let all the heat out.”

Trewoofe chuckled. “Foolish of us, is it not?”

She nodded at him. “Come, I need to check your wounds as well.”

29

Chapter 29

Avice

Avice! Bramble barked. Do not let a lover’s quarrel distract you from the fact there is a snowstorm, and we are to prepare.

Her cheeks burnt as she stopped at the open doorway. In all the excitement, she had forgotten. “I knew that, Bramble!” she snapped back. “I was fetching some cauldrons to gather snow for water.”

Is that so? he sniped, before darting back out of the garden for what Avice guessed was more kindling.

Her face met Trewoofe’s, who was equally flushed. “May I help?”

She studied his long frame. “You have clothes,” she stated.

They were carefully stitched, the needle work better than her own. Her eyes widened as she realised that the long-sleeved tunic he wore was made from her ruined cloak, the one she wore in the Underneath. The rips from the Tall One’s claws had been carefully repaired, so well done she could barely see the mend. On his legs were hose – she suspected made from one of her chemises – a strap under each arch of his foot holding the garment in place. He wore no stockings; his feet bare on the frost.

“I do!” He grinned. “Ashling taught me how to make them.”

The Wisp floated over and landed on his horn with a merry chime.

Avice clenched her jaw. “You understand him that well?”

Trewoofe nodded and paused while Ashling pealed in different tones. “He says: ‘the more you grow into your power, the better you will hear his words. Not long from now you will be able to understand all the Good Neighbours as well as you understand the Lord.’”

Avice tried to squash down the envy she felt that Trewoofe could understand her Wisp so well. Ashling had been in the cottage for many generations of Gardener women, and she longed to hear his voice for what it really was.

Trewoofe is a Good Neighbour too, of course he would understand Ashling better than I. She tried to shake her jealousy and smiled up at them. “I am happy that Ashling could help you. He has seen much over his turns of seasons in the cottage and probably knows more about being a human than me.”

“We hoped to ease your burdens. You have done so much for me, and I had no desire to add to your workload with my need for clothes. Ashling said you would find my lack of them distracting so I—”

Heat rose in Avice, and she let out a splutter. “Cauldrons!”

Trewoofe tilted his head. “Cauldrons?”

She nodded. “Yes, to gather snow for water. Though…” – she stepped out from eaves of her cottage and squinted up – “perhaps your magic means that the storm will not touch us? The snow seems to be piling on top.”