New Release: PLANTWISE

Arden’s fifteenth birthday had been like a silent signal toother kingdoms with sons looking for brides. Two days before Maddix arrived ona surprise visit, Prince Brandon of Ambray came on a long diplomatic mission.He made it clear that he wasn’t there entirely to discuss trade agreements andproblems with brigands on the shared border with Westerland. He was a wonderfuldancer and didn’t even blink the first time he saw Arden riding astride, introusers, rather than side-saddle. Prince Tomas of Zashenbourg had choked andstumbled when he saw her riding, but he had a lovely baritone voice and couldcompose funny rhymes at a moment’s notice. Both princes made it clear theyextended their stays to inconvenience each other, and Maddix. Arden wasslightly ashamed to realize she liked how Maddix glared at the other twoprinces, and she felt a funny sense of gleeful pride when he lost his elegantmanners and snarled at them.

He managed to meet up with her for a few moments of privacy inthe gardens at dusk. Just long enough for one startling stolen kiss before herclosest companion and lady’s maid, Caitlyn, caught up with them. That was allthey had, but it was enough to dream on for months afterward.

That sudden influx of suitorsslapped Arden hard with a realization she hadn’t fully considered, except assomething far off and slightly unreal: when she married, she would have toleave Westerland. The more she thought about leaving the fields and forests,the farms and villages she loved, the little ache deepened in her soul. Howcould she be happy in her new home if she had abandoned her first duty, herfirst love? The thought of Westerland having no one to guard the grasses andwild flowers and encourage the grain to grow tall and sweet saddened her. Asthe winter snows deepened, she confided her trepidation to Glynna. If onlythere were some way she could leave part of herself in the land of her birth.