Page 54 of The Healer and the Wolf: Part One

“Understood. Will you be nearby?”

“I’ll actually be in the orchard with Esperanza. Not that you’ll need me, of course. You’ve got a good head on your shoulders.”

“Thank you, Haelena.”

“You’re welcome, my sweet. It’s been good to have you on the team. Don’t tell the others, but I see you becoming my favorite!”

And there was the guilt, rushing in to remind me that if my plan was successful, everyone I liked here would lose their jobs. Since, ya know, their boss was about to be murdered.

Better not to think about that.

Banishing those thoughts from my head, I hurried to shuck off the bright-yellow sanitation jumpsuit and get to the tea garden. Maybe if I lookedreallybusy, people wouldn’t want to bother me.

Well, if I wanted to look occupied, I needed some tools. I stopped off at the supply shed and grabbed a gardening apron, a trowel, some mini-pruners and a pair of scissors. It wasn’t a full kit, but it would be enough for different tasks that could pop up.

By the time I made it to the tea garden, I heard the administrative assistants going over final checklists when they passed by. I did my best to keep my head down and get to work, but from what I could hear, it was going to be one crazy shindig.

Vehicles drove past, dropping of the musicians, some performers, and other things that sounded completely over the top and unnecessary to me. But what did I know about grand events to celebrate criminals?

Thankfully, I managed to lose myself in my tasks. It was just me and the warm earth. The sun above and all the different types of leaves and flowers around me beckoned me to pay attention to them and only them.

I wished I had my garden stool. My knees were weak, flimsy things and usually ended up resenting me if I spent too much time kneeling. I’d bought a garden stool online that made everything I had to do in the yard much easier. Unfortunately, it wasn’t an approved piece of equipment for whenever I was working where I would be visible by guests. The head of personnel thought they made the staff look lazy. I had no idea how using a short stool possibly made anyone look lazy, but whatever. I wasn’t in charge, and soon, hopefully, I would be home and back to my regular schedule.

Although I would miss the extra money.

“Excuse me, miss.”

I looked up from the lavender bush. The flowers were only just beginning to bud, and if they opened fully, the plant would be a bit too mature for the teas, oils, and other things the staff used them for.

Although I wasn’t exactly the biggest fan of our dear Chadwicke, the one thing I did appreciate was that he was very keen on using the many things he grew around the estate. Was that the warlock in him? I had no idea how his magic worked, but from what little I’d learned of witches from pop culture and the various friends I had in college, it didn’t seem outside the realm of possibility to assume his spells might need components that could be grown right out in his backyard. And by backyard, I meant his sprawling estate, which had a produce garden, an orchard, a cottage garden, multiple beautiful flower gardens, the tea garden, as well as at least a dozen other lovely focal spots full of statement pieces dotted throughout the compound.

But I suppose even a broken clock was right twice a day, so it wasn’t too surprising the guy was doing one thing right. It certainly didn’t make up for the plethora of other heinous crimes he’d committed. Not by a long shot.

Oh, right, someone was talking to me. Man, I really was in my own head.

“Yes?” I replied as sweetly as I could when I saw the young girl in an adorable party dress. She had to be around ten or eleven and was looking at me with such open fascination, I worried there was something on my face.

“What are you doing to that plant?”

There was no rudeness or demand to her voice, just a gentle sort of curiosity. Ooh, was I encountering a fledgling gardener? We did tend to start quite young.

“I’m cutting and harvesting these flowers so my friends can use them for things.”

“Does that hurt the plant?”

“That’s a good question. As long as I don’t get too carried away, it won’t. It’s actually good for it.”

I didn’t think it was possible, but her big blue eyes grew even wider. “How is it good for the plant?”

“Well, that’s a bit complicated. I don’t mind explaining, but do you have the time for a longer explanation?”

“Oh, I don’t want to annoy you.”

Now, that wouldn’t do at all. Although I wasn’t a kid anymore, I hadn’t forgotten about that paralyzing fear of inconveniencing an adult around me. I remembered perpetually being afraid of annoying my own aunt, and I’d desperately wanted to make myself as unobtrusive and small as possible—not exactly my strong suit.

It did make me a bit sad that the girl was struggling with the same things. The world could be such a mean place to anyone who was a little bit different.

“You’re not annoying me. I sometimes get carried away with plant stuff, so I’ve learned to check in with people to make sure they have the time and energy for that.”

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