"Nico?"

Kelty's lips. Kathleen's voice.

Nico recognized her immediately.

"Kath, I'm here. I'm so sor..."

"No time for that you pigheaded man. You have to get them home."

Nico gazed around, not understanding.

"I..."

"The cold," she said. "It waits outside the glow. The coughing sickness, you must hurry."

"But Kath..."

Kelty reached up and tugged his beard, as she used to do when she was ever so small.

"Papa Nico," she said. "Tell them to take a tree. A small one. One with lights. Nan says take them into your homes and keep the Cold away."

Nico was bewildered. But he nodded.