Page 29 of Of Potions and Honey
Mira managed a shaky smile. “Of course. Jestiest jester to ever jest.”
For a moment, her stomach dropped when Yoni didn’t reply. Too far, too soon.
Eventually, Yoni shook her head, but there it was – the tiniest smile. “If that’s what you like, I recommend watching Cassia on talent night. If you’re still here at the three-minute mark, she’ll be the best entertainment you’ll get between here and Willow Harbour.”
“She keeps telling me that, too,” Mira replied, relieved that she hadn’t stepped in it after all. “I think I only just missed it again?”
“Friday night, yeah.” Kayden nudged her. “She actually asked where you were.”
Mira squeezed her eyes shut. “Visiting family, I swear I didn’t do it on purpose.”
“She’ll be so happy to hear that, and of course that you’ll be sure to attend next time.”
“You don’t have to actually do anything,” Yoni said. “You can just sit here and have a drink and applaud every now and again.”
“Oh, that’s honestly great to know.” Mira frowned. “Cassia just keeps telling me I should recite some poetry. Doesn’t seem to matter that I’m not a poet.”
Kayden raised an eyebrow. “That’s an oddly specific request.”
“Ah.” Mira stared at the table, tracing an elaborate scratch in the wood. “I may have let it slip to her that I write. Things.”
“’Things’.”
“Stories,” Mira muttered. “Raunchy ones that are absolutely not appropriate for a reading, even if I wanted to. She thinks that means I can just write anything.”
“Ohh, I do think Penelope would quite enjoy that,” Kayden drawled. “Harper would be mortified, of course, and she would enjoy that even more.”
Mira was saved from having to respond to that by Emilia, who came up to their table, looking a little haggard, to take their order. Mira found herself peer-pressured into finally trying the grill platter, and subsequently in the middle of an argument over the one and only correct way to combine the different meats andsauces that came with it. Naturally, there seemed to be a one and only correct way for every single person. With slow, deliberate movements, Mira chose a third, entirely different way, which prompted an exasperated huff from Yoni and a laughing fit from Kayden. Poppy’s contribution, from where she was nibbling on a plain sausage under the table, was low, deep,woofas she slobbered delicately over Mira’s right shoe.
For once, Mira didn’t worry about her budget, or the tasks that were waiting for her the next day. Right now, she was just glad that she had come.
That next day, and its tasks, came regardless. The following Wednesday, she found herself with a batch of vegetable fertiliser to test, and nothing to test it on. She did have her radishes and the humble beginnings of a bean patch, but she was loathe to risk what would hopefully soon be implementing her grocery budget to see if she had gotten the formula right. So off she went to the Baker farm to buy another round of test subjects. Her primroses at least were magnificent now, bright, colourful patches in her front garden, which looked a little bedraggled after she had finally cleaned it up in preparation for the shop’s more or less grand opening.
In a rather unusual turn of events, when she got to the orchard, there was no-one to be found, despite the ‘open’ sign on the greenhouse door. Neither Cassia nor Eren answered her call. She did, however, spot Kayden’s donkey cart around the side of the house. When she ventured near it, she heard voices, and soon found both Kayden and Eren standing next to a stone basin with a water pump attached.
“…idea what’s wrong.” Kayden was scratching his head. “The pump seems fine.”
“There’s so little water coming out though.” Eren looked deflated. “It’s been raining the usual amount, I don’t understand.”
“Me neither.” Kayden pumped a few times, and a thin stream of water trickled out. “I can take it apart and check the pipes. Might take me a bit, but if there’s a blockage, it needs clearing.”
“Then do that.” Eren sighed. “I really need the water for the greenhouse and the garden, the barrels aren’t near enough come summer.” He glanced up and wiped his hands on his apron. “Hey Mira. Sorry, I had to show Kayden what’s wrong with the pump. Do you need me or Cassia?”
“You,” Mira replied. “I need more unfortunate souls to subject to my foul alchemy.”
That made him laugh, and Kayden glanced up with a grin before he went back to tinkering with the pump.
“Really. What happened to the flowers I sold you?”
“They’re busy taking over the front of my house. I need vegetables this time. More fertiliser testing.” She joined him on the way to the greenhouse. “Still working my way up to the one for fruit trees.”
“I can’t wait,” Eren said. “They’re really not the same without it.”
They spent a little time inside the greenhouse, with Eren patiently explaining the fruit cycles of what he had on offer and Mira taking notes. If she was going to buy something, she might as well choose something she could eat herself, provided her brew didn’t kill all the plants dead within minutes. She was fairly certain that it wouldn’t, though, so eventually, she left with a basket full of potential additions to her vegetable patch – pending a successful test of her product – just in time to run into Kayden, who was carrying his toolbox and had Poppy at his heels.
“That was fast,” Eren said. His face fell when Kayden shrugged.
“Couldn’t find anything in the pipes, but the pump is still trickling.” He blew out a breath. “I have one more idea, but I’ll need to fix up a part in my workshop. I’ll be back later.”
