“It’s so big, he’s going to have to do it in his bathtub,” Cassius argued.
Chander rolled his eyes. “Right, like we can’t use a cleansing spell or if you didn’t want me to do it, a wizard potion.”
“I have no argument with you using a spell, Chand,” Brynnius assured the necromancer.
“Great, we’ve got everyone. Let’s go into the market and shop for what Brynn needs, so we can get home to get ready for our contest,” Cassius enthused.
As they trekked to the store, Brynnius made sure to get to Albrecht’s side. “Is this where they sell the kits you’ve used to make your pumpkin designs?”
Under his hood, Albrecht nodded. “Yes. They’ve got many options, so choose carefully.”
“I wish to do a dragon.”
“I believe I want to do a warlock this year.”
“That will look very nice, Albie,” Brynnius told him as they entered the rustic shop that he immediately fell in love with. It was full of not only fresh produce but handmade ciders, breads, and even pies. “This place is wonderful.”
“I’ve been telling you to come with us for years,” Arvandus pointed out. “I told you, you’d love it.”
“I could not intrude on your couples time,” Brynnius argued as Baxter charged over with a cart.
“Put your pumpkins in here. I’m going to buy them and take them home so we can shop,” the Daemon Lord insisted.
“I wish to pay for my own,” Brynnius said.
Alaric and Chander joined them with their hands locked. “We’re paying for everything. This is for the party. It will not come out of your personal funds,” Alaric stated.
Unable to refute his leader, Brynnius nodded and carefully set his pumpkin into Baxter’s cart. “Make sure nothing happens to it.”
“I don’t think it can get any uglier, Brynn,” Baxter teased as he pulled away.
It didn’t take Brynnius much time to fill another cart Arvandus was pushing with items he was going to need to put together the menu he and Victor had selected. While Brynnius baked nearly every night, it was his first opportunity to feed the entire family, and he could not pretend he wasn’t nervous. He had no formal training and worried about forcing everyone to go hungry when they couldn’t stomach his food.
Encouraged by the praise he received for his treats and the urging of the Daray men, Brynn produced new things constantly. His family gobbled them up, and Brynnius was always searching for recipes. There was an entire bookcase in his room that he’d filled with the cookbooks he’d not only selected himself but had received from loved ones on the solstice. However, not every attempt was popular, so Brynnius hoped he and Victor had put together things that would go over well on the day of the party. It was such a relief to have Victor’s assistance, but he was wary of putting too much responsibility on the shifter who had to work all year to feed them.
With Albrecht’s help, Brynnius found the rack with the little tools an amateur required to make their best effort in pumpkin carving. He was grateful to find not only one, but several dragon designs, and he chose the one with the beast’s wings beautifully spread. It was going to look just as if Dravyn himself were ready to take flight, and Brynnius hoped the shifter wasn’t too upset with the likeness.
“I fail to understand why I need a kit,” Ducarius stated as he marched off.
Albrecht shook his head. “I did not see the need for it in the beginning either, but I was grateful that Arvandus insisted. I shudder to think how poorly my first effort would’ve gone without it.”
“What if I just want to do a traditional jack-o-lantern carving with the triangle eyes and jagged mouth?” Baxter asked. “Do I really need a kit for that?”
“They have one with a design like that,” Brynnius told him.
Baxter scoffed. “Please, I have a dagger.”
Once the Daemon Lord stalked off, teasing his other half, who’d elected to select a kit, Brynnius turned to Albrecht. “He is not considering how difficult it will be to win a contest without every advantage.”
“Which is why he will lose.”
“Okay, Brynn, I know you need apples. Do you want to pick them yourself or buy the ones they’ve got over there in that bin?”
“Apple picking is your favorite activity with Albie. You guys should go do it together, not with me tagging along. We will need them for your apple bobbing. I can work with the ones in the bin for my pies.”
Arvandus glanced at Albrecht. “We’re not getting the bobbing ones until next week. Why is he so opposed to apple picking with us?”
“I have already told you I will not intrude,” Brynnius stated.
