Changing the World: All-New Tales of Valdemar

“It mean your Ma’ll be anglin’ for another grandbaby, soon.”

“From who?”

His grandfather just shrugged. “Weren’t you sweet on young Ismy Smith once?”

Hektor raised an eyebrow. “You sure, it ain’t you anglin’ for another great-grandbaby, Granther?”

“Maybe. But you was sweet on Ismy once, yeah?”

Hektor nodded cautiously.

“And?” Thomas prodded.

“And . . . she married a saddle maker two years ago.”

“And?”

“And . . . he died,” Hektor admitted reluctantly. “Last winter.”

“And?”

“And nothin’.”

“Nothin’?”

“Nothin’.”

“Hm.” Thomar hunkered down into his shawl. “Pity that. She were a nice girl.” He glanced about the flat with an innocent expression. “I hear Lorin Potter an’ his family from downstairs are movin’ in with his wife’s Da next spring.”

“Oh?”

“Yep. That leaves a flat empty. Sulia says she an’ Aiden might think about takin’ it. There’s even an extra room for Jakon an’ Raik to help ’em out with the rent. We figure that’d give us plenty of room here should someone else maybe get interested in havin’ a family, now that he’s bringin’ in a sergeant’s pay an’ all.”

“Who’s we?” Hektor asked, both amused and a bit annoyed at the same time.

“Me an’ your Ma,” his grandfather answered easily. “An’ Sulia. An’ Paddy.”

“Paddy?”

“Sure, he’s bringin’ in a proper wage as runner. He figures he can put in some to help out now.”

“I s’pose he can.” Hektor stared at the tiny flickering flames behind the stove door. “Not sure I’ll be bringin’ in a sergeant’s pay for long, though,” he said after a moment. “Don’t think I’m suited to it. Aiden woulda made a better choice. I never shoulda been promoted above him. I’m no good at tellin’ folk what to do, whatever the captain says.”

“Bollocks,” his grandfather scoffed. “Aiden’s too bad tempered, just like your Uncle Reed. Your da got promoted above him, an’ they worked it out just fine.”

“It ain’t me an’ Aiden, Granther, it’s me an’ Jakon and Raik.”

His grandfather snorted unsympathetically. “They’ll come around. Keep doin’ what you’re doin’; stick ’em out in the rain until they mind you.” He pulled his shawl more tightly about his shoulders again. “Now, you best be off to bed afore Paddy gets too comfortable with all them covers. Go on now, I’ll head off myself in a bit.”

Hektor nodded. “G’night, Granther.”

“G’night, boy.”

His brothers’ report the next morning was much the same as the day before. They’d taken it in turn to guard the shop inside and out, and, once again, no one had come near. Jakon made it clear that as far as he was concerned, any more time spent on Anvil’s Close was a waste of time.

As the day wore on and there was no word from Edzel, Hektor began to believe they were right.

Just before his shift’s end, he pushed aside the mountain of reports that being a sergeant seemed to involve and headed out to see for himself.

The shop seemed strangely quiet when he arrived. Trisha was wrapping a piece of string around a set of fire tongs for a customer, and Zoe was playing happily with Lillbit behind the counter when he stepped inside.

“Where is everyone?” he asked.

Trisha shrugged. “Tay an’ Edzel are at a guild meetin’,” she said in a resigned tone of voice. “Edzel wants ’em to hire a force of private guards for the Close since he says he got thieved from again last night.”

Hektor blinked. “You’re joking?”

She shook her head. “Apparently one of his moonstones is missin’ now. Edzel just about went off his head this morning when he found out. But at least he ain’t blamin’ Judee no more. She an’ Ben are at the meetin’ too, so it’s just me an’ Zoe here all by our lonesome today, ain’t we, Zo- zo?”

Zoe nodded happily.

“I’ll just go an’ check on our tea,” Trisha continued. “You an’ Lillbit watch the shop for me, all right?”

“We will.” Zoe glanced up at Hektor with a sunny smile. “Lillbit’s glad it’s tea time,” she pronounced, “Cause ’e say’s ’e real hungry.”

He grinned down at her. “Is he now?”

She nodded vigorously. “ ’E wants biscuits an’ jam wif ’is tea. I tol’ Auntie Trisa.”

“Biscuits an’ jam? Really?”

“An’ butter. It’s inna cupboard inna kitchen.” She pointed towards the back. “Lillbit can get inside if I ask ’im too, but Auntie Trisa don’t like ’im in there ’cause ’e gets ’is feet inna butter ’cause ’e knocks the lid off.”

“He’s that smart, is he?”

She nodded. “Lillbit can get inta all sorts a cupboards an’ cases.”

“You talk to him, then?”

“Yeah, an’ ’e talks back.”

A chuckle made Hektor glance up to see Trisha standing in the kitchen doorway holding a tray. “Lillbit’s Zo-zo’s special friend,” she said emphasizing the word special. “Isn’t he, Zo-zo?”

“Yeah.”

“I kinda had one of ’em too,” Hektor admitted. “When I was a little, only no one else could see him except me.”

“No one else can hear Lillbit except Zoe,” Trisha agreed. “Will you stay for tea, Hek? We’re havin’ biscuits an’ jam.”

“An’ butter,” Zoe prompted.

“An’ butter, a course.”