AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She filled pails with her emulsion and lined it up on the workbench so she could keep pouring. She wasn’t in a hurry to get this brew done, she was in a hurry to steal a small sampling of it and take it down to Aidyn tonight. Maybe he could find use for it to help her survive in town. That was, if he wanted to help her and her mom. That was the other thing. She’d need to think about the safety of moving her mom.
From the corner of her eye she saw Craig watching her. She ignored him and kept herself busy. No doubt he’d station someone to watch her, too.
“Elena?”
She turned at Theresa’s voice. “Oh, good morning, Theresa.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“It’s alright. I was lost in my head. How can I help you?”
“What did you need help with today? I’ll make your mama and you breakfast. But is there something you need to have done?”
“Yeah, Theresa, there is. While I’m out here today, I can begin planting seeds to start them for spring planting. Do you mind bringing my supplies out here? Mama can tell you where everything is.”
“Sure.” Theresa smiled and skipped off. It was hard not to like her, but Elena planned on being wary. She’d keep her busy out here when she wasn’t cooking so she didn’t have time to sit with her mom or snoop. Just in case Craig asked her to look around.
She poured more emulsion into the still as she could hear the boiling and she saw Craig walk along the edge of the center circle and to the meeting area where he’d no doubt tell his council about this morning. Luckily all of them were married, so he’d get no volunteers there.
Theresa approached with a wooden crate filled with her jars and seeds. “Here you go.”
“Thank you. Let’s set it on the ground near the fire so the seeds don’t cool off.”
“Sure.”
Theresa stood and brushed her hands together. “I’ll be back with your jars.”
“Thank you.”
Elena checked the still, added wood, then knelt down to sort her seeds and supplies for planting. It also kept her out of Craig’s eyeline, so that was a bonus and most of the reason she was doing this. Plus it gave her a smidgen of privacy to sort her items for later.
Theresa arrived with another wooden crate filled with glass jars and containers to start seeds.
“Here you go.”
“Oh, thank you Theresa. I appreciate it.”
“Do you need anything else?”
“After you make breakfast, if you’d like to come out and help me, I’d sure appreciate the help.”
Theresa smiled ear to ear. “I’d love that. Thank you.”
This time she actually skipped across the center circle. She was only fourteen. Craig would no doubt force her to marry soon too.
She checked the still and listened to the boil, but saw no condensation dripping yet, so she continued sorting her supplies.
She heard footsteps approach, and she knew it was Craig. Her stomach dropped and she took a deep breath to keep her temper in check, then waited for him to say something.
“Elena, what are you doing?”
“I’m sorting my seeds and getting them ready to start so they’re ready to plant as soon as the ground warms.”
“I’ve never seen you do this before.”
“I’ve never had to brew this time of year before.”
She refused to look at him.
