Chapter 8

Katie

The cold air hit me the moment I opened the front door, leaving no doubt in my mind that winter was well and truly underway. Not that the white frozen grass wasn't already an indication.

It crunched under my boots as I walked, almost making a shrieking sound, and my breath came out as a white cloud. Some of the icy wind found its way under my coat, sending a deep chill throughout me.

I reached underneath to pull my shawl tighter around my neck, only for the overwhelming reminder of Brew's scent to fill my nose. I must not have worn this shawl since the night at the tavern, and it still lingered there. It was musky, grassy, and slightly sweet. There was something comforting about it, like having his scent around me made me feel as if I could face anything, especially the cold of the winter morning. I took a moment to breathe it in, even if that was going to risk making me more confused about my feelings towards him.

Banjo barked happily into the morning, stealing the rooster's job of waking everyone up. Though I imagined that a lot of people would already be awake, especially with those who did the night shift starting to return to their homes.

"Shush," I told Banjo, glad to have a distraction from Brew's scent.

He wagged his tail and bounced along the path, pausing at the fork in the road with an expectant look on his face. He was such a demanding dog, I was certain that some days he thought I was a sheep who needed herding sometimes.

Banjo immediately went on alert, his tail high in the air and his stance saying that he was ready for anything. It was only when my brother appeared from the other side of the farmhouse with a basket of eggs in his hand that he relaxed.

"Eggs?" I asked.

"Hana asked me to bring her some," he said.

I raised an eyebrow. "I thought the Steepers got their eggs at the market?"

He sighed. "I lost them in a bet with Hana the other night at the tavern," he admitted.

"What? When?"

"I don't know, it was when you were outside with Brew."

"I wasn't outside with Brew," I deny a little too quickly.

"Huh, well you went outside, and then he did. I assumed you were just talking about something. He must just have gone home."

I touched my shawl without thinking. Why did I feel the need to deny my conversation with Brew to my brother?

No, that was a dumb question. I knew exactly why I denied it. "We should get going," I said, waving vaguely to the path.

He nodded, suppressing a yawn as he did. "I hate winter. I miss the sun. If only it was summer."

That made me laugh. "Like summer guarantees sun. With the weather all over the place, we might have a cold summer too."

"Let's hope not, for the sake of the crops."

"Or let's hope one of the Brewsters is successful in bringing a pair of weather witch twins back with them," I said.

"Mmm, that would make a difference. Though I don't understand how weather witch twins even work."

"No one does," I responded. "But they work, so that's what we need. The Spire said they had some, so maybe Zoe will be able to bring some back."

"Maybe." He didn't seem convinced but not bothered by it either. He whistled with his fingers and held out his arm.

I winced at the sight of his unprotected coat. His skin was easily fixable by the tea witch medics, but the fabric of his coat wasn't going to be as straightforward to mend. But I had to remember that Oliver was responsible for his own clothing and belongings.

A gust of wind made me shiver and I didn't notice Howie's presence until his shadow was on my face. He descended in absolute silence, not a feather out of place. His talons curled into Oliver's arm, instantly drawing blood.

"Ouch!" Oliver grimaced in pain. "Gently, Howie, gently."

I wasn't sure if it was my imagination, but the owl looked guilty and gave Oliver a little affectionate peck. While it wasn't perfect, it seemed like they were getting used to each other.

Banjo barked demandingly at some birds flying overhead and went off to the left just like we did every day, eager to get out on his patrol.

"I'll see you in the middle," Oliver said as he turned right.

"All right, but your detour to the Steepers' house doesn't mean I need to do more steps," I told him. "You lost the bet, not me."

He sighed dramatically. "Fine." He waved and disappeared onto his patrol.

I nodded and followed my dog through our lands for my daily inspection. As monotonous as it sounded, there were always some fences that needed to be fixed, complaints to be heard, and unexpected issues to handle. That was the nature of the job and my purpose as one of the leaders in the community. If there was nobody to listen, things festered and could quickly upset the order in the settlement.

I hadn't really understood the importance of it when I was younger, but it had become a welcome part of my day since.

With my brisk pace, it didn't take long for me to reach the ward settlement where I was supposed to meet Oliver. He wasn't there yet but another familiar figure came my way, hands deep in his pockets and a scarf wrapped tightly around his neck. It was a bit of a comical sight, thick scarf, no coat, but it certainly suited Brew.

I raised my hand, waving to get his attention. He smiled in response and crouched down to greet an excited Banjo barrelling his way. His deep laughter vibrated through the morning air and my familiar's tail knew no stopping.

Banjo pressed his nose deliberately against Brew's pocket and it made him laugh.

"Oh, can you smell the jerky?" He held out a piece of dried meat and dangled it alluringly in the air.

Banjo sat down obediently, his gaze locked onto the treat. He was so focused, his tail even stopped wagging. He was only ever so still when he knew he was going to get a delicious treat.

"Catch!" Brew tossed the treat in the air and Banjo snapped it up before it had a chance to land on the ground.

Adorable.

"Hey, you," I said when I reached the two of them, realising as I did that it sounded kind of flirty, which I needed to be careful with. I didn't want him to think I was assuming anything just because of what he'd said when he was a little tipsy.

Brew smiled. "Hello, Katie. Out on your morning patrol, I see."

"Same as every day." I cleared my throat. "You on your way to the infirmary?"

He nodded. "I have an early shift today. There's an influx of the flu in the ward settlement so we have a lot on our plate."

It was rare to see him serious like this but when it came to the infirmary, he always was. It was because of this that I knew he wasn't just a jester who made everything into a joke, which begged the question... Had he been joking outside the tavern?

I looked up at him, only now realising how tall he really was. Had he always been this tall?

"Brew..."

A shriek cut through my sentence and Oliver appeared from around the bend, running with his hands covering his head. Howie was chasing him in what was either a game or a fight, it was hard to tell.

"That doesn't look good," Brew remarked dryly.

"You might have to treat Oliver again," I replied.

"It seems that way." He let out a breath of white air. "I should go and get to the infirmary so I'll be ready for when your brother comes in."

For some reason, that felt like an excuse to get away from me although I saw no reason for why. If he was truly interested like he said that night, why was he avoiding me? The Brew I knew wasn't someone who would give up so easily on something he wanted, which could only mean that it had just been more of his typical empty advances.

I knew it.

A tightness gripped my chest but I ignored it. I had no reason to be upset, I didn't even feel the same way. Brew was Brew, nothing more, nothing less.

I whistled to get Banjo's attention and patted my thigh. "Heel. Come on, Banjo-boy. We're leaving."

"Katie..." Brew's words died on his lips and he just raised his hand. "See you around."

"See you," I responded, a little too dazed to be able to say anything else. What had been on his mind? It was impossible to tell, and I didn't want to push him further than he was willing to go.

Even if that was leaving me disappointed.