EPISODE SIXTY

A soft whisper from a female voice tickled my right ear, then was gone.

The Cat nudged me, staring at me with his green eyes. The glow from the counter was gone. “Are you okay?” he asked.

“I’m fine,” I quickly answered before looking at the creature and the moss.

The Cat didn’t look like he believed me. Instead, he turned back toward the vine creature. “Let them know about the pebbles. They’re inside the canister as well.”

I peeked in at the glowing moss and saw pure white round stones, sitting on the edges of the canister. Nodding, I smiled at the creature. They took a step back at my look. I quickly stopped smiling. “The Cat also included white pebbles, they are inside with the moss.”

Every single vine on the creature paused, then slowly they turned to face the Cat. “This is a blessing we cannot accept. Our people…”

“We wouldn’t offer them if you couldn’t take them,” I added. “They are meant for you.”

“This…” The vines trailing over them moved again. “Gift, I have a gift for you. It will need dirt.”

“Dirt?”

“Check the storeroom,” muttered the Cat. “It should have what you need.”

I turned and hurried toward the door. When I opened it, I found a small table with a green ceramic pot. It was filled with a thick black potting soil. I picked it up and headed back to the counter. The creature was peeking into the canister, and pink petals floated out of them, fluttering all over the shop.

I crept forward before slowly setting the planter on the counter.

The creature closed the canister lid softly. “Here.” The vines on the counter pulled the pot closer, and more petals drifted out of the mass of vines. Then the vines on their chest parted, and they pulled out a bright pink and purple flower. Five petals surrounded a pure white round object. A single vine trailed off from it. Carefully, they tucked it into the pot, then stroked the petals. The warmth of magic pulsed around the flower, and my eyes kept going to the center, that perfectly round orb.

“May it bring you as much joy as the offspring the moss and pebbles will give my people,” said the creature. They bowed at me and held the pose for too long before pulling up. The creature nodded at the Cat.

Then they picked up the canister and headed out of the small shop.

“Cat, did that creature just give us its heart?” I asked, slightly panicking.

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The Cat turned to glare at me. “What?”

“It looks like the pebbles from the jar, and they were going to be used to make more plant people, I assumed… Just tell me I’m wrong.”

“Only partially,” said the Cat.

I sat down on my stool and grabbed my mug, still half full of mocha. “Hit me with it.”

“The pebbles help the offspring grow stronger, but they aren’t required. Over time, they form their own pebble as they grow up. The moss is needed, otherwise they are lucky to have offspring at all. The planet they live on has slowly become inhospitable to them. It is time for them to procreate, then find a new world.”

“And the kids will adapt better to the new world, right?”

“Yes.”

I stared at the flower, hoping I wouldn’t accidentally kill it. I wasn’t really very good with plants. “So we did a good thing today.”

“A very good thing. We saved their race,” said the Cat, while rubbing his head on my hand. I still clutched my mug.

“What about the flower? Do I add it to the ones above?”

The Cat chuckled. “That flower is one of the most valuable magical plants in the universe. It will produce one fruit, with a seed. That fruit, when consumed, will dramatically increase one’s magical abilities. The seed, when planted, might become a Life Tree.” The Cat jumped off the counter and headed toward the kitchen. “We will have some normal deliveries after lunch.”

“What’s a Life Tree?” I asked, though it wasn’t the only question I had. “Wait, what do I do with the plant?”

“It feeds on love,” said the Cat, “and they gave it to you. Keep it in your room.”

A plant that fed on love, and produced magical fruit plus some important seed for some tree that the Cat wouldn’t talk about. It sounded important. I sipped more of my mocha as Indigo flew out of the kitchen with a brownie clutched in her claws. She carefully landed on the counter, then sniffed it before she ate little bites of the brownie. She glanced toward the door and chirped twice.

“I just need to head out of the room, then it should shift back. Your cave will appear then.” I picked up the small pot with one of my hands and the mug with the other, then I headed toward the staircase. By the time I made it to the top of the stairs, the bookshop formation was back. Indigo was already on top of the bookshelf by the door that had her little hideaway on it.

My room looked like it always did, but a sunbeam landed on the far nightstand where it hadn’t before. That would be the perfect place for the flower. “Is that a new book?” I placed my mug down, and then the pot, before picking up the book. “Tales of the Feywilds…” I glanced around the room, knowing it had to have been the bookstore who gave it to me. Maybe this would give me some more information on Fey Lords and their crests.

Loud chirping came from below, and I set the book on my bed before grabbing my mug. I’d have to read it later, once I got a break. Out on the balcony, I could hear the chirping a little better. It was coming from the kitchen, and I hurried down the steps.

The Cat and Indigo were on either side of the plate of leftover cookies and brownies from the Conclave. Indigo kept glancing at another brownie. The Cat turned to look at me. “She wants another brownie…”

“Indigo, you already had one this morning. I can make you a better snack. The book said you shouldn’t have too much sugar…” My mind raced, trying to think of something I could make that was easy. “How about BLT’s for lunch today? I’ll make extra bacon.”

The Cat’s head tilted, and Indigo chirped, asking what a BLT was.

“Oh, BLT’s are magical. You have nice and crispy bacon, with fresh tomato, lettuce, and a good white bread. Plus a little mayo. It’s one of the best sandwiches known to man.”

“Magical?” asked the Cat.

“The closest we can get on my world, I promise.”

The Cat looked intrigued.