by Autumn Dawn
Kjetil nodded. “Will you ladies excuse me? The chief wants a word. I’ll be back shortly.”
Mandy looked annoyed as he walked away, but she faked a smile for Juniper. “So, what do you do?” It was a standard chitchat question, but the way she said it indicated a great deal.
“I’m a farmer,” Juniper said.
There was a choking sound behind her, and someone muttered, “And hell is just a sauna.”
“Oh. How nice,” Mandy said, clearly uninterested. “Do you have a booth at the farmer’s market? I buy roses there sometimes.”
“I planted roses,” Juniper said with a straight face. “I have blackberries, too.”
“How nice. Berries are low calorie, so I eat them every day. I’ve lost five pounds, but we’re never really satisfied, are we?” She ran a hand over her perfect hip and smiled at Faolán.
Faolán didn’t smile back.
“I think I’ve gained weight,” Juniper remarked. “Too many of Karl’s cinnamon rolls. My jeans are getting snug.”
“They certainly are,” Faolán murmured from behind her.
Juniper colored. “Anyway, it’s a lot of work, shoveling manure and hoeing, so I think I’ll work it off. You know what I mean?”
“Not really,” Mandy said with a little laugh. “Some of the girls in boarding school were into horses, but I prefer sports cars. My daddy owns a dealership. I work for him, so I get my choice of new cars. Kjetil and I met at a car show; he has a friend who restores old cars.”
Juniper got the message. Mandy was a princess, and she thought Juniper was a hick. Fine, she could live with that. She opened her mouth to excuse herself and shut it as she caught sight of the man approaching her.
“There you are,” her brother said impatiently. “They said you were in here somewhere.” He looked around, his lip curling. The sneer vanished when he caught sight of Mandy. “Well, hello! Why don’t you introduce us, sis?”
Juniper scowled. She never understood the way some women fell for her brother, but she could see Mandy found him fascinating. He was average height, with dirty blond hair and blue eyes, with average looks, but he could pour on the salesman charm when he wanted. “Mandy, meet Justin, my brother.”
Justin winked. “She’s adopted.”
Mandy giggled.
“Just kidding,” Justin said off-hand. “I could use a drink, sis. Mind getting me a cold one?” He grinned at Mandy. “So what’s a doll like you doing talking to my sister? You’ve got to watch out; she’s mostly interested in seeds and stuff. She doesn’t mean to bore people, but once she starts talking about fertilizer…”
Mandy smothered a laugh.
Juniper stalked off. He hadn’t been there five minutes, and already her head wanted to explode. She reached the ice chest and grabbed a root beer, although she wasn’t thirsty. This one was to make a point; Justin could bloody well find his own drink.
She twisted the cap off with more force than necessary and pitched it into the trash, wishing she had a better way to blow off steam.
“I can see why you don’t like him,” Mia said quietly, joining her.
It took Juniper a moment to speak through the fury. “I can’t have him in my tree, Mia. I can’t do it.” Or she’d kill him.
“I can see why.” Mia stood with her, quietly supportive, and it was better than any talking could have been. Sometimes we just need a friend to stand by us.
“I need to get out of here.” She could see Karl and Faolán watching her brother, and neither was smiling. She needed to remove Justin before he caused a problem, and then she could go home and stew.
With that in mind, she crossed the bay and interrupted Justin by thrusting her half-finished bottle in his hand. “Let’s get you a hotel room.”
“What? I was supposed to stay in your tree.” He looked at the bottle. “You know I hate this stuff.”
“Let’s go,” she said, walking away. She didn’t care if he followed, but she wanted him out of her hair, away from her friends. They didn’t deserve to suffer his presence.
Neither did she, but could she do? He was family.
“What’s your hurry, bitch?” he demanded. “I just got here.”
That did it. She pivoted and said slowly, “We’re leaving now. You’re going to cage it, or I will cage you.” Every time they met, it brought out years of anger, and yes, fear. He was her younger brother, but not by much, and he’d been bigger than her for years. Merciless insults and bullying, mostly verbal, had earned her hatred. She didn’t deserve this.
She shifted her weight, just in case. She had a little training, just enough to get in a few good strikes, and the muscle memory to back it up.
“Oh, big sister’s eyes are turning green…” Justin’s mockery trailed off as he noticed the ring of burly F&R guy’s unfriendly faces. Karl and Faolán flanked her, and Kjetil was suddenly there, drawn by the crowd.
“What’s going on?” Kjetil demanded, his dark eyes on Justin. It was clear who he thought was at fault.
“Juniper’s little brother has a big mouth,” Faolán answered, glancing at her to check her mood. “He needs to leave.”
“Get out.” Kjetil ordered. His body language said he was ready to back the words with force.
Justin opened his mouth, saw Kjetil’s face, and shut it. He held up his hands. “All right, whatever. I don’t need this.” He stalked off.
The room was silent until the door closed behind him.
Juniper let out a breath.
“What a di…uh, loser,” Faolán said. “Growing up with him must have been hell.”
She shook her head at the understatement, feeling oddly deflated. “Thanks, guys.”
Faolán put his arm around her. “Hey, how about another cocoa before you hit the road? Give your brother a head start so he doesn’t get whipped by a girl. We can play darts.”
Her friends made sure she had calmed before letting her leave, and Faolán and Kjetil escorted her home, bringing in the boxes of clothes while she took care of Twix.
“I appreciate this,” she said with feeling when they were done. She was feeling pretty rosy about the whole F&R department tonight; she was almost glad the mutant squirrels had set her tree afire. Her life was richer for knowing them.
Faolán paused at her door, nodding to Kjetil. Kjetil hesitated and left to wait in the running Humvee.
“Can’t have you thinking all men are pri…er, prickly like your brother,” Faolán said with a smile.
“That’s nice of you,” she said appreciatively, “but I’ve always known he was an exception. I’ve known plenty of nice guys, thankfully. Most of them hate my brother.” She grinned, feeling better than she had all evening. Faolán had that effect on everyone.
He smiled back. “That’s good. I was hoping you’d have a cup of coffee with me some time.”
She blinked, taken aback. She hadn’t expected that, didn’t know what to say.
He smiled at her silence. “It’s just coffee, lass. No strings, I promise.” His grin widened. “I know you’re busy.”
So he’d heard Mia trying to fix her up. No matter how many times Juniper told her she was busy, Mia kept trying. She cleared her throat. “I suppose I can do coffee.”
“Great! Can I have your number?”
“Uh…” Since the phone was new, she couldn’t recall what it was and eventually handed him her cell so he could look it up. He programed in his number while he was at it. “I don’t always have my phone on, and it’s off when I’m working.” Trees were complicated, and she didn’t need a call ruining her concentration.
“I understand.” He handed her phone back and hesitated a moment. “I’ll see you later. Take care.”
She shut the door and watched the hummer leave. The lights were out in the chestnut, making it a dark outline in a poorly lit neighborhood.
She frowned, thinking of the kids sleeping in a strange place. If she were a kid, she’d want a nightlight.
She was tired, but too w
orked up to sleep, so she turned the energy into something useful. Tomorrow she would rest, but for now, she used a trickle of energy to cover the chestnut’s trunk with vines. Flowers unfurled on the mature plants, glowing like stars. Chinese lanterns sprouted along the base of the trees and along the hedge, emitting a cheerful orange glow. Sunflowers as tall as streetlights sprang up by the gate, beaming light bright enough to read by, and clusters of pastel mushrooms lit dark corners.
Juniper admired the view for some time, dreaming of the future. Growing anchor trees was necessary, but this kind of playful gardening was her true love. She liked creating beautiful things that gave others peace. A beautiful broom or a fun pen could make mundane tasks more pleasant, and plants that gave food and medicine helped everyone.
This was what she wanted to do for the rest of her life; bring dreams to life. All she had to do was stabilize Bramble Burn and it would all be hers.
Sunday, she went to church. She needed the time to rest and renew, and the music lifted her spirit. On the way home, she rode by Grigori’s old neighborhood and found it blackened, the buildings reduced to rubble. The dragon’s body had been removed and construction workers were clearing the streets.
She was sad to see the boarded up windows of the Kebab Palace. She’d heard the Chandras’ wanted to rebuild, so that was a comfort. At least they’d been insured, but the city wouldn’t be fond of dragons for some time to come.
She ate lunch with Tatyana’s family and helped start their greenhouse, giving it a magical boost to bring plants to maturity. “From now on it will grow at a normal rate, so be sure to replant when you harvest potatoes or something, and remember to rotate plants,” she told Tatyana, who’d thankfully had gardening experience. “At least it will help with the groceries for as long as you want to stay.”
“I appreciate it. As for how long we will stay…the kids and I talked. Even though it’s dangerous, we like it here. We would like to be your tenants, at least for the summer. With the wolves here, it is no worse than our old neighborhood.”
Juniper glanced out the kitchen window into the front yard, but no wolves were visible. If she concentrated on the trees, she could feel them, though. There were always two, but they usually stayed out of sight. It made it easier to ignore them, which she appreciated. They might provide security, but she didn’t like having people she couldn’t see running loose on her property. If she were honest, they scared her.
“The tree keeps making blankets, a couple each day, and towels.” Tatyana commented. “With your permission, I thought we could sell them at the farmer’s market. I thought you could get sixty percent of the profit?” she asked tentatively.
“That’s fine, but be aware that the blankets are seasonal,” Juniper cautioned. “It will go on for two or three weeks and taper off, same as the brushes and things. Collect and store what you’ll need for the season.”
Suddenly concerned, Grigori asked, “What about the truffles and oil?”
“It’s all the same. Trees need to rest, and I have other things to do. I’ll make a storage room in my tree for the extra things.” She looked outside. “I suppose I can make a small garden for fun stuff. It won’t be a big deal if something tramples it, but pumpkins and broom corn would be nice.”
“What’s broom corn?” Klara asked. The twelve-year-old idolized Juniper and hung on her every word. Grigori told her an edited version of their battle with his ex-gang leader, and Juniper was her hero.
Juniper grinned. “My version is cooler than the real thing, I promise. Why don’t I show you?” She took a cautious peek outside and picked a likely spot, then rummaged in the seed collection she’d used to start Tatyana’s greenhouse. She found a few and dropped them on the ground, giving a little push. It took a few minutes, but when she was done, she waved the family over to see what she’d done.
“Broom corn!” Klara exclaimed, checking out the yellow-headed brooms growing on sturdy green stalks.
“Foxgloves!” Roza marveled, stroking the buttery “leather” of the fur lined gloves dangling like flower heads from a bush. “What’s this one with the pink scrub brushes?”
“Bottle brush flower,” Juniper said absently, considering the pumpkin and squash patch. How easy would it be to grow giant gourds for sheds and playhouses? Maybe later, when she wanted something fun to do.
She read for a while and then worked in the greenhouse as she tried to decide what to do Monday. Should she plant an anchor tree and risk being tired during the council meeting? Did it matter if she were? She had a job to do, and the sooner the four “corner” trees were in, the better. It needed to be done, and the longer she waited, the harder it would be. Bramble Burn would grow unbalanced if she didn’t set the corner anchors soon.
She was restless, so when Faolán called in the late afternoon and invited her out for coffee, she was happy for the distraction. She met him at a nice bakery near the firehouse called the Lemon Tree. The interior was eclectic and relaxing, with whimsical repurposed antiques, and they served great Danishes and sandwiches.
“F&R know all the best places to eat,” Faolán said as Juniper devoured her meal with relish. “Everything is good, but the roast beef on homemade bread is my favorite. I come here at least once a week.”
“I can see why. The dessert case alone would bring me in. The “Mile High” lemon meringue looks awesome. My mom makes it, but it’s hard to buy a good one.”
“Your mom is a good cook?”
“The best. She made sure all her girls could cook.”
“You have a lot of sisters?”
She grimaced. “My little sister Gilly and me, but she collared my cousins when they were around. Since we got cookies out of it, most of us didn’t mind.”
“Big family?”
“Big enough. What about you?”
Faolán took a sip of coffee. “My parents and two brothers live in North Dakota. They’d love me to move back, but it’s too cold for my taste. We have a village of frost giants there, though there’s more in Canada and Alaska, of course.”
“I’ve never met a frost giant, but we have plenty of dragons. My mom married one, and my sister is half,” she admitted. She didn’t talk about her family much, but it was basic getting-to-know-you stuff. It wasn’t like it was a secret.
He raised his brows. “Wow! You must have had an interesting childhood. But I thought dragons were possessive? How did your stepfather feel about you moving here?”
Juniper scowled. “I’m an adult, so there’s not much he can do. I have no doubt he’s checking on me, though. Dragons do things like that.” Not that he was around much. In fact, he’d been off on dragon business for several weeks. If he were human she’d wonder if he had someone on the side, but dragons were obsessive about honor. He treated her mom with courtesy when he was home, and her mom seemed content.
“Why the frown? Don’t you get along?”
Juniper sighed. “We’re okay…mostly. It’s just that he never takes my sister to see her dragon relatives. He says he’s waiting to present her when she’s sixteen, and mom says he’s being extra protective, but my sister and I think he’s hiding something. It’s what he doesn’t say, you know?” She waved her hand. “It’s refreshing, being here. The Burn is dangerous, but I’m never bored.”
They paused to order dessert, a Danish for him and lemon meringue for her. After the waitress left, he asked, “So what will you do when you’re done fixing up the park? What’s next?”
She laughed. “What, that’s not enough? I plan to relax and enjoy it for a while. I’m happiest in my garden or reading a book.”
“All by yourself?” he asked teasingly, thanking the waitress for his pastry. “These are heaven,” he moaned, taking a bite.
She smiled faintly, but the question he’d raised was a weighty one. “I may get married one day, but I don’t have time for children now. The park has to be safe first.”
“You don’t have to have them right away.”
She pok
ed her pie, mauling the tip. She wasn’t hungry now. “We don’t get a choice in my family. The women are supernaturally fertile.”
He quirked a brow. “There’s ways to prevent that, you know.”
“Supernaturally. Fertile,” she said, stressing the two words. “It’s the only ‘gift’ in my mother’s line. No protection, magical or mundane, prevents a first pregnancy with a new man. It’s one of the reasons I have a dragon half-sister.”
He sat back, floored. “You’re kidding.”
Did he look a little pale? Faolán was charming and the ladies liked him. “No. It’s only fair to let you know that when I get serious about a man, there will be courtship with the intent to marry, not casual dating. There’s a vast difference.”
These things were well known back home, and she’d never been courted. With a tree mage for a grandfather and a dragon stepfather, no one dared. Few young men were ready for instant families.
“That’s why you and I are going to be great friends and nothing more. Feel free to spread the word. It’s awkward to explain, and it would be easier if everyone already knew.” The kind of man who would court her wouldn’t care, nor would he be easily dismissed, but she’d been warned about that, too. She knew how to handle dragons.
She really didn’t want to talk about it, and she could see her announcement had the predictable effect on Faolán. She might not be in love with him, but it was disappointing. She wasn’t bad looking, was moderately interesting and had good hygiene. Clearly, that wasn’t enough when stacked against her baggage.
Well, it wasn’t as if she’d thought he wanted to marry her. Time to act like a big girl. She waved her hand to dismiss the subject, letting him off the hook. “Until then, I work and enjoy an occasional cup of coffee with friends.” She gave him time to process, accepting a take home box from the waitress and requesting the check. He was a nice guy, and the least she could do was be patient. Faolán insisted on paying, and she didn’t mind. In the future, when they ate, if they ate, she would get a separate check.
“I’m not that shallow, you know. I can be friends, even if you don’t want to date,” Faolán said at last. He almost seemed to be talking to himself, but his expression cleared. He looked at her and said firmly, “I like you. You’re good company, and you fit right in with the F&R crowd. You should join us for lunch once in a while.”
