He chuckled and my skin rose in goose bumps. “Yeah. She is. And she belongs here. So does Esther, God help us, her and her baby, when it comes.”
I remembered my vision of a spotted leopard curled around a plant-baby. “Occam? Will you marry me?”
His hand stilled on Cherry’s head. His smile went from amused and happy to blazing. Softly, as if he was scared I might run away or change my mind, he said, “Yes. Right now? Tomorrow? I’m free the day after too.”
I laughed. “Let’s get through the full moon and then we can pick a date. Jist a warning, though. Even though I’m a widder-woman, Mama will want a full God’s Cloud of Glory Church wedding. They’re kinda overwhelming.”
“I’d fly to the full moon and back if that’s what it took to marry you, Nell, sugar. Besides. I’m marrying your family too. I’m smart enough to know that.”
I held out a hand. He took the last step to the porch and sat beside me on the swing, sliding an arm along the back of the swing to cradle me. He pushed off with a toe and I rested my head on his shoulder. We rocked. The day brightened as the sun rose.
***
The sun was falling toward the west, scarlet clouds limned with gold. The moon was up, though clouded over. The air was cold.
My two sisters and I were sitting, carefully positioned on my mended faded pink blanket, not in any kind of circle that Esther might construe as witchy. She was propped by pillows I had carried from the house, grumpy as usual, difficult to maneuver in her huge state, but not impossible to be around.
At the edge of the blanket was a small packet of blood-drawing supplies: sterile lancets, gauze, alcohol wipes in foil packets, Band-Aids. There was a bag of Soulwood soil too, because though I could see my house if I looked over my shoulder, this wasn’t my land and I might need it.
We were sitting near the road, my house behind us, in a small copse of trees. Or tree. Vampire tree. Thankfully there were no dead animals being devoured on the thorns. Dark green leaves rustled overhead and vines seemed to wave. I hoped I was the only one to realize that there was no breeze. The tree seemed almost curious, attentive, if not helpful. I hoped this would be easier than last time I had tried to talk to the tree, when I had threated to kill it.
“I still don’t understand how I’m’a claim some trees,” Esther complained.
“We’re plant-people,” Mud said. “All you gonna do is tell it which plant is boss.”
Esther shook her head at the absurdity, but we had gone over this several times. I knew Soulwood through the wood of my house. Esther needed to know her land through the wood of her house too, so that she would know when danger was approaching, so she could call on the plants and trees around her for protection. To make sure she was safe, we were going to claim the tree, then the land where her house would be built. I had carefully considered the visions and concepts I would use to talk to the Green Knight.
I pricked my finger, dumped the soil, and let a few drops of my blood run into it. Not sure what would happen, not sure if the tree would try to hurt me, I reached out and touched the trunk with my bloody palm. Nothing happened, just my palm against the cool bark. I closed my eyes.
In my vision, the Green Knight stood in a pasture, his hand on the pale green horse’s neck, the mane tangled with flowers. He was unarmed, though still armored. Waiting. Attentive.
I showed the knight myself, my sisters, and, just across the road, two massive warcats, one spotted green, the other a green so dark it was nearly black. They were crouched on the three grassy acres, taking up all of the empty land, their tails coiled around the house and in the trees on the far side. Foot-long fangs; claws like curved blades, extended. This was an image of my power, my threat, the power of Soulwood.
The horse leaned down and grazed, chomping. The Green Knight stroked the neck of his horse, his hand in the mane.
Just like last time, I sent it images of the vampire trees being cut down, shaped into logs, some cut into boards. Of being made into a house, just there on the bottom of my property. Beside the house I envisioned a tiny vampire tree growing and spreading its leaves over the house, protecting it. This was my offer. The Green Knight would accept a job to do, to become a house, perhaps more than one, in return for being allowed to live.
The Green Knight and the horse simply stood there, the horse grinding tender shoots of grasses. This was not agreement, but it was better than a vision of it attacking, the vision of its anger, of dragging me under the surface of the earth and killing me.
Without opening my eyes, I said, “Your turn, Esther.”
Paper crinkled. “Ouch! Dagnabbit! You’un sure this ain’t witchcraft?”
“I’m sure. It’s simply plant power. Put your hand beside mine on the tree. Close your eyes. Tell me if you see anything.”
“Mama would be having kittens.”
“Mama ain’t here,” Mud said, her voice hushed, awed. “Ouch! Okay. I got blood too.”
I felt Esther lean near me. Place her palm beside mine. Mud’s bloody palm went beside Esther’s.
In my vision, the Green Knight looked at the hands, his helmet moving slightly side to side. He removed his gauntleted fist from the horse’s mane. Slowly, as if he feared we might harm him, he reached out with both open hands. Gently, heplaced his palms against Esther’s and mine. The wood beneath my hand instantly became smoother, slicker, not quite the warmth of flesh or the smoothness of steel, but something in between.
Beside me, Esther gasped. “You’un feel that?” she whispered.
“Yes,” I said. “You see anything?”
“A meadow full of tall grass. And one tree smack in the middle of it. Kinda looks like a live oak from the shape, but its leaves are paler, softer, and shaped like maple—” Esther inhaled fast. “It’s like my leaves. Is thismytree?”
