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Chapter 1
“Scarlet, get a look at him.”Bee nudged me in theribs.
I gritted my teeth, my hands juggling the jar of chamomile I’d just pulled off the shelf. “For the love ofwolfsbane.”
Honestly, Bee had the boniest elbow in all the seven realms of Haven. No matter how often I protested, she insisted on jabbing me right in the side every time she had something to say. Her idea of grabbing my attention wasn’t tapping my shoulder but inflicting pain. I twisted around and my gaze flew through the arched windows of my store, Get Your HerbOn.
A huge guy marched out of the woods, arms swinging in an over-exaggerated motion. His chest stuck out, and with his chin high, I had him figured out in two seconds flat. I’d seen so many of his kind leaving the priestess’s palace. Guardians, full of cockiness and attitude, taking what they wanted without paying forgoods.
Yet he wasn’t wearing a uniform, but the strangest clothes. A gray tunic falling to mid-thigh; no pants or boots. Goddess, his legs were the size of treetrunks.
“Who wants to bet his muscles aren’t real?” I said. I’d heard of people using magic to enhance their physique. It was the latest trend in otherterritories.
Bee glanced at me with disbelief pinching her expression. With her braided red hair and ivory skin, most called her beautiful and always referenced her green eyes. But the real Bee was also tough. I’d once seen her scare off a bear with a glare, and there was a reason most in town kept their distance from her. Sure, it might have a little something to do with Bee insisting most of the folk were uneducated swine breeders—her words, not mine—but hey, she was a best friend who often popped into my store, and I loved her company. Even if she didn’t know when to keep her mouthshut.
“How can they not be real?” Her gaze turned from the man and back my way. “He’s not wearing pants. What could he possibly be padding—” Then her eyes widened, and her lips curled upward into a wicked grin. “You filthy girl, Scarlet. Never knew you had it in you.” She whacked me in the arm, her strength intimidating, considering she stood five-foot-two and reached mynose.
“What are you talking about?” I slouched, a hip pressed against the counter, and pushed several sample bowls of tea leaves up against the ceramic cups that I had painted with different stages of the moon cycle. I called them my night collection series and regular customers tended to buy a new one whenever they purchased their regular healing herbs. If I had more time, I’d paint all thetime.
“You’re referring to his junk, aren’t you? And well…” Bee glanced outside. “With the wind blowing against his clothes, there’s definitely a healthy package in his arsenal.” Bee wiggled her eyebrows and broke outlaughing.
Fire scorched my cheeks. You’d think I’d be used to Bee’s dirty mouth; after all, this was normal for her. “I wasn’t talking about his… hisprivates.”
Bee gripped her hips, cinching in the long, blue tunica dress she wore. The outfit had a V-neckline and tiny buttons ran down the front. I admired her flowing sleeves, and I needed to re-examine my wardrobe. My black pants and sea-green blouse beneath the leather vest with a belt made me look more like a thief. But when I chose my clothing, I prioritized comfort. Most days, I lifted boxes at work and a skirt would get in theway.
“Just say it, Scarlet,” Bee continued. “Dick.Cock.”
I rolled my eyes. I had no issues with such words… As long as I didn’t say them. I blamed my grandma, who’d brought me up strict, no cursing or vulgarities. Heavens bless hersoul.
“Penis.” Bee licked her lips. “Blowjob.”
A squeaky male’s voice came from behind Bee. “Eww.” Santos walked out of the storage room carrying several boxes. “I can hear you out the back. That’s called sexual harassment ofmen.”
I sighed, loathing that Santos had heard our conversation, and Bee spun toward my eighteen-year-old apprentice. But he might as well be fourteen with his thin frame, shaved hair, and his maturity level. Then again, were Bee and myself anybetter?
“Hey, guys talk crap about girls all the time,” Bee said. “What’s thedifference?”
Santos set the three boxes of tobacco leaves on the end of the counter. “You two are too old to talk about such things, and it’sgross.”
“Old?” Bee’s voice climbed. “We’re only a year older than you.” She turned to me with a cocked eyebrow, expecting me to say something. I shrugged myshoulders.
“That’s okay, Santos,” I said. “We’ll curb our tongues if it makes you uncomfortable.” He worked his butt off, and I didn’t need him leaving. He’d been working for me for a year and had just learned the names of all the dried plants wesold.
“It’s fine.” He didn’t glance our way and instead opened the first box and scooped handfuls of tobacco into tinysatchels.
I marched to the opposite end of the counter. Bee followed me, probably ready to offer one of her smartass comments about Santos, but I jumped in first to change the direction of the conversation. “How come you’re not wearing your new boots? The ones I got you forChristmas?”
Bee huffed. “Can’t get them dirty, as I plan to wear them to the town ball. Might attract myself a prince in disguise. Besides, you live in the woods with lots of mudand—”
The front doorbell chimed, stealing herwords.
We all glanced up to find Mr. No Pants bursting into the shop with a flurry, his breaths labored and his cheeksred.
“I need help,” hewheezed.
“My, what do we have here?” Bee said, drawing the newcomer’s attention to the three sets of eyes on him… mine lowering to his legs, and even with his tunic covering, he had a huge package. But I focused on the red bleeding through his tunic at his hip. How had he gotten injured? Animalattack?
At once, Mr. No Pants straightened his posture and flicked his raven hair over a shoulder, his sights sliding from me to Bee, then locking on to her curvychest.
