“You have a garden of mature medicinal plants,” Castello said,ignoring the others. He walked right up to her, crowding Silke’s personal space. The demon in him inhaled, taking her scent into his lungs.
Silke kept her energy low-key. She stepped to one side, indicating the very large ring of medicinal plants. The step allowed her to escape the close proximity of the demon. Her gesture served to give her a natural excuse for stepping away from him. “Most of the plants are fully mature. You must know your flora to know which ring of plants contains ones used for medicine.” She poured admiration into her tone.
“I’ve always been interested in plants and their various uses,” he said, his demeanor changing just slightly.
Where before he had appeared arrogant and commanding, his features softened minutely now that she seemed to acknowledge his expertise. Silke filed that fact away for the future. This particular demon was susceptible to flattery. He needed accolades and acknowledgment that he was the top dog. Had he always been that way? Had he been made the way the sea serpent had been? Had staying in human form for years changed him? If so, she had only a short period of time to figure him out. He wasn’t in her encyclopedia of demons. She would have to spend a little time with him to get a feel for him.
Deliberately Silke looked around her at the thick swaths of varied plants as if really seeing them for the first time. “Most of the plants are very mature.”
“Did you put them in?” He walked with her toward the first inner circle, where most of the florae needed for everyday medicines were growing.
Silke shook her head. “I did help with transplanting a few, but most were already here. I remember as a child watching my mother work in the various beds. I loved helping her.”
His eyes gleamed at her, tiny red embers glowing behind the dark color. “Your mother planted most of these, or were they already here when she moved in?”
Silke paused on the stone walkway leading around the first circle.The others had gone silent waiting for her reply. Silke pretended not to notice.
“That’s a very good question, Mr. Castello. She adopted me when she was in her late forties. She’s never married or had any other children. I’m it. She’s amazing with plants.”
“I would very much like to meet her.”
Silke felt a slight pressure in her mind, as if the demon were politely seeking entrance, or subtly persuading her. She rubbed her forehead over the exact spot. “I’m sure she would love that, but I’m afraid it’s impossible. Fenja is unable to move around much these days. She doesn’t have many visitors.”
Deliberately she brightened, flashing him a vacuous smile. “Fortunately, she taught me about the various plants, and I can pass that information on to you.” Before he could answer her, she began to rattle off the practiced spiel, naming each plant and the uses it had in medicine.
She observed Castello giving a subtle signal to Melia Floros. She doubted if the others in their tour group or Gesina noticed. He kept his left hand down by his thigh as he followed her from plant to plant. The fingers lifted ever so slightly. While all the others were seemingly engrossed in learning about the native plants, Floros kept her attention centered on Castello. That told Silke the older woman had been with him the longest and was the most susceptible to his commands.
She kept her breathing even, never missing a beat with her monologue. She was careful to pour enthusiasm into her talk for the vast variety of plants she was showing off. She didn’t hesitate to answer any question the three younger men asked. Herman Drakos, in particular, asked the majority of questions and recorded her answers. He appeared to be genuinely interested in what she had to say about each plant. The other two men paid attention but only occasionally asked a question. Thea Gerou was silent. It was impossible to tell if she was the least bit interested or bored out of her mind.
Silke knew the demon had ordered her to be tested in some way.He had come to the house certain this was the demon slayer’s home. It had to be disconcerting to learn that Fenja was Silke’s adoptive mother. Slayers handed down their legacy from mother to daughter. Every demon would know that. If Fenja had been the demon slayer in the village, she should have married and had a daughter. If she didn’t, the legacy would end with her.
Castello needed to establish that Fenja was the demon slayer. She was the village midwife, and just by the abundance of medicinal plants at her home, she was the most likely candidate for being the village seer, a woman who could see into the future. She had been born in another time and after death would still walk among her people if not be reborn to aid them again. Still, it made no sense that Fenja wasn’t married and didn’t have a birth daughter.
Thea turned to Gesina with a bright smile that sent a small spike in Silke’s heartbeat.
“I just love every single estate we’ve been to today, Gesina. They’re all so unique and beautiful. This house looks like something out of a fairy tale,” she gushed. “Did Ms. Reinders have this house built? In all the travels I’ve done, I’ve never seen a stone house like this one.”
The tone was off. Completely off. To Silke, Thea sounded like a marionette, which she most likely was, following Castello’s orders to learn whatever she could from Gesina. Thea was a follower, beautiful but without direction. Castello and the others had given her the feeling of belonging. Castello gave orders, and it was easy for Thea to live with someone telling her what to do.
Silke couldn’t imagine having Thea’s passive personality. Silke had always questioned everything. She was incapable of following anyone blindly. She had to trust them one hundred percent. Few people fell into that category. Unfortunately, from childhood, she saw into people. She knew if they lied. She was aware of cheating. Stealing. There were few secrets others had that escaped her attention. She didn’t want to be that way, but she was born with gifts—or curses. She didn’t know how to categorize the talents she had.
Right now, while the four men engaged her in conversation, she was aware of the subtle flow of energy directed toward Gesina from Castello. He was influencing her to be open and chatty with Thea, to divulge any secrets the villagers, especially Fenja and Silke, had.
While she lectured on the plants, she kept every sense alert for the expected attack from the older woman. It was coming. They were going to test her reactions. Castello was hunting for the demon slayer. Fenja and Silke were the most likely candidates because of their knowledge of medicinal plants.
Thea’s fake laughter grated on Silke. She detested any woman being used. Gesina was open and friendly. That was her nature. She would tell Thea everything Silke and Tora allowed any of the villagers to tell outsiders. Most of those born and raised in the village had been born with barriers in their minds. Those protections allowed them to forget about Tora’s oddities and Silke’s origins until they needed to remember for battle. The barrier enabled Gesina to sound open and honest, not careful or shut down.
Castello asked Silke a question, forcing her attention on him. Simultaneously, Melia Floros appeared to stumble on the stone path. She plowed into Silke with shocking force. Ordinarily, Silke would have not only sidestepped but balanced Floros, too. It wasn’t easy to ignore her body’s natural defenses and allow herself to stumble and fall off the stone path as she went down hard on the ground. Floros landed on top of her ankle where it was positioned still on the stone. Pain flashed through Silke as the ankle twisted under the older woman’s weight.
Silke managed a low cry of pain when everything in her told her to remain silent. She didn’t want Fenja to hear and rush out. Silke clapped a hand over her mouth and looked with horror at her swelling ankle.
The Bakis brothers helped Floros up and carefully inspected her as she repeatedly apologized for her clumsiness.
Gesina crouched beside Silke, distress written on her face. “I’m so sorry, Silke. Can you get up?”
“Not yet. Give me a minute.” Silke allowed her tone to be tinged with pain.
“Perhaps we should reschedule tonight’s meeting. Please call me when you are available.”
