Page 24 of Magic Blooms
Since I didn’t have one of those magical phones everyone else seemed to have, the only way for me to get in touch with Joshua was to walk to him. Lorraine had tried to call him for me, but he hadn’t answered—and I’d stubbornly insisted that I wouldn’t mind the exercise.
Better to waste time moving toward a solution than to waste it by doing nothing.
Back home, I was always wandering around. Things were certainly more boring back there. As the daughter of two powerful earth elementals, my role was mostly ornamental. I went to events when I was told, acted how everyone expected, lived life as little more than a decoration.
As much as I’d love to get back to the place I’d always belonged, things were certainly more interesting here. I felt bad for our dearly departed Karen, but I was also filled with a swell of excitement. I could help solve her murder. I could help Lorraine.
I could do something. Be somebody.
Even though they were reluctant to accept my help, Lorraine and Jasmine agreed that since I was a newcomer, it’d be easiest for me to get Art to open up without raising his suspicions. But they didn’t want me to go alone, and that was why I was walking to Joshua’s abode, hidden somewhere in the swamp lands.
Lorraine had given me very specific instructions and even drew out a map, and she also kept on telling me to “watch out for them gators.” Given my special rapport with animals, though, I wasn’t too worried about that.
In fact, so far I wasn’t seeing much besides the constant cloud of bugs, assorted birds, and the furry brown rodents that seemed to scurry all over these parts. As much as I enjoyed the flurry of activity that had pulled me along since I’d arrived in Elyria, this chance to have time to myself and reconnect with nature was doing wonders for my soul. And if the land revived my soul, the bright sun soothed my fears.
It didn’t take long to complete the instructions Lorraine had given me, meaning that so long as I hadn’t gone off track, Joshua’s home should be at the end of this road.
Lorraine had warned me that his cabin was a bit rough around the edges, but seeing as he’d put a lot of work into it, I should keep my mouth shut if I had any complaints.
I didn’t think I was the type to complain too much, so I was a little offended at her well-intentioned warning. Fox’s End was nothing like the vast palaces I was used to in Vilea and I hadn’t once mentioned that to her or anybody else.
Considering how surly Joshua had been the few times I’d seen him, I had to assume the advice had more to do with him than me. Although even I had to admit that I hadn’t spent any time with Joshua when we weren’t both under duress of some sort.
For all I knew, he could be a totally different person when things were going well. It was really too bad I wouldn’t be around long enough to see that for myself. I needed his help in this. His intuition coupled with his no-nonsense attitude would get results, I was just as sure of that as I was that the sky would soon open and pour a heavy curtain of rain down onto the earth.
Not because of me this time, though.
Rounding a small copse of trees, I finally spotted my destination. Honestly, I probably would have missed it if I hadn’t specifically been searching—and that simple fact reminded me of home, bringing a smile to my face.
Rustic logs lined the outside of the house, giving it a much more earthy look than either Fox’s End or Pinecrest. The logs weren’t all even in size or matching in color. I could tell there was a personal touch to this and not the manufactured look of everything else.
I approached carefully, taking in all the details. There was no lawn or garden here. The lone cabin seemed to be as organic as the swamp around it. The structure stood on a slight incline, most likely placed just so to help keep it safe when the waters flooded. Near the front door, Ranger lay curled up in a patch of sun shining through the tree canopy. A few paces down on the river, an old dock reached into the swamp; a small boat sat tethered at its side.
I shivered, having always preferred land to water by nature of my gifts. I’d much rather stay put on dry land than trust that strange contraption to escort me safely to destinations unknown.
Which made me wonder, how often did Joshua venture out there? And why would he even need to?
He obviously wasn’t afraid of “them gators,” even if Lorraine was.
The door swung open on hinges that could do with a bit of greasing.
“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” said Joshua, striding toward me with a worried brow. Ranger lifted his head up and thumped his tail against the ground in greeting.
“Hello,” I called out cheerfully. I even flashed him my most winning smile. Maybe if I seemed easygoing enough, he wouldn’t be upset that I’d shown up at his doorstep without an invitation. “Lorraine tried to call, but you didn’t answer.”
Joshua glanced around, and I could practically see him trying to figure out how I got here.
“I walked,” I supplied with another ingratiating grin.
He raised one thick brow my way. “You walked? Here? From Fox’s End?”
“Yes, yes, and yes again. It wasn’t far. I left at three.”
“Yeah well it’s almost five now. In fact, I was just about to… Wait, what were you going to do if I wasn’t here?”
“It doesn’t matter, because you are here. And now so am I.” I tilted my head and considered him. “I walked here. I can just as easily walk back.”
Joshua rolled his eyes at me. “You’re going to walk all the way back to Fox’s End in the dark?”
