At least I'd managed to stop imagining myself murdering all of the werewolves for a few days.
Might be about to start back up, though.
"I've thought about the bargain, and I'm willing to do it," I said.
Jonah stopped running, and I jogged in place as I did too.
The numbing cream I'd put on my feet was keeping me upright.Niall was going to be pissed that I was running again, if he found out.
"Thank you." Jonah's relief was palpable. "We're pretty desperate."
"Do you have a number for the debt, just so I have an idea?"
He nodded, and gave it to me.
The damage was worse than I'd thought, but I would figure it out.
When I offered him my hand, he hesitated.
Was he getting cold feet?
Please, don't back out.
"There's more," Jonah admitted.
"More thanthat?"
"The orchard hasn't been in the green for years, as far as income and expenses. Most of our trees haven't been producing well for at least a few decades, but Simon couldn't afford to replant."
My eyebrows lifted a little higher.
Was he about to ask what I thought he was about to ask?
"We need to take the whole thing down and start fresh, but we don't have time to wait for all of the trees to grow. We should've been doing it in a cycle over the century we've been here. The nymphs don't have anywhere near the power required to manage it. They said the only person in the city who does is you."
I stared at him for a long moment.
Things were clicking.
Too many things.
The way he'd maintained our friendship even though he hadn't seemed invested in it for multiple months.
The way Gwen didn't have problems with him running around with me all the time.
They'd been waiting to ask me about this bargain until they thought I might be receptive to it. Everyone in the city knew I didn't make bargains. They must've realized their best chance was by befriending me.
Gwen had even asked about it, before Jonah did.
I'd beenplayed.
How had I not put that together, when I ran through those dying trees day after day?
"You want me to agree to turn a bunch of baby fruit trees into a whole new orchard? Are you insane? Do you know how much energy that will take? That'syears'worth of growth for hundreds of thousands of trees."
"I know. I'm sorry. I feel bad for asking, but we're desperate."
"Are you even sure the new trees will provide the money you need?" I asked.
