Page 32 of Earth-Bound

They were holding hands, which was not unusual but I got the feeling that today was going to be special. I wasn’t sure what Broadmire’s plan was but he’d gone to a lot of effort and I couldn’t wait to find out what happened. I was a bit of a romantic at heart. Enough of a romantic that I was even going to graciously disappear to give them some privacy.

I slipped into my tree and waited.

I did hear Randall talking as he drew nearer although I didn’t hear Broadmire speak at all.

“And did you see the way Joe was looking at Terrund yesterday? He could hardly take his eyes off him. What do you think Joe will do when he finds out what Terrund is?”

I had been wondering that myself I didn’t want to consider the possibility that Joe would be anything other than delighted to find out what I am.

Randall continued. “I’m not sure he knows about magic. He did work for my grandmother but he wasn’t allowed into the house and he was just a gardener. Notjusta gardener. I mean my grandmother wouldn’t speak to a gardener and she wouldn’t have liked it if she’d found outI’d been speaking to him, either. He was kept well away from the coven. Not sure he knew there was magic being performed on the estate at all.”

By this time they were nearly at my tree. I could see Broadmire was getting tense, looking at the model he’d put there earlier. Randall was so absorbed in what he was saying that it took him a moment to notice it there.

“Maybe you and I can help Terrund break it to Joe. Ok, well maybeIcan, I’m not sure you—”

He stopped and Broadmire glanced anxiously at his face.

“What’s that?”

“Go and see.”

Randall approached warily, and I could see him taking in the model, see the realisation that nobody but Broadmire could have built it.

“You made a model of your house? Broadmire, it’s incredible!”

His face was lit up and he dashed forward, kneeling on the ground beside the model and studying it. He took in the walls and the roof with its individual tiles carved into it and the windows that revealed the perfect interior. Broadmire came closer and Randall looked up at him with such love and admiration that it made my chest hurt. That was what mates should be like.

“I can’t believe the detail you’ve created. This must have taken you hours. Look at that tiny kitchen,” he said, as he crawled round the model to peer in through the window on the other side. “There are even tiny little taps and little plates on the dresser.”

“You like the house?”

“Yes! Of course I do, it’s incredible.”

He looked back down at the model as he spoke and traced the slope of the roof with one finger as though it were precious.

“Good,” said Broadmire, and he was frowning terribly. He probably didn’t mean to be doing it at that moment but he was a troll, so it was only to be expected. “It’s yours.”

Randall gasped and looked up at his mate again. “Mine?”

“Yes.”

“You made this for me?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you, Broadmire.”

He scrambled to his feet and rushed towards his mate, flinging himself at the troll, who scooped him up and clutched him close. I glanced away as they kissed and hoped Broadmire would remember his promise not to do anything lewd under my tree.

Whether it was Broadmire or Randall who broke their kiss, I’m not sure. They broke apart and I heard Randall speak quietly, in amazement.

“I have the best mate in the world. It’s such a beautiful gift.”

“Glad you like it. Want you to be happy.”

“I am.”

“Do you want to live there?”

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