Page 11 of Howls & Harvest

“Oh, hush,” says Puckley, but kindly. “Dandelions aren’t weeds. You have all sorts of culinary, magical, and medicinal benefits.” The patch of dandelions preen under her words.

I laugh, delighted by the sheer wonder of it all. “This is amazing. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Puckley beams at me. “You’ve got a good eye for it, Candice. I can see the spark of magic in you. Have you ever considered trying your hand at farming?”

The question catches me off guard. “Me? I’ve thought about it, but it’s just a pipe dream. I mean, I have a small herb garden at home, but nothing like this.”

“Sometimes, the seed of magic takes root in the most unexpected places,” she says cryptically.

Returning to the farmhouse a while later with arms full of produce for the town feast, a sense of excitement bubbles inside me. Ronan helps me load the last of the harvest into the Hover-Hauler. “What did you think of magical farming?”

I look out over Puckley’s fields, watching the plants sway in a breeze I can’t feel, their leaves whispering secrets to each other. “I think,” I say slowly, “I might have found something truly special here in Evershift Haven.” Glancing back at him, it’s not just the farm that I’m referencing.

Ronan’s smile is warm and genuine. “I think you might be right about that, Candice.”

A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER, I wake up to the bustling sounds of Evershift Haven preparing for the town feast. The air is crisp with autumn, carrying the scent of cinnamon and woodsmoke. I slip on a flowing skirt and my favorite crystal necklace before heading out to help with the preparations.

The town square is a flurry of activity. Stalls are being set up, decorations hung, and the clatter of pots and pans resonates from the direction of the open glade near “Beastly Bites,” where the town feast will be held. I make my way there, dodging a group of excitable fairy children, who zoom past on miniature broomsticks.

As I approach “Beastly Bites,” I see the chef, Caelan—who I know now is a fire demon— directing a team of helpers. His flame-red hair dances like a living fire atop his head, and his eyes glow with enthusiasm.

“Ah, Candice,” he calls out when he spots me. “Perfect timing. We need another pair of hands to sort through these deliveries.”

I nod, rolling up my sleeves. “Happy to help. Where do you want me?”

He points to a pile of crates near the back of a large table. Everything is being sorted and prepared open-air today, but there are no insects hovering. I assume someone cast a repellant charm. “Those just came in from Puckley’s farm. Start unpacking and sorting, please. Vegetables on the left and fruits on the right.”

I set to work, marveling at the vibrant colors and unusual shapes of the produce. Puckley’s farm was simply too large for me to have seen all these on my tour. Some of the vegetables pulse with a faint inner light, while others change color as I touch them.

“These are amazing,” I say to no one in particular.

A deep, rumbling voice responds from behind me. “Wait until you taste them.”

I turn to find Ronan standing there. My heart does a little flip at the sight of him, which I quickly try to suppress. “Ronan,” I say, hoping my voice sounds steady. “Are you here to help too?”

He nods, moving to stand beside me. “Caelan asked me to lend a hand with the heavy lifting since you and I finished the decorating yesterday.”

We work side by side, unpacking crates and sorting produce, as Caelan calls out various menu ideas. That’s when the clash begins.

“For the main course, I’m thinking a grand roast beast,” says the chef. “With a side of bloodroot mash and cannibal carrots.”

I freeze, my hand halfway to a shimmering eggplant. “Cannibal carrots?”

Caelan waves a hand dismissively. “They only eat other vegetables. They’re perfectly safe for human consumption.”

I shake my head. “That’s not... I mean, I’m actually a vegetarian.”

The kitchen goes quiet for a moment. Ronan looks at me, his eyes wide with surprise.

“A vegetarian?” Caelan repeats, sounding perplexed. “But... how do you survive without meat?”

I straighten up, feeling a need to defend my lifestyle. “There are plenty of delicious and nutritious plant-based options. In fact, I’d be happy to suggest some vegetarian dishes for the feast.”

Ronan clears his throat. “Caelan, perhaps we could offer both options? A meat dish and a vegetarian alternative?”

Caelan considers this for a moment, then nods. “Yes, yes, that could work. Candice, what would you suggest for a vegetarian main course?”

I think for a moment. “How about a hearty mushroom stew? We could use some of these amazing magical vegetables. Maybe those color-changing squash and the glowing mushrooms?”

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