Fire Healer: Mara's Story: Peacekeepers, #2 by Annalise Whelan

Author:Annalise Whelan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance royal clean sweet, paranormal romance, scifi sci fi science fiction romance, young adult romance, romance clean sweet
Publisher: Annalise Whelan
Published: 2022-10-07T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 23

She watched until Tor disappeared around the back of the palace grounds. Pain covered her embarrassment. He had been her friend, and she’d liked him, and his kiss had been perfect, sweet, tender.

Mara walked toward the palace gardens. The shrubs blossomed with clusters of violet and blue flowers like spun-sugar candy at festivals. Their sweet fragrance invited her closer. The sky glowed rosy pink.

She lifted her face to the sunstar and closed her eyes. Nothing mattered at this moment. Not Romae. Not Tor. Not herself.

Her solitude was broken by a deep humming. She opened her eyes a crack. A burly old man moved among the plants.

He spied her and straightened to his full height. “Hello! You must be Lady Mara! Welcome to the gardens.” He lifted his hat and swooped into a low bow.

“Yes, hello! You must be the gardener.”

“Jed’s my name.” He motioned her closer. “Come, come and let an old man see your pretty face.” He squinted at her. “You look like you could use some plant therapy.”

“What’s that?”

“You weed, plant, and till with your hands in the dirt, and all your cares melt away. At least, you won’t mind them so much. Working in the garden has a way of putting life in perspective.”

“You’ve done beautiful work. Please, show me.”

His sun-wrinkled face cracked into a huge smile, and he moved with a squatty gait along the garden walk until he reached a half-planted bed. She followed, careful to keep to the footpath.

“See here.” He squatted on his haunches. She squatted beside him. Gingerly, his gnarled fingers lifted the head of a tender seedling. “She needs some love.”

“How do you love a plant?”

He winked at her. “Water, light, fertilizer, and song.”

“Song?”

“Oh, plants enjoy a good tune. They perk right up.”

She smiled. “How does the therapy work?”

He lifted a seedling from the garden barrow beside the bed and pulled a spade from his waist belt. “Feel the soil in your hands. Try it.” He handed her the tool.

She scooped the dirt and tucked the flower into the hole and used her hands to fill around the tender baby plant.

He leaned close to her and whispered, “Did you feel it?”

She raised her eyebrows at him. “Feel what?”

“Not yet, then. Keep trying.” He moved off toward another flower bed.

“Wait!” She scurried after him. “What is it I’m supposed to feel?”

“A connection to the dirt, to the Isle around you. Every Mongoli feels a connection to the dirt.”

“But I’m not Mongoli.”

“Eh.” He held up a dirty finger. “You never know until you try. Give it a chance, the dirt may surprise you.” He moved off and said over his shoulder. “Wear the hat.”

Curious, she went back to the garden barrow full of seedlings. A grubby hat hung by a string. She put it on and began to plant. She’d been at it a few minutes when Jed said, “Sing to them.”

“What song do you suggest?”

“Whatever song is the hardest.” He moved off again.

She grumbled under her breath. “Mongoli men love their riddles.

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