Rage flared through Bisma, still fresh.
‘The lack of crying was not a sign of contentment; it was an eerie sort of silence. She hardly stirred or made a sound because she had become conditioned to realize that crying out for help yielded no results. So she simply … stopped. That was when the neighbors realized they needed to intervene, that the chance of life in the Enchanted Forest was better than a life in the village, which would surely end if things continued the way they were.’
‘A baby not crying at all?’ Xander asked, horrified.
‘She still hardly cries,’ Bisma said. ‘At first, we all thought it awfully disconcerting, but of course we got used to it. Even now, she’ll whimper or fuss a bit, but she never cries out fully, the way most babies do. Even last night—’ Bisma broke off, mouth trembling.
She took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. ‘She was the first baby to come to the Forest when I was older,’ Bisma said. ‘I mean, Nori was left as a baby as well, but I was thirteen at the time and had sisters older than me who held more responsibility, so it wasn’t the same. But with Deeba I was second eldest, with only Baji—Eva—above me. And of course Eva was busy with everything else, so much of looking after Deeba in those early months fell to me.’
Why was she telling him all this? Just because he had asked one question didn’t mean he wished to hear her ramble on.
‘Anyway,’ she said, clearing her throat. Xander had been listening intently, which made her feel … strange. Shy. She wasn’t used to speaking in such a manner with anyone outside her family, or now with her new letter-writing friend, but writing was different from speaking aloud, watching the other person watch you, seeing their face shift with emotions.
‘She’ll be alright,’ Xander said, his voice sure. ‘The freeze potion will protect her. Just imagine she’s taking a long nap.’
‘Yes, but now what?’ Bisma asked. ‘That’s why I’ve come, really. Can I see what you’ve been working on? You said you’ve been puzzling over a cure.’
‘Oh, yes!’ Xander said, brightening at the chance to help. ‘Can I see Deeba? I want to make sure the freeze potion is really working, and perhaps we can extract some of the poison from her and study it?’
‘I’ll bring her here,’ Bisma said.
‘I can go with you,’ Xander said. ‘Save you the trip, meet the rest of your sisters.’
Bisma gave him a stern look. ‘No.’
Though outsiders were not allowed in the Enchanted Forest, she knew she could probably bypass the Forest’s border fog with her magic to allow Xander in, and the Forest would allow it if she asked nicely, but that wasn’t the issue.
They needed to proceed professionally. She couldn’t have emotions meddling in, and if he went to her home, met her family, things would surely get messy.
‘If we’re to work together, we’ll work here. Away from the Forest and away from my sisters.’ She looked around his greenhouse; it was clearly equipped with everything they might need.
‘But I’ve met your sisters before,’ Xander said, confused. ‘Mei and Luna, of course, and the others, when they’re in town with you.’
‘You haven’t been formally introduced, and it’s going to stay that way,’ Bisma said. She didn’t want them to get attached to him. They would work together to find a cure, then go on as they had before. ‘This is strictly a business arrangement, as in we are working together as colleagues and nothing more.’
‘Right,’ he said, blinking.
He swallowed. She could tell he was disappointed, and she felt guilty, but this was the only way to stay safe: to keep him at a distance.
‘And what exactly would I have to do to earn the honor of meeting your family?’ he asked, bouncing back from his melancholy mood with determination. His eyes sparkled.
Bisma could not help it; her heart warmed. No matter how difficult she was, Xander was always willing to rise to the occasion.
With Gregory, Bisma had always had to be on her very best behavior in case she upset him. He had been so mercurial, and Bisma had always needed to be so easy-going, and even then itwas never guaranteed that he wouldn’t grow cross with her over the littlest thing.
But why on earth was she comparing Xander to Gregory? It wasn’t as if she was in love with Xander as she had been (foolishly) with Gregory.
Bisma pretended to think about his question. ‘Hmm. Stop being so insufferable and I’ll consider it.’
He clicked his tongue. ‘Damn, that’s half my personality, Bis.’
‘Half? I’m impressed, Alexander; I wasn’t aware you had a personality beyond that.’
He held a hand over his heart as if injured, though he laughed as well. ‘You don’t even need poisons,’ he said. ‘Not with a tongue like yours.’ His gaze dropped to her mouth. ‘Positively deadly.’
Her lips tingled. ‘Don’t test it,’ she warned.
‘Not even a taste?’ he asked, stepping closer.
