Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 21341 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 107(@200wpm)___ 85(@250wpm)___ 71(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21341 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 107(@200wpm)___ 85(@250wpm)___ 71(@300wpm)
"Mm." My mate isn't convinced. His hand slides to my backside and he rubs it absently. "I have yet to even see the new humans and taters and now we have mountain people. What next?"
There's a jingle at the front door as a visitor runs their fingers through the shell chimes we have just outside. "Knock knock," Claire calls out. "Is this a bad time?"
I arch a brow at Vektal and eye him. "Is it?" I whisper. If he says the word, I'll feign a headache or cramps or whatever is needed to give him time to process. Vektal grouches for a day or two in private, and then he's full of plans. I think he doesn't like change because he's afraid it'll interfere with his ability to keep the tribe safe and happy. He's an amazing leader, but he needs time to process and come up with a plan, just like anyone else. Even if the “mountain people” aren't coming here, I imagine Vektal will want to visit to assess the situation. It's the responsible side of him that he can't get away from, and I adore him for that.
But he shakes his head and gets to his feet, pressing a kiss to my brow. As if discarding a cloak, Vektal's shoulders straighten and his expression smooths. He's becoming “the chief” as I watch, the capable leader that everyone expects him to be. "It is not a bad time," he calls out to Claire. "Come in."
She has a cautious look on her face as she ducks under the door flap, a smile pinned to her face. "Hi guys. This won't take long, I promise."
Vektal smiles at Claire, who's always a little nervous around him. "You are always welcome here."
"You say that, but you might not after you hear what I'm asking about." She titters. "I was thinking it was time for us to have another holiday, something to look forward to. I was thinking Halloween, and I have a lot of plans, but I wanted to run them past you first."
My body tenses. Oh god. The timing of this could not be worse. More changes. My poor Vektal. I smile back at Claire even though I want to grab her by the shoulders and escort her out and tell her to come back some other day.
To my surprise, Vektal chuckles. He pulls up one of our stools and sets it by the fire. "I think a distraction for all is a good thing. What do you have in mind?"
CHAPTER
FOUR
CLAIRE
Once Vektal's on board, I recruit Asha and Josie to go with me to each family's hut and explain what we're doing.
"It's going to be four hands of days from now, so everyone has time to get ready," Josie says. "If you can't make a costume for your children, let one of us know and we can help."
"And we will lie about tricking you," Asha adds.
"No lies," I hastily explain to the first person on our list of houses to hit. Maddie stares at me with a blank look on her face as we trip over each other trying to explain how the holiday will work. I wave the skin I've been working on in the air. "I have a list of events, though, and I'll post them in the longhouse. You can choose what you want to participate in, but of course it'd be wonderful if you wanted to be part of everything."
"I love Halloween," Josie burbles, possibly more excited about this than I am.
"I have to make Masan a costume? I can barely sew a regular tunic." Maddie makes a face. "Let me see that list." She scans it. "Oh, an ice maze? That'll be fun. I can help Hassen with that."
"Great—"
"And he's going to want to be part of the football game, too. Been talking about it since last No-Poison," she says with a smile. She reads down the list a bit further. "Bobbing for apples—please tell me we're not having the kids bob for not-potatoes."
"We haven't decided yet—"
"Wait, what the fuck's a cake walk?"
"It's a bit like musical chairs at a carnival," Josie chimes in again. "Where someone plays music and if it stops when you're on the special space, you win a cake. I always wanted to play that."
Maddie eyes me. "Well, I can make something sweet. I don't know if it'd be a cake, but I can make something."
"It doesn't have to be a cake. Just a prize of some kind," I reassure her. "We're going loose with the interpretation."
Maddie thinks for a moment longer. "Okay, I'll do it. I'll even make a costume, though god knows what Masan's going to dress up as. Do adults get to dress up, too?"
"If you want."
A wicked smile curves her mouth. "Oh, I want."
I can only wonder what's going through her mind.