Tangled Magick by Jennifer Carson

Perhaps I will come back a different day.”
    Faria busied her hands fixing the wisps of hair that had broken free from her sloppy bun. “Yes, come back for tea, on Thursday, perhaps. Will that work for you?”
    The wizard smiled. “Thursday will work just fine. Thank you, Mrs. Burrbridge.”
    â€œOh please, call me Faria,” Mrs. Burrbridge said.
    Aletta winked at Leif. “You
do
know, Faria, that a nest of piskies in the house can cause a lot of trouble?”
    â€œWe don’t have any piskies in the house. Good day.” Faria shut the door in Aletta’s face and bustled off to the kitchen, mumbling something about people who thought they knew everything.
    Leif shook his head. What was wrong with his mother? He bolted out the front door but turned when he heard his mother yelling from the kitchen window.
    â€œPick a pie pumpkin for dinner!”
    â€œOkay, Ma!” Leif ran to catch up to the wizard. “I’m so sorry, Aletta. I have no idea why my mom is acting so rude.”
    Aletta laughed and waved a dismissive hand. “Don’t worry about it. Your mom doesn’t want to believe she has a nest of piskies in the house because she’s afraid the village will think she isn’t a good housekeeper.”
    â€œThat’s crazy. Everyone knows my mother’s house is spotless.” Leif stuffed his hands in his pockets and fell into step with the wizard. The morning sun shone off the colorful autumn canopy of the trees at the edge of their pumpkin field.A dozen or so ravens were perched on the fence row. “Where do you think Callum and Mae are on their journey?”
    â€œOh, I don’t know. It’s only been a couple of days. I assume they are drawing close to the town of Larissa sometime today if everything is on schedule.”
    â€œHave you been there? To Larissa?”
    â€œA long time ago.” Aletta’s boot heels clicked on the cobblestone path. She pulled a corner of the cloth back and pulled out a muffin, handing it to Leif. She took one for herself as well. “That’s where I met Callum.”
    â€œAnd you haven’t been back?” Leif licked his fingers. He’d already devoured the muffin. The wizard was still on her first bite. She held the basket out to him, encouraging Leif to take another.
    â€œNo, not since the Trillium War.”
    â€œThe Trillium War?” Leif asked between bites of his second muffin. “I’ve never heard of that one.”
    â€œNo, I suppose you haven’t.” Aletta leaned against the large stone that marked the edge of the Burrbridge farm. She pulled her shawl closer around her shoulders. “It was a war between the humans and the trolls.”
    â€œHow come we’ve never heard of it?”
    Aletta polished off her muffin and brushed the crumbs from the bodice of her dress. “I suppose it’s because the elders don’t want you young hapennies to get any big ideas.”
    â€œThat’s where the armor came from, isn’t it? The copper armor some wore when we fought for the bridge.”
    â€œYes, I imagine.” Aletta smiled and patted Leif’s leg. “Now, don’t go getting me into trouble for telling you.”
    â€œDid the humans win?” Leif asked.
    Aletta’s face fell. “In a manner of speaking, we won. But many were lost that day.”
    A cool breeze raced over the pumpkin field and ruffled the hair on Leif’s ears. “I’m sorry, Aletta.” He placed his hand on her shoulder.
    Aletta sniffled. “I didn’t think I would miss Callum and Mae so much. I’m used to being away and ‘pigging out’—I guess it’s different when you are the one left behind.”
    â€œI miss them too,” Leif said.
    They sat in silence for a while, enjoying the view of the farm and the play of the ravens. Finally, Leif slid off the rock. “I should probably get home. I left all my