“I’ve been cataloging the seeds for spring planting,” she said. “We’ll have enough for the barley and wheat, but after the failure of the leeks last year, our gardens might be a little sparse.”
I hummed in understanding and switched the peat spade to my other shoulder, resisting the urge to bend to speak with her. She must’ve been on the short side of humans even before age made her stooped.
“Have ye included what we brought from the humans?”
“Aye, and I wish ye’d grabbed more.” She shuffled beside me, her face pinched in annoyance. “Ye werenae greedy enough, were ye, laddie?”
“I suppose no’. I told myself they needed the seed too.”
She nodded, then nudged me.
“Yer father was like that. He always said, if we steal too much from the humans, their village will die, and we willnae have anyone for our sons to steal from.”
Aye, he had said that. I forced a smile.
“I caused enough death that day, Jean. I didnae need to be the cause of more suffering.”
When she tipped her head back to peer up at me, her eyes glinted knowingly among the wrinkles.
“That too. Ye’re a good lad. But ‘twould be nice to have more leeks.”
I had to chuckle.
“I should have grabbedtwohandfuls of the seed, although ‘tis no’ my favorite vegetable.”
“‘Tismine, which is why I’m so concerned.” She grinned, showing off her half-dozen teeth. “A handful of each kind of seed will be enough, but the leeks will be dear. Only the more attentive gardeners should be given it.”
I could see the village now, and I nodded in understanding.
“Ye’ll arrange it, Jean? I trust yer judgement.”
She poked me again.
“Aye, ye do. Which is why ye’ll listen to me when I tell ye to put us all out of our misery and claim the lassie.”
I pulled up short and stared down at her in surprise.
“What?”
“Yer prisoner of war, or whatever she is. YerMate. Just claim her, so the rest of us dinnae have to live in fear of having that mighty weapon pointed at us all day.”
She cackled when she gestured to my crotch—and my persistent cockstand—leaving no question what she meant. But even if I might have been embarrassed by such a joke, I wasn’t paying attention, because…
Mate?
Mate.
Is that why I felt this way? Rowena was my Mate? ‘Twas not the first time I’d wondered such a thing, wondered if that was why myKteerwas reacting so strongly to her, how I always seemed to know where she was, even if I couldn’t see her. Even now, the irritated buzz in my chest settled to a contented hum at the merethoughtof claiming Rowena as my own.
My Mate.
At my side, the little old woman snorted and poked me in the arm.
“Surely ye’ve guessed?”
“I’d…hoped.”
The truth. I’d desperatelyhoped.
