Magician's Touch (Deadly Touch book 3) Chapter 25: 25: A Butter Churn

Read chapter 25 of Magician's Touch (Deadly Touch book 3) by Deb E Howell on NovelPedia.

The farm functioned smoothly that night, with a decent, if plain, dinner prepared, Jonas’s energy boosted to get him through the night, and overnight watch negotiated among the Turhmos soldiers. After once again checking and soothing the house cows, Llew luxuriated in a full, deep sleep, bundled beside, though separately from Jonas, and woke feeling ready to take whatever the day had to throw at her. Jonas, too, seemed brighter on waking. Llew had been sure to give him more blood than what he merely needed for sleeping, no matter how much he assured her she’d given enough. It would never be enough, not while he remained infected. Sam, who’d taken on the role of primary emissary between the Turhmos soldiers and Llew, reported no signs of search parties in the night. Their own group hadn’t been expected to report back for another day or two, so they supposed they had about that long before anyone suspected trouble in their neighborhood. With so many hands and sets of eyes available, more eggs were found for breakfast, and the first sourdough loaf was baked fresh and sliced to share. Even Karlani didn’t complain at the servings available. Conversations were cordial, and mostly about running the farm. Extra hands and extra feet meant the whole farm had been explored between them in the earliest light. Rowan, Karlani, Alvaro, and the soldiers collated what they’d learned regarding how many animals required tending and the paddocks available to keep them over breakfast. Llew took particular interest when conversation turned to a small river several paddocks behind the house. It was generally agreed that the fence markers suggested the river indicated a boundary between properties. Care would need to be taken with regards crossing paths with the neighbors, since they had no idea where their loyalties would lie, but it was a relief to know the whole farm didn’t rely on the well as its single water source. And a wade in an isolated swimming hole sounded a preferable way to bathe than in a tub in such a busy household. She suggested as much to Jonas and he agreed. After breakfast, Rowan headed out to dig through more of Ard’s equipment to see what was already on site. Otherwise, he awaited the return of the soldiers who’d traveled to Hinden, though they were at least a day away, yet. Llew asked him to keep an eye out for the seeds from the ancient Ajnai. Llew, Jonas, Elka, Sam, and two other Turhmos soldiers, Edwyn and Lyneth, planned to head out to the Ajnais to show the Turhmosians how the blood transfers worked, which would free up Elka. She wanted to study Ard’s ledgers, learn the rhythms of the farm along with plans he’d jotted for the coming months, such as crop and livestock rotations. Sam wasn’t to do the transfers himself, with the risk he might brush up against Jonas and heal his own muscle aches, but he could relieve any aches the others developed in the process. As soon as she stepped outdoors, Llew’s eye was drawn to the dead Ajnai; an ache lancing her heart at the sight. She strode straight out to it, everything else fading from her awareness. It was the tree that had allowed her to heal Anya – to give back what she had taken – to break some ancient rule. She touched it and it remained silent. It had assured her it would heal. Why was it now dead? They couldn’t afford to keep doing this. She glanced up into the brown leaves. Such a painful sight. But, off the ends of some branches hung bunches of seeds, just like those left by the ancient Ajnai. “I thought you couldn’t …” Of course, there was no response from the dead tree. She moved to the next one over and placed her palm on the living bark. While it didn’t overflow with joy at the gift bestowed by the dead tree, it gave off a sense of grudging acceptance, even some appreciation, for Jonas and what he had done and promised to do for the Aenuks. And Llew couldn’t help the flush of pride in these trees she and her fellow Aenuks relied on and their acceptance of Jonas’s pla