Page 4 of Deliverance

Will wearing it make me a target? The villagers reacted pretty violently to the tradeswoman, but that was over the items that contained animal remains. This is simply a bracelet woven from grass and a tiny black stone. No one here will know that it is actually made from fae bane, and they probably would not even notice the stone. Shaking my head, I blow out a shaky breath as I think over my options. My instincts are telling me to wear it and that I shall need the protection it offers.

I really hope I don’t live to regret this. Sliding the bracelet onto my wrist, I admire it closely, the delicate band suiting my style. Although I am sure it is just in my mind, I feel stronger with the fae bane wrapped around my wrist, and it puts a slight spring in my step. Slipping from the side of the barn, I rejoin the mass of people in the market. Focus is on the woman who was dragged away, only it changes as I move through the mass of stalls. My name is on people’s lips, questioning if I was somehow involved with the tradeswoman.

Don’t react, I tell myself, keeping my steps sure and my head high.Pretend you do not hear them and go about your day as usual.

It is not unheard of for me to be the gossip of the day when I visit the market, so this is nothing new to me. Holding my head high, I try not to let their words get to me. My mother emerges from the healers’ building ahead, and relief floods me at seeing the friendly face. She smiles as she sees me, her face unburdened, and I know she didn’t see what happened in the market.

I hurry towards her, but someone steps into my path, and I pull up short to avoid crashing into them. Gasping, I pressa hand to my chest in surprise. Alexander Koff stands in front of me, Brine’s mayor’s assistant, and as is usual for him, he is looking at me as though I am something he found on the bottom of his shoe. This is not an attitude he saves just for me though, as he deems himself above all in the village thanks to his position.

“Miss Bloom,” he greets with a curl of his lip. “The mayor would like to see you.”

Dipping my head in understanding, I keep my gaze down. I have seen what happens to those who mess with Alexander, and while his revenge might not be physical, the outcomes have not been pleasant for anyone involved. I try not to stir the pot, sticking to my mantra of appearing meek and mild while in the village.

“Of course.” My reply is quiet, but I need not have bothered because he has already started walking towards the mayor’s manor. Following several steps behind him through the village, I try not to look like an errant school child being taken to see the principal, even if this is exactly how this feels. My mother’s eyes are on me as I go, a concerned frown pulling at her brow, yet she says nothing and does not try to intervene.

The mayor and I have an odd relationship. He has always been kind, and by giving me dominion over the plants in the village, he has given me protection in the form of his endorsement. The villagers may say what they wish, but they do not dare go against the mayor by protesting my presence. After all, they trust him, and the mayor would not allow anyone into the village who could cause them harm.

Brine Manor is a large three-story house on the east side of the village. It overlooks the market, but it is set back enough to give it a sense of privacy. The walls have been whitewashed, and it has many windows, adding to the brightness of the building. I always wondered at the choice of style for the manor, as it is so different than the rest of the village. Other than theshops surrounding the marketplace which are taller, most of the houses are one-story cottages with thatched roofs and fairly blank facades. Glass is expensive and something most cannot afford for more than one or two windows.

A manicured hedge borders the front garden to the estate, and the plants here flourish almost as well as the ones in my garden at the cottage. Huge rose bushes grow up the front of the house, the pink, red, and orange blooms open in their full glory. As I walk through the perfect garden, my happiness blooms like one of the flowers, their gorgeous floral scent making me feel safe.

Alexander keeps up a steady pace, not once checking to make sure I am still following behind. Thankfully he doesn’t try to speak to me, simply leading me through the manor house. It is stunning inside, with gilded portraits lining the walls, marble floors, and huge vases of flowers in every room. Everything is spotless and in its place. It feels… cold. There is no life or lived in feel, and I suspect that it became that way after the mayor’s wife died several years ago.

We only come to a stop once we reach the large study, the door already open as though waiting for me. Alexander knocks once to announce our presence and gestures for me to enter. Stepping inside, I clear my throat, clutching my hands behind my back as I wait for him to acknowledge me.

“Mayor Marshal, you wished to see me?” I greet quietly after a minute of silence has passed. Does he not realise that I am here, or is he making me wait on purpose?

From the way he startles, I would guess the first option is correct. He chuckles quietly and slowly glances over his shoulder at me, giving me a fond smile.

“Come now, Iris. I told you to call me Dean.” Finally stepping away from the window, he gestures to the chairs waiting for us. “Come in, sit down.”

The mayor’s office is larger than the whole downstairs of my cottage, one wall almost entirely made up of glass. The huge window overlooks the village, and when I come to visit, I often find Mayor Marshal standing by it in quiet contemplation. Bookshelves line the walls, although I have never seen him use them, and in the centre of the room is a huge glossy wooden desk. His wealth shines in every aspect of the room, from the books he doesn’t read, down to the velvet cushions adorning the chairs in front of the desk. Our village is not poor, but it certainly is not wealthy either, and I have always wondered how the mayor manages to fund this lifestyle when we are so far from the rest of society. I do not ask, though, not wanting to cause problems, especially with how good he has been with me. How he makes his money is none of my business.

We both take our seats, the large leather wingback chair almost swallowing me with its size. The mayor has a larger version of the same chair, but somehow, he manages to make it look regal, whereas I look like a child playing grown-up. He watches me for a moment, his hands poised on the desk, his expression thoughtful. Why do I get the feeling that I am not going to like what he has to say?

“That mess in the market today—”

Leaning forward in the chair so quickly I almost fall from it, I press my hands against the desk to steady myself and cut him off with a rapid shake of my head. “I did nothing, I swear. She just started talking to me.”

My words come in a rush as I leap to defend myself, my pulse pounding so hard I can hear it. The last thing I want is to be associated with anything related to the fae. The villagers already look down on me, so my whole family could become ostracised if I am not careful. No more than twenty minutes must have passed since the incident, and he already seems to know all the details. Someone must have reported it straight away, andof course my name was mentioned, as it so often is when something goes wrong in the village.

The mayor raises his hands in a slowdown motion, a smile pulling at his lips in a reassuring gesture. “I know, Iris, you need not worry. I heard rumours that a tradeswoman who specialised in oddities was travelling with the traders. I should have checked her out before I allowed them to set up.” With a deep, weary sigh, Mayor Marshal rubs his hand across his chin. Leaning back in his large chair, he frowns and rests his hands on his slightly rounded belly, a troubled expression crossing his face.

This worries me. If the mayor is concerned, then things might not be as stable in Brine as I thought they were. I want to return to the safety of my garden where it is just me and my plants. There, I don’t have to worry about how other people will react to me or change my personality to make them comfortable.

“Along with the sighting of the fae, people are jumpy,” the mayor continues after a brief pause to gather his words. “I just wanted to remind you not to draw attention to yourself. I do what I can to protect you as your… skills keep this village alive and bright, but there is only so much I can do. Associating with women like that could make people question you.”

All I did was speak to a market vendor who was interested in buying my flowers. I spoke with all of the tradespeople, not seeking her out specifically. He makes it sound as though I am choosing to consort with people who will cause a stir within the village. Frustration stirs deep in the pit of my stomach and starts to work its way up, demanding to be heard.

He is trying to help you, don’t be ungrateful, my thoughts chide, and I realise they are right. The irritated voice inside me quickly subsides as I remember the reasons I try not to stir up trouble—my family. My father has been away for a long time now, leaving my mother to be the breadwinner. My sister’sgreatest dream is to get away from this life, and a strategic marriage is the only way she is going to manage that.

Thinking back on the situation, I suppose I could have just walked past her stall when I realised what she was selling, but my curiosity got the better of me. Reining in that part of myself has always been something I struggle with, but if I want to live a normal life, then I need to try.

“Yes, sir, I shall try harder.” My gaze drops to the desk, making me seem suitably apologetic.

“I know you will.” His large, meaty hand reaches across the desk and lands on mine as he pats it like he would when comforting a child. Standing, he rounds the desk until he stands beside me, staring down with a smile that seems a little forced. “We have a big day coming up next week. Visitors from the city shall be coming to view our village, so I need our gardens and flowers to be bright and blooming. Can I trust you with that?”

Visitors. We have had visits from the city before, but the mayor has never acted like this, meaning this must be a very important meeting. Usually, I am kept away when the village needs to make a good impression, yet this time it seems it is the opposite.

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