Page 30 of Pocket Full Of Posies

“I didn’t know your abilities included villainous superpowers. Are you practicing to be in a comic book?”

“Maybe. I was partial to Poison Ivy.”

After breaking the tension of the serious conversation, we talk easily, the conversation flowing naturally. Starting at my abilities with plants and earth, then his abilities with animals and fire. In the middle of it our food arrives, and we talk while eating. Kai asks about my parents, and I happily tell him all about my botanist human mother and earth nymph father and how they met and married. Deciding to move to Snowberry when they found out my mother was pregnant with me.

Being a hybrid child is filled with unknowns. They had no idea if I would be more human or more nymph and what that meant for my future. They wanted to be somewhere safe and accepting of non-humans. Apparently, no matter where you go there’s always people who will judge you no matter what. At least here in Snowberry I know I won’t be ostracized for being half-human among the local non-human community. It was really only an issue when I was a preteen and teen trying to fit in with the humans.

Now that I think about it, it’s been years since I last heard anyone make a negative comment or remark about me in any way. Maybe I should take Sage’s advice and get out more. Perhaps I should consider Kai’s offer to visit Italy. Tobias would surely approve of me getting to use my Italian.

Why shouldn’t I? I’ve done nothing but hide out in my gardens in fear of what could happen. Not paying attention to what is happening, to life going on around me, and me letting it.

A strange new sense of purpose and optimism grows in my chest. Maybe next time I’ll say yes, instead of using the excuse of working at the nursery to avoid social interactions. The time I’ve spent with Kai has shown me that maybe I can go out, at least minimally. I’m not going to be performing in the holiday talent show anytime soon, but maybe I could attend and watch. From the back. Baby steps, okay. I’m only capable of so much at a time.

Being so engrossed in Kai I haven’t been paying attention to those around us, which I normally would. I’d be worrying about who’s looking at me, what they’re thinking, if they can see my ears, what my flowers are doing. I haven’t thought of one of those things since sitting down with Kai though. As such, I don’t notice Hunter and Lottie approaching our table until they’re standing right in front of us.

“Hello Daisy. It’s nice to see you outside your gardens for a change.” Hunter smiles at me and I feel a little awkward but nothing as uncomfortable as in the past.

“Hi Hunter. Nice to see you, and you too. Lottie, right?” I ask to confirm I wasn’t remembering her name incorrectly. It has happened before. Sometimes I zone out when people talk to me, and names just slip through the cracks.

“Yes. It’s nice to see you again. How is everything at the nursery? Are you all as busy running around preparing for the equinox as we are?”

I relax and smile. This is something I can talk about without bumbling through my words and sounding like a moron.

“Yes. We’ll probably even have to bring in a few of our part time employees to help out soon.”

“I’m so excited to experience my first equinox. Hunter says it’s quite a party. Are you going to be there? I’m told it’s a very important celebration for—” she pauses and looks around before whispering and mouthing exaggeratedly, “Nymphs and fairies.”

Lottie smiles wide and dances a little on her feet in excitement. She’s only just recently discovered the non-human world and is already taking to it better than I ever have. Being a pop star, she’s had a lot of practice with large crowds, singing on stage and being the center of attention. We’re not supposed to know all this, but because Tobias was asked to help deal with the elf problem, we know a little more than the rest of the town. Lottie used to be a famous pop star. Like ‘travel the world and perform for millions of people’famous. I would die if I had to perform on stage in front of that many people.

“Oh, um, I’m not sure. I haven’t been before, but my brother always wants me to go with them.”

“I’d be happy to take you.” Kai interjects. “I was going to ask you anyway.”

Shock has me momentarily speechless. No one other than my brother or family has ever asked me to go to the celebration with them.

Only minutes ago, I had internally decided to do more in the community and already that declaration is being tested. Here’s my opportunity to participate in a social event. One that Sage has been trying to get me to attend for years. It’s not much more than a giant party in the woods, with food, music, and dancing.

Non-humans of all kinds come and set up tents and campsites where they congregate and hang out. But Lottie is correct. These types of celebrations are highly attended by nymphs and fairies. Shifters have their full moons; we have the solstice and equinox. Many of us have close connections to the earth and animals when it comes to our abilities, so we celebrate the earth and the changing of seasons. It’s something we’ve always done. I don’t even know how long ago it started. The lack of historical documents recording non-human history accurately means we have no idea where some of our oldest traditions came from.

The equinox celebration lasts nearly forty-eight hours. Beginning at dawn on day one and ending at dusk on day two. Spending two whole days and one night in the designated celebration area. An area that fairies in town mark off with their magic and conceal from human eyes, as well as human interaction. Forming a barrier that acts like a force field, keeping anyone of non-human blood out. It also creates a glamour of an empty quiet forest, so non-humans can be comfortable in their true form without a glamour or worry they might say or do something a human might see and freak out over. People use their abilities freely, fairies fly overhead, magic is present in nearly everything. Or at least so I’m told. Not ever having experienced it, I can only imagine what it’s like.

But I want to experience it, I realize, and with Kai.

“I didn’t realize you two were so close,” Hunter says, breaking my dazed stare at Kai.

Kai looks up at Hunter who stands like a mountain over us still sitting in the pink and teal vinyl booth. He doesn’t show it but somehow, I can sense it in his micromovement shifting on the seat, he’s insulted by Hunter’s insinuation.

“It’s a recent development. That doesn’t make it any less sincere.”

Hunter narrows his eyes at Kai and tilts his nose into the air sniffing. Shifters use their advanced sense of smell to sense changes in a person’s emotions. It’s not as precise as a nymph’s ability to hear lies but they can smell if someone is feeling guilty or deceitful and draw conclusions.

Kai straightens his spine and sits tall and proud. He’s not going to back down from Hunter though I imagine if Hunter asserted his alpha power, he wouldn’t be able to fight it. I really hope they don’t start fighting in Dottie’s over me. I really wouldn’t be able to show my face in town ever again if that happened.

“Time with someone doesn’t determine the significance of the relationship with them. Wouldn’t you agree?” Kai raises an eyebrow in question.

Shifting an arm around Lottie’s waist, Hunter grunts, and poor Lottie looks completely lost at their conversation. I’m not. Shifters scent their mates and know instantly they’re meant to be together. Sometimes it doesn’t happen right away or at their first meeting but once it does happen almost nothing can stop them from being with each other. It’s an instinctual connection. Nymphs choose. We form permanent mate bonds, but we can do it with anyone of our choosing, shifters cannot. Hunter understands how important a person can become in a short amount of time, his current relationship with Lottie proof of that.

Lottie and her bright blue eyes ignore Hunter and Kai’s male posturing and focus on me. “So, what do you say, Daisy? Are you going to come with Kai? I think it’s going to be a lot of fun. It would be a shame if you missed it.”

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