Exton

 

Panther raises her head, flicking an ear at the bee hovering above her half closed eyes. Gracie pats the Big Cat and chuffs softly. The Cat snorts at her and watches as the bee lands on the back of the little girl's hand. Gracie stifles a giggle as the creature walks in a circle, then buzzes its wings. She buzzes back at it and it takes off, zipping towards the woods.

Tomas leans close to his sister, glancing at the adults. "What did it say?"

Gracie looks up, watching the adults before answering. "The Spider lady is gone, and the stinky men with her. They taste like garbage and spiders to the bugs. They'll member them. The tree people in the woods too. Unca Mortis threw magic at them." She grins. "It scared them away!"

She frowns, looking off through the trees. "Wish I could do stuff like Unca Mortis. I woulda let it hit her for makin Tara sick."

Both children look up guiltily as Stoney scoops them up in his arms. "It is Uncle Mortuis, not Uncle Mortis. And did you think that, maybe, he missed them on purpose?"

Across the woods, in his private lab, the Sorcerer closes his eyes, wincing beneath his hood.