Witching Time (The Wild Hunt #14) - Yasmine Galenorn Page 0,19

window sent me shrieking and I grabbed the door, ready to body-slam anybody who might be trying to break in my car.

“Raven! It’s me!” There stood Llew, with Jordan right behind him.

Relaxing, I took a deep breath and then let it out slowly as I opened the door, shaking my head. “You need to stop doing that, dude. Ever since Pandora, my reflexes are lightning-quick and I just about belly-punched you with my car door.”

Llew’s face fell. “I’m sorry. I never even thought about it. You ready to go?”

I nodded, gathering my purse and my reusable shopping bags. “I’m good to go.”

Making sure I had keys in hand, I stepped out of the car before locking it. I tucked the keys in my pocket rather than my purse. I had learned a few tricks over the past few months, and one was to always have some cash, your phone, and keys on you instead of in your purse. It made it easier if somebody tried to waylay you.

We headed over to the entrance line. There were a good number of people around—Rain and Marigold had a lot of customers and were making a name for themselves as local artisans. As we bought our tickets, the girl selling them gave us a big smile. It was Marigold’s daughter, Evie, from a prior marriage.

“Evie! How are you? Where’s your mother?” I glanced around, wondering where Marigold was.

“She’s over in the barn, helping set up for the preserves contest. There’s also an artisans’ contest and several other events she’s overseeing. I keep telling her the festival is big enough that we need help, but she’s convinced we can handle everything by ourselves.” Evie looked frustrated. “We were run ragged last year. I don’t even want to think about what this year will be like.”

Llewellyn handed her thirty dollars. “Here. I know we’re vendors and we already paid our fee for the booth, but tonight we’re just here for fun, so I insist on paying an entrance fee.”

Evie ducked her head. “Thanks. We’re not sure what the news about the dragons will do to our clientele.”

“While I think people are staying closer to home, I wouldn’t worry too much. The real frenzy and fear haven’t started yet. They will, but it’s still early in the war and people aren’t sure what’s going to happen.” I shrugged. “But in a few months, I think attitudes will start to shift. I do know that my clients over the past month have begun to ask more troublesome questions, especially about whether their loved ones who are deceased are in danger of being turned into a ghoul or a zombie or one of the vrykos.”

Llew glanced at me. “I didn’t know that. I’ve been seeing an uptick in sales of protection charms, especially against ghosts, spirits, and all sorts of the undead.”

“I hope you’re bringing plenty of those to sell tomorrow,” Evie said.

Llew nodded. “Raven recommended that I do.” He glanced at the line forming behind us. “All right, we’re causing a backup, so we’ll go in and just poke around.”

Evie stamped our hands with a green pumpkin stamp. “You’re good to go. Tomorrow it will be a different color, different stamp, so drop by when you come in to set up your booth. The gates open at eleven, so I advise being here by at least ten.”

“We will,” Llew said as we headed through the gates.

The farm was ablaze with lights. Orange and purple twinkle lights were everywhere, and occasional old-fashioned gas lamps that looked like they were from the turn of the century—1900, not 2000—were conveniently placed around to illuminate the paths the women had created through the fair. They were modernized to be LED, though, and shone bright and clear.

To one side was a petting zoo. I leaned over the railings to look at the baby animals. From where I was standing, I could see a llama, three baby goats, a little piglet, a foal, a couple baby burros…and I had a feeling there were more animals behind the miniature barn that had been built to give the kids a chance to get away from scrutiny if they became overwhelmed.

“I want a baby goat.” I waggled my finger at the nearest one as it kicked its heels.

“You have three ferrets and a gargoyle. You do not need a baby goat.”

“Well, it could eat the grass,” I said, glancing at Llew.

“Yeah, and your flowers, and your siding and everything else it could think of to get