Chapter 8

Eight

The others are waiting for us when Thomas stops the car and turns off the lights.

"I let them know where we were going," he says, before popping open his door. "Otherwise, they would have hunted us down and who knows where we all would have wound up tonight."

None of them look particularly happy, but it's concern that twists their brows.

It takes me a moment to realize why.

The wolves have gathered close again, even pushing Thomas to the side so they can completely surround me.

"Full moon isn't for another week." Joshua says as I sink my fingers into the thick hair on his wolf's neck.

"Pretty sure they like all of this less than we do."

The wolves don't leave my side until we're in the house and the doors are shut.

"How bad do you think it's going to be?" Chase asks as he takes my coat.

"Until we get it sorted out?" I shrug, shaking my head. "As long as we don't get complacent, there's no reason to be too worried."

"We just want you to be safe. Something's threatening that… we're not going to be happy until we get it figured out."

"Did your grandmother have any answers?"

"Some."

"Answers that can get this witch out of our lives for good?"

"She gave me an option I have no intention of taking… but other than that, it was just clues and news."

"Good news?"

"Yes, but… I need more information before I can talk about that." Because I believe my grandmother, but I have to know she's right before I tell them.

"So, she's haunting you. And we're sure this is a ‘horror movie gotta kill it' kind of haunting, not a ‘Christmas Carol learn your lesson' kind of haunting?"

I have to laugh. "Nothing good comes of a haunting. It takes some seriously bad mojo to come back. Even more to come back and be able to interact in the way she has."

"What do we need to do?"

"I'll have to sever the connection. I just don't know how yet." But reading got me nowhere today. "I need to clear my mind… step away from it to see if anything rattles loose."

"How can we help with that?"

"You can help me with the Yule log."

"Is there anything left?"

I drag the screen away again, revealing the completely cooled ashes and the tiny piece of the Yule log that remains. The latter goes into the silver box and back onto the mantle, the former… I use a bundle of rosemary to sweep the remaining ash into a pan and hand it over to Thomas before I let Joshua help me up.

"I bet this doesn't go into the wastebin, does it?"

"It does not."

"So what does happen to it?" Johnny wrinkles his nose at it and takes a step back.

"All sorts of fun things."

"First thing's first, we need to sift it and get it into its own jar. To the kitchen!"

They move around me, grabbing whatever I direct them to, performing every little inconsequential task, until I have a container of fine Yule log ash in front of me, and a bucket of things that need to be washed in the utility room sink.

"I've got these," Johnny says, hefting the bucket off the counter and taking it to the back.

"And I'm going to go grab more firewood." Joshua has already grabbed his coat. "It never seems to last long enough."

"We, however," Chase says, wrapping his arms around me from behind. "Aren't going anywhere."

"Good. I like you where you are."

"What do you want to do with these?

There were only a few larger chunks in the ashes when we got them sifted, I spread them out on a small tray.

Five… a perfect number.

"Those, we are going to turn into talismans for the new year." I pull a basket from beneath the counter. "And, since you asked… you get to pick from the envelopes."

He gives me an odd look, but plucks one of the small envelopes out and I stash the others away again.

When I pour the contents into my hand… "Dill. The new year should bring protection, increased energy, joy, and good luck."

"Because I picked an envelope?"

"Because the Goddess led you to pick that envelope. And because we are going to add this to the talismans."

"More jewelry to wear?" Chase asks, shaking his head so his amber earring waves around.

"I'd probably suggest you keep these somewhere visible, usually with you, but not on your person."

"So I'll hang it from my rear-view mirror?" Chase suggests. "The new car needs something to make it stand out."

I roll my eyes at him. "We'll make those when the others are back. One each."

I slide the bowl of ashes to them and a second one as well. They know where the measuring spoons are.

"Measure out a tablespoon of that for me?" I ask as I pull a small bowl of currants from the counter and a jar of crushed acacia gum from the back of one of the cabinets.

"What sort of potion are you making?" Thomas asks, leaning on the counter and looking at the items with narrowed eyes.

"No potion, just quill ink." I crush the currants, straining their juice into a small bowl and adding the gum. "The perfect thing to write any holiday missives in. And new year promises… all the fun things."

Because I refuse to accept that this year might not keep the promises I've already made.