“And witches eat clean people?”
Her smile blew open and burst forth into a wild and crazy laugh.
When it finally died enough, she added, “Some of the best spells are those told on a whim. A woman who found the grandfather of Nardo repugnant told him that. Oh, she didn’t just tell him, word following word and all that. She waited until he’d gone to bed with just enough wine to not think clearly but not so much he’d forget anything. She disguised herself as a witch, hung to the shadow, said some mumbo-jumbo, and then, told him he was so clean and fresh she’d eat him up and swallow him down. They haven’t had a bath unless it’s an accident since then.”
“Didn’t quite work, though.”
“Think so?”
“Three generations later and they are still ticking.”
“And not a princess or noble breaking down their door for a date.”
