“You never did tell me your name, you know,” Patrick said to me the next day. Grandmother had gone to collect herbs, saying she refused to behave as if she were on her deathbed until she actually was.

Her not-quite childish behavior made me want to sulk. I hadn’t meant to offend her age, I just wanted her to be careful.

I had to stay and watch over Patrick. Hmph.

“Didn’t I?” I said absently as I changed his bandages. He was going to pull it out of me eventually, I knew, but was in a contrary mood. Grandmother was going to get hurt one of these days, wandering around all by herself. Especially with a demon on the loose!

“No, you didn’t.”

“That’s a pity.” I considered giving him a fake name, but then I would just end up embarrassing myself with childish antics. More childish than the one I was currently pulling, that is.

He looked up at me with his green eyes. They seemed to be constantly warm as well as faintly amused. I couldn’t decide if the amusement infuriated me or made me want to smile, too. “Are you going to tell me what it is?”

“Probably.”

“Probably?”

“Eventually,” I amended.

“How long is eventually?”

“Not sure yet.”

“You’re quite stubborn, has anyone ever told you that?”

I paused, a smile curving my mouth, and a laugh escaped me. Had anyone ever told me that! “Nearly every day of my life. I wouldn’t be training to be a ban-draoi if I was a pushover, now would I?”

“Possibly,” he said, “Though doubtful.” We sat in silence for a few moments, and I began to believe he’d given up trying to have a normal conversation with me. I nearly choked on my own spit when he suddenly asked, “You’re not doing this to be coy, are you? It doesn’t seem like you are, but I’m finding it hard to tell for sure.”

My mouth fell open, and then I began roaring with laughter. My mother would be appalled at my behavior, but what can I say? I’d spent far too much time around Liam. “Coy? With you? Oh, that’s rich!”

The offended look on his face only made me laugh harder. It almost looked like he was pouting. “It’s not such a stupid question. You’re quite pretty, and I haven’t seen any husband around.”

“How do you know the man that came in yesterday wasn’t my husband?”

He gave me a shrewd look. “Your grandmother said he was your brother.”

I shook my head, still chuckling. “Well, she was right. I’m going to be an old spinster, Patrick Tiernay. It’s not something I’m exactly proud of, but at this point it’s a fact of life.”

“What about your successor?”

“You mean as the next druid for the village?” I shrugged. “When I grow to be my grandmother’s age, I’ll think of something. Someone will come along, I’m sure.” Another smile twisted my lips, this one far more grim. “Or perhaps the fey will take an interest in me, as my neighbors have predicted.”

“The green folk? You don’t mean tha—”

“I do,” I said, cutting him off. “Where do you think I got my eyes from?”

He snorted. “Don’t listen to those old wives’ tales. They’re just jealous.”

“Of what?” I snapped. This conversation was becoming far too personal for my liking. “Being unnatural?”

“Of course not.” He struggled to sit up, and I pressed him back down.

“Don’t. You don’t want to reopen any of your wounds,” I said as I rose and fetched several sprigs of dried lavender, chamomile, and several other herbs. I crushed and mixed them, then dropped some of it into a cup of warm water. There. If I let the brew steep long enough, it could keep a sow dead to the world for several hours, but all I needed was for Patrick to sleep through the night.

“You’re not unnatural,” he insisted. “You’re human, just like me, just like your family, and just like all those other swine tails out there.”

I couldn’t help but smile a bit. “Swine tails?” I didn’t necessarily agree with him, but I was willing to let it drop.

“You are familiar with the backside of a pig, aren’t you?”

“Not so much as you, dearest Patrick.” I snickered as he put on a wounded face. “Now, drink this. It will help.” I helped him sit up and put the cup to his mouth, tipping it only a little. He took a small sip, cautious, then a larger one. I hid a pleased smile. He’d be out like a light soon enough.

“It’s good. What is it?”

“Tea.”

He rolled his eyes a little, still smiling good-naturedly. “No, I mean, what’s in it?”

“Chamomile, lavender, white willow leaves, some cloves…” I trailed off as his eyes began to flutter. “It’ll help you sleep.”

He did his best to muster a convincing glare, you could tell. “You drugged me, didn’t you…” he sounded incredulous, even through a yawn so big I could see down his throat.

“It will help. You’re the type that would never sleep otherwise.”

“How do you know what type I am?” he accused, then yawned again. “We’ve only just met. …Which reminds me, you never… gave me your name.”

“I didn’t, did I?” I said softly, gently letting him back down onto his mat. He would be asleep in another few moments.

“Don’t start that again.” His eyes closed. “Just tell me.”

“Why?”

“Because.”

I hesitated, but only for a moment. I had said I would tell him. “Robin.”

“Robin?”

“Sleep well, Patrick.”