"You wouldn't happen to know anything about Web sites, would you? We're trying to start a social network for liches called Lichbook, but our Web person got sucked up by that fiendish Brother Ailwin, and we haven't had time to replace her."
"Lichbook, hmm? I might be able to lend a hand with that," Eleanor allowed before turning to Alec. "I still expect you to find a way to send me home, if I do stay for a bit to help out this nice woman."
He bowed. "I will do all that I can to make you happy, Eleanor."
She snorted in derision, but said nothing more, leaving him hopeful that they might be able to have a little respite to take care of more troublesome problems before tackling hers.
She's not what I expected, Cora told him, squeezing his hand. You're not panicking, are you?
Not yet, no. Thank you for asking, though.
OK, good. Just let me know if you need me.
He thought the day would never dawn when he wouldn't need her, but luckily, she was too involved in watching the union lichmaster to chase his thoughts.
"Now, if you're quite ready, I'd like to get the summoning done, so I can get back to my members. We're planning a rally to be held in Monte Carlo next month, and you wouldn't believe how far off track the planning committee has gotten. Liches," Jane confined to Cora, who stood nearest her, "are absolutely horrible when it comes to organization."
"Are they?" Cora asked. "Then it's good they have you."
"Yes." Jane beamed at her. "It is. Shall we get started? "
Alec had seen a few ceremonies over the centuries, but never one to effectively steal a lich from one master to another. He assumed there would be a certain amount of ritual, however, and he wasn't mistaken.
Jane began the ceremony by asking Pia for some personal belonging of Ulfur's.
"I'm afraid the only thing we have is this," Pia answered, pulling out a small wad of yarn.
"Yarn?" the lichmaster asked, looking askance.
"No, it's Ulfur's horse. A very nice Summoner taught me how to bind spirits to things, so we bound the horse to this so we could bring him here. Ragnor, we need you now."
Cora scooted closer to him as the ghostly horse appeared out of nothing, bobbing its head up and down a couple of times before it tried to take a bite out of Kristoff.
"Don't even think about it," the latter told the horse, who just laid back his ears and snorted.
Is that what I think it is?
It is.
Cora whistled to herself. A ghost horse. OK. Horses can be ghosts. Don't you think I'm handling this really well, Alec?
I think you're acclimatizing yourself to the Otherworld very well, yes. Are you, by any chance, the one who is freaking out?
No! Not over a ghost horse. Cora looked at Ragnor as the horse snuffled her front. She put out a wary hand to pat it, but her hand passed right through its neck. OK, maybe a little.
He put an arm around her, kissing the top of her head. You have nothing to fear, love. I will not allow anything, mortal or immortal, to harm you.
You know, that sort of an attitude could be cloying and very annoying.
But you understand my need to protect you and cherish you, he said, making it a statement and not a question.
Something like that.
Jane the lichmaster seemed to be suffering the same sort of surprise as Cora. "A horse. Yes. Well. Can it take a corporeal form?"
"For short periods, yes," Pia answered. "Ragnor?"
The horse's form solidified. Cora pressed against Alec. Not because I'm afraid, she told him.