Two days later, Moss and I are in the woods near the stag god shrine. Far from the busier paths. He says he is ready to check and set all the traps himself finally. This will give me time to run to my bean seeds at the shroud under the guise of foraging. I can even pick some berries if any are ripe since they are next to my plants. Moss says he will meet me at the Makhana River near the bridge if he finishes first. He wants to practice fishing more.

"Quince says he will teach me how to set fish traps and lines." He smiles at the idea. I find that encouraging since he isn't the biggest fan of gardening. He can certainly feed himself and trade if he catches good fish. Quince and his brother Yar are friends my brother made at the Iron Priests' school. "His oldest uncle is a trapper but he also loves to eat fish. He knows all the tricks."

"That's phenomenal. I wouldn't mind learning a bit of that myself. Though I'd rather leave fish to you!"

He laughs knowing I don't love touching fish. Especially the super slimy and spiky ones like catfish. He grins and says, "If I learn good enough, I'll give you some lessons for once."

I ruffle his hair and he sidles away and into the brush. Headed for our first snare. Trying not to seem rushed, I head east. I can't wait to see if the sprouts appear as quick as the book hinted. Still I keep my eyes trained for forageables and ears listening for unwelcome company. I remain off the walking paths and lanes. Knowing the woods and meadows well, I can use game trails to navigate. Saves time as well.

A cut a large bunch of late fiddleheads off ferns near the river. Nearby I found wild violets and harvested a bunch. Jogging a bit further south I stay along the river bank [Stinging nettles, wild leeks]. I gather some pretty feathers, two common toadstools, a small bunch of wood ear mushrooms, and a large bundle of purple dead nettle. All before reaching the log bridge. Someone felled a large black oak years ago to make a secondary bridge over the river. This crosses a bit closer to my plants than the stone bridge. After crossing I pick up the pace, realizing I lost too much time gathering already.

When I push past the trees and brush next to the Shroud I see my vines. I stop and gawk. The Compendium did not exaggerate the speedy growth of the arch. Both seeds have sprouted and are already over a foot tall. Peering through the Shroud, I make sure I am alone. Empty thick brush and trees is all I see on the other side. Slightly misty looking through the Fae wall. Eager, I hastily kneel down and inspect every inch, the soil, and the moisture. I see no unusual pests or signs of disease. The dark, glossy green of the tiny leaves is beautiful. I find one tiny bud and the left side vine and my heart expands. Magic. The magic has to be real. Talking and singing to the vines, I start gathering berries to take home. Today was a good day for my foraging and gardening. I can return to Moss satisfied.

I arrive at the stone bridge over the river and see Moss sitting on the far side. He jumps up when he sees me. He waves a brace of rabbits and a large trout! We will have to cook it all up tonight, but that sounds delicious. "I fared good!" he shouts as I near.

Laughing, I call back, "You could wait for me to get there."

He's nearly skipping with energy when I get to his side. I feel horrible that he must have been waiting quite awhile for me. He doesn't complain though. "What did you find?" He points at my expanded bag. Filling him in on my foraging discoveries, I look over the huge trout. It is a beauty. I know Mollis at Dog and Bell Inn will pay good money for it. If we can get it there before dinner.

"How attached are you to your trout, cub?" I ask him.

"I was already thinking of running it to the inn!" He smiles. "You think Mollis will buy it?"

"Absolutely!" I couldn't be prouder of him. He is thinking ahead, planning, and learning everything he will need. Especially if I have to leave him. I choke back that thought. "Did you see anyone in the woods today?"

He grunts next to me. That doesn't sound like good news. "I spotted Cal creeping near the main path but he didn't wander far. He was searching for something or someone but he never saw me."

That's good since Cal Scoffer is a bully too. I nod my head in understanding. "I didn't see a soul that wasn't a forest creature. Just the way I like it." Certainly the way I love it now. We take the back game trails towards home. It's getting late in the afternoon. Even employed people might be out wandering. "Do you want to take the fish or skin the rabbits?" I ask it even though we both know I won't risk going to the inn alone. Not that I wouldn't prefer that over the preparation of the meat.

"Obviously, delivery!"

We both laugh. "Will you take the mushrooms and fiddleheads too? If she will buy them, it's decent coin. I won't miss eating them that much."

"Sure. How much do you think this big un is worth?" He nods to the fish.

"It's a beautiful large trout. If they can use it, it should be a silver or silver and a half. Depending on how many he expects to feed. Another silver if she buys all the plants." I smile. That's good money for an afternoon of work. Moss had already delivered some of our garden items this morning. That coin I plan to use for seeds, garden minerals, food items for us and the animals. Hopefully I can save a bit of this other coin. We both need new boots before fall. I also need to save a bit back in case he hits another growth spurt.

"Don't you dare give father more than half a silver." I warn my brother. He nods but looks uncomfortable. He sees the necessity of keeping Sorrel out of the money as much as possible. Also he is a good son. Better that our father deserves. "Shall we sing our way home?"

He groans but immediately starts his favorite silly song.

I am just washing up after breakfast when someone pounds on our door. My feet hesitate, as I am currently home alone. It couldn't be Stendal though. Even if it is, I can hear Mrs. Parkstone singing as she hangs up laundry. He would shove his way into my house. Drying my hands and move to open the door. I'm relieved when I see it's Marton Hackberry. He is the youngest of Hackberry's children. "Good morning, Marton. What can I do for you?"

"Miss, mornin'! Pa sent me. He's afraid we have a blight. Can you come?" His tawny eyes are wide and he is out of breath. He probably ran here.

I pull off my apron and swap it on the hook with my short brown cloak. I grab my emergency garden bag and my belt with a dagger and a pouch. Hesitating a moment about leaving a note for Moss, before pulling a marking stone from my bag. I set it, design side up, on the table. Hopefully he will know I left to do something but will be back. Joining Marton outside, I say, "Let go."

He lead me at a quick walk to the pear orchard. Hackberry and his whole family were gathered near his original three pear trees. Baxter of course is the oldest being fifty percent older than me! His light brown hair is a mess, very much like his father. They both have harsh pointed noses and sharp chins covered in curly beards. Next is Henry, a near carbon copy of his father but without the beard, and his twin Bonnie. Prisa is only a few years older than Marton. Mrs. Hackberry died the winter before last. She was never healthy after the fever that took my family. Baxter and his father were in deep discussion when we entered the orchard near them. The sun filters down through the trees, some still in bloom and smelling amazingly lovely. I love that smell!

"Oy, Miss Sweetbriar. Thank the gods you could come!" Hackberry said. His hair is fuller of gray than the last time I saw him. His face has deeper wrinkles too. I guess the last two times I was here I traded with Bonnie. How long since I'd seen him?

"You can call me Jaxsi, Hackberry, you know." I tell him that everytime. Sometimes he does. "I will always come if I can. We help each other."

"Ay. Sorry. I'm worried somethin' fierce. I've never seen the like." He pulls his hat off and scratches his head. His fear and anxiety are clear. Of course a blight can spread and ruin fields or whole orchards if its bad enough. Putting his hat back on, he took some blossoms and a small stem with leaves from Baxter and passed them to me.

I peek surreptitiously at his eldest. Baxter's eyes hold worry too but right now they are locked on me. There is also something unrelated to the crop in his light brown eyes. I look at the plant materials in my hand and ignore it. Half the pretty white blooms are black and crusty. I touch them softly with my thumb and pieces fall away like ash. Huh? Very unusual. I study the branch. The top part of the branch is squishy and the leaves blackened. Again, a touch and pieces crumble away. I squeeze the branch further down, turn it around, study the front and back of the leaves. Two leaves closest to the black ones have dark veins. I hold them up to the light. Not black... no. Dark deep purple maybe? It's hard to tell through the leave's skin. I look up at the tree nearest.

"How many trees are affected?" Turning back to Hackberry, I see he has shooed all his children but Baxter off.

"So far just these two originals. And that hybrid there." He points to the tree between the original at my side and the lane.

Setting my bag down on the ground I circle each of the three trees. A wagon passes but I don't even glance at it. "I will need a bit. I'm going to have to cut into the bark a bit and take some more samples."

He nods. "Take the time you need Miss... Jaxsi, sorry. We'll be working the apple field to the east." Baxter shot me another look I barely marked, too busy with the puzzle, then he and his father moved away.

There is a rough trestle table set up nearby. It has a few tools and bottles on it but is otherwise clear. I move my bag and the samples in my hand to the table. It's in a sunny spot, not under any of the pear trees. First things first. I remove my small leather tool roll from the bag and pull out a very thin, extremely sharp blade. Gently I cut into the black veined leaves. I strip the green flesh that trees use to eat sunlight. So very slowly I pull free one of the veins. Using my tweezers I hold the vein up to the sunlight and examine the thin structure. It is purple! There are bands of black but the main structure of the veins have been stained purple. It's so very bizarre.

I retrieve my homemade fruit tree and vegetable reference book from my bag. I've created it over the years working with the Hackberrys and a few other gardeners. It took nearly a month to transcribe the sections from my reference books hidden in my tree cache. I have added information as I learned it. From trial and error, or learned from the other growers. I even snuck some information from books at Thyme's Scriptorium that I memorized until I got home. Feeling guilty about it didn't stop me from doing it. I gave him as much business as I could afford. Its pages were a mishmash of colors and textures. Individual chapbooks that I then tied into a wood and leather cover. Notes added later in a variety of inks decorated many pages.

The affected trees are Comice pears and the hybrid Comice-Williams. This is the most prized of the Hackberry pear trees. Much of the Comice crop goes to nobles and even the Fae. For some reason, Comice pear trees will not grow in the Faelands. That doesn't necessarily mean anything but I note it on an empty page. I review all my notes on pear pests, diseases, and nutrient insufficiency. Then I check all fruit tree notes. This is something I have personally never seen or been told about, but I have to be thorough. Finally, I slide the samples to the side and weigh down my books and paper with rocks. Taking my tool roll, I approach the nearest infected tree.

My head spins with all the information I have drawn in and on. I ended up having to send Marton with a message to Moss. I let him know what was going on and that I would not be back soon. His return message was that he would weed and check the garden, and that I was under no circumstances to walk home alone. I smile remembering Marton rolling his eyes while delivering the last part. Shutting my book, I sigh. I put the book away and stretch. My back and neck are screaming mad. Glancing at the paper in my hand with notes written in charcoal pencil and slowly start walking towards the Hackberry house. My bag knocks gently against my back. When I almost trip over a shovel leaning on a hand cart, I decide to look up from my paper.

Bonnie is approaching me, her pretty face pinched with worry. I like Bonnie. If we weren't so busy caring for siblings I think we could have been great friends. Didn't mean I want her as a sister-in-law though. "Jaxsi! I was just coming to get you. We're to eat luncheon and you need to eat." A wide smile spread on her face as she spoke. "We're so grateful for your time, you know."

I smile back. "Glad to keep these trees safe! How else would I ever afford to taste the best pears in the world."

She laughed and fell into step beside me. A long table outside was being filled with fruit, cheeses, bread, and some kind of smoked meat. The family often ate outside at the table, they'd even constructed a roof over it. Mrs. Hackberry had tried to train grapes to grow up the support legs to no avail. Instead morning glories ran up and then across the roof. Too bad the blooms had already closed for the day. Two long benches lined the table. Everyone was standing. Possibly waiting for us. Henry was filling wooden cups with mint water but stopped as we neared.

I could tell Old Hackberry wanted to ask me questions but instead he just nodded and indicated she should sit. Before I realized it Baxter was next to me. "I'll set your bag just inside the door," he said, holding a hand for the bag. Nervously I passed it to him and sat at one end of the nearest bench.

Everyone else slid to their seats and began passing bowls and plates around. "We didn't mean to pull you away all day, but... Well, we're grateful as can be." Old Hackberry was embarrassed. It happened sometimes. Especially since I was young and a girl. That he, and his family, sometimes had to ask me for help was probably tough. My marriage to Baxter would certainly fix that. No. Just no.

Baxter had sat across from me. "We're happy you could come today." His brown eyes didn't leave my face even when he took a bowl of berries and scooped some out. "You are always welcome."

Oh, gods. I stuff a chunk of bread in my mouth. Nodding was the best response I could manage. Glancing at Bonnie next to me I see she is holding in laughter. Henry looks uncomfortable, but everyone else is very focused on their own meal. My eyes drop to my plate and I focus on food. Everything is good. The bread tastes fresh baked and the berries are perfectly ripe and sweet. Washing it all down with water I finally look back up at the family.

Most of them are done eating. Just waiting to see if I have news before they return to work. Hackberry nods when he sees I am done eating and ready. He asks, "Have ya found any answers? I understand if not..."

I take a deep breath. "I think I have." Pulling the paper from my pouch, I read over it again. My eyes meet his straight on. "It's a curse."

"What the hells...?" Henry said. His sister Prisa smacks him on the head out of habit. Her own mouth is hanging open and her dark blue eyes are wide. Everyone else is still gasping or cursing, or like Hackberry just shaking his head in confusion.

Baxter recovers first. "A curse? Can you explain?"

"It's sheer luck I had notes on this. Only because of my," I swallow. "My mother's good notes. It's a nasty and subtle curse. She didn't have a name for it in common."

"How? I mean who could curse us?" Baxter asks, leaning forward. Happily focused on the problem and not on me -myself.

"Who would want to?" Hackberry is shaking his head. His mouth is a thin line and his eyes are unfocused.

"Apparently, it is a curse anyone can cast. Even without magic."

"That's crazy." Bonnie's eyes are very wide. It looks like she is shaking. "Horrible." The last word is almost under her breath.

"The hard part is the catalyst." Puzzled eyes look at me. I remember I read more than most. "Um, there is an item you have to use for the curse. It has to be near the plants or trees." I glance back at my notes. Yup. This will be fun.

Baxter speaks before I can. "What thing? How do we break the curse?"

I look up into his eyes. Nope. My eyes move to Bonnie and then her father. "The curse requires... a Fae finger." More curses and shocked sounds. Bonnie holds a hand to her mouth and looks a bit green. I imagine we all look at bit green or white at the moment. "A finger cut from a Fae, willingly. Don't ask me how, I have no idea why anyone would do that. The rest is normal herbs and ash from the hearth fire of the cursed."

"Bastards!" Baxter slams his fist on the table. It reminds me of arguments with Sorrel.

Another long deep breath. "I cannot imagine who would want to do this to you! I'm sorry it happened." I look back at my paper, pulling strength from knowledge. Solutions. I love solutions. "Breaking the curse is fairly easy. We just have to find the pouch containing... the finger and things. Then burn it in your hearth fire and spread the ashes in moving water."

"Whoa... how..." Marton looks awed and scared.

"That's easy?!" Prisa squeaks.

Hackberry finally speaks. "I forget how real magic is." He rubs a hand across his face and looks into my eyes. "We see such subtle examples here."

Bonnie is looking away. Across the lane and into the distance. Baxter speaks up. "Where do we look?"

I turn in my seat and wave to the orchard. "I suspect it is buried near the trees. Or hidden is a knob of one of the trees. We'll have to dig and climb."

"Then that's what we'll do." Baxter and his father nod and we move towards the orchard.

"I will clean the hearth." Prisa says. Her jaw is set and her shoulders are back.

"That's a very good idea, Prisa." I pause to smile at her.

"I'll help," Bonnie moves away from me and her brothers and goes into the house. Something is strange with her, but it could just be realizing your family is cursed.

When we get to wear the sickly trees, the youngest boys volunteer to climb the three trees and fetch a ladder. Baxter takes a shovel and goes to inspect the area between their fence and the lane. I again circle all three trunks. Scrutinizing the ground, the condition of each tree, and the trunks, even the roots that show. I also breathe a prayer to the goddess, even the Fae goddess. Even if I don't want to marry into the family, I like the Hackberrys. They are good people who work hard for what they have. And to keep what they have. After walking each tree again, I close my eyes and think. I breathe, feel, and think. I hear Henry climbing up a ladder and into the hybrid tree, a shovel digging to my right, and Marton whispering up to his brother.

The smell of the blooms are intoxicating. Not just the pear trees, but in the next field apple trees, and further a few hardy cherry trees blossom. The flowers in Mrs. Hackberry's front garden, especially the hyacinth, add to the perfume. I smell grass and dust, moist rich soil, and manure used in their orchard. Almost I can almost taste the cool water from their well and the strawberries and mint in their kitchen garden. Mixing with those wonderful smells is the ashy rot, human sweat, and some fungus creeping into logs nearby. Worse, a bloody rotten taste... or feel. It is coming from my right maybe? Opening my eyes I see Hackberry watching me to the right. Beyond him is the trestle table where I worked earlier. I walk closer, ignoring the old man's focus on me for now.

I crouch down in front of the table. Scanning the ground underneath it, I notice some soil that looks strange. It is tamped down as if by time, feet, and weather, but it doesn't quite appear... true? It is under one of the back legs. Hackberry is next to me, he sees what I am looking at. He helps me move the table a bit. My trowel digs cautiously. Nearly a foot deep I hit the bag. It is dirty, smelling leather and tied tight. His breath hisses in next to me. I do not touch it with my hands. I scoot it onto my trowel with a stick.

"I'll take it to the fire, Miss." He is whispering, as if the casters can hear through the catalyst. If they had any magic maybe. I suspect it is a normal, unmagical human who did this. He takes it and walks carefully to the house. I stop to send Marton after Baxter and to call up to Henry that we found it. They rush to follow us. Young enough to enjoy the adventure without worrying too much about the risks.

All of us gather around the freshly clean hearth. Ash is useful to farmers so they didn't waste the old. The ash from this fire has to be properly disposed of. Baxter built the wood for the fire and lit it.

"It will stink. Badly, I imagine." Bonnie looks at me, frowning. Prisa lets us know all the windows are open. It's the best we can do. "If you have creosote or a good burning oil I would add it."

Henry fetches a clay jar and passes it to Baxter. He dips a large wood chip in the jar, then tosses it into the fire. The flames leap and the smell becomes more potent, almost peppery. The wood catches and the fire becomes hotter. I step back. Everyone but Hackberry and his eldest do. We wait. The heat is finally making me sweat. Even several steps away. "I think it's hot enough. The bone might not burn down but it can go in the river." Eyes turn on me. "Bonnie, let's add some rue, lavender, and sage. Do you have any John's Wart? Um, it's also called goatweed?"

"No, but I have the others. Is dry okay?"

"Dry is best. I have the wart in my bag. I will be right back." We both make haste. I hate making the old man hold that curse bag too long.

Once the herbs are in the fire and I feel it is hot enough, I tell them to toss in the pouch. Baxter offers to take it. Which is sweet and a bit brave, but his father gently throws it into the hottest part of the flames. We all watch it burn and fall apart. When the finger falls free and burns I shudder and scrunch up my nose. Some of the family cover their mouths or gag. The whole family stays and watches. It takes longer than I thought for it to burn down to ash and bone.

Baxter uses a hammer to break the bones down smaller. I flinch at the first two hits. I remind him to wash the hammer in the river too. Restless, they decide to scoop the still warm ash into a metal bucket and we head across the orchards and toward the river. The afternoon is half over by the time we reach the swift clear waters. Hackberry waded in a foot or two without removing his boots and poured the remains into the current. Then he and his son washed the bucket, my trowel, and the hammer. Removing lingering nastiness or magic.

There is much more conversation and lighter steps on the return trip. Hackberry asks, "Do we need to chop down those trees?" His eyes are silver lined with the thought. His shoulders hunch slightly.

"NO! I'm pretty sure that is not necessary," I touch his arm. "Cut the damaged branches and burn them. A regular fire should be fine." I tap a hand on my thigh and review what information is readily in my mind. "Add some ash from those same herbs we used around the base of each tree and the few others close to them. Just to be sure." I try to look confident, and he straightens up, so maybe it is working. "Keep an eye on them, and send for me if anything is worrisome."

"That's good." He nods. Bonnie and Baxter are listening closely too. "Your mother would be so proud of you, Jaxsi."

Swallowing against a sudden lump in my throat, I hope he is right. I'm not as sure as I used to be. When she was alive, and the year after. My thoughts flash to my illegal plants at the Shroud, and a bush growing hidden in my back garden patch. To Pol. "Thank you for saying so."

"She would be. You are gifted like her. Even more, you are kind and smart like her too." He spoke carefully and clearly. He meets my eyes without us slowing, the golden brown of his warm my heart. "We can never thank you enough for this."

"You just did."

We are quiet for a few minutes. The younger boys are skipping ahead and tossing rocks. I'm worrying over my garden and secrets now. Moss said he would check on the garden but he doesn't know about the hidden vine or the hidden Goddess Star inside my rose bushes. I had cut out one of the finicky bushes I added after Mother died to make my hidden garden bed. My brother avoids the roses if at all possible, and Sorrel avoids anything that seems like work. The need to check on my secrets is strong. I can't make it to the Shroud tonight but I can check my plants at home. I will have to leave as soon as we get back to the house. Maybe Moss will even be working on dinner by the time I get there. My plan was to cook a pie with the last of the rabbit. We could always just eat the rabbit with some bread and fruit. It would be easier.

Baxter finally breaks the silence. "We have to find out who did it. Or they might try again."

I mull that over. "The finger is very hard to come by. I can't imagine..."

"I can't imagine any of this," he gestures wildly. "But it happened."

"It will be revealed." his father states. How cryptic. We reach their orchards, then the house.

"I need to head home." Quickly I stride towards the door to their house. I'll be no help with mystery caster search. Locating my bag I make sure everything is packed away. Adding the trowel carefully into my tool roll.

"Here." It's Prisa with a sack. I glance inside. Cherry blackberry jelly! My absolute favorite. There are also some fresh blueberries, apricots, and even some early asparagus.

"This is too much!" I say it to Prisa but also her father who is standing behind her.

"Nonsense." Hackberry says, jaw set and eyes clear. His stubborn look. I've seen it often enough over the years. "You lost an entire day here and saved our pears. This is nothing to that. We're indebted, as usual." He grins at me and Prisa smiles sweetly. I don't see Bonnie and the younger boys. Maybe doing chores already.

"Thank you for this." I lift the bag.

The bag is then lifted from me. By Baxter. He takes my knapsack as well. "I'll walk you home. If you are ready."

I would have preferred walking alone but I can't. Not will Stendal still mouthing horrible things when he sees me in public and his friends seemingly hunting me in the woods. This will be an uncomfortable walk. I say my goodbyes and follow him onto the lane. After all the walking today and maybe the stress, Baxter's limp is evident. Earlier today it was nearly imperceptible. It isn't bad even now. Just a slight drag against the packed dirt with his left leg. I clear my throat. Did he say something? "Sorry, I was woolgathering!"

"I asked if your garden is doing well."

"OH. Yes. I'm very happy this spring. The sweet potatoes are blooming. My tomatoes are on track to be worthy this summer. My sandhill plums are growing thick. They should fruit well." I'm rambling. A bunch. "Sorry, it's just... well you know."

He laughs softly. "Our livelihoods. Yes I know." Then the intensity is back in his eyes. Oh shit. A smile fills his face. "You get so much enjoyment out of it though. Your face lights up when you talk about your plants."

My cheeks are hot. That is one of the sweetest things anyone has said to me. I had no idea he could be charming at all. "Um, thanks. Don't you love your trees?"

"Not that much." He laughs again, and I join him. "I was hoping to get time with you. Too bad it's because of this disaster today."

"Well, you got plenty of time with me today." I smile at my joke.

"That's not what I mean."

Double shit. I glance down at our feet on the road. We are nearly to the new wall. Then it will be along the wall and home. Need a new topic. "Is Henry still trying to talk your father into letting him apprentice with the ferrier?"

His smile dims and his eyes are tighter. The crow's feet starting at the corners of his eyes are visible. He should wear a hat more often, maybe. He let our conversation move on though. "Yes. Henry's obsessed. I think he might be wearing Pa down. Maybe once Marton can do more of the work."

I nod. There are more people on the road now. Several people call out to either or both of us. I keep my eyes up so I don't run into anyone. That would be embarrassing. "I wish I didn't need Moss at home so much. He deserves an apprenticeship or something better."

Baxter nods to a friend and turns back to me. "He's smart like you are. He has a chance."

Fuck. My cheeks are hot again. He is really sweetening me up. "It takes both of us to keep things going nowadays."

"Don't you mean the three of you?"

I snort. Sorrel helping, ha. "My father." I bite my tongue on the words I was going to use. "My father has his... I mean." I risk turning fully to him, making sure he sees my eyes. "He is a drunk. You know this right? My father is useless and an embarrassment. He contributes nothing. Nothing."

His smiles are gone and his forehead wrinkles. "That's..." He swallows. Maybe I've shocked him clear of wanting to marry me. That's good right? "It's gotten that bad?" I nod and pick up my walking pace a bit. "I'm sorry to hear that."

The pity I hear makes my gut churn so I focus on the wall ahead. Except. Fuck. Stendal is leaning on the wall. Sagely and Burr next to him. He is watching us approach. Sagely smokes a cheroot and tries to pass it to Stendal. The monster shakes his head without taking his eyes off me. At least he doesn't have that frightening smile on his face. Burr says something and laughs. Sagely laughs hard enough to choke on his smoke and I pray for just a brief moment that he dies. He doesn't. Three pairs of predatory eyes is three too many.. They are more frightening than feral large cats prowling the woods.

"Are you okay?"

I shoot a peep at Baxter. Did I gasp or something? Attempting to smile and focus on him I answer. "Yeah. I don't like bullies is all."

Baxter's eyes rove the road and traffic near the gate. He spots the men leaning on the wall. "I see." He makes a sound in his throat, not quite a laugh. "They're too privileged for their good or the good of the folks around them. Spoiled brats with too much time."

Yeah too much time to stalk me. With revenge on at least one of their minds. "And the desire to hurt people," I add softly. I'm pretty sure they would never approach me while I'm with Baxter. I still hold my breath as we pass them and circle to the other side of the wall. Out of their sight. I talk a bit more about my garden and Baxter asks me good questions. At last we are on the path between our oak trees. I stop and reach for the bags. He doesn't hand them over.

"I'll walk you to the door."

At the door he sets both bags down. He reaches slowly for my hand. Giving me time to back away or move my hand. His hands are heavily callused. He works hard. Even harder than me. "Jaxsi, the way you succeed. Even without your father's help. It shows even more how amazing you are. How kind and generous."

Cheeks burning again I protest, "I'm just..."

"Look how you dropped everything today, to help us. How you care and love Moss." He removes one hand from mine to indicate my garden. "How you love and care for all of this. You work hard but you don't let it tear you down."

I don't know how to respond. The cottage door springs open and Moss' head appears. I pull my hand free.

"Oh! Good, you're home." Moss says, grinning. "Thank you for delivering her, Baxter"

"It was a pleasure." He smiles, first to me then to my brother. "Moss, it's good to see you. Take care of Jaxsi. She was a hero today." Then he turns and heads back towards the lane.

"I felt you needed rescuing, " Moss whispers. He helps me bring the bags in. I see he has cut up vegetables and made a salad. My heart melts and I struggle not to hug him until he squeals. There is no better brother in the world.