With bellies full of food and sloshing wine, Benton and I walked the empty streets home. Usually, I’d only partake in a short glass of whiskey, but there was cause for celebration. And though I knew I’d wake up with a headache the following morning, it was worth it.
Coming to a stop, I readied myself to say goodbye as we stood outside the perimeter of our adjoining fences, but everything looked … different. My mind was dizzy with alcohol, and I couldn’t quite figure out what was out of place. Benton’s wheat field stood high, tall stalks with wide heads ripe for harvesting. I scanned my backyard, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. My yard was flat and ravaged.
Tomato vines were ripped from the lattices and trampled. My pole beans were decimated, lying lifeless on the ground and already beginning to shrivel. Heads of lettuce were ripped to shreds, their leaves scattered among the soil. Even the trees were bare, luscious fruit pulled off and left to rot in the dirt.
“What. The. Actual. Fuck.” The words crawled out of me as I took in the devastation.
“What happened?” Benton repeated several times while steadying himself on the fence post.
I looked around for rogue children, maybe teenagers, but the streets remained empty and quiet. The produce was seemingly assaulted by nothing but the earth itself. Climbing over the wooden fence, I fell to my knees, feeling the full weight of theburden this would place on my father and me. For several minutes, unable to do anything but take it all in, I drew in deep breaths, attempting to steady myself.
I’d need time, but I could fix it. With darkness masking the destruction, no one could’ve witnessed it. It would take me all night to regrow the produce without drawing any suspicion, but I could do it.
As the child of two land wielders, the amount of effort it would take to regrow everything might drain me. I’d never needed to use so much magic to replenish the fields, but I couldn't afford to let anyone else see the damage. And if I tried to let the field grow naturally, it would take months.
I went to work. Fumbling around with the ruined vines and produce, I started throwing scraps to the side to make room for the new fruits and vegetables.
“What are you doing?” Benton swayed over me.
“Everything needs to be cleared. I have to make space. The new growth can’t be intermixed with the damage, otherwise it will rot too.”
My friend began working diligently in the dirt, nearly falling over as he bent down to move the ruined items. This would have been an easier task if we hadn’t consumed so much alcohol. Instead, it was like trying to solder a ship in a storm.
“I’ll take care of it.” I waved him off.
Benton stood, surveyed the damage, and grimaced at the field. He shook his head and walked through the wheat toward his house. I continued digging and cleared half a row quickly, leaving dozens more to go. A quarter acre of property to farm wasn’t huge, but the task felt insurmountable.
Sitting back on my feet, I huffed a few breaths. I hadn't even started the actual task of regrowing, and I was already losing steam. I was moving too slowly. Shadows moved in the distance, growing taller as they approached.
I squinted, trying to see past my blurry vision and the slighttilt of the earth. Not only had my best friend returned, but Orion followed just a step behind. Shovels in hand, they stopped in the row closest to their own field. Working in tandem, they discarded leaves and mush.
“We’ll clear, and you grow behind us,” Benton slurred out, far louder than necessary.
I stood to my feet and staggered across the field. The wine was dissipating, but not quickly enough. “This isn’t your mess to clean up.”
“Isn’t it though?” Orion gave a tight smile. “We’ve been in this together since the beginning, and we’re not going to leave you.” I went to protest, but he cut me off. “Don’t refuse our gift.”
I swallowed hard before dropping onto my knees. The vibrating magic moved through me, just under my skin and out of the tips of my fingers into the fluffy, churned soil. It echoed into the air, the thick hum bouncing against my body and back into the lively dirt. One by one, heads of romaine sprouted down the line as I begged the land to respond to my request.
For hours, Orion and Benton worked with me to restore the field. My friends cleared, I planted, and then they both moved behind me to dampen the ground with their water magic. Our bodies ached, and sweat poured from our brows, but my friends didn't issue a single complaint.
As we worked, we kept our eyes peeled for any sign of the people who’d caused the damage. If they were so heartless to destroy my field, they’d surely jump at the chance to earn a few coins by reporting our use of magic to the Rivale Guard.
As the moon dipped, I hugged my friends. For the second time that night, tears filled my eyes, but I held them back.
“Thank you.” I smiled, trying to ignore the pit in my stomach. While I truly appreciated their help, I wasn't sure I could ever repay them.
9
AUDRYN
By the time I crawled into bed, the sky had shifted into a kaleidoscope of colorful tones as the sun rose. Hours of work made my body throb, even as I let myself drift off to sleep. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d wielded so much at one time. Each night, the garden required only a trickle of my magic. Last night's work was a raging river.
After finishing, Benton and I had agreed to skip the market to recover. That choice would delay yet another household repair, but I didn't have the energy necessary to harvest, transport, and sell the produce to earn the money anyway.
“Audryn?” My father’s voice was weary behind my door. “If you’re awake, can you come here?”
I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and threw a shawl over my shoulders. “Yea?” I pulled open the door to my room, my voice groggy. “Are you okay?” Still woozy, I shuffled across the floor.
