After Humanity

Chapter Thirty-One

Magnus

With summer fully upon them, the weather was bright and cheerful. Not yet uncomfortably warm. The spring rains heralded a promising fall harvest and already and corn and tomatoes were coming up quite nicely, the berries plentiful. Alice would have plenty of fruit to bake a few of her famous pies for him to bring to Torvald's summer festivities.

It was an annual tradition on the Kendrick estate, a summer event to celebrate with the entire family and all of their friends. Though always a pleasant respite from work, planning a trip away for more than a day required a certain amount of preparation. Magnus was glad that he had attempted to work with the youngest of his humans before he departed. Having seen for himself Rachel's clear adjustment to her new home, Magnus felt safer leaving her alone.

Though Alice had always been quite efficient at handling his human flock, Magnus knew that his own presence was a further deterrent for any of the animals to step out of line. But with Rachel thriving and the others seeming to have avoided any sort of direct retaliation for the early harvest of two of their own, Magnus felt confident that his trip could go ahead as planned.

When Alice came to meet him to go over his instruction for the estate in his absence however, Magnus was surprised to feel a distinct coldness emanating from her. It was strange. She had seemingly been acting more herself of late. They'd even enjoyed at least one pleasant dinner together the previous week. He wondered what might have changed. Or perhaps he was only imagining things...

"You asked for me?" Alice said, voice flat as she closed the door of his office and locked it as she always did.

"I did," he answered. "I just had a few more things I wished to discuss with you before I set out for my brother's estate."

"Of course."

Magnus gestured to the chair across from him and Alice sat, though he was almost certain he detected her reticence to do so.

"I was hoping to bring a few pies for his guests," he said, trying to maintain a jovial spirit in hopes he was misjudging her affect. "Could that be arraigned by tomorrow afternoon before I set out?"

Alice nodded. "Katherine and I can start the dough this evening and have an assortment ready by noon."

"Wonderful," Magnus said with a smile. "Torvald may boast a larger estate and staff, but even he knows none can rival your culinary prowess, and your pies are always the highlight of the feast."

"I am glad to hear it," she replied, though she did not return his smile. "Was there anything else?"

Her tone was impatient. Was she already trying to leave his presence? Perhaps his sense that she was acting oddly again was not merely paranoia.

"I was in fact going to ask that question of you, Alice," he answered. "I will only be gone for a few days of course, but is there anything you might need? With the lamb and the early vegetable harvest you are adequately stocked yes?"

"I would tell you if I was not," she replied.

Silence fell between them.

"And there is nothing I should know about?" Magnus pressed. Surely something was motivating this ill temper. He hated when she closed herself to him like this. He could hardly remedy whatever was bothering her if she would not disclose the source of her foul mood. "Your flock is well?"

"As well as ever."

"And the child," Magnus prompted.

"What about her?" this time Alice's change in affect was even more apparent. Her voice hard, her face tight.