Page 41 of From the Edge

The trees and plants shivered happily. The healer held his hand out to her, and she took it, letting him help her to her feet.

Rowan could feel the texture of his fingers on hers. It was the first time she had felt something in years. She sighed. “Well, this is going to suck.”

He blinked. “What is?”

“I can feel with my fingers again.” She eased her fingers out of his. “Do I look weird?”

He smiled. “You look like an opal omega.”

“Oh, so multicoloured weird. Delightful. I need a cup of tea.” She walked toward him, and he turned to walk next to her as they left the garden.

The gate latched on its own, and she continued toward the house. He walked with her. She sighed. “What’s your name?”

He chuckled. “Samoth Renyet Arthros.”

“Good, I didn’t want to be skeevy and read it off your lease.”

“You may call me Ren.”

“You may call me landlady.” She snorted. “It’s like a superhero with a lot of cats.”

He snorted. “Do you have cats?”

“No, but I think there are mushrooms around that eat mice.”

He blinked. “Really?”

“They guard my garden. The garden takes care of the rest.”

She walked into her kitchen, and Ren closed the door behind them. Mell was sitting there, and her head came up. “Rowan, you have a scent.”

“Oh, darn. I thought I ditched that.”

Mell got up and went to hug her. “Wild roses and cinnamon.”

“Oh, that must smell odd.”

“It suits you. Can I hug you?”

Rowan laughed. “You already are.”

“Oh, right. You are so soft and really glowy.” Mell held her snugly.

“Mell, I am really not used to contact. You are freaking me out.” It was true. Her friend’s desperate need for contact had to be honoured, but it wasn’t Rowan’s thing.

She kissed Mell on the cheek, and Mell smiled and relaxed. “You have had a big day, Mell. Go to bed; your little guy is going to be calling for you in the night.”

“And little Rowan, too.” Mell chuckled. “Norec is a good guy. When he meets you like this, he’s going to hit the floor and grovel for weeks.”

Rowan sighed. “We have a big day of getting Aspen up and running tomorrow. We need sleep. He can grovel on his own time. I mean, I am guessing he has a job.”

Mell smiled. “He’s an arborist. That is how he came to be in the woods to find me to start. He was looking for bad trees.”

“Ah, like, they didn’t file their taxes?”

“More like they carried disease that could have taken down the forest.”

She leaned back. “Mell, did you pick a lumberjack?”