Page 38 of Obsidian Prince

"Don't worry about that. It's fine. I just wanted to thank you is all. You told me the red wolf would keep my Lou safe. You warned me to take my children and go visit family out of state so we would be safe, too. You were so right, but I guess you know that."

"Yes, I know that."

"Well, so, here. I made you a pumpkin pie." Janice set the pie on the little round table in front of Liliana. "I know it isn't anything special, but ..." She lifted the lid.

The spider seer's stomach rumbled again. "I like pumpkin pie." It was covered in a layer of whipped cream spread smooth, but with little waves in it from the knife.

Janice Willoughby was an excellent cook. Considering Liliana's current mobility issues, she might have to live on that pie for a few days. Standing up in her kitchen to cook was out of the question.

"A pie doesn't seem like enough. I mean, you've done so much for my family."

"You are my best customer. You always pay me well. Pete saved your husband. I only let you know that you could trust him."

"And fought a lion so that Pete would be there when my Lou needed protection."

"I gave you my word that the red wolf would be there."

"Oh, Anna." Janice blinked fast a few times, then threw herself at the spider seer.

Liliana almost punched her best customer out of defensive reflex but managed to stop in time. She grunted in pain as Janice Willoughby hugged her.

The rabbit-kin apologized so profusely that she stumbled over her words.

"It's all right. I am fine." Liliana managed to give her a smile. She patted her shoulder. "I had my own reasons for fighting the lion. My father was lion-kin. I am a child of the pride."

"You’re a lion’s daughter? If I’d had any idea how dangerous you were, I never would have come to you that first time. But I’m so glad I did.”

Liliana smiled at the tablecloth. “I am glad, too.”

“Is there anything you need? Anything I can help you with?"

Liliana inhaled the scent of sweet cream and pumpkin. She smelled allspice, too, with just a trace of the sweet bite of fresh ginger. "I'm not going to be able to cook for a few days."

The rabbit-kin patted her unbroken arm carefully. "Don't you worry about a thing. I'll make one of my chicken casseroles and bring it over right away."

"That would be nice." Liliana stood up. "I have to call my other customers to cancel their appointments, then I will go back to bed."

"Oh, of course, you poor dear. I'll get out of your way." Janice left, with several more expressions of sympathy and gratitude.

One thing Liliana liked about the rabbit-kin was that she never had to wonder what Janice meant when she talked. Janice was as skilled at social interaction as Liliana was deficient.

The spider seer ate pie with a spoon right out of the round serving dish while she made her phone calls. She put the remainder of the pie in the kitchen before limping back to her bedroom. She wondered if she could maybe get that long hot soak in a bath now, or if she would rather just go back to sleep.

Someone knocked on her front business door again.

Liliana sighed. She painfully limped back to her workspace.

She opened the door without bothering to look first. If it was an enemy, they could just kill her. She would feel better.

It was Marilyn Bradley, the brown-haired lioness. One hand held a large duffel bag slung over her shoulder. The other held her toddler son’s tiny hand.

Liliana tilted her head to the side. "Why are you here, Marilyn Bradley?"

"Oh!" The lioness covered her mouth in shock, just like Janice did when she got her first look at Liliana. For a long moment, the lion-kin stared at her.

The spider-kin hadn't had a chance to look in a mirror, but she suspected she wasn't looking her best. Liliana waited with something she wasn't used to, impatience. Her ankle hurt. She needed to sit down and put it up, preferably with some ice. "Why are you here, Marilyn Bradley?" she asked again.

"I just wanted to ... thank you. And introduce you to my son, Simon."

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