Silver in the Wood (The Greenhollow Duology, #1)

by Emily Tesh

Pearl graciously crawled into his lap and butted his hand with her head to indicate he might have the honour of petting her.

Come to think of it, Tobias hadn’t been doing much talking, these nights. Just listening, to the hills and valleys of Silver’s voice.

“Folklore,” said Silver. “Studying—investigating. Of course I’m not a real scholar.” He said this as if Tobias might have challenged him on it. “But so much of our heritage is disappearing in this day and age. The costs of progress.

Time had softened around him the way it so often did. Maybe that was the wood’s version of pity.

“A practical folklorist,” said Mrs Silver. “Vampires eliminated, ghouls laid to rest, fairies discouraged, and so on. It was my late husband’s profession and now it is mine.