i.

Jayen

"He's cheating on you," the tree whispered to me.

I put down the hose, "Do you want me to water you or not?" The False Boxwood used to be my least favorite plant on his estate.

". . . Yes please." The leaves stopped rustling.

I picked up the hose again and turned it on, making sure to water some of the leaves as well as the base. When I first got here the Boxwood would whisper things to me. It wanted to see me panic and run. It took a few weeks and a lot of research to learn that it was a False Boxwood, a liar.

"Is that good?" The dirt was soaked now.

". . .Yes."

I took a couple of steps backward with the hose in my hand. The tree was beautiful and would flower soon. Little white flowers. I moved on from the tree and over to the garden on the left. The garden was full of beautiful flowers. I always start with the Red Dead-nettles. An eight-inch plant that started with green leaves at the bottom but turned into a purplish red at the top.

"Please. . . we are dying," they called out in a broken voice. They swayed in the wind.

I turned on the hose and sprayed them in a wide motion, some of the plants perked up a little bit and the rest dropped a bit. "Is that better?"

"We are dying," they cried.

"No it's okay, you're okay," I cooed. The Deadnettle always thought they were dying, they were fine though. They were very healthy.

They didn't respond and I moved onto the next plant, only one more then I'm done for the day. The sun was beating down on my back. I should've brought my sunhat.

"We're sick! We have a fever! Oh no, we feel terrible!" I sprayed the Feverfew with the hose, "Sweet relief! It's hot out here and we're sick! This is a terrible way to live!"

I'm not a plant doctor so I can't say whether or not they're sick or not. The flowers are absolutely beautiful. They're a member of the daisy family, with their yellow middle and white round petals.

"It's hotter in Arizona, I bet you those flowers aren't getting watered. You should be thankful!" The Field Forget-Me-Nots chimed in. I always have to water them first or they just keep yelling for my attention.

"That doesn't mean it's not hot here," I said.

"Exactly!" The Feverfew called back.

I turned off the hose, winding it back up as I walked back to the house. I liked working here as a gardener, the plants really. . . liven the place up. The house itself was a dingy-looking mansion full of creepy art and workers bustling around.

"Jayen!"

I turned around to see where that was coming from.

"Up here dear!"

I looked up to see Maj, the head maid hanging out the window. Her short hair was blowing around in the breeze.

"Oh, hi Maj!" I raised my hand in greeting. "How are you?"

She waved back, "Good, good, get in here dear before you collapse. It's hot out here, do you have anything to drink? I'll get you some water." She ducked back inside and shut the window.

I walked inside, the inside was so much colder than you would think. Especially during the middle of summer. My shoes clicked on the tile as I made my way through the house to get to the kitchen. The house is full of winding corridors and dead-ends, for some reason.

The kitchen was empty aside from Maj filling up a glass of water. She turned around and put it down on the kitchen island. "Here you go, dear."

"Thank you." The glass was already forming condensation. I brought the glass up to my lips and drank. Nothing, absolutely nothing was better than cold water on a hot day.

"Look at you, you're covered in sweat, why don't you go change?"

"I don't have time to, I'm just taking a quick break before the new girl gets here.." I said, putting the empty glass on the island again.

Maj shook her head. "I can't believe they're replacing you. And you have to train your replacement."

"She's not my replacement, she's just here to help me out around the garden."

"If you say so."

Maj was the first person I met when I started working here. She was a tall, dark-skinned woman with short black hair. Her age has changed but her attitude sure hasn't. She took me under her wing and helped me get around.

"Oh, Jayen."

I turned around to see Kuna, the head cook. They were short and very loud. Light on their feet too.

"Kuna!" I grinned. "Haven't seen you around lately. Have you been slacking off?"

They huffed, "You wish! I'm still the hardest working one in the kitchen!"

Maj laughed, "Honey, you're the only person working in the kitchen now."

Kuna stuck their tongue out at Maj, "Snitch." You wouldn't know it from the way they both acted but Kuna and Maj were very close friends.

"Wait what. What happened to the other cooks?" I looked around wildly. "Weren't there two others?"

"Oh wow, you really haven't been around huh? They both get fired. Yeah, um, I think Mit spilled soup on Lord whats-his-face and Jinan spoke back to some important guy."

I looked down, I know things have been a little shaky ever since the original owner, Lord Damon, passed away. Many of us still consider this his home still. Almost as if we expect him to walk through the door. I haven't met the new owner but I know she's very proper and strict.

"It's okay, I know they both got jobs somewhere else. They write from time to time." Maj rubbed my back, "Jinan asked about you."

I cleared my throat, "Speaking of him, who told the Boxwood we were dating and who didn't tell them we broke up?"

They both laughed.

"Honey nobody talks to the plants out there besides you," Maj said.

I ruffled my hair. "I think it's time I get back out there."

"The new girls gonna be here soon, should I just send her out there?"

I shook my head. "I guess I'll wait a bit then, I don't want her walking around out there. The Devil's Bite is starting to nip at ankles."

"She's here!" someone called out from the hallway.

Maj, Kuna, and I had spent the last ten minutes sharing stories from our time apart. I hadn't worked here in a few months. I quit when Lord Damon passed away and the lady took over the estate. I was heartbroken, he was like a father to me.

"Send her in here," I call back.

I was not prepared for who walked through the doorway. She was beautiful. She looked like she was crafted from the Gods and sent to live among us. Her hair was a deep red color that framed her face perfectly, it was tied back into a ponytail with a few strands escaping. Her uniform was crisp and neat and hung loosely off her shoulders.

"Hey, you're staring." Kuna nudged my side.

I shushed them and pushed away from the kitchen island. "Hi, my name's Jayen, I'll be mentoring you, I guess?"

"Um, yeah, ok. I'm Aoife. It's nice to meet you." She waved at me and smiled. Her canine teeth were longer than normal. Is she a vampire? Wait, that's literally the stupidest thought I've had. Or is it? No, it is. She could be a lycan though, we have those around here.

"Follow me, we're going to head over to the garden in front first."

We walked in silence, Aoife trailing behind me silently, staring at the high ceilings and the large paintings. We rounded the corner to the main entrance. The entrance has two grand stairwells on either side made of deep brown polished wood. The tile was checkered with black and a white that had faded to yellow-white. Aoife stopped at the top of the staircase.

"Who is that?" She pointed across the room to the large painting above the entrance doors.

"Lord Damon," I said, moving up a few steps to stand next to her, "He was the one who owned this estate. He passed away a few months ago, then the lady bought it. Apparently, she stops by from time to time, but I've never met her."

"I have, she's the one who hired me."

I turned to look at her, she was locked in a staring contest with the painting. "Really?"

"Mhm, Lady Dupon." Aoife looked at me. "She's very. . . strict, I guess. You have to have excellent manners and keep your head down."

I nodded. "You don't happen to know when she's moving in do you?"

"No, I didn't ask questions. It was very formal."

"Did she tell you why she hired you?"

Aoife shook her head. "I'm sorry but can we move on? I want to learn as much as possible."

"Oh, yeah, of course. C'mon."

We finished walking down the stairs in silence. I totally messed that up. I'm so nosy. Does she think I'm rude? Oh no! Did I insult her? I basically asked her why she was here like Aoife was impotent.

I opened the door for her. "Careful, these doors are pretty heavy," I knocked on the wood, "Solid oak."

She smiled and moved past me and onto the front stoop. She raised her hand to shield her eyes. The landscape in the front was nothing impressive, it had two small gardens lined with flowers along the house. The gardens were on either side of the stoop. The path leading up the stoop was paved and was starting to have grass overhang on the sides. The estate was surrounded by thick woods around the lawn with several small trails snaking through them. There was only one way to the estate. A small dirt road has worn down from years of carriages driving down it.

"What's first?" Aoife asked.

"C'mere. Do you see these plants?" I pointed to the yellow-flowered bush on the side of the stoop. Both sides were identical.

"Who could miss us? We're bright and glorious!" The bush rustled around in irritation.

"They're yellow roses, and very rude. If you're not careful they're just going to bully you." I warned her.

"You. . . You can understand them?" Aoife was baffled, her eyes were wide and she just stared at me.

I tilted my head to the side, "You can't? I thought all Herbalists could. That's like, our thing!"

Aoife shook her head. "Jayen, I'm not an Herbalist. . . I don't even know what that means. I was just hired to help you take care of the plants, not have conversations with them!"

It was my turn to be baffled. Why would she hire a non-Herbalist to tend to plants? "How did you get this job then? I mean no offense, but being able to communicate with them is a key part of this job."

"That truly sucks for her! Yes, it does!" The rose chimed in.

I ignored them and continued talking. "They tell you exactly what they need, who they are, and how to take care of them."

"I can just as easily read a book about plants to identify and test the soil to see what they need." Aoife crossed her arms.

I shook my head. "That takes time and money."

"Good thing Lady Dupon has you then. I'm just here to help you. You can talk to them and tell me what they need and I'll handle that while you go take care of another one. Right?"

"Yeah, there's no problem here. It's just. . . odd." I agreed.

We spend the next hour walking around the estate pointing out plants and sharing their names and attitudes. I just can't wrap my head around this. Why was she hired? She's wonderful and seems to know her way around a few plants but she's no Herbalist. Am I missing something?

The more I've learned about this. . . Lady Dupon I've gotten worried. She bought the estate, fired maybe half of the staff from what Maj said. She hasn't even moved in yet and she'd already making large changes. I don't think we can trust her. Or maybe I'm just bitter and missing Lord Damon. I should be glad that the lady fired Jinan. It would've been too much if I had to work with him here.

"Be careful." I pulled Aoife back by her elbow. "Those are Devil's bites."

We had ended up at the side of the house where the Devil's bites were growing. The thin green stalks overflowing with flowers whispered.

"What are those?"

"They're highly toxic, causing vomiting and nausea. It just gets worse until your cardiac rhythm and blood pressure fall," I warned her.

She bent down at eye level with them, two feet away from a terrible, terrible fate. "They're beautiful."

"Yes, we are. Do you know what would make us even more beautiful? More visitors." The leaves rustled and the stalks bent towards her.

Before I could move her out of the way, Aoife reached her hand out and was met by the Devil's bite. The plant curled around her arm and pulled her forward. I grabbed Aoife's arm and pulled her backward, making her fall on her back.

"I didn't think it would do that." Aoife rubbed her wrist.

I pulled her up onto her feet. "We have to go wash your wrist off before it starts to take effect! Follow me, we'll use the hose!"

I started running towards the back of the house. The last time some touched the Devil's bite they had to be rushed out of here. I can't let her get to that point if-

"Jayen, wait!"

I turned around, Aofie was holding her wrist standing still. She looked calm. Her hair blew in the wind covering her face.

"What are you standing around for?" I exclaimed.

She took a step towards me. "It was a stupid thing to do, but I'll be okay." She lifted her head a bit more, she was smiling.

Nothing about this was okay. "What? This is serious."

She laughed. "It's okay, I promise. Look." She held out her arm that the Devil's bite had touched.

I rushed over to her. I refused to lose somebody else to this demonish plant! If the plant had already seeped through her skin then her best chance of survival was to leave right now and visit the doctor in town.

Her wrist was perfectly fine. There were no bumps or swelling. It wasn't even a little red. Her wrist had two little scars on the inside shaped like two crescents facing each other.

". . .Really?" I moved my finger lightly over the scars. "Are the stories true?"

The two scars were the Mark of a Poison-Eater. I'd never meet one before in my twenty-three years of life. My mother used to tell me stories of the different abilities people had grown to have. Her favorite was the Poison-Eaters, they were immune to any poison and never get sick.

"Mhm."

I looked up at her, she was only a few inches away from my face, watching my reactions carefully. Her eyes were bright green, like an emerald glistening in the light. Her face had a few freckles across her cheeks and they looked like a new constellation. I felt my face growing a little red under her gaze.

She cleared her throat. "Our Coven leader carved it when I was two."

"Why two? That seems a little young."

"Well, we aren't Poison-Eaters until we're two. Many infants don't make it to two actually. Our immune system is still incredibly weak and a cold could kill us. It's just the price to pay for our current immunity, that's what my momma would say." Aoife took her wrist back and sat down on the grass patting the spot next to her.

"Why don't we go sit in the shade over there?" I pointed to the old oak on the edge of the forest. It cast a large shadow.

"Don't leave us!" The Devil's bite called, "We're so lonely! We promise not to bite again!"

She nodded and stood up. We walked over to the tree. Did she see my face go red? That was so embarrassing. Why did it do that? Did she feel it too? What did I feel? I don't think I like her like that. This is so awkward, I barely know her. But I do want to get to know her more.

We sat down next to each other, side by side. A cool breeze swayed my hair, sending brown locks over my shoulder. The plants moved gently and sighed with the wind. The breeze was a welcome relief from the heat.

"What about you? I want to see your Mark too. It's only fair." She laughed a bit, it sounded like wind chimes on a windy day and I wanted to hear it again.

Marks are a sensitive topic for some people. Each Coven has their way of doing Marks. Some use something to numb the area, others go as deep as possible.

"Are you sure? It's a little low," I joked.

"If you don't want that's okay too."

I nodded and moved my hand down to my shirt button. I unbuttoned the first three and shrugged it off of my shoulder to expose my mark. I lifted my hair out of the way and pulled it over my shoulder, my heart was racing. Why was I so willing to open up and show my Mark to someone I don't know? I'm not usually this trusting or open. Not since. . .

My thoughts were interrupted by Aoife placing a light finger on the Mark. She swirled her finger, tracing the vine of the ivy on my shoulder and slightly on my back. She was quiet and moved behind me. I felt her touch the back of my neck and my face burned red with embarrassment.

"What's this," she asked. Her voice was soft.

She was referring to the branding on my neck. It was burned on me when I first starting working here. The symbol was a circle with a cross through it and a flower growing through the top. It had faded to a light pink color but was still visible. Everyone who started working here when Lord Damon was alive had one. All of them on the back of our necks.

"I really don't like to talk about it." I let my hair fall down my back. My face was definitely red.

I stood up and buttoned my shirt back up. If we kept going I was going to share something I couldn't take back. I refuse to let myself be used by someone again.

Aoife looked at me, a mix of sadness and understandings flashed across her face. I hope I didn't offend her, I think I like her. I want to be friends since we'll be working together.

"We should go inside, the sun's going to set soon and we eat all together. Kuna is always upset when I'm late." It was true. We had lost track of time and the sun was already starting to set, painting the sky pink and orange. The sunsets here were a sight to behold.

"Who's Kuna? I don't think I've met him yet." Aoife got up and smoothed out her shirt. Our shirts were all the same, well depending on your job, but she looked amazing in her. Sage was her color.

"They," I corrected, "-and they're the cook. You'll know them when you see them."

"Well. I'm going to get to know everyone at some point right?"