The Hob's Bargain

and what we need to do to stop it.”
    Caefawn grinned at my peremptory tone. “Patience is not one of your virtues, is it? Very well.” He spread his hands wide in open imitation of Wandel beginning a story. He had been spying on the village. “Elemental spirits are the guardians of the world. They preserve the order. The mountain is an elemental, too—although less powerful than the earth spirit. The river has a spirit, too. I saw her myself a few weeks ago. When I lived here before, the valley belonged to an earth spirit more powerful than the mountain or river because of the villagers’ celebrations and sacrifices. As far as I know, the bloodmage’s meddling sent them all to sleep, and they are slowly awakening.”
    Was the hob one of the mountain spirit’s minions, as the earthens belonged to the earth spirit? “So the earth spirit who guards this valley is awake and angry. Do you know why?”
    The hob shrugged, leaning one shoulder against a tree trunk. Shadows covered his upper body. “Because your people farm the land and forget to ask permission and give thanks. The spirit, unlike the water guardian, who is fickle and mischievous, is a formal creature at heart.” “Why didn’t you tell me about this before?” I asked.
    â€œThe mountain reminded me,” he replied apologetically. “As I told you, my memories are foggy. It has been a long time, and I didn’t deal with other guardians much.”
    â€œSo I need to go talk to the earth spirit.” It didn’t sound like the smartest thing to do. Then again, if he killed me, I wouldn’t have to worry about next summer. “Why me? Why not you? Aren’t you the one who’s supposed to save the village?”
    The hob grinned. “It has to be a spirit speaker.” He dug the base of his staff into the dirt, making a hillock of earth. “Your village is lucky to have one. Do you remember what happened with the skeleton in the manor?”
    As if I could forget. When I wasn’t having nightmares about marrying bloodsucking demons, I was dreaming of skeletons with glowing yellow eyes. I nodded shortly.
    â€œIt often goes with the visions, I think. Summoning the dead is something only a spirit speaker can do. If you were a bloodmage, you would be a necromancer….” Hestopped, considering his words. “I’ve heard the bloodmages took all the mageborn. How is it they didn’t take you?”
    â€œWomen don’t make good bloodmages.”
    The hob snorted. “Fools! Magic comes where it will. And women are capable of as much evil as men.”
    â€œMy good luck they were fools,” I said. “My brother wasn’t so lucky.”
    â€œYour brother is a bloodmage?”
    â€œNo. My brother died so he wouldn’t become one.”
    â€œAh.” The hob let Quilliar’s death rest in the night.
    A chill crept over my spine, and I twisted to look behind me. Thin white wisps clung to the branches and roots of the trees that bordered the temple graveyard. I froze, staring at them.
    â€œDon’t worry,” said the hob softly. “The talk of death draws them. They won’t hurt us. The graveyard has been restless lately—too many newly dead.” Poul had said something of the like the day I’d ridden to fetch the hob.
    â€œGhosts?” My throat felt dry, and I took a step closer to the hob, who had ceased to scare me. The memory of his magic was especially comforting.
    Caefawn looked unperturbed. “Just a few of the restless ones, who have not yet gone on. Tell them to sleep.”
    A soft wisp touched my head and slowly took on a more solid form. As if my skin had allowed him to remember his form, Touched Banar sat on the ground and cuddled against my leg. He’d been small though wiry, but huddled next to me, he looked no older than a child. His thin hair was ruffled. Soot from the smithy fires smudged his face and clothes. The only thing different was the fear in his face.
    Death should put an end to fear. But in Banar’s eyes I saw the terror of his last moment. Pity drove away my jitters.
    â€œGo to sleep,” I said, using the words the hob had given me. “It’s time to rest.” I looked at the rest of the wisps, hoping Daryn and my family weren’t among them. “Go to sleep. You’re safe now.”
    They drifted back through the trees, some more slowly than