Evergreen

By Geneva Vand

When Gabriel's sister, Ashley, falls ill, he is sent to the forest wise one for help. But instead of the frightening dragon he expects, he is faced with a shape-shifting, magical creature named Kym who is both kind and beautiful.

Kym instructs Gabe to bring Ashley to his canyon hideaway so that he can watch over her properly. As the two care for her, they grow unexpectedly close. But once Ashley is well, Gabriel must leave with her, and Kym cannot leave his forest…


This is a second edition. No significant changes have been made from the original release.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Geneva Vand
• Release date: Oct 7, 2019
• ISBN: 9798223417484

Book preview

1

A Cold Sort of Dread

I stood against the wall and watched Karen, the township's best healer and beloved by our community. She was a frail, old, wiry-haired woman who looked as if she wouldn't be able to carry a bucket of water, much less reposition a human being.

But that was the way of it with healers. Thin as a rail, but able to wrestle an angry badger and win. I had learned long ago not to underestimate a healer. Especially the elders. An elder healer had survived all the ills they'd healed. An elder healer was tough as nails and had forgotten more things than you had ever learned.

Finally, she straightened from where she had been bent over Ashley's still form. When she turned to me her gray eyes were worried.

When did she take ill?

She's been tired, but we both thought she was just worn from travel. It wasn't until tonight that I realized she was actually ill.

She showed no other symptoms?

No, ma'am.

You didn't see the rash? Her face was fierce, and her voice was hushed but hard. She thought I should have seen the rash, but there had been none. Unless Ashley had hidden it from me, but I thought that unlikely. She must have seen the confusion on my face, because she turned back to Ashley and waved at me to follow.

When we stood beside the bed, she grasped Ashley's wrist and rotated her arm until the pale skin between wrist and inner elbow was clearly visible. The rash there was red and violent, mottling Ashely's skin and making the unblemished patches look even more pale.

There's more, Karen said softly, on her other arm and her legs.

I hissed out a breath and Karen and I returned to our spot against the wall. Those were not there this morning. I met her eyes, all but begging her to believe me.

Karen slumped but patted my arm. Hush, child. I know you know better than to lie to me. But you're sure? She wasn't perhaps wearing a long-sleeved tunic or a shawl and you simply didn't see them?

I shook my head. She was making bread this morning. She had tied her sleeves up like she always does because she hates getting dough on the cuffs when she kneads. I came in from the woodpile. I remember thinking that she had tanned on her trip to the city, so I know I looked at her arms. There was no rash.

That's not the answer I was hoping for.

It's not just a heat rash from the fever. My words were a statement, not a question. I knew what heat rash looked like. This was different, if for no other reason than that Karen was worried.

I don't think so. It looks wrong and it's spread over her body in places heat rash doesn't usually appear. I think she picked up something in the city, perhaps from a traveler she came in contact with. There's really no way of knowing. Remind me how long she was gone. When did she come back?

I met her at the western river ferry the day before yesterday, early in the morning. She was gone for twenty-six days, four patterns in Kletson and three days' travel on either side.

I'm not sure why it would take so long to show anything other than fatigue. She must have caught it just recently, or it would have progressed sooner. Karen frowned and fidgeted with the beads on her sash, showing a very rare sign of concern. There are many things it could be, but I can't tell which one just yet. I'll stay with her tonight and watch her. Perhaps morning will show changes that will tell me what it is. She turned away from Ashley to face me squarely. I need you to go sleep.

I started to protest but the words stuck in my throat when she turned her healer's glare on me. Only a fool argues with that facial expression and my mother had raised no fools. I let her shoo me out of the room.

I mean it, young man. You'll do me no good in the morning if you stay up all night fretting. I'll stay with Ashley and watch her. You know I'll take good care of her. Go rest, even if you think you won't sleep.

I hugged Karen gently and thanked her. Then I did as I was told and took myself to bed. Like she said, I didn't think I would sleep. I was too stressed. But as soon as I lay down sleep took me.

I woke later than usual, probably because I'd been up half the night. I opened my eyes to see late morning light streaming through the window and jolted upright. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, though not my mind, and bumbled my way through dressing, pulling on my usual simple work clothes. I combed my fingers through my hair, pulling most of the tangles out of the short, unruly waves. My cheeks were scratchy against my palms but I left the bit of scruff, not wanting to take the time to shave.

When I was more or less presentable, I went to Ashley's room to see what morning had brought.

Ashley still slept, though she seemed restless. She moved under the blankets like she was uncomfortable or disturbed by her dreams. She looked frail, which seemed so wrong to me. She had always been slender next to my broader frame, but she had never been delicate or anything but strong and sure.

Karen sat in the chair next to the bed, her skirts and shawl draped around her in a burst of color. She had looked up and smiled at me when I opened the door. She's well for now, Gabe. She's sleeping normally, and the fever is lower. You should go do the chores, and then we'll talk.

It was more difficult this time, but I did as I was told. In any case, the animals had already been waiting while I slept. It wasn't fair to make them wait more because I was nervous. Karen knew her craft. I had to believe that if she said Ashley was fine for now, then Ashley was fine for now.

I made it through the chores by sheer force of habit. The chickens clucked at me unhappily when I opened their coop, but they were easily placated by the grain I scattered. Our two work horses, a pretty dapple named Ellie and a bright chestnut named Dex, were less forgiving. They accepted their feed but watched me with suspicious eyes and twitching tails. By way of apology, I gave them scratches in the magic spot behind their ears.

Both the horses and the sheep were in their outdoor spaces so at least I wouldn't have to muck out stalls and paddocks today. I was grateful. I didn't think I would have had the patience and I would have been sorely tempted to leave it undone.

I cut through the barn to the sheep field out back. I could hear their plaintive rumbles. They always wanted to tell me that life was terrible and they were starving. At least, that's what it sounded like to my human ears.

It was dry season, so their food bales were stacked at the back of the barn. I tossed two bales over the fence, broke the twine, and scattered them. I escaped before I was trampled by the fluffy white and black beasts and went to the garden.

There would be no weeding today, even though it was needed. I set the irrigation system to run – it would shut off automatically due to Ashley's clever engineering. I cast my eyes over the rows of plants. The various critters seemed to be leaving it alone this year. Ashley had asked for advice from the local apothecary, who had told her what to plant next to the beds instead of trying to put up a fence. It appeared to be working thus far.

The garden had been my last necessary chore and I hurried back toward the house.

I had just reached the door when Karen screamed my name. Panic took me over, so that I didn't remember reaching the bedroom. I was just suddenly there.

Ashley was convulsing on the bed and moaning. Karen was stretched across her body trying to pin her arms. I ran to the bed and sat on Ashley's legs. I stretched up and reached for Ashley's right arm just as Karen lost her grip. Ashley's elbow hit Karen in the shoulder. Karen let out a startled gasp but kept hold of the other arm.

Almost as soon as we had her successfully restrained, Ashley calmed. She stopped thrashing and abruptly went limp. My eyes were huge as I looked at Karen. Are you all right?

Karen straightened with a quiet moan and rotated her shoulder. She winced slightly, but seemed to have full movement. I'm fine. A little bruised is all. Your sister has some muscles on her.

I smiled wanly. Must be all the bread making and candle dipping.

The girl does like her candles and bread. You can get up now. I think that's done with.

I carefully eased off the bed, trying not to disturb Ashley. She seemed to be sleeping peacefully now, but I watched her warily. What happened?

Her fever spiked, slowly at first, shortly after I sent you out. Enough that I was bathing her, but not enough that I was concerned. Karen gestured to the floor next to the bed and I saw a tipped bowl, cloth, and water on the floor. Suddenly she flushed, her temperature rose almost instantly, and she started convulsing. I feared she would damage herself so I was trying to restrain her. That's when you returned.

The rash is worse. It had spread and was darker in color. In places it was almost purple. It now covered her cheeks in a mottled red wash of color.

I know. I'm afraid I know what this is now. She knelt and began to clean up the floor.

I moved her gently out of the way and took over, righting the bowl and wringing water from the cloth. I used the task to stay calm while I waited for Karen to continue. Mop up the water with the cloth, wring the cloth over the bowl, repeat.

Karen sat in the chair and watched me silently for longer than I would have liked, lost in thought.

It's a fever, she said finally.

Her voice was quiet and I stopped my mopping and turned to her, though I stayed on the floor. We knew it was a fever.

She smiled at me. Yes, but I had hoped it was not this particular one, child. This looks like a sickness I have seen before. It's not found on this continent very often. It's something our other skinned neighbors across the sea have to deal with, caused by a mold that grows there.

I found myself sitting suddenly, my back against the bed. Ashley mumbled plaintively in her sleep and I closed my eyes. How would she get a sickness caused by foreign mold? This was very bad. That it was foreign meant it would be difficult for us to cure her.

She could have eaten something. She could have cut herself and picked up something in the candle shop she was interning at. The steam wheels let the big trading ships travel faster, and things that used to die quietly during travel over the sea sometimes make it across now.

Can you help her?

No.

Her answer was flat and toneless, and I stared. If Karen could not help Ashley, then... What are we to do? Are we just to watch and hope that she is mended while we stare? I knew my tone was bitter and angry, but I couldn't help it. My sister was my world. If I lost her, I wasn't sure what I'd do.

Karen took no offense at my tone, but reached down and took my hands in her dry, thin fingers. Her grasp was strong and sure, and for some reason that gave me hope.

Listen carefully, Gabriel. This is a wasting illness. The convulsions are frightening, but rarely do harm and do not happen often. She will not heal without help, but she will fade slowly. This is an illness that lasts for patterns, not days. And there's no risk of it spreading. That's all good for us. It gives us time. You'll have time to seek out help.

What help? If you don't have what we need, surely no one local does.

She released my hands and sat back. Her smile was cunning and out of place in the sickroom. You're going to go visiting.

I sighed and scrubbed my damp hands over my face. Gods all save me from mysterious old women. And who am I visiting?

You're visiting the forest's wise one, who lives on the cliff by the river.

I was on my feet before I thought. The dragon?! You're sending me to the dragon?

She laughed at me. Laughed! She was sending me to visit the dragon and she laughed!

Ashley stirred on the bed behind me again, and Karen went out to the hall. I pressed a kiss to Ashley's forehead and left the room as well. I found Karen in the kitchen heating a kettle of water on our old battered stove.

I went to the table under the window and sat, but didn't say anything. Karen busied herself at the stove and in