Surrender (Catalyst Moon #4) by Lauren L Garcia

Author:Lauren L Garcia [Lauren L. Garcia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lauren L Garcia
Published: 2022-02-08T00:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-ONE

An hour after leaving Beacon’s room, Kali stood among a throng of mushrooms that grew upon a branch of one of the massive, fallen oak trees. Some mushrooms splayed like open palms, nestled together and colored in quiet, earthy tones of warm brown, ivory, and rusty red. Another sort boasted bulbous, round heads atop slender stems, in frothy pale blues and lavenders mottled with specks of white. But sticky black speckles, carrying a foul scent, had ravaged several sections of the fungi, and would probably spread to the rest if left unchecked.

The province’s distinctive red ferns grew here as well, but had been relegated to the perimeters of the mushrooms’ allotted space. These ferns towered over Kali and added another layer of sheltering boughs in addition to the leafy, mossy dome of the branches above. Sunlight trickled through, dappling the world. Despite the foul mold, Kali had an overwhelming desire to place her bare palms against the branch, to run her fingers through the ferns…anything to get a closer, better sense of this wondrous place. Disease dwelt here, but life and beauty did too.

Stonewall stood at her side, surveying the area while Idalina detailed the situation. “There haven’t been any new pests. And it was a fairly mild winter – not too damp. As far as I can tell, there isn’t any reason for the mold.” A wistful look crossed her face. “If only we could get some real mages to take a look.”

Carefully, Kali said, “It’s a shame your siblings won’t allow it.”

“They have their reasons,” Idalina said quickly. She crouched beside one of the larger mushrooms, smoothing her palms over the bulbous cap. Her gaze grew distant, as if she was concentrating very hard, and then she sighed. “Poor things,” she murmured, almost to the fungus itself. “I wish I could do something to help them.” She looked over at Kali. “Any ideas?”

Heat rushed to Kali’s face. She’d put herself in a stupid—and potentially dangerous—position. To work magic, she first needed to assess the mushrooms’ particles, but the act of doing so would surely identify her as a mage.

But Stonewall was her hero – as ever. He caught the beat of her thoughts and cleared his throat. “Perhaps we could let Kali look around a bit before she makes an assessment. But, if you don’t mind, I have a few questions.”

“Oh…of course, I’m happy to tell you whatever you like,” Idalina said, flushing beneath his gaze. “What do you want to know?”

Stonewall carefully stepped through the nearest huddle of blue and white mushrooms to Idalina. “There are so many different kinds,” he began. “How can they all live together in harmony?”

“What do you know of crops?”

“Mostly the part where I eat them.”

Idalina gestured to the mushrooms. “Fungi are marvelous beings. Rather than compete for resources, as would something like wheat or potatoes, they are able to form a symbiotic relationship with everything around them – including one another. What nutrients these,” she gestured to the splayed-hand mushrooms, “favor is different than the sort that those prefer.

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