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It wasn’t beat up or missing parts like what you’d expect if you were lucky enough to come across one in an antique store.

It looked like it was as new as the day the artist applied the finishing touches.

It was a white stallion proudly tossing his glorious, long mane and looking defiant.

I knew it was a stallion because his smooth-edged teeth were showing.

Mares only bare teeth if they’re truly crazy.

His red and green, jewel-encrusted saddle was trimmed in gold leaf with black accents. Gorgeous.

“What?” I realized Maggie had been talking. Apparently, she’d asked a question and was waiting for my reply. “Sorry. I was mesmerized by this.”

With more effort than it should’ve taken, I managed to pull my gaze away and acknowledge Maggie. She normally wore water shades, every hue of blue or green, but she was wearing a deep cranberry dress that made her cheeks and lips rosy. “Wow. You look great in that color. You never wear red.”

“’Tis true. Thank ye kindly for noticin’. Thought I’d make an effort to look a bit spicier for the season.”

Spicier? I didn’t think that word meant what she thought it meant. But that’s not what I said. What I said was, “Good call. And it fits right in with some ideas I’ve had for decorating.”

“I heard Lily took a delivery of fresh greenery.”

“Heard the same thing. We need to claim some before it’s gone. If we want to take the prize for best dressed shop, we have to bring our A game.”

“Oh, well, we can no’ actually take the prize. ‘Twould no’ be seemly since ‘tis your contest and all.” She smiled brightly. “But we can show ‘em how ‘tis done!”

I laughed. “Exactly.” The horse nagged at my attention until I couldn’t help but turn to look at him again. “You know, he should be our focal point.”

Maggie’s head swiveled to look like she hadn’t seen him before. “That horse?”

“Yes.”

After a few seconds’ lull, she said, “What’s a focal point?”

“The thing that grabs you visually. OH!” I exclaimed and clapped my hands like a Hallmark movie.

“Let’s put him in the front window and decorate him with greenery, little white lights, and red and white roses.

Then we’ll frame the outside of the window with greenery, stems bursting with red berry clusters.

And more lights. When it comes to holiday lighting, more is more, don’t you agree?

People will run to look at our display and then, of course, want to come in and be enchanted by something… um, enchanting.”

Maggie was staring dubiously at all the stuff currently in the front window.

“’Tis quite a job of work you’re proposin’.

” She sized up Thunder. Yes. I’d already named him.

Maggie put her hands on her hips in a gesture that, for Maggie, meant there were tasks that required her attention.

“As to the horse. First, the thing is likely heavier than yer thinkin’.

Raisin’ it into the window would require either queen-sized magic or four men. ”

“I know a queen.”

“So you do. But, second, we have no’ yet completed the analysis.”

My head jerked back to Thunder. “You mean he’s not mundane?”

“Can no’ be positive till Dolan is done.”

“Is there, um…?”

I was staring at the horse when I noticed my heart rate had kicked up a couple of notches. Maggie, bless her soul, figured out where my thoughts had gone when I’d stopped mid-sentence.

“No. No. Nothin’ like that, Magistrate. The thing is no kelpie.

And no’ related to them either.” I felt instantly relieved.

“Does no’ mean it’s no’ got a distasteful side though, does it?

” Looking at his teeth and the sheen in his eyes that were so lifelike, I had to admit that distasteful expresses itself in many faces in the magic world.

“Let’s just see when Dolan finishes his tests. ”

“When will that be?”

She shrugged. “Oh. You know Dolan.”

I stopped and thought about that. Truthfully, after over a year in Hallow Hill, I couldn’t say that I did know Dolan.

Or his sister, who worked in my own household.

Both were mysterious in their way. And that went counter to everything I’d thought about brounies.

I’d always imagined them a gregarious lot bent on party hardy.

I’d have to ask my authority, Evie, next time I saw her.

“How about a guess? Later today, maybe?”

Maggie laughed. “’Tis clear you’re taken with the thing, Magistrate. Makes a body wonder if it has somethin’ just a bit special.”

I’d had the same thought. What if I was being hypnotized by a fae artifact?

“So, humans can’t see him? I mean…” I started to say other humans who didn’t get the benefit of a little magic, but decided there might be such a thing as over clarification. “Well. You know what I mean to say.”

“Indeed, I do. You mean humans who are no’ special, such as yerself.”

I grinned, loving the way she put things. “Right. Special humans such as myself.”

“Can’t tell until Dolan finishes,” she said for the third time, which could only mean I was being a pest. “Or we could test it out on a human. Got one handy?”

I’d lost the thread when I started thinking about being a special human and wasn’t sure what she meant.

“No?”

She scoffed. “Where’s yer head today, Magistrate? No. Regular humans won’t be able to see the horse unless it proves to be mundane. If it’s magical, ‘twould look like we skipped decoratin’ for Yule. Empty window and all.”

“I know.” I gave Thunder a look, then my brain caught up with what Maggie had said. “Hey! You can’t talk to your boss like that. And, for the eleventy-billionth time, call me Rita!”

She scoffed. “Rita’s a lovely name. But there’s only one magistrate!”

“I’d bet my last pound there’s only one living Rita Hayworth!”

What was I doing? Arguing with Maggie was futile.

Returning my gaze to the gorgeous steed, I said, “I need to know when Dolan will be done, um, having a look?”

She slipped the handle of her feather duster into the long pocket of her apron that was the exact same shade as her dress and said, “He’s in the back. If it’s important, why don’t we ask him?”

Dolan was holding a paintbrush with concentration, bent over a piece that resembled a ladybug, about the size of a respectable snapping turtle.

“’Tis your lucky day, brounie,” Maggie told him. “The boss would like a word.”

I looked at Maggie. There was some question in my mind as to whether or not that was sarcasm. I couldn’t get a hint by studying her passive expression, so I decided to let it go.

“Dolan,” I said. As expected, he didn’t react in any way. Not verbally. Not physically. “I can see you’re busy, but I really, really, really want to know if the beautiful white horse is magical or mundane. Could we maybe move confirmation up on your priority list?”

He straightened and looked directly at me. Something he’d probably done only once or twice since I’d arrived in Hallow Hill. After staring until I began to fidget, he tossed the paintbrush into a jar of thinner, stood, and marched past Maggie and me toward the front of the store.

We followed.

He stood in front of the horse for a couple of seconds and then withdrew a tool that looked exactly like a tuning fork. He struck the blunt end against the pommel of the saddle, then held the forked end near the head.

“Human.” That was all he said. He put the fork back in his pocket and disappeared into workroom where we’d found him.

“Maggie,” I said. “Do you think everything is alright with Dolan?”

“In what way?”

“Well. He… just doesn’t communicate?”

“He communicates, Rita. Didn’t ye hear him say ‘mundane’?”

I nodded vigorously. “I did. Yes. I did. It’s just that he employs an unusual economy of words.”

“Oh, that.”

“Yes. That.”

“’Tis just the way of brounies. Same as Olivia, is it no’? You can no’ think she’s much to say.”

“I suppose. Well. Thank you for getting my answer right away. I didn’t want to get further into plans to make him the centerpiece of the Yule decoration if he couldn’t be seen by human customers. Or if he might be up to no good.”

Maggie put her hands on her hips. “For certain we’d no’ be wantin’ magical mischief at this time of year.”

“Or any other time of year.”

“Well, ‘tis true that.”

“Just to be one hundred percent sure, when Dolan says ‘human’, that means…”

“Good to go.”

I chuckled. “Maggie, Americanisms are sounding more and more natural coming from you.”

“No’ sure if ‘tis a good thing, but glad you’re pleased.”

“Pleased and going to Lily’s to grab greenery before it’s picked over.”

“We’ll be needin’ Evie to put that thing into the window.”

“I’ll find out when she can come. I may need help carrying greenery. I had intended for Keir to do it, but he’s disappeared behind pub doors.”

“Dolan could help with that,” she said.

“Well, you’ll have to be the one to ask.”

“Why?”

Why indeed. Could I admit to Maggie that Dolan scares me a little?

“Um. Well. He’s far too busy. And his time is better spent in the workroom. Right?”

Instead of answering, she squinted her eyes, and I got the message. She was onto me.

I don’t know how she could convey pity with a chuckle, but Maggies if gifted in that way. “Scared of Dolan, are ye, Magistrate?”

“Rita. Call me Rita.”

“I’m makin’ a point, Magistrate.”

“Which is?”

“You’re the most powerful individual in the whole of fairie. How can you be spooked by a brounie? Particularly one in your employ?”

My shoulders dropped. I drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Being reminded of my power as magistrate was becoming a pattern. “I’m not exactly spooked. To use your word. I just… am not sure I can explain.”

“You have a preference for creatures who are over-communicative.”

“Over-communicative? I wouldn’t say that…”

“Aye. Indeed. Havin’ failed to develop your ability to see the hearts of others, you rely on babble. Which is the least reliable means of sizin’ up who someone is.”

Her argument was sound. She might even have nailed it.