Page 81 of Cosy & Chill
Of Treasures and Doorways
“I never believed that Roisin’s treasure existed.” Leo climbed into bed carrying a platter filled with roast beef and horseradish sandwiches and a bowl of crisps. They’d both been too wired to sleep when they’d gone to bed, and hearing Roisin pace the living room hadn’t helped.
They’d talked instead, mostly about Roisin. Wondered whether she’d find it hard to leave the human world behind after all the years she’d lived here. Whether she was looking forward to going home or whether she might be afraid of doing so. Finding the amulet had unsettled her, as if she’d never truly believed she’d find it at all.
When the back and forth of soft steps beneath them finally stopped, they’d snuggled deep into their quilt and wrapped around each other. Only to find themselves still wide awake an hour later.
“I’ve texted the Tienfields,” Finn said as he took the platter to let Leo settle under the quilt.
“At four in the morning?”
“They can read it when they get up. I hope they have an evening free between now and Tuesday.”
“What did you write?”
Finn smirked. “Found a treasure trove. Need to meet with you both.”
“You did not.”
“I did. Is Roisin still downstairs?”
“I didn’t see her.” Leo bit into a sandwich, sniffling at the bite of the horseradish. It was too late for a midnight feast and far too early for breakfast, but neither of them could sleep. In a little while, Leo supposed, they’d get up and start restocking the store ahead of opening again when the church clock struck nine. This would be their life from now on. Opening times, closing times, deliveries, accounts…
“I can’t imagine not being woken at ridiculous o’clock every morning,” he said.
“Agreed. We barely know her but… I’m going to miss her. There’s so much I’ve yet to ask.” Finn cleared his throat and bit into his sandwich, distracting himself with mundane things like chewing and swallowing. “I hope she can bring herself to stay for a couple more days. I don’t want to explain a hoard of coins to the Tienfields without her there.”
“Me neither. Even if we said we found it while opening up the fireplace it wouldn’t make sense. Not if it’s a Saxon hoard.”
“Unless someone else found the treasure and re-hid it. Maybe during the Blitz.”
Leo shook his head. “Now you’re sounding like—”
“Don’t say a fairy tale!”
Their laughter held a watery edge, but itwaslaughter.
“He took your purse and disappeared?” Mrs Tienfield’s eyes were round as saucers and filled with concern for a young—or not so young—lady she’d never met before this day.
“I may have had a bit too much mead,” Roisin admitted. “Hard to say after all these years. I was young, foolish, and lust-drunk. Rather than keep the amulet on my person, I put it in my scrip.”
They were sharing the dining table with Roisin and the Tienfields, and Leo was happy to leave the conversation to the three of them. Running a knitting store in the week before Christmas was harder than he’d imagined, and he and Finn struggled to stay awake past eight o’clock at night. On the plus side, their first five days of trading had yielded decent profits. It wouldn’t stay that busy, Leo knew that, but in January they’d have the café to augment sales and…
Finn’s touch brought him back to the room.
“I’m sorry you never found that man again,” Mrs Tienfield said.
“So am I. I would have torn him limb from limb with great precision.” There was something savage in Roisin’s tone as she admitted that, and Finn shuddered. She saw it and grinned. “It was a violent time. None of ye would have survived a week.”
“I must admit, I can’t quite wrap my head around it all,” Mr Tienfield said. “I always thought there was more to the world. More than we can see, I mean, but to have it confirmed is rather overwhelming. Do all fae grow up knowing about humans?”
“Same as ye grow up knowing about fae.”
“Not quite the same, surely,” Mrs Tienfield disagreed. “We grow up believing you’re characters from stories, not real people from a world beyond.”
“We’re real enough.”
“And immortal.”
