by Autumn Dawn
Juniper looked at her oddly, until it dawned on her that Gilly was giving her an alibi. Suddenly the presence of her parents and her unhappy stepfather made more sense. She opened her mouth to defend herself when another woman handed her a cup of coffee.
“You like it black, right? My son said you like pastry, so I made caramel cinnamon rolls. My name is Carri, by the way. So glad to meet you.” Of medium height, she was slim, with intelligent brown eyes. With a youthful face and shiny brown hair, Carri could have been Kjetil’s sister. She wore a red blouse and jeans with cute red sandals and just enough makeup to play up her features.
“Thank you,” Juniper said. Finding the coffee was the perfect temperature, she drank half of it in one swallow, then looked right at Indris. “I didn’t sleep with him. You don’t have to kill him. Now, what’s for breakfast?” She sat at the table and tucked into the scrambled eggs and bacon with fresh tomatoes.
There was a short silence, and then Indris resumed his seat. “I’m aware. I reserve the right to kill him anyway.”
Juniper grinned. “I love you, too.”
Her mother cleared her throat. “What are your plans for the day? Kjetil explained about the park, but surely we can see it from the air? The elves might have cleared the area by now.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Juniper said, cheered by the idea of doing something useful. “I need to check on things anyway, and I need to make a new battery soon, just in case.”
“In case of what?” her mother asked suspiciously, knowing a little about what such things were used for. “I don’t like you living there, Jun. It’s dangerous. How are you going to raise a family there?”
“I don’t have a family to raise, Mom,” Juniper said testily. “I don’t need kids right now. I need to get the park cleaned up first and fulfil my contract.”
“Yes, but where will you live afterward? If you get married…”
“I believe this discussion is premature,” Indris interrupted. “She’s hardly a weakling, and with her sister’s help, she’s a match for most things that might attack her tree.”
“Yes, but…”
“Mom.”
“Kjetil, you were telling us about your job earlier. Please continue.”
Juniper grimaced into her coffee. Her mother would wait until Indris was elsewhere before she brought it up again. Grateful for the respite, she savored the cinnamon rolls. Between him and his mom, if she did marry Kjetil, she’d never go hungry.
She glanced at him, admiring the easy way he spoke with Indris. The dragon didn’t intimidate him, and he didn’t feel the need to posture, either. He was confident without arrogance, an extremely potent combination.
He saw her looking and smiled, and her heart skipped. Was she falling for him?
“It still smells like armpit,” Gilly complained as they landed in front of the Iron Oak.
Her mother grimaced. “You say it’s better inside?”
Juniper hurried to usher them inside, trying not to breathe deeply. The air was fresher, and she sighed with relief as she gave her mother the tour.
“This isn’t bad,” her mother said inside the greenhouse. “If it weren’t for the monsters and the neighbors, it would be almost okay.”
“I’m glad you like it,” Juniper said ironically. “Let me show you the chestnut.”
Juniper spotted a car pulling up to the gate as they hurried across the yard. She recognized the student and waved her family into the chestnut. “I’ll be right in. Go ahead and look around,” she said, rushing to greet her visitor. “Hi! Your name was Daisy Luke, wasn’t it?” The petite blond was a bit plump, with brown eyes framed in wire rimmed glasses. She wore jeans and a practical t-shirt with sneakers.
“Yes. Is this a bad time?” She looked at the Chestnut as if worried Juniper were showing it to other potential tenants.
“No. I was showing it to my parents, anyway. You might as well have a look, too. However, you should know the last family left because the park isn’t safe.” The stinky outdoors was no place to linger, so Juniper walked rapidly to the tree with her guest.
“Oh, I know. We talked about that yesterday, and everyone knows about Bramble Burn. It’s worth the risk. You’re doing things here that are a botanist’s dream.”
Warmed by her enthusiasm, Juniper smiled as she showed off the house, which Daisy exclaimed over. Her excitement almost made up for her mom’s constant frown.
Once outside, Daisy looked around and sighed. “I’m going to love living here. Thanks for letting me look at the house. I can move in next week, if that’s okay.”
“Sounds good.” Juniper was aware of her mother’s disapproval, but she tuned it out as Indris escorted the young woman to her car so she wouldn’t be eaten.
Once she drove off, her mother burst out, “I can’t believe you would allow her to live here!” She gestured to the giant pig’s head entombed in the tree. “It’s not safe! Look at that thing. You were nearly killed! You can’t stay here.”
Juniper folded her arms. “It’s my life, Mom.”
“You won’t have a life if you die!”
“Mom,” Gilly protested.
“You’re getting hysterical,” Juniper pointed out helpfully. Any minute the guilt trip would start. Any minute…
“Don’t you care what that would do to me? To your family? You’re being reckless, irresponsible, and for what; some kind of teenage, late bloomer rebellion?”
“Ouch. That hurt,” Juniper acknowledged the hit, her voice dry. “Thankfully, I’m an uncaring rebel.”
Indris put a hand on his wife’s elbow. “That’s enough.”
“No, it’s not! She’s putting herself in danger, and I’m sick of it. She needs to come home…where are you going, Juniper?”
“I’m going to my home and get some work done. I need to make a battery in case more wild pigs attack. I’ll see you at dinner.”
“Juniper Rose Baily! You…”
She ignored her mother and Indris’s argument, closing her door with quiet deliberation. She knew she couldn’t buckle under and do whatever her mom wanted, but the guilt trip hurt. Even when she knew what her mom was doing, there was a sick pang in her stomach as the words dug deep.
She couldn’t be happy and a puppet at the same time.
Gilly entered minutes later, softly shutting the door. She saw that her sister was meditating and sat at the table to play a video game on her phone, lending her company without distraction.
Grateful, Juniper focused on forming another link in the belt of interlocked amber daisies. It was an intricate design, compared with the staff, but this battery would free her hands, and it would look good with jeans or a dressier outfit. Maybe she would make a matching collar later, or bracelets. While she was at it, she could work some into her gun grip and knife handle. Of course, that was more bling than she usually was comfortable with…
“She makes me crazy,” she finally admitted, setting aside her third link.
“Yep,” Gilly said, eyes on her game.
“I’m a grown woman. I can’t buckle under because she’s scared.”
“Nope.”
“She needs a hobby, something to keep her mind off what I’m doing.”
“She knits.” Gilly set her phone aside. “She keeps making me ugly sweaters.”
Juniper laughed. “Did you tell her you don’t need sweaters?” Dragons didn’t need help staying warm.
“It would hurt her feelings.” Gilly got up to get a snack. “I think she’s getting the hint, though. Last Christmas I got wool socks. I wear them around for slippers. I think she’s making you a pair of argyle.”
Juniper blew out a breath. “I know she loves me, but…”
“I get it. She’s my mom, too.” Gilly rummaged in the kitchen and handed Juniper a cookie. She hopped on the counter with only a minor grimace, demonstrating her superior healing. “Stand your ground. It’s your life. She wouldn’t be happy if you were little Suzy Homemaker, either. Somehow, you’d
be doing that wrong, too.”
Juniper managed a wry smile. “Yeah, probably.”
Gilly lightly punched her shoulder. “You know she’ll love us even if we’re hellions. After all, if she can love Justin, she can love anyone.”
Kjetil’s parents were refreshing. His mom had a warm, easy going personality and mad cooking skills. His father, DJ, had dark good looks coupled with a sharp intelligence, and he clearly adored his wife. He let Kjetil entertain the guests as he asked his wife if she needed help, sliding an arm around her waist to steal a kiss.
Carrie and her daughter Eve had everything under control, so Kjetil introduced Juniper and her family to his brother-in-law, Aran. Eve looked a great deal like her mother while her husband had dark, Arabic good looks.
“I’ve never met a tree mage before,” Aran said warmly. “What an interesting talent.”
“Thank you,” Juniper said self-consciously. “It was luck of the genetic draw, like the ears.” She flicked her round ear.
“Still, I find your development of Bramble Burn intriguing. Clearly, you have a vibrant imagination. Where do you see it going in the next few years? Do you have a business plan?”
“Careful,” Kjetil warned, a twinkle in his eye. “Aran is an entrepreneur. He’ll have you running the Burn like a CEO in no time.”
She grinned. “I could use the advice. How else am I going to get my cocoa empire up and running? The professors are very excited, but I don’t think any of them are businessmen.”
“You can grow cocoa?” Aran asked with interest. “Tell me about it.”
Pleased that she was getting along so well with his family, Kjetil kept her parents entertained as the conversation got technical.
Thanks to the warm welcome, Juniper relaxed and enjoyed the meal. It was nice to talk with someone who understood her ideas, and she enjoyed watching Kjetil’s family interact. She was listening to his father tell an amusing story about Kjetil when she felt a sudden chill.
Something was wrong with her chestnut. A creeping feeling of horror stole her smile, stiffened her spine. Something bad was polluting her park.
“What is it?” Kjetil asked, interrupting his father. He looked ready for action. Everyone looked at her.
“I need to leave. My chestnut is… Sorry,” she said, distracted. She stumbled as she got up from the table.
He rose. “I’ll go with you.”
“It’s okay,” she began.
“I’ll get my car,” he said firmly, and his dad and Indris rose, too.
“You can ride me,” Gilly offered, throwing her napkin on the table. “You won’t keep up with Twix otherwise.”
Deaf to the conversation, Juniper left them to sort it out as she rushed to get Twix.
She didn’t remember much of the ride. What she remembered was trotting up to her chestnut to stare in horror at the dead cats wrapped in the branches. The tree was feeding.
It was ruined.
“Oh, God,” she whimpered, sliding from the saddle, barely aware of the dragons landing, though the draft from their wings whipped her hair and clothes.
“Stay back!” she snapped when they would have come closer. She went to her tree and gently touched a low hanging tendril cocooning a cat. Tears burned, and she flung her head back to hold in the pain. “Justin.” She clenched her teeth, fury igniting. He’d come here and deliberately found a way to ruin her tree. He probably though it was funny, and he had to have boosted his power to make it happen, but he was the only one she knew who had the right kind of power to do this. She could feel his touch all over her tree, a violation that turned her stomach.
He’d known she would. He’d poisoned her tree, known what she would have to do. He’d found the perfect way to hurt her.
With a growl of rage, she raised her hands. The tree greeted her, waving its catch in happiness. It had learned a new trick. It shuddered as her power hit it, not understanding.
She destroyed her poor, beautiful tree. Sick with the waste, she blasted power from the roots up, breaking the bonds, choking off the life, composting as she went. The tree popped and groaned like a spruce in deep winter, cracks running through it. Chips fell, faster and faster, piling at the base until all that remained was a heap of mulch.
She turned away, her expression terrible, and met Kjetil’s eyes. “My brother taught it to eat animals. If I didn’t destroy it, it would kill people, too.”
“Easy, baby,” he said softly, taking her into a hug. She resisted at first, and then let him hold her. She gripped his shirt, shivering with grief. The place where the chestnut stood was empty, cold. It hurt so much.
She rose early the next morning. Joined by a silent Gilly, she went to the site of the salt tree and raised a maple. It had a water tap inside and produced amber bottles of maple syrup. The bottles were small and leaf shaped.
There were no other bells and whistles. Her heart wasn’t into it.
Kjetil greeted her with a gentle kiss as she finished, surprising her, and handed her a bottle of chilled juice. “Tired?” he asked, walking her to his car.
“Not as much as usual, but yeah.” She called Twix, knowing he would follow, and Gilly took to the air. “I think I’m building endurance.”
“Good.” He drove silently for a while. “There were no wolves here last night. I tracked your brother’s scent, but lost him in the city.”
She nodded. “He’s not stupid.” Evil, but not stupid.
“Indris was furious.” Both dragons and wolves could smell Justin on site.
She didn’t want to think about that. “Your family…”
“Enjoyed meeting you. Mom sent you some of the dessert you missed. I brought it with me.”
She brightened. “Lemon bars?”
He grinned and handed her the bag with the container. “I thought that might perk you up.”
Her smile was faint, but there. “I’m a sucker for lemon. Thanks.”
“My pleasure.”
He hung out at her tree, chatting with Gilly while she napped, and then cooked dinner. It felt good, and Juniper was touched. Even after he left, his concern helped soothe the ache as she looked at the empty place where her tree had been.
“What will you grow next?” Gilly asked, joining her at the window.
Juniper turned away. “I don’t know.”
“As long as he doesn’t win,” Gilly said fiercely. “If you can grow it once, you can do it again, bigger and better this time.”
Juniper simply looked at her.
“He can’t wreck your stuff and get away with it,” Gilly insisted stubbornly. “Bullies don’t get to win.”
Juniper looked outside, feeling a stir of hope. “Go big or go home, huh?”
Gilly flashed a dragon’s smile. “That’s my sister.”
Grigori showed up the next day. He stared at her wordlessly, before saying quietly, “Why?”
She explained, adding, “I know you had tools in there. They’re still there, under the mulch. I’ll get them whenever you want.”
He looked pained. “It was so beautiful.”
Her shoulders drooped, until she remembered what her sister said. She straightened and clasped his shoulder. “I know. Want to help me make the next one bigger and better?” She made a lot of phone calls and took the day to plan. This time, she was going to get her friends and family involved. She’d finally realized that sharing her gift gave it meaning, and isolation was no fun. Grigori’s family had brightened her life, and she wanted more people to share the wonders of Bramble Burn.
Early the next day, she sent Grigori to the hardware store and finished her battery-belt. When she was done, she wrapped it around her hips and admired the chain of amber daisies.
Her mother and Indris arrived and greeted her with hugs. Her mother was stressed, but she gazed around the kitchen with a keen eye. “It looks good.”
Juniper had revamped and modernized it for the occasion. The cabinets were oak, of course, the counters hardened, dark stained woo
d. She’d enlarged the icebox and added an adobe cellar with amber skylights.
In fact, the whole house was expanded. Juniper had a proper bedroom now, since she had so many visitors recently, and she’d added an amber bathtub in each bathroom. She’d figured out how to make her water hot so she could have a soak whenever she wanted.
There was a new couch and coffee table flanked by armchairs in front of shelving she’d added for a new entertainment center, which she’d buy later. She’d expanded the kitchen table, enlarged the dining area, and added a chandelier and extra lighting throughout the tree. Working with the Chinese lanterns had inspired her, given her ideas for indoor lights.
“We brought supplies. You’ll need tons of food for the work crew. I’ll raid the greenhouse and get to it.” Her mom set grocery bags on the counter and began to organize items.
Appreciating the offer for the support it was, Juniper smiled as she showed her mom how to work the kitchen rocket stove and wood-fired wall oven. “It’s all yours.”
Kjetil and his wolves arrived minutes later with a semi-trailer. He gave her a gentle kiss of greeting that curled her toes and said, “My mom will be here soon, and she’s bringing lots of food. She wants to see the tree. My father will be delayed, but he sent a couple of extra guys. Everyone’s excited about the project.” He left with Indris and Gilly to fetch the dragon skeleton she’d once considered for bone meal.
Dragons cremated their dead, but Indris agreed her plans for the bones were a fitting tribute. The body had been abandoned, a traitor left to rot. No one cared if he fertilized a tree, and the end result would be magnificent.
Since she was working in relative safety, Juniper decided to use the opportunity to experiment. With Grigori’s help, she put bags of charcoal and fertilizer on the site of his future tree, which was located a stone’s throw from the original. Because it made her feel better, she’d decided to move it and start from scratch with the next tree. The ground was already rich with compost from all the dispatched critters, so her new creation would have plenty of food: inert, non-living food; an important difference.
