“The humans brought more herbs and plants with them. I’m hoping we can cultivate a whole new row.”
We make it to the small patch at the end with crystal lights. I stop as I look down at the leaves that have started to nearly overgrow. Even for two months of growth, they are flourishing.
“Por los dioses?1,” I breathe.
Ulla grins. “I think it’s time you show me how to use some of these for the kitchen.”
I smile. ”Yes, absolutely.”
As I kneel down, I brush my fingers against the lavender. I look up at Teo.
“We can use this one to soothe any rashes or raw skin. We should cook some with animal fat to make salves.”
He nods and then reaches into the pocket of his leathers and withdraws a small bit of stone paper and his spectacles. A peculiar sort of joy bubbles up when he starts to write down what I say.
I point to a few other herbs that are for flavor, and some that help with coughs. He scribbles as I work. I look at the scroll and think of the books in the giant court.
“You know, the doctor I trained with used to have a book with pages of paper. He called it an herbal, and he would write down each recipe with great care. It helps others learn the art of healing.”
The mention of a book reaches back into my recent memories.
My eyes widen.
Melisa.She has my things, including the books. I need to ask her for them.
My racing thoughts are staunched when Ulla’s tail brushes my feet.
She smiles as she sniffs some of the basil leaves she rubs between her fingers.
“Hm, I would very much be interested in a written log. We could use a scroll to practice your writing as well.”
I pause.
“We could. Scrolls are nice. I just… there is something about flipping through pages.” Then I shake my head. “Nevermind. We can get a scroll some other time. We should go work on cooking. Wehave much to discuss with the humans today, especially if we are going to offer some of them a Fuegorra.”
Ulla nods, and we continue to gather what she had come for to take back to the hall.
Everything is so familiar in this place, and yet it holds every inch of magic for me that it once did.
Teo doesn’t leave my side for a second, though I am sure there are other places that he needs to be.
As Luiz fills pots with water, Teo retrieves a scale to measure ingredients, and I cut the roots, herbs, and mushrooms. Then we prepare the meat, and there is an easy peace between my husband and me.
He is precise with each cut, and his cubed vegetables are much nicer than mine.
Once everything starts to stew, I take a deep breath.Sopa de carne?2is a slave dish, but it smells a thousand times richer with theruh’glumdlormeat over whatever we could scavenge from field mice and squirrels.
When it is nearly finished, two familiar faces join us.
“Luiz!” Ulla calls out, giving him a one-armed hug as he arrives to help.
He greets her and then turns to me.
“Estela, it’s so good that you are back,” he grins. Then he pulls on an apron. “Apologies for my late arrival. Neela was sick again.”
My eyebrows furrow.
“Is it the coughing sickness?” I ask, suddenly worried. After being kept in the mountain, the herbs that the giants had traded diamonds for were used to cure this sickness, one that seems to persist even with the curing properties of the Fuegorra.
