iv.

Aoife

I followed Kuna to the kitchen. Why was Jayen so broken up over this? I didn't know that much about her but I liked what I knew. Working here was a new chance for me, a new beginning. Jayen could be my new beginning but not if she was still in love with--what's his name?--Jinan.

"Hey, Kuna?"

They whipped around, their eyes were wide with surprise and they looked like I'd just stuck my foot in my mouth.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't hear you. You scared me." Kuna relaxed and leaned against the wall. From here I could see Maj and Jayen in the main entrance room. Jayen may have been a few inches taller than me but she was a foot shorter than Maj.

"Is Jayen going to be okay?"

"I think so, well, it depends entirely on what Maj is telling her right now. . ." Kuna looked over to them. Jayen was still clinging on to Maj.

"What happened with Jinan?"

"You ask a lot of questions for someone who doesn't know what they're talking about," Kuna sneered.

I shrunk back, "I'm sorry, I just--"

"Don't apologize. I'm sorry." Kuna rubbed their temples in a slow circular motion. "Even thinking about Jinan has gotten me in a bad mood. Ugh, he's a bad, bad man. When he gets here. Ignore him. Ignore him so well that he thinks he's a ghost."

"Why--" I tried to interject but they cut me off.

"He's going to act so nice. He's going to act like a friend but he's lying. Stay away from him."

I nodded. I wasn't going to ask any more questions. The only questions I had were ones that Kuna couldn't-- or shouldn't-- answer. Stars, I can't believe Jayen's in love with him.

Jayen. . . with her long curly brown hair and sunkissed skin. Her slender confident hands and her even voice-- what am I even thinking? She's a co-worker, or is she my boss? Doesn't matter. I shook my head as if to clear my head.

"Thank you," I finally said.

Kuna nodded and turned into the kitchen, closing the door behind them. I stood there for a second. I needed to get a duster but I had no idea where to get one.

"I can help you."

I turned around to see Devi was standing there. She was smiling but I felt unsettled. She looked like a shark before it attacked. Her eyes were dark blue. A stark contrast with the rest of her face.

"Maj is busy but I'm a maid too. I know where the duster is. I could show you where it is." Her voice was light and airy, like a ghost.

I didn't have a choice. "Thank you."

She turned around and started walking away. I followed her up the stairs and through the hallways. She seemed to float around. Her strides were long and confident. She was a lot taller than me so I struggled to keep up.

I shuffled through my mental list of Areth's Creatures and covens. My momma was a firm believer in education. We stayed up late into the night learning about different cultures and species. I learned about Lycans and Mermaids. Faeries and Elementals. She taught me about the Old World. A world hiding its secrets with lores and myths. Could Devi be a ghost?

Don't be rude. It's terrible manners to guess who someone is. I remember my grandfather telling me that. I had asked who a member of our coven was. He was tall and lanky. Moved in a stiff, emotionless way. He was a good man though, he would give us candies.

"We're here."

We were standing in front of a small door. Devi opened it to reveal it was a closet. It was stocked with brooms, mops, and buckets. Devi handed me a feather duster from the top shelf.

"Here you go, just put it back when you're done ok?" Devi stretched her arms above her head. "I'm going to bed now. Good luck."

I watched Devi walk away until she rounded the corner and was out of view. I sighed. This house was massive. I didn't know how to get around without another person.

Where am I supposed to start?

Jayen

I was standing outside. I had just finally calmed down. The sun felt warm on my face. A breeze whispered through the trees and kissed the flowers. Maj was inside, getting the list from Kuna.

I heard the door open then close. Maj stood next to me. She handed me a cloak. And folded up a piece of paper before putting it into her pocket.

"I think it would be best if you covered up," Maj said.

"Why?" I haven't been to town in four months.

Maj patted my head, "Herbalists are prized these days. I don't want anyone trying to steal our prized gardener."

"Oh my. . . you mean?" I wrapped the cloak around myself and pulled up the hood.

"Oh heavens no. That's messed up. I meant a job. The drought in some places has been pretty bad. Many places have been trying to hire an Elementalist to make it rain but. . ." Maj shook her head.

"I've never met a Storm Elemental." I said.

"Yeah, me neither. It's pretty rare. I heard it's not even a thing anymore. There's been a new type of Elemental though." Maj looked up at the sky, lost in thought. "I think they're calling 'em Electric Elementals."

I've heard of Elementals gaining two abilities before. Fire and Storm but I haven't heard of new abilities being formed. I guess that's the price of a changing world. There are even Herbalists out there that can't hear certain types of plants anymore.

"Price of a changing world. . ." I whispered to myself. Everything was changing recently. There haven't been any new inventions in decades. The latest thing that was invented was something called the car. It's like a little carriage that can move on its own. I've never seen one before.

"What was that?" Maj turned her attention back to me.

I shook my head. "Nothing, we should get going."

The pathway to the town wove in between the trees. We couldn't take the road up because it didn't have enough room to get out of the way in case a carriage came down it. The trees whispered and encouraged me.

I loved the estate trees most of all-- don't tell the Forget-Me-Nots-- they spoke in gentle hushed voices. They reminded me of someone's grandmother.

"It's been a long day," a Pine Tree whispered, "Take care of yourself."

"Be careful," an Oak whispered, "what seems as it is, often is not it."

The oaks were mysterious. They spoke in riddles quite a bit. They were the hardest to learn to talk to.

When we got the the town I felt uneasy. What used to be a bustling town square was nearly empty. There were only a few street vender stalls open. I followed Maj to the spice stall. An old man with a thick gray beard and long gray hair was standing there.

"Maj is that you? I haven't seen you in years." His voice was raspy and lower then usual but I could never forget it.

"Donny?" I lowered my hood a little bit to expose my face. His expression changed from skeptical to surprised.

"Little Jayen? Good grief child, I haven't seen you since you were knee-high."

"You two know each other?" Maj asked, looking between us.

Donny was a vendor in the same town my Coven lived. He was younger then but still recognizable. He left town when I was seven.

"Do you live around here? Why haven't I seen you before?"

Even when I worked here four months ago I didn't visit the Town. I never had to. We had someone to run here and bring things back. So if everyone was fired, who was doing that.

"I've worked at the estate for a while."

"Huh, what a coincidence."

Maj shook her head. "Here's a list of what we need,"

"What happened to the little angry one who buys these? I know you used to a few time a couple years ago." He grabbed the list Maj was holding out to him and turned around to gather everything.

"They're busy this time."

"Isn't everyone these days. No work, no money, no nothin'," He sighed. "The droughts really taking it out of everyone around here."

We got everything on the list. First-aid, spices, and a few new pans. Maj didn't talk with anyone aside from the usual vendors. She was usually very friendly and talkative, but I suppose that was when Lord Damon was alive. Maybe his death affected her more than she let on.

I thought about Jinan again. He was coming back to the estate.

"I'll kill myself if you ever leave me."

"Stars, you're so embarrassing."

"Why do you act like that? This is why nobody loves you."

"You're so ugly, you're lucky to be with me."

"I didn't say that. Why are you upset? You're blaming me for something I didn't do, you're crazy."

"You should just kill yourself."