“I’m glad you find my words inspiring,” he says.
“Of course, that is what you decide to focus on.” I shake my head at him, but can’t help the small tilt of my lip that I try to hide from him.
“I have errands to run, so I’ve told Kael you’ll be eating with him,” he says, changing the subject.
“Oh. Okay, what are you doing?”
“The same thing I do every evening.”
“Which is…”
He gives me a knowing grin, tilting his head at me.
“Figure out the science behind Widowsbloom, and maybe I’ll tell you.” He winks at me.
I let out a breathy laugh, confused by this playful side of him I’ve not seen before. He turns to head out the door, leaving me alone once again, his words hanging heavy in the air.
You need to let nature decide for itself.
I turn back to the soil, releasing a heavy breath of defeat. “Well, I hope you decide quickly. It seems the king is becoming impatient,” I say to the soil.
Steam curls from the bowl between us, the chatter of noise behind us. I take a sip from my mug. Kael tears a piece of bread with unnecessary force, scattering crumbs across the scarred oak table.
“You are awfully quiet this evening. Unlike Rowan, Iamactually fun to be around.” He gives me a playful wink before taking a swig from his drink.
“Sorry, I’ve had a bad day.”
“Plant stuff?”
“Yes,” I laugh, “plant stuff."
“The Widowsbloom isn’t blooming?”
“The Widowsbloom isn’t doing anything,” I admit, staring down at my food, pushing it around my plate.
“If it’s any consolation, it’s probably not you. I think we’d need a miracle to get that thing growing.”
“That is not a consolation. Do you not remember the deal I’m in? No plant means I don’t go home.” I say. Kael goes quiet, which, for him, is unusual.
“Kael?”
“Elodie.”
“You’re hiding something. What is it?” When he doesn’t respond, I set my fork down and turn to him, my eyes narrowed. He gives me a brief side eye before turning to fix his stare on his plate. Okay, he’s definitely hiding something.
“Kael, tell me.”
“Okay, okay, you got me. Shall I just confess my undying attraction to you now, or let you finish trying to pry it out of me?” He smirks slightly.
“I’m serious, Kael. I overheard the King say something today, about a plan that cannot fail.” His face turns cold, and I fear he’s going to shut down on me. But he leans in closer to whisper,
“Look, this kingdom is dying. You’ve been to the village. You’ve seen how empty it’s become. The blight took everything. Nothing has been the same since he sealed all the gates.”
“The Blight?”
“Does Rowan tell you nothing?” He leans back in his chair as I shake my head. “Back when the gates were open, we would trade supplies, knowledge, and currency. And our kingdom, it was rich, one of the richest, actually.”
“What made yours so special?”
