“She’s from another island. They have no orders.”
His tone made her look at him. “Do you have cultural differences?”
“Oh yes! Many of them. My wife and I—” He broke off as they heard laughter.
They turned to see three boys and a girl, ten or eleven years old, coming toward them.
“We heard you two were ugly but you’re worse than they said,” the largest boy said.
“And fat.” The girl was looking at Tam.
“Is this what I have to look forward to with my son?” Tam mumbled. He picked up his trousers and withdrew four coins. “Are these worth anything?”
The way their eyes lit up was the answer.
“These are yours if you’ll pick a sprig of every plant on that hillside.”
Bree, still in her underwear, stepped forward. “We want as much variety of the plants as you can find, but no duplicates.” When the kids didn’t move, she said, “Like Cappie needs.”
At that, the children’s faces turned solemn. “He can turn you into a bug.”
“Or a lizard.”
“He made me into a bat,” the smallest boy said. “I liked it, but my mother didn’t. She put me in a jar and screamed at Cappie.”
Bree and Tam worked not to laugh.
“We can do the same thing,” Tam said fiercely. “And I can guarantee that you willnotlike it. Now go!”
The children scurried off and Tam and Bree went to the bottom of the hill. He lay down on the ground, turned his face up to the sun, and looked up at Bree. “My son will never be a brat like them.”
Bree lay down a few feet from him. It felt good to be near someone who knew her secrets. “I’m sure you’re right. Piks will be kind and considerate. He’ll never call anyone ugly or too soft.”
They looked at each other and laughed at that absurdity. Piks had already shown that he had a mind of his own.
The sun was drying them off and the children were on the hill behind them, arguing about who already had what plant. Bree and Tam were so drowsy they didn’t hear the wagon on the hard-packed dirt road.
“Still being lazy, I see,” they heard a voice say.
Bree opened her eyes to see a man sitting on the wagon seat. He was shorter than Cappie and had an ageless appearance. He could be an old thirty or a young eighty. Like Cappie, he had a remarkable mustache, but his was gray. He wore a flat cap that covered what appeared to be a bald head.
“Qip!” Tam shouted, joy in his voice. “How good to see you.” He grabbed his clothes, pulling them on as he hurried to the wagon.
Qip somehow managed to frown and smile at the same time. “Everyone in town has told me that you’re looking for me. Does your father need help?” He looked at Bree. “I hear you know Reena.”
Bree was scrambling into her clothes. “I think maybe all of Bellis knows her.” The children made a great noise as they randown the hill. As they passed Bree, they tossed heaps of plants at her. She agilely twisted about as she caught them. The children ran to Qip, looking up at him expectantly.
“You’re going to run me out of my home.” He was trying to look grumpy as he reached into a bag and tossed out handfuls of what could only be candy.
After Tam gave each child a coin, they took their prizes and ran off. Qip was watching Bree intently. “You’re Sojee’s daughter?”
She smiled. “Do you know my father?”
“Only by reputation. And Vian’s grandson is here?”
“Mekos,” Tam said. “His mother is a Lely. She’s half fox.”
“How very interesting. Are you ready to go to my home? I’d like to hear why you’ve sought me out.”
