Curling Vines and Crimson Trades by Kellie Doherty

Author:Kellie Doherty
Format: epub

Chapter Seventeen

ORENDA SAW THE MOP of curly white hair and the glint of armor through the bushes before actually seeing her friend. Jax peered around the leaves and searched the empty road before stepping into full view. Seeing her oldest friend tempered Orenda’s sudden rush of emotions. In its place, determination welled up inside her, cold as the blade of steel she’d use to cut down the Ponuriah worshippers. In less than nine nights, they would save Jax’s family, and Orenda would save Noss.

First, they needed to bring Jax up to speed. Orenda stopped the cart and pulled Jax in, then started signing to her, telling Jax the whole story. When she got to the place where Orenda’s poison leaf had been replaced with a harmless one, Jax shook her head, a look of disbelief painting her features. As proof, Orenda tugged her armor and tunic to the side a little, showing off the spiky crimson leaf that had taken the place of the one Kieve gave her. She dug in her pocket and drew out the other red leaves Zayla had gifted her.

After placing them on the cart bed, she signed, “Do you know what type of leaves these are?”

Jax picked one up, turning it this way and that in the light. She twisted the stem a little, bent the crimson blades, and even lifted the leaf to her nose, smelling it.

“Well?” Orenda signed.

Putting the leaf back into the pile, Jax signed, “It’s tropical. Probably by the ocean since it smells a little like salt. I recognize its shape but can’t think of the official name.”

Orenda’s heart sank a little. She thought the leaf would be special in some way. Different, even.

Jax shook her head. “The thing is, if this leaf was still on the plant it came off of, I think it would be poisonous. You can tell that by the natural shine the leaf has and the slightly blue edges by the stem.” She lifted the leaf and pointed out the features.

While Orenda noticed the shine, she never would have noticed the slight change in color. She also never would have guessed the leaf would be dangerous at all. Zayla had specifically said their leaf wouldn’t harm her.

“Well, it hasn’t hurt me yet so I think it’s safe. Safer than yours, anyway,” Orenda replied.

Jax’s hands were shaking when she signed, “I just can’t believe your leaf is gone.” She glanced at the twins who’d watched the entire conversation. “Do you think Kieve knows?”

Orenda frowned and signed, “Hope not. I was thinking we could get yours off, too.”

“I would love that, but I don’t have much time left to get my family back,” Jax signed in return. She looked to the sun rising in the sky like an unblinking eye, watching them. “We need to concentrate on helping them, not saving me.”

“How does Kieve let you know that your family is alive? Does she send you anything?” Orenda asked, thinking about the flowers drying in her notebook.

“Berries, ones Jimael loved from our childhood or ones my parents made desserts with.

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