by Eris Kelli
Chapter Twenty
I was in mud up to my elbows, literally, with this short large man angry at me for not knowing anything about gypsy earth luring. “You are not trying.” His face was only a few inches from mine, and it was so red I was worried about him having a heart attack. “Close your eyes and tell it to grow.”
My eyes closed, and I tried to ignore the smell of tuna fish on his breath.
How could anyone learn from this yelling grape? Grow you stupid seed.
“Feel the earth around your hands. What is it doing? How about the seed? Does it hear you?” I’m sure my skepticism was written all over my face. “Stop fighting it and forget what you think you know and listen to what you feel.” He kept saying that to me repeatedly as if he thought I was suddenly going to have this epiphany and hear the earth talking to me.
“Just pull your hands out.” He was glaring at me. His bottom lip had completely swallowed his top one. “Go and scrub my kitchen floor.”
“What?”
“Scrub my kitchen floor.”
“Why? I tried to hear the mud talk to me.” His little feet tapped on the floor when he hurried toward me, and I flinched as he came to a stop just before bowling me over.
“This is not a question and answer period. Scrub my floor or get out.” I turned toward the front door. “Course, I’ll have to tell Seraph you don’t really have it in you to be a gypsy.”
“If I scrub your floor will you pass me?”
“It is against gypsy law to lie to another gypsy member. I can’t do that. You’ll have to talk to the earth before you can have me in your corner.”
I put my hand on my hip. “So this floor scrubbing is just a perk?”
“Naw, you’re lazy. It’s to build up your resolve.” He put his hand in front of my face as I opened my mouth. “Enough talk. Scrub my floor and clean my kitchen.”
It was filthy. There was mud everywhere. Dried dirt clods were stacked on the countertop and red clay smeared across every surface. Each dirt clod weighed at least twenty pounds so I could only take a couple outside at a time. I must have been the first student of Benzea’s to have to do this because a lot of the gypsies passing by stopped to watch me.
Embarrassment didn’t stay with me. I was working on my fifteenth trip to dumping the dirt clods when Benzea told me I couldn’t just put them on his dirt. I had to put them in the forestry several yards further on his property.
“How’s it going?” Toryn asked as I lifted the first of the pile I’d made.
“Apparently you can’t put dirt on dirt.” He tried to take it from me but I didn’t let him. “You’d better keep moving, Toryn. Every time I talk to you I get lectured by everybody.”
He walked with me to the trees where I dumped the dirt clods. “Do you want to talk to me? I want to talk to you.”
“I want to learn this culture thing and get back to my real life. I don’t fit here. This isn’t me.”
“Of course it is. You just have to adjust.” He was giving me a smile that warmed my insides in a comfortable familiar sort of way. “I will bring someone with me next time I seek you out. I’m allowed to talk to you if it’s not alone.”
I stomped back toward the dirt pile. “Why can’t you put dirt on dirt? This is ridiculous.” I stacked two into my right arm and turned back toward the trees. “What can you tell me about my mother?” He was the only one who had given me any clue at all with his head shake about Zorrin. “Have I met her yet?”
“Don’t ask me questions, Piper. You smile when you get what you want and I love to see that smile. It’s unfair.”
I dropped the load and looked at him. “I have, haven’t I?” I made sure to smile really big.
“Yes, you have. Now don’t ask me anything else.”
“Well, that means it’s either Brea or Seraph right?”
“You’ve probably met other women in the clan here.” I laughed at him when he looked a bit pale. “You really don’t know which one it is with only two options?”
The back door cracked open and Benzea came stomping out. “Get off my land, Toryn. You can’t be talking to her alone, or when she’s supposed to be learning.”
“She’s still learning,” he said to Benzea but got a fist shake in response. “Okay, I’m sorry.” He winked at me and left. Benzea stayed outside and watched me haul the rest of the load to the trees. I went after the red clay when I got back in the kitchen and broke four nails trying to pry it from the surface of the refrigerator.
Hot water was the only way to budge the clay but even then it was clay again and very difficult to remove completely. The mud in his sink resembled black tar in almost every way. It probably was tar, and it could stay there for all I cared. I had cleaned his blasted floor and all of the countertops.
“I’m finished,” I told him when I found him dumping potting soil into a clay pot. “You said the floor and it’s clean.”
“We’ll see.” He bent his finger at me and I came toward him. “Put your hands in.” He gestured to the pot.
No, not this again.
I would not hear anything from dirt. I stuck my hands in thinking of the dark black dirt that had just sunk beneath my nail beds. “Listen,” he yelled at me. I jumped and he glared at me repacking the dirt above my hands. “If you can’t do it then your hands don’t come out.”
I tried. I really, really tried to tell the seed to grow, but if it was I couldn’t see it. Benzea brought me a stool after a long period of time, and I sat there with my hands still in the pot waiting. Would I have to wait a week or something crazy like that?
How long did it take for seeds to sprout?
My hands were falling asleep but this was not a good enough reason to remove my hands from the dirt according to Benzea. “Why are you so stubborn?”
“How am I stubborn? I’m doing everything you ask me to do.”
“You do nothing you are asked to do. You don’t listen and you do not command.” I could smell food cooking from the nearby houses. It was past lunchtime they were probably eating dinner. My stomach growled. “Oh, you are hungry?” I just glared at him. “You’ve got a lovely strawberry plant right in front of you. Grow it and eat up.” He slammed his fist down on the surface.
“Hey, good idea. You’ve been yelling at me all day and it hasn’t worked yet, but if you start breaking stuff well that will really get me in a plant growing groove.”
“Marime.”
“Yep, that’s me.” I still wasn’t quite sure what that meant, but I was called it often enough that it must fit. “You have the manners of a pig and you decorate like one too.”
He pulled the pot away from me. “You call me pig?” His voice was louder than before and that was a feat in and of itself.
“Yes, I call you pig.” I tried to yell just as loud.
“Get out of my house.”
“Well, here.” I wiped my dirty hands on the back of one of his chairs. “I don’t want to be accused of leaving with some of your best décor.”
“Get out.” I had to cover my ears to keep them from being damaged as I ran out his front door. Everyone outside was looking at me because Benzea was so loud they could all hear him. If he was their best, I knew I didn’t want to meet the runner-up.
As it happens I’m used to people watching me so I didn’t pay any of them any attention and was on my way back to the big white house. Benzea started shouting at me to come back. I stopped walking and turned back to look at him. He probably just wanted to yell at me some more. I’d be stupid to sign up for more punishment from him.
It surprised me when he started walking to me and I almost felt like I should run but I didn’t. “I’m sorry.”
“You are?”
“I didn’t want you to learn, but then you wiped dirt all over my chair and I couldn’t deny that I like you any longer.” I took a step back. “Brynn’s my niece.”
“I see.”
His head bowed like he was ashamed but he was smiling. �
��I will teach you now.”
“You wasted my time? I carried dirt for you.” I pointed at him and he did not attempt to hide the joy my labors gave him.
“Come on.” He led me back to his house and to the stinking pot I’d been stuck to for hours. “You don’t need much teaching. You have a gift.” I looked at the dirt and figured he was just trying to make up for yelling at me all day.
“Clear your mind. Go someplace that makes you feel safe and relaxed. Do you know a place like this?” I nodded picturing the sanctuary. “Now with confidence encourage the plant to grow.”
“Uh? Please grow.” The soil shifted under my hands, and I screamed jerking my hand away.
“It’s growing.” Benzea slapped his leg and his big stomach bounced with each booming laugh that came out of him.
“Grow.” Green sprouts surfaced, growing as if put on fast forward. Every inch they grew somehow soothed my soul as if massaging away my stress. “Come on, keep growing.” The big ripe red strawberries were the best I ever tasted.
“Well done, Kellan.” He patted me on the top of my head. “I again apologize for trying to make you quit.” He looked out his window. “I do so hate to see her cry.”
Benzea went over to a bookcase and pulled out a giant book. “Read this and learn it. You must devote yourself to learning the techniques and different plants in the book. You never know what you might need to grow one day.”
I accepted the book. He told me that I was done for the day and promised to give a good report to the queen. Knowing Benzea had been trying to make me quit was enough to keep me angry, but after the therapy of growing the strawberries I just couldn’t be. I thanked him. Nicholas was outside waiting for me when I left Benzea’s house.
“Interesting day you’ve had.”
“You should grow something, it’ll lighten you up.” Nicholas took the big book for me and a big smile spread across his face.
“What did you grow?”
“A strawberry bush.”
“Did you get any strawberries?” I nodded, and his smile grew even bigger. “That is amazing, Piper. On your first day?” My knees just about melted out from under me when he smiled at me like that. “I was worried Benzea was being too hard on you. I heard him yelling a lot.” This would have been the perfect time to agree with him and complain against Benzea, but I didn’t. I was already labeled by everyone in the clan as some kind of super spoiled Marime.
Walking with him I started thinking about Nicholas and Rick. Nicholas had not had any patience for Rick. Nicholas had protested, if not threatened with growling at him, whenever I had spoken to him and right and left I was finding Nicholas with Brynn.
“You look like you’re getting mad again. What are you thinking about?”
“Rick.”
“Why?” He blocked my path.
I wasn’t hurting but I did still care about him, just as Nicholas still cared for Brynn. I had only been dating Rick and Nicholas had been engaged. I sighed. Brynn was nasty but there was no way he was over her. “I’d like some time to myself.”
“Every time I leave you alone you meet up with Toryn.”
“And you meet up with Brynn.” We stared at each other, both of us angry.
“I do not seek out Brynn.”
That was such a lame excuse.
I started walking away from him and the big house where no doubt Zorrin was lurking. Nicholas was talking in his gypsy language in an angry tone as he stomped along behind me. “I have already told you I don’t want Brynn. What else can I do or say? How can I make you understand that you are who I want?”
He spun me around and dropped the big book. “Look at me.” His dark eyes were lighter with honey brown flecks in them. The hard expression he’d had on his face was gone. “It seems like we fight a lot more than we really need to.”
“That’s your fault.”
He laughed. “You’re so stubborn.” Nicholas reached up and tucked my hair behind my ear and then left his hand there on my cheek and traced my cheekbone with his fingers. “You’re headstrong and you think you’re always right.” I glared up at him, proving his point and putting my hands on my hips.
He didn’t act at all intimidated or put off by my attitude and descended toward my mouth as he finished, “You jump to conclusions and you make me crazy.” He kissed me, and I forgot what I was going to say. One arm encircled my waist, and the fingers on his other hand sank into my hair.
I swear I forgot my name and everything else. His heartbeat was beneath my hand resting on his chest, and it was beating at the same pace as my own. It seemed in that moment that I was right where I was supposed to be.
The kiss changed from a soft sensual heat to a branding fire. Nicholas fisted his hand in my hair and tilted my head back to meet the hunger he unleashed. He claimed my mouth completely. His tongue swept with mine, awaking my body to his as he pulled me even closer to him. I held onto him wanting so much to trust him and at the same time terrified that he could have such an effect on me.
My hands pushed against his chest, and I broke the kiss. Nicholas’ face was a little red, but he was smiling. “You can’t deny what you just felt, Piper.” His arms were still securely around me.
“Let me go.”
“Admit that you are just as crazy about me as I am for you.”
No way am I doing that. What and join Brynn in pining after him?
“Need more convincing?”
His mouth was coming toward mine, and I panicked. “Okay, I’m crazy about you.” Nicholas sighed and released me.
“That didn’t count.” I was just glad he realized that what I had said had been under duress. I am losing my mind here. Marrying Nicholas is not in my plans.
“You’re showing that stubborn streak again.” The evening light was diminishing and it made his five o’clock shadow look darker.
He was an amazing kisser. I had to admit that, at least to myself. And when he smiled at me after that kiss I felt my heart sing. When he looked at me like that I lost all doubt and felt like I could do anything. With his smile came mine. He reached for my hand I didn’t hesitate to take his.
Looking at his mouth made me want to taste him again, to feel my body vibrate with anticipation and need.
“Now you want to give me that look.” Nicholas snatched the book out of the dirt and was hauling me toward the big white house. I was running but it must not have been fast enough because he picked me up and zoomed to the huge back door.
“Stay inside this house and don’t come out tonight.” He dropped the book on the floor just inside the door.
“Why not?”
“It’ll be too dangerous. Trust me.” He backed out the doorway and then was gone in the time it took me to blink.
“Close the door, Marime.” Brynn closed the door pushing it from my fingers. “Looks like it’s just you and me.” She was looking at me like she was about to murder me. I picked up the book and hugged it to my chest. “I’m sick of playing these games with Nicholas. How about you?”
“Games?”
She rolled her eyes at me and then grimaced looking at my clothes. “Does your Marime mother dress you or did you pick out that boarding school outfit?” I took a few steps away from her. “He told me to meet him tonight at the gazebo.”
“What?” I gripped the book tighter.
“He wants us to be together one last time.”
She’s lying!
“That’s what he said the last time too. Nicholas is so competitive with Toryn he just can’t let him have either of us.”
“I’m supposed to believe you’re with Toryn now?”
“It’s like a fiancée swap kind of deal. Toryn and I are now arranged.” She looked up and down the hallway. “I want Nicholas and he wants me too, he’s just still angry with me.”
I turned away from her and started for the stairs. Brynn was trying to trick me, that’s what it was.
Well, I’m not falling for it.
“Do you know how desperate and pathetic you sound?” I asked giving her the look I gave to people who disgusted me.
“Hey, I just thought you might want to confront him with me and get it all out in the open. I guess I thought you had some kind of bravery sewn into your wannabe gypsy makeup. I’m meeting him in an hour, if you want to try and act like a woman instead of a little girl.” I had reached the top of the stairs. I continued walking hoping I would be able to find my room.
My suitcase was empty. I found my clothes put away in the drawers and walk-in closet. Brea was probably the one who had done this. Everyone else wanted me to leave besides Isabeau, and I knew she hadn’t done it because she was probably still scrubbing the ballroom floor.
The clock on my wall said it was six o’clock. Their supposed meeting was probably around seven, not that I believed her. It didn’t occur to me that all I’d had for dinner was strawberries until I had the big book open on my bed and my stomach grumbled.
Someone knocked on my door. If it was Brynn I promised myself I would slam the door in her face.
Isabeau held a silver platter with a delicious smelling chicken breast, a green leafy salad and a dozen or so beautiful red strawberries. Isabeau’s brown eyes were dim and her usual smile missing. I took the platter and set it on the table next to my door. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m exhausted.” She leaned against the door frame. “I scrubbed the entire floor and then polished it. My whole body hurts.” Her eyelids were drooping as she spoke. “Brea and Seraph said congrats about the strawberries and missed you at dinner.” She pointed toward the right. “I’m two doors down if you need anything.”
“Thanks for bringing me dinner.” I watched her stagger to her room. I bet she’d never pull that trick again. I shut the door and locked it before eating most of my dinner. I looked at the clock and was annoyed to find that it was only six thirty-three.
I lay back down on the bed on my stomach and started reading the giant book.
Flowers are the easiest to grow and once this art is mastered no seeds are necessary for growing most things. Bushes and ferns come next in basic earth luring.
I’ll just read this and pass earth luring and keep pushing through until I’m free to go home. Then I’ll forget all about Nicholas and stupid Brynn.
Trees are the most difficult and can only be lured by the most talented and skilled lurers of all, while herbs and smaller plants should be moderate in difficulty to many earth lurers. Earth manipulation has only been accomplished by two recorded thus far in gypsy history.
What does it matter if they were hooking up right now? I don’t care. I’m leaving. The clock read 6:50. Nicholas probably isn’t meeting her anyway.
It was 6:59. I got up and put on a pink sweatshirt. It was 7:02 when I left my bedroom. I knocked on Isabeau’s door and didn’t get an answer. I opened the door and was surprised when I found her sprawled across her bed still wearing the same clothes she’d been cleaning in all day. “Isabeau?” She was drooling heavily. I reached out and shook her shoulder. Her eyes opened lazily. “Sorry to wake you-”
“Kellan?”
“I need your help.”
She grinned at me. “You got it.” Her eyes started drifting closed.
“I need your help now.” I pulled her into a sitting position. “Is it okay to go outside tonight?” She was squinting at me and I repeated the same question twice before she said, “Okay.”
“Are you sure? It’s not dangerous outside?”
“Yes let’s go already.” I helped her stand up. “Why are we going outside again?” I retied her shoelaces and she still looked groggy though she was on her feet.
I opened the door, and we walked out into the hallway. “Brynn said she had a secret meeting with Nicholas at the gazebo.”
“No way.” Her eyes opened wide.
“She did and she also insinuated that this was the second time they were having a ‘one last time’ meeting. I want to see if it’s true.”
“Me too.” She chewed her lower lip. “Follow me.” Isabeau didn’t take me any special way. We went out the back door. “That must be why she left dinner early, she’s definitely got it in her to go after Nicholas.” I didn’t see anybody walking about.
Maybe Isabeau and I shouldn’t have come out.
“You know Nicholas better than I do. Would he be meeting Brynn?”
“Honestly? I think he might. He and Brynn weren’t prearranged. They chose each other, so at some point he must have loved her. Maybe he wants answers?” I didn’t know where the gazebo was, but we were leaving the village and walking into a forest.
I tried to prepare myself for what we would find. If it was Nicholas and Brynn locked in a passionate embrace, so be it. At least I would know, though I might try fighting them both even if my odds of injuring either were rock bottom.
We hadn’t even made it to the gazebo and I already felt like I’d lost Nicholas. I had assumed they had been arranged and that had been hard enough to swallow.
He chose her?
“So, you think Nicholas still loves her?”
“I don’t know about that but why else would he not be spending the evening with you? Didn’t he tell you where he was going?”
I could see the gazebo up ahead and there was movement inside. “No. He told me to stay inside the house because it’s dangerous out here.” Isabeau stopped walking and looked up at the night sky.
“Nicholas told you to stay in the house?”
“Yes.” I was pretty sure I could make out Brynn in the gazebo.
“Have you seriously led me out here when there’s a full moon?” She was squeezing all the blood from my fingers. “Oh Pipey, we are going to die.” I looked up but couldn’t see the moon through the tree tops.
“What happens when it’s a full moon?” Isabeau started backing up. “Wait, look there is something in the gazebo. Maybe it’s Nicholas and Brynn.”
“The hell it is. Brynn isn’t out here. She loves herself too much to be suicidal.” Her voice quivered. “The werewolves come out with the full moon.”
“They come out when it’s not a full moon too I’ve seen Nicholas do it.”
“When it’s a full moon they have no control of their werewolf. They’re all wild and unaware of what they’re doing.” We turned back toward the village. “Why didn’t you tell me he said it was dangerous?”
“Well, I asked you if it was dangerous.” I tried to speed up our pace but Isabeau made us walk slowly.
Her footsteps were silent. “You are the worst cousin ever. You’ve led me to my death.” The wind kicked up just then, but that wasn’t what we heard. The werewolves were howling. It was a sound that was completely wild, and it wasn’t far away.
