It’s #BookQW and saving Fern’s magical family ‘land’ will be tricky!
More From Chapter 2:
Gran patted her cheek. “Good, lass. I’m glad you’re flexible, because I have some news: I have other inspections to attend to, not to mention they are sticklers about favoritism so don’t want me present on my land for the judging because I’m on the council, too. You must complete your trial on your own.”
“What?” Fern gasped, her mind blank for a moment as she tried to keep up. “You are on… What do you mean my trial?”
“Aye. You asked me to stop keeping secrets from you and the time has come for that.” Gran’s brow creased, her bony fingers crushing Fern’s. “Your work on the Meadows is a test to see if you can restore the land despite having no magic yourself. However, I didna tell them you have no magic. Nor that you are Heather’s child. Keep it secret you are my granddaughter until you pass. Then we shall fix that, best we can. But your mother’s blessing—do you have it?”
“Geez, Gran! I thought we’d tell her together.” Fern’s voice rose. Stressed out much? She clenched Gran’s hand, although what she really wanted to do was throw someone to the ground. “And just how will I do these things? A magical place needs magic.”
“Shh. I have but a minute, dear. I know you’re up to taking charge. ’Tis clear you’ve inherited the touch and tha’ is enough. Because I lifted the barrier that kept others out of the Meadows, they are seeing the lovely flowers you have grown and know it is all your doing. But with the barrier gone”—Gran raised a finger—“take care if you see flickering along our boundaries.”
That was why she wasn’t allowed off the property? And never saw anyone else here either? “No nasty neighbors, then?”
“None,” Gran said cheerily. “In fact”—she dropped her voice as the screen door creaked—“I’ve arranged some help for you, though I have no doubt you can complete our work. Stick to the rules.”
At the doorway, Sir Humus poked in his white-haired head at a height that matched Fern’s. “Lark Fields, you know very well a minute is up. Come along now.” He waved a small, tan globe—glass—attached to his watch chain. “Good day, Mistress Fern.”
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On a personal note:
My husband and I are still working on our land – wildfire mitigation at our cabin (see 9/21/2022 post), and fortunately have chainsaw help from a neighbor who wants the firewood.
After a flood in 2013, we saved downed logs for firewood — what were we thinking? We haven’t used this wood in 9 years, and the mitigation specialist said they needed to go.
Not only were the logs a fire risk, but the pine needles, cones, fallen branches and loose bark collected between and beneath them created the perfect tinder for a huge bonfire. I raked 6 bags of ‘surface fuel’ from this area and collected 5 bags of bark and decayed wood from beneath. Numerous sticks have been burned in our woodstove as the weather turns colder or joined the pineneedles and bark to go to the Sort Yard.
Lesson: don’t stockpile more resources than you truly need!
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