The bellaburst blossom didn’t respond. The glow faded, and Dominic’s shoulders sagged.
“Please,” he whispered. “I don’t know what’s wrong, but I’m trying to fix it. Just hold on a little longer.”
His quiet desperation revealed a depth I hadn’t expected, making him far more appealing than the frivolous king I’d braced myself for. I reminded myself that his care for the court could strengthen our alliance, nothing more.
A gardener’s heart shows truest when no one’s watching,Savory said from where she’d perched on the edge of the first row of plants.
“So true,” I whispered, unable to tear my gaze away from the sight of my new husband kneeling in the dirt, pouring his magic and concern into plants that didn’t appear able to heal.
Dominic’s head lifted, his leaf-green eyes finding me across the greenhouse. For a moment, neither of us moved. Then he straightened, brushing soil from his hands with a self-conscious gesture.
“I didn’t think you were awake,” he said, and there was no laughter in his voice, just quiet acknowledgment and perhaps a hint of embarrassment at being caught in such an unguarded moment.
I stepped closer, Savory swooping ahead to land on the table in front of him. “I woke and wanted to see the plants again.”
“Ah.” He glanced down at the wilting blossoms. “I’m afraid they’re not much better than yesterday. Worse, actually.”
“How long have you been trying to heal them?” I asked, genuinely curious now.
“Weeks.” He ran a hand through his hair, making it stick up in places. I found the gesture oddly endearing. “Ever since I first noticed the decline. I’ve triedevery healing spell I know and even consulted with the court’s botanists. I brought in magical specialists from the outer districts. Nothing works.”
I knelt beside the bellaburst blossoms. Up close, the telltale signs of magical drain was apparent in the way the leaves curled in on themselves, the dull sheen to petals that should sparkle, and the way the stems shrunk away from their own roots.
Savory swooped down from her perch, landing on the edge of the planter beside the bellaburst blossoms. The moment her claws touched the soil, my plant sense sharpened. The vague wrongness I’d been feeling crystallized into a barrier, like a wall built between the plants and the emotional magic they needed to thrive.
Interesting how the garden speaks more clearly when two sets of senses listen together,Savory said in my mind.Some songs require harmony to be properly heard.
I frowned at her cryptic comment but didn’t have time to puzzle it out.
“What is it?” Dominic asked, noticing my sharp intake of breath.
“With Savory here, I can sense it more clearly. Something is actively blocking their connection to the court’s emotional energy. It’s not decay, it’s interference.”
I stepped closer to him.
“Tell me what you’ve observed.” I studied the plants with the same focus that had served me well in strategy work, my magical skill. “Not just magically, but physically. What changes have you noticed?”
Dominic settled into a crouch beside me, close enough that I could feel the warmth radiating from his body. Being this close to him sent a spark through me, and genuine attraction bloomed inside me for this sweet side of him. Ishoved the feeling down. Romance wasn’t a luxury I could afford.
“The wilting started in the oldest sections of the greenhouse first.” His voice took on a thoughtful quality that made me want to listen to everything he said, even if he was reciting a shopping list. “It spread gradually, affecting the younger plants last. The blooms that respond to emotions were hit hardest, the xavier blossoms in particular.”
“Interesting.” I reached out, hovering my hand above a leaf without touching it. A faint tingle ran through my fingertips, a sensation I’d learned to ignore but that had always been there when I worked with plants. “What about their magical signatures? Can you sense anything unusual?”
“That’s the strange part.” He demonstrated, letting his magic flow toward the plant again. The green glow illuminated both our hands, and I couldn’t miss how strong his fingers looked, how carefully they cradled the fragile stem. “The plants still have magic in them. But it’s like they can’t access it properly. Or something’s blocking their connection to the court’s power.”
I frowned, running through possibilities. “What changed weeks ago? New lords or ladies arriving? Magical experiments? Construction projects?”
“Nothing out of the ordinary.” Frustration leaked into his tone. “That’s what’s been driving me mad. There’s no obvious cause and no clear pattern beyond the gradual spread.”
“There’s always a pattern.” I rose and walked over to examine another cluster of plants. “Sometimes it’s just hard to see.”
We worked in silence for a while, him sharing hisintuitive observations while I conducted a more systematic assessment. I noted which plants were affected worst, where they were positioned, what types of magic they typically responded to. I moved steadily, checking soil quality, examining root structures, and testing the ambient magical flow.
“Your hands are steadier with plants than most people I’ve seen,” Dominic said suddenly.
I glanced up to find him watching me with a look that made my pulse quicken. I didn’t hear mockery in his expression, and thankfully, no hint of the giggling that had plagued him yesterday. Just genuine interest and something that might be admiration.
“I’ve always been comfortable with them,” I said, then felt foolish for the confession. “It’s simple observation. Anyone can do it. Though I have noticed they seem more responsive when Savory is nearby.” I glanced at my companion perched on the table.
