Package of Raisin

Fire and Snow

The wood cutter's house stood alone up here in the woods, and though it was storming snow, Raisin waited by the door and did not enter. He stomped in a little circle. Most of the men where in the barn. They were out of the weather there, but also away from the hysteria of the woman inside the house.

The local lad, Conlin, had led them up here, but Dekker had been the one to go inside. He was older, calmer. No one envied him the duty. The woman's husband was three days dead, but that wasn't the half of it. She swore she'd been with him just last night.

Dekker came outside and shut the door on an awful sobbing.

"She's in a state. Won't believe he's dead." The man's voice held pity, enough even to cover the anger he'd arrived with. "Says he was here last night, wearing her locket." He spat into the snow.

Local custom had it a husband wore a locket bearing the image of his wife. That was fine, only the spy they'd been hunting turned out to be a demon, and a shape-changing Incubus besides. It wasn't her husband had been here last night.

"Had our leather folder on him, she says. Didn't know why. Didn't say why he was back home neither. Didn't ask nor care." Dekker shook his head. "Folder ain't here though. You can check with your magic if you think it'll help."

Raisin shook his head. "Save me magic for our spy."

Dekker paused. "Fire's no help against a demon."

There was fire in Raisin's eyes, and Dekker wondered.

"O there's fire and then there's fire," promised Raisin. "Just you wait and see. Even a demon will burn."