Garlands & Ghosts

By Sara Tiger Ryan

Sazzy plans to get in some fun and relaxing drawing time during her winter holiday at Dusty's grandparent's estate on Wild Fire Lake. Drawing is as close, now, as she can get to Kimeriel Magichand, since that time line closed to her.
But it seems proximity to Kimeriel has sparked the magic in her art talent up to new and unexpected heights.
She begins drawing people she can't see.
Which she soon discovers means drawing ghosts she can't see.
When Sazzy draws a skeleton bricked up in the Kincaid's Rose Parlor fireplace, she puts her art tools and pad of paper in the bottom of her trunk and piles her dirty clothes on top.
Unfortunately this doesn't take care of the issue and soon she is agonizing over how to tell the Kincaids. And whether Dusty will desert her and their private spy agency over her troublesome new talent.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sara Tiger Ryan
• Release date: Nov 15, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463798645

Sara Tiger Ryan

Sara Tiger Ryan was born in New Hampshire. She now lives in Florida with her 2 cats. Make that minus one charming boy cat, add in a Mama cat who brought me 5 kittens--all of them adorable! Sara started writing novels in 1973 in high school study hall and hasn't stopped (for long) yet. She started out writing fantasy and added mystery. She also writes metaphysical non-fiction. Ryan was active in the small press in the mid 90's, and had her own 'zine, Star Triad.

Book preview

Garlands & Ghosts

Miss Kitty Mystery 10

A Holiday Mystery

Sara Tiger Ryan

All characters herein are entirely fictional.

Author’s Note:

All the work (writing & art) herein is copyright Sara Tiger Ryan, Tiger Moon Press. Smashwords Ebook Edition, December 2017.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re—sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting this author’s work.

dedicated to

Andy Burton

Thanks for the stone masonry and

fireplace information and advice.

(Any mistakes still

herein are all mine.)

Table Of Contents

1 Art Magic

2 Kincaid Estate

3 Relatively Speaking

4 A Trip To Chaddrel

5 Gathering Day

6 Decorating Day

7 A Scary Picture

8 Gifting Day

9 A Skating Party

10 A Fate For Everyone

11 Jade Kincaid

12 A Bubbly Morning

13 A Midnight Chance

14 Making Waves

15 Bricks & Bones

16 A Murder Unsolved

17 News From Skyland

Appendices

Cast of Characters

Map of Conyor Ness

Map of Vantage

About Sara

Other Books by Sara

All My Miss Kitty Mysteries

Miss Kitty Mystery 11, Races & Rogues, 1st chapter

Chapter 1

Art Magic

1897

First Fates Entire 6

Fair Fates 2

KnifeKissingday

Sazzy stared in dismay at the portrait she had just finished. Where had the face over Breck's heart come from? She certainly didn't remember drawing it.

Does Breck have a secret love? Dusty, her private spy partner, asked lightly, pausing behind her on his way from his office, through hers, to the hallway.

I hope not.

Maybe you could draw the abductor.

I hope not. She set her paint brush down. What abductor?

Nissy Featherbright's. I'm still looking, even if it has been months and nothing. He backed away. I'm headed home to pack. I'll be back in about a wizardmark, hoping you'll be packed as well.

Do you remember why I said I'd go with you to your grandparent's Winter Deep celebration?

He tweaked her hair tail. It had something to do with paying me back for suffering through your Family's Gaudy Fest. Even though hardly any of my relatives will be there.

How many is hardly any?

I only have twenty or so relatives all told.

Twenty, then.

My aunts, uncles, and cousin Kit; five plus my grandmother and grandfather.

She sighed, glanced at her picture and sighed again. I guess I'll have to get Breck a real gift. She pushed back from her desk. At least we won't have to investigate any murders while we're partying at your Grandparents.

Dusty laughed. Don't tempt the Wild Fates. He left whistling.

Sazzy gazed at her portrait of her Warrior Mage friend a few more minutes. The face in the heart wasn't Gedrey's, who she had thought Breck would like. It certainly wasn't her cousin Rory's, who she knew Breck liked. She didn't recognize it. If she drew her own portrait, Kimeriel Magictouch's face would be over her heart.

Sazzy blinked back tears and closed her eyes. How long would it take her to stop missing Kimnee like a knife twisting in her heart? It had taken her a year or more to stop missing Chiary and she had only worked for him not fallen desperately in love with him.

It had only been six long weeks since she had returned from Kimeriel's time . . . and not long enough yet.

The new twist in her art magic wouldn't be a result of her just finished three-day seminar in foresight, which she and her favorite brother Dandy had taken at the Syiin School last week, would it?

Kimeriel had shown her how to recognize the foresight images in her art—but the foresight images she had drawn had been less poetic. In fact, when drawing her foresight images—whether unknowingly or not-she tended towards stick figures and scribbles.

The new twist in her art could be from one of the Younger Fates’ touch—but she didn't remember any of them touching her lately. Or did she? Maybe she had gotten so used to them being around, she didn't notice the touches any more. That would be scary.

She supposed the difference in her art talent really had to do with her art lessons from Kimeriel Magictouch . . . and just being around all his art magic while he worked.

Sazzy looked up at the portrait she had painted of Kimnee. She had hung it over her hall door, next to Chiary's portrait. Because she had painted the portrait, it wasn't particularly well done, but she thought she had mostly captured the essence of his spirit—or at least the glint of merry mischief in his eyes.

A shout in the street startled her aware. Sazzy glanced once more at her uncomfortable portrait of Breck, then went through her office's side door into her suite to pack for Winter Deep at the Kincaid family estate on the western shore of Wild Fire Lake. The carriage ride would likely be cold, so she had better take at least two cloaks. She had her wonderful new Winter Deep gown from Woodrill Designs. She also had two Fate-made gowns that she couldn't trust to look the same from one wearing to the next—but they were fun to wear...as long as she didn't mind them changing as she put them on.

At least she had somewhere to go for Winter Deep, since her older sister had thrown her out of the Family. Otherwise, she would have spent Winter Deep alone . . . with their three office cats.

Sazzy tucked her gifts for Dusty into the side pouch of the smallest trunk she owned. She and Dusty had used the rest of their credit with Doffe Trader, who she had solved a rash of thefts for, to buy Winter Deep gifts. Not that Miss Kitty's Private Spy Agency wasn't doing well financially between Uncle Lily's, Byran Heartlight's, and the Youngest Dancing Fate's generous payments.

Byran Heartlight, the only mortal Fate—Sazzy made a face. And she had thought her life odd while working for Chiary's detective agency in the late 1430's.

Her last case, though, she'd failed—even if she had uncovered a treasonous plot against the Queen, country, and her timewalking Cousins.

Sazzy froze mid folding her scarlet dragonsilks in tissue paper. Was she even still a Cousin after Headmaster Isan Yght, the treasonous bad guy, had drained her Cousin magic so low? Her cousin Lyre had recovered his musical magic after he had been drained by a Gallimaufry True Bard, but it had been a slow process.

She hadn't even thought to go to a talent healer for her Cousin magic, she was so used to keeping it secret.

Sazzy finished wrapping her scarlet dragonsilks in tissue, tucked them in her trunk, and hugged herself. If she wasn't a Cousin any longer, she had no family.

‘Skreek!’

Sazzy started and glanced toward the noise. Their Hyllyn Wiche kitten wrestled his way out from under her dragonsilks and gave her an offended look. With a laugh, she scooped up the fluffy slate on gray striped, overly-tailed cat and put him on her shoulder. Then, on a second thought, she checked her trunk for Stripes' brother.

When she looked up from disturbing all her careful packing, she found the black and white kitten watching her, stretched out across the edge of her trunk lid.

Funny boy, she said, tweaking Sinister Magic's soft black ears lightly. You can tell Dusty why I'm late getting packed.

While she considered what else to take, she stroked Stripes absentmindedly. Dusty had said it would just be a few of his family, so she shouldn't need any ball gowns or anything too fancy. The main events would be Winter Deep Feast, Gifting Day, and the Turning Day party—which her new gown was for. Her favorite gauzy star sapphire gown or the other gown Zare Woodrill had made should do for one of the parties. But she would add in her Fate-changed gown of sapphire and silver just for fun, in case.

‘Meow?’ Miss Kitty said from the floor a second before the brindle calico cat landed on the bed. Stripes leapt off Sazzy's shoulder and nuzzled his mother. Miss Kitty ignored her kitten in favor of sniffing the trunk and complaining.

Riss will keep you three in food, Sazzy answered the complaints, speaking of the office's official scryer, who lived with the old woman down the street, Edgy Yallow, who made their breakfasts and dinners.

That reminded her: she had Winter Deep gifts for Riss and Edgy Yallow that she needed to wrap and leave out—and a small gift for Evan, the bookbinder renting one of their side rooms and currently binding the two finished copies of Dusty's novel.

While they were gone, Evan would also be keeping Nell's Magic Book Copier printing further copies of Dusty's novel, page by page, so Dusty could become famous . . . in about twenty years at the rate of only eight pages a day . . .

The foyer door opened and closed.

Sazzy called out, I'm almost ready. The cats are helping.

Good, I caught you before you left, Prince Lyzan answered. I brought your Winter Deep gifts. You and Dusty can open them early.

Yours is on my client chair, she answered. You can open it now or later.

Who's the person in Breck's heart?

Who's the person snooping in my office? she countered.

You and Dusty have been a bad influence on me, Prince Lyzan replied and came to stand in the archway between her sitting room and bedroom. Stripes skreeked, dashed to the Prince, up his leg, and onto his shoulder.

Ow! the Prince complained. Your claws!

That just means he likes you, Sazzy teased, folded a few more things into her trunk , closed, and latched the lid.

Where's Sinister?

Sazzy scanned the room, unlatched the trunk lid, opened the trunk, and scooped the black and white kitten out from under her last shawl. You two are pests.

‘Eep,’ Sinister said, jumping back into her trunk.

No. She snatched the kitten out of the trunk, slammed the lid before Sinister could leap back in, and slapped the latch down. The kitten immediately tried to lift the latch with his paw.

The Prince laughed. I think those kittens are getting more mischievous as they age, not less.

Sazzy set her private spy kit on top of her trunk—and her trunk changed color to match her private spy kit. Usually her private spy kit changed color to match her clothes. Sazzy rolled her eyes: the Younger Fates' and their sense of humor.

Come get your gift, she said to the Prince.

The Prince followed her into her office and gave her what he had said he would: a communication earring. I have one for Dusty, too.

She glanced at his ear. He wore only the ruby and diamond earring he usually did.

I can hear you anyway, he said.

She hunched her shoulders in, but said lightly, Not all the time, I hope.

No more than you can hear me all the time. Are you going to let me give you a Winter Deep hug and kiss, or are you going to act as if you hate me some more?

Sazzy turned toward the Prince and stared. What had brought this mood on? I haven't even thought disparaging things about you since forever.

Mum is angry that you saved her life again.

Sazzy opened her mouth and closed it. There is nothing safe to say to that. She thrust the gift she had gotten him into his hands, then used the small mirror across from her desk to trade her new earring for her old Family crest ones. She should send those back to the Family.

She missed the hole in her ear twice. The Prince came up behind her and slid the stud in her ear and the cap on the back.

He had given her a tiny but beautiful deep blue star sapphire set in silver filigree.

he asked.

She flinched. A bit too well with you standing just behind me. It's like you are hollering in my mind.

I'll send you Turning Day happies, you can tell me if you get them.

She touched the earring. You think it has that good a range?

The seller promised it did. The Prince backed away. That sounds like Dusty. How long are you two going to be gone?

Through Turning week and then long enough to drive back in the cold and snow.

Dusty appeared in her office doorway wearing a cornflower blue nubbed satin suit with two-fingerwide ruffles down the front of his slightly-lighter-blue shirt. He had on matching blue leather boots and his ratty emerald beret, dusted with snow and jammed on his maple-colored-curls.

Dus-ty, Sazzy complained for the hat.

My head was cold.

Nice suit, though the Prince said.

I hope you're going to wear something other than your tinker's coat, she complained.

Dusty grinned teasingly, but pulled a deep blue velvet half cape from his shoulder and held it up. What about you? Is it your scarlet feather extravaganza or your embarrassingly non-elite Rover cloak?

Oops! She had meant to pack an extra cloak. The scarlet had gone out of fashion two years ago; her third cloak, one of Kimnee's, had gone out of fashion five hundred years ago; her Rover cloak had never been in fashion. Red is a Winter Deep color. But that cloak was not particularly warm.

Dusty ducked out through her office into his, returned, and tossed her a dark green cut-velvet three-quarters length cape. It's all yours, it was never me. Dark green makes me look dead. He picked up a two-handspan square, scuffed red leather satchel.

What's that?

My scaled down private spy kit.

You're taking a private spy kit to your grandparent's Winter Deep party?

I wouldn't go visiting without it, he answered lightly. It's either this or my dragonscale tinker coat. I'll get a lot less questions about this.

Maybe you can talk the Younger Fates into changing it to match your outfit, she teased.

Saz-zy, Dusty complained...even as the satchel turned the same shade of blue as his cloak.

I wish you'd add Dusty a Fate pocket, too, Sazzy said.

Dusty opened his mouth—but didn't complain.

Sazzy smirked, pirouetted away, and got her trunk, while the Prince bravely laughed.

Prince Lyzan hugged Dusty early happy Winter Deep, then gave him a small emerald earring in gold filigree, slapped Dusty on the shoulder and said, Keep in touch.

Who is it keyed to? Dusty asked, sliding the emerald earring easily into his ear lobe.

So far: me and Sazzy.

She hadn't thought to ask. She set her trunk on her desk and glanced at the Prince questioningly.

Lyzan answered: Me and Dusty—and not your sister.

Ha, she answered, dropped her family crest earrings in her top desk draw and said to Dusty, I'm ready.

Dusty slanted her a laughing look and traded his elegant cloak for his dragonscale tinkers coat, left on his ratty emerald beret, and added a long, blue knit scarf. You'll want a sweater under your cloak.

My traveling dress has a half-jacket, she answered, got that from the bed and from under Miss Kitty, who complained and grabbed at her hand. Sazzy gave all three cats a few rubs before joining the men.

Dusty, carrying her trunk under one arm and his satchel in his other hand, headed outside, saying, I got us a warming stone from Beau when I picked up the gargoyle for Gran and Gramps.

She had gotten the gargoyle from her best friend Merriweather's handfasted, but Dusty had opted to pay half so he wouldn't have to look for a gift of his own.

Prince Lyzan helped her into Dusty's green velvet cloak, walked out with her, hugged them both farewell, and said, with a grin, The Fates go with you.

Lyzan, she complained.

He laughed and headed, whistling, to his carriage.

Chapter 2

Kincaid Estate

First Fates Entire, 7

Pale Fates, 1

WizardWalkingday

She and Dusty arrived at the Kincaid Estate, which fronted the southwestern shore of Wildfire Lake, on WizardWalkingday, nine days later, mid afternoon in a blossoming snow storm. Several neatly placed, red brick buildings comprised the estate. The manor road ran between a row of six picturesque cottages with forest green picket fences, three cottages to either side of the road. Two of the cottages already had a Winter Deep tree leaning against the porch railing. The last cottage on the right had been decorated with swags of greenery and clusters of tree cones tied with wide red ribbons.

Someone is eager for Winter Deep, Sazzy commented. Gathering day, the traditional day to bring greenery and trees indoors, wouldn't be for another two days.

They have kids.

Outside the left hand cottage, a man built like a height grotesque chopped wood bare-chested.

The Turners, Dusty said. The boys have always had something to prove.

A few minutes later, Dusty slowed the carriage, turned into the manor's front yard, drew parallel to the steps, and stopped the carriage.

The main, red brick house rose two stories and a widow's walk, and looked quiet and staid.

No one came out to meet them. The snow in the yard had been shoveled and trampled. Smoke issued from all four of the main house's chimneys, as well as from the stable and two of the outbuildings. Several dark-colored horses frisked in a side pasture. A black and rust cat streaked across the yard from the house and around the side of the stable.

Blessed cat! a woman complained from the side of the house, but no one appeared.

That's their housekeeper, Dusty said. I wonder where everyone is. I thought most everyone would be here by now. He set the brake, leapt out, and offered her a hand.

Sazzy slid to the ground and leaned against the side of the carriage briefly. My toes will never unfreeze.

Beau's stone helped.

Or I would be complaining that I had frozen head to toe.

Dusty glanced at the stable, then loosed a piercing whistle.

A moment later, a sparse, middle-aged man limped out of the stable and toward them.

Young Master Dusty, the man said warmly. Welcome home. He glanced at her.

Stablemaster Foster, it's good to see you again, Dusty said.

The man frowned at the horse and carriage, then glanced sideways at Dusty.

Dusty flushed slightly. We rented. Is anyone else here yet?

They've gone on a river boat ride to see the fancy Ice Sculptures at Delkyn Estate. They'll be back come sundown or so.

Thank you. Dusty took her arm and led her up the four steps to the wide forest green door, and inside.

Master Dusty, a sparse-white-haired butler said warmly. The old man's shoulders stooped in, but he still topped Dusty by a head. He reminded Sazzy of a egret. Welcome home. He inspected her briefly and curiously. Matron Farin has your old room prepared, and a room for Miss Jinn.

Their rooms were at opposite ends of and on opposite sides of the second story hall. Well, that message was clear.

The wreath of winter spices on her door seemed a nice touch. The room looked warm and comfortable, done in aqua and cream with metallic gold touches.

Sazzy washed the travel dirt off, then opened her trunk and took her gowns out, laying them across the bed to unwrinkle.

Someone tapped lightly on the hall door. Sazzy pulled a wrapper on before saying, Hello?

Matron Farin sent me to see to you, miss, since you didn't bring your own maid.

She didn't have a maid any more to bring. She hadn't brought any secrets with her. Come in.

The maid looked about twelve, and had light brown hair that had been bound severely back and tied with a blue cord. The girl wore a dark blue uniform that did nothing for her coloring.

I'm Roselyn, miss. Shall I hang your gowns up for you? Roselyn advanced on the bed, stopped short, and caught her breath, her eyes on the star sapphire gown. It looks like a starry night, miss!

It's one of my favorites.

Forgive me; I just started being a maid. She picked up the star sapphire gown reverently and hung it carefully in the wardrobe, then came back, studied the line of outfits on the bed, and chose Zare Woodrill's latest gown next.

Are you in there? Dusty called from the hall.

Sazzy left the bedroom for the sitting room doorway. Your grandmother's housekeeper sent me a maid.

Oops, we should have thought of that, he said, coming in as far as first chair in the