Page 88 of Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore
“So it wasn’t a myth after all,” murmured Nathaniel. “Rock goblins really can turn living beings to stone.”
“Including themselves, apparently,” said Violet, crouching to stroke Peri’s still form. “Poor little thing.”
The group crowded around Peri.
“I can’t get over it,” said Fallon. “All this time, the legend was real. The Eye, the dragon…it was all around us.”
“Where’s the second one?” Jerome asked. “I see only one Eye.”
“I don’t know,” said Violet. “I didn’t see it back in the castle either. It must still be missing.”
“And now the dragon has come to rest,” said Pru, patting the beast’s stone tail. “Maybe someday the other Eye will find its way back.”
They stood in silence and Violet leaned her head on Nathaniel’s shoulder as his arm slipped around her waist. She allowed herself a moment to mourn her friend. “Peri deserved better,” she whispered.
Nathaniel squeezed her shoulder. “So we’ll do better.”
Her answering smile was teary. “Yes,” she agreed. “We’ll do better.”
It was a battle she’d fight her entire life, she suspected. Being good—doinggood—wasn’t easy, but perhaps that was true for everyone, not just recovering villains. As Violet looked down at the statue of her friend, and the dragon it had come from, for the first time in her life she truly looked forward to that fight.
Darkness and Light
When Nathaniel woke, Violet was gone. He panicked only briefly before he registered that Daisy had disappeared from the foot of the bed as well. Moments later, the bedroom door opened, and there they both were, a tray of pastries and a steaming teapot in Violet’s hands.
“I should be bringing you breakfast,” he muttered, rubbing his eyes and adjusting his hold around the sudden armful of dog that threw herself onto the bed. “You’re the one who brought down a whole castle. You need more time to recover.”
“It’s been two days, you big worrier. I’m fine, I promise. And besides, we need to get back to real life eventually.”
“Can’t say I see much wrong with spending the rest of my days in bed with you.” He was delighted as ever to watch her blush.
“Flatterer.” She stuck her tongue out at him and settled her focus on the puppy. “Off the bed, Daisy. These aren’t for you.”
Nathaniel sat up and moved his legs to make room for the trayandDaisy, who did not appear interested in going anywhere, and took a scone from the plate. It was one of Guy’s, obviously, for noone else in town used flavor combinations like he did, and peach and basil was one of Nathaniel’s favorites.
“Where did he get the peaches?” Nathaniel wondered through a mouthful of pastry. “They’re not in season for months yet.”
Violet sat next to him, toying with his free hand. “I wanted to talk to you about that actually.”
He turned to her sharply. “You?”
“Me.” She laughed sheepishly. “You’re the one who put the idea in my head, all the way back to that mugwort and the vegetable garden. I knew that my plants were edible and wouldn’t hurt anyone, but I wanted to see how they’d hold up for cooking and baking. Guy has been more than happy to help. Didn’t you wonder how we’ve all been eating strawberry rhubarb and pomegranate and lemon pastries for the past several weeks? None of it is in season! Most of it doesn’t even grow here!”
“I was distracted by the blight,” he said sheepishly. “I never thought twice about it.”
“We’re still learning what does and doesn’t work, but if I grow the fruit from seed, like we figured out that night in the greenhouse”—he grinned as he recalledeverythingabout that night, and she scrunched her nose at him—“then theydoprovide nutrition like real food.”
“Violet, that’s incredible.” Nathaniel’s mind was whirring. “Think of all the people you can help with that skill!”
“I’m going to the Feldspars this afternoon to ask if I can help regrow their crop. It’s the least I can do. And I was thinking of going back to Silbourne and some of the other places I’ve hurt.” She choked on her words. “I don’t want them to know who I am, but I can try and help them rebuild. I could go in the night and help their crops along, you know? Get a few saplings to fruit-bearing age in the blink of an eye.” Violet’s smile turned nervous. “But I’d like to start with you, if it’s all the same.”
“What do you mean?”
“Get dressed and come with me to the greenhouse? I have something to show you.”
Nathaniel all but tripped over himself as he threw on his clothes and poured himself a cup of tea to take with him downstairs. She laughed at him the whole time—until he kissed her to shut her up.
That worked quite well too, though it did delay them somewhat.
