Charlie nodded. “She is. And a good one too.” She sighed and shook her head. “Governor, I apologize for not introducing you to Jerabeth sooner, but things have been busy—”
“Yes, they have been,” Donna said. She didn’t fault Charlie. After all, none of them had expected Rixaline’s appearance or Joe’s return from the dead.
“And you two tend to keep different hours,” Charlie added. “Or I thought you did. Anyway, let me rectify things. Governor Barrone, this is Jerabeth Smalls, keeper of the greenhouse and garden, which is what we call the rest of the area up here. Obviously, due to the time of year, it’s not planted other than the greenhouse.”
“Jerabeth.”
Jerabeth nodded. “Sorry about freezing you.”
Donna smiled but still had deep reservations. “We’ll put that behind us.”
Charlie made a face. “I still don’t understand how you’re able to withstand the UV rays.”
“Yeah, boss,” Temo said. “How is that?”
Donna didn’t want to get into it. At least not in front of Jerabeth, who didn’t seem ready to accept who Donna was. “We can discuss it later, but please don’t say anything to anyone. For now, I think I’ll just go back to bed. I didn’t intend to be up here that long anyway.”
“Of course. And we won’t say a word.” Charlie nodded in understanding. “You really should see the hothouse, though. Jerabeth is a talented elemental witch. There’s not much she can’t grow in there when it comes to fruits, vegetables, or flowers. She grows herbs and medicinal things too.”
Temo’s brows lifted. “Great papayas.”
“That does sound interesting. Couldn’t hurt to take a quick peek inside.” Maybe complimenting some of Jerabeth’s work would warm the woman up. Donna would much prefer having the witch on her side.
Especially when the witch in question could stop a vampire in her tracks.
Chapter Twenty-eight
The flowers, fruits, and vegetables were indeed impressive, and the place smelled incredible, rich with the perfume from all the blossoms, the tang of the herbs, and the sweet earthiness of the soil.
But it was the area at the very end of the hothouse, the part sectioned off from the rest with a full panel of wrought iron painted white, that captured Donna’s attention. The door in the center of that panel, also white wrought iron, had a shiny brass lock on it. On the other side of the iron was more glass, completely dividing the space off. The glass was steamed up, just like the rest, making it impossible to see inside.
When the tour of the main area was over, Donna pointed to the far end. “What’s all that about? Growing something fun for recreational purposes?” She meant it as a joke, of course.
But Jerabeth didn’t laugh. “That’s my poison garden.”
That wiped the smile off Donna’s face. “Seriously?”
“Yes.”
Donna looked at the locked gate again. “Can I see it?”
Jerabeth answered, “No,” at the same time that Charlie said, “Of course.”
Both women looked at each other, but Charlie spoke first. “Jerabeth, you might be the gardener in charge of all this, but the governor is your boss, making her in charge of you. If she wants to see the poison garden, it’s your job to show it to her.”
Donna could have sworn Jerabeth growled in response. It was like Lucinda all over again. But this time the woman in front of her was an actual witch. Well, Donna had already had enough of that noise. She wasn’t about to have the same kind of toxic relationship with someone who was essentially an employee. “Listen, Jerabeth, we’re not going to do this. I can’t do this. I won’t.”
“Do what?” Jerabeth asked.
Like she didn’t know. “This whole back-and-forth between us. The snippiness. Let’s get it out now. What’s your problem with me? Why don’t you like me?”
Jerabeth reeled back slightly, obviously unprepared to be called out. “That’s not…that is…I—”
“Oh, come on. It’s obvious there’s more to your behavior than you just thinking I was an intruder. That’s behind us, and you’re still giving me attitude. Why?”
Jerabeth glanced at Charlie, who shrugged as if to say, You started this.
With a little sigh, Jerabeth crossed her arms. “Claudette was my friend. And you got her removed from office. And then took over her job.”
Temo grunted. “That is not how it went down.”
Donna frowned at the witch. “Are you kidding me? No, clearly, you’re not. I don’t know when you talked to Claudette last, but you obviously didn’t get the whole story from her. Is that what she told you? Because Temo’s right. That’s not what happened. Not really.”
Jerabeth held her defensive stance. “She told me you were the reason that she was no longer governor. But she didn’t have long to talk and said we’d catch up more later.”
“Just a guess, but that catching up hasn’t happened yet.”
“No, but—”
“Let me enlighten you on the rest of the story she hasn’t told you. At the trial, after the council deemed her unfit to continue as governor and they passed their sentence upon her? I saved her life. I’m the reason she’s not filling an urn right now.”
Jerabeth looked at Charlie. She nodded. “It’s true. I wasn’t there, but I heard it from Claudette herself when she returned to the penthouse afterwards. Donna’s first act as governor was to pardon Claudette, which spared her life. The council had other ideas. Why do you think Claudette left so quickly and without any fuss?”
“I just thought she wanted to get out.”
“She did,” Charlie said. “And as far away from the council’s grasp as possible.”
Donna tipped her head. “So what do you say? Can we move past this now?”
Jerabeth closed her eyes as she nodded. When she opened them, she looked genuinely contrite. “I’m sorry. And I’m embarrassed by my assumptions. Thank you for saving Claudette. I know she’s an acquired taste, but so am I. I suppose we bonded over that. Please forgive me for my rudeness, Governor.”
Donna smiled. “Absolutely. Anyone who can grow plants like this deserves a second chance.”
“Thank you. It won’t be wasted on me, I promise.”
“Good. I am curious about one thing.”
“Sure,” Jerabeth said. “Anything.”
“How did you freeze me back there?”
“I didn’t really. Well, I didn’t freeze you. Like Charlie said, I’m an elemental witch. My element is air. I froze the air around you.”
“So that word you said wasn’t a spell?”
“I suppose it was in a way. But really the word was just a means of focusing my power.”
“Freezing the air around me doesn’t explain why I couldn’t talk.”
Jerabeth nodded. “I also froze the air in your throat.”
That sounded…more serious. “Could that have killed me?”
“If you were human, maybe. Given enough time. If I’d meant to kill you, I would have frozen the air in your lungs.”
“I see.” So Jerabeth was both a gardener and a potential killer. Donna made a mental note of that and then mentally highlighted it as well. That wasn’t something she wanted to forget. Ever. “What other magic do you have?”
Jerabeth’s expression took on a slightly proud air. “Did you notice how calm it is on the roof?”
Donna nodded. “I did. I expected it to really be pretty breezy up here, given how high we are.”
For the first time, Jerabeth smiled. “That’s me. One of my spells. More of a wind ward, actually, because it’s a fairly permanent thing.”
“Wow, that’s very cool. Not that freezing air isn’t cool, too, but keeping the wind to a minimum is probably what makes this space so useful. Without that, I don’t think the rooftop would be half as pleasant.”
Now Jerabeth looked pleased. “I think it contributes, yes.”
Temo was peeling an orange he’d picked from one of the trees. He really di
d have the appetite of three people.
With a smile, Donna canted her head toward the poison garden. “So, what do you say? Will you give me a quick tour?”
“Sure, come on.” Jerabeth led the way, pulling a brass key from her coat pocket as she went. She got the gate unlocked, then pushed it open, but didn’t move out of the way. “A word of warning. Don’t touch anything. And don’t let anything touch you.”
“Whoa,” Temo said. “I’m out. If it’s okay with you, I’m going back downstairs for coffee and some breakfast.”
“That does sound good,” Donna said. “But when I get back downstairs, I’m hitting the sheets for more z’s, or I’m going to be a zombie at the party tonight. Wait. Are zombies real?”
Charlie started to reply, but Donna put her hands up. “You know what? Don’t answer that. I don’t need that information in my head when I’m about to be dreaming again. Temo, see you later.”
With a laugh, he took off, leaving the three women.
“All right,” Donna said. “No touching, no being touched. Got it.”
Jerabeth moved out of the way. “Good. Have a look.”
Donna glanced at Charlie. “Have you ever been in here?”
“Nope.”
They moved slowly through the gate, mindful of everything around them.
Jerabeth pointed to a murky corner where a bushy plant with dark green leaves and inky purple flowers grew behind a cage. “This is the deadly nightshade, or your namesake, Madam Governor. Atropa belladonna.”
Donna smiled and started to reach out, then remembered she wasn’t supposed to. “I’ve never seen one in person. What part of it is poisonous?”
“Pretty much all of it. Just touching it can cause your skin to blister.”
Donna stuck her hands in the pockets of her robe. “Wow. Okay.”
“Would you like to know more?”
“Sure. We share a name, so why not?”
Jerabeth’s smile was that of a teacher, and she truly seemed to be in her element. “The roots are the most poisonous, followed by the leaves and then the berries. Those form where the flowers are now. They’re black and shiny and look good enough to eat, but just two or three contain enough poison to kill a child.”
Donna grimaced. “I’m glad you have that thing behind a cage and locked up. And that there are no children here.”
Jerabeth stopped smiling, her expression suddenly serious. “I agree. Nightshade has been used recreationally, but it’s not something I’d ever recommend.”
“And not something I’d ever try,” Charlie said. She had her arms wrapped around her torso.
Donna eyed the other plants with rising curiosity. “These plants are all beautiful, but why grow all these things if they’re so dangerous?”
Jerabeth’s gaze held the earnestness of someone who loved what she did. “This is a dangerous world, Governor. More so for people like us who aren’t completely mortal. The enemies we face don’t always respond to human weapons. Sometimes, we need other tools to use to protect ourselves. To fight back. To save ourselves and those we love.” She spread her hands out. “These are those tools.”
“Every day,” Donna said, “my education grows. You know how to use all these plants for those sorts of purposes?”
“I do.” Jerabeth’s pride was evident. “My mother was a green witch. Far more talented with plants than I am, but she taught me everything she knew.”
“I’m really glad you’re part of my team.”
At Donna’s words, Jerabeth beamed. “Thank you. I am very happy to be a part of it. And just to be really clear, these plants are not only killers. They almost all have other uses too. Medicinal or magical uses. It’s a common truth that what kills in large quantities can often help in small ones.”
“Fascinating,” Donna said.
Charlie nodded. “It really is. You should teach us more, Jerabeth. Maybe once a week, we could meet up here, and you could—” She suddenly shook her head. “That is, if the governor would like something like that.”
“Yes, totally. I’d love that,” Donna said. “Let’s do it. What do you say, Jerabeth? Teach us?”
Jerabeth blinked in shock. “You really want me to? I’d be happy to.”
“Yes, definitely,” Donna said. “Information like that can only be beneficial to all of us.”
“That’s very true,” Jerabeth said. She shook her head. “I really misjudged you, and I’m sorry. I tried to teach Claudette about the plants once, but she said she didn’t need to know about them when she had me, but I’m not always here.” She was silent for a moment. “Thank you again for giving me a second chance.”
“You’re welcome.” Donna stifled a yawn. “Now I really need to get back to sleep. I’m so glad we could meet, even if it wasn’t under the best of circumstances.”
Jerabeth nodded. “The same goes for me. I’ll talk to you soon, Governor. Sleep well.”
“Thank you.” Donna carefully made her way out of the poison garden and back to the stairwell.
Charlie was right behind her.
As the door closed and they descended, Charlie softly cleared her throat. “Are you going to tell me now how you can daywalk? Because that’s the kind of information your admin should know.”
Donna stopped short of entering the penthouse. “The thing is…I don’t think it’s information anyone should know. I understand the kind of threat a daywalking vampire poses. Or at least the perceived threat. Can you imagine what the council would do if they found out?”
Charlie grimaced. “I can. But you can trust me. How else can I adequately serve and protect you if I don’t know things like this?”
Donna sighed. “I really didn’t want anyone to know.”
“With all due respect, you went out on the roof in broad daylight.”
“I know, but I had no reason to believe anyone else would be up there at this time of the morning. In my defense, if you’d told me about Jerabeth, I probably wouldn’t have gone up there.”
Charlie took a deep breath. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
“Look, there’s no putting the cat back in the bag. Besides Jerabeth, you know, Temo knows, and Pierce knows. But that has to be it.”
Charlie nodded. “I’ll talk to Temo, not that it’s even necessary. I promise he already understands that things like that need to be kept private. So does Jerabeth, I swear.”
“Good. But not within earshot of Neo. I trust her, but again, it’s just not information I want out there.”
“I understand. And I’ll handle it.”
“Thank you. As for why I’m immune, I just am. One of those rare things, I guess. Now I really need to go back to bed.” Donna opened the door, went into the penthouse and straight to her bedroom. She closed the door, crawled under the covers, and tried to sleep away her massive screwup.
She was mad at herself. Going onto the roof had been a dumb move. She had to make better decisions and not allow her impulses to push her into rash actions.
Her eyes started to close, heavy with the need for rest.
But even as she drifted off, her last thoughts were of the party to come. And how desperate she was not to do something dumb there.
She couldn’t afford to become someone’s target. And she certainly didn’t want to arouse the interest of the Immortus Concilio again. One meeting with the vampire council was all she needed in her lifetime.
Which was saying something, considering she was immortal.
Chapter Twenty-nine
Donna woke to the muted sounds of conversation. It was a happy sound, the sound of her new family. Didn’t mean she didn’t miss her own children, but it was good to be surrounded by people she could trust. People who had her best interests at heart.
That had never been the case in her marriage to Joe. She took a deep breath and let the feeling of peace and contentment wash over her. That life was really done with now that Joe was in custody.
It made slipping up and accidentally revealin
g her immunity to the sun seem like a small thing now that she had some distance from it.
There was no chance Temo, Charlie, or Pierce would let her secret out. Her safety affected them all, but more than that, they were her people. Her team. Hopefully, she could include Jerabeth in that.
Donna might need to mention that to Charlie. But not until she’d had some coffee. Ohhh, and pie. Then she’d be conversational.
She flipped the covers back, looking at the time as she sat up. She’d slept nearly eight hours. That was more than she’d expected, but it was good. She had a long, busy night of being “on” ahead of her.
She threw some leggings and a sweatshirt on and padded out to the kitchen.
Temo was making a sandwich. He smiled at her. “Morning, boss. How’d you sleep?”
“Good. Longer than I thought I would, but I suppose I needed it.” She went straight to the coffeemaker. “Where’s everyone else?”
“Charlie’s in the office, Pierce went to the pool, and Rixaline is still sleeping.” He shrugged. “Teenagers.”
She got a cup brewing, then opened the fridge and took out the chocolate pie. “Yep, I remember those days. I think Christina still sleeps in as much as possible. Joe Jr. has to be up pretty early, though. He’s in the Air Force and has to be on base by seven.”
“That’s pretty much when you’re going to bed.”
She laughed. “True. Has Lucky been fed? I can’t believe he’d sleep through breakfast and lunch.”
Temo nodded. “Pierce fed him before he went to swim laps, but I’m pretty sure that cat went right back to Rixaline’s room after he ate.”
Donna added sugar and creamer to her coffee, cut a slice of pie, then took a seat at the counter and dug in. “I can’t believe he abandoned me, but then, he always was more Christina’s cat than mine.”
Charlie came in. “Hey, I thought I heard you. Good morning. Is that pie for everyone? I hope so, because I’ve been wanting a slice since I saw it in there.”
“Morning, Charlie. Help yourself. What’s my schedule like for today?”
“Hair and makeup are arriving at seven.” Charlie grabbed a plate and fork. “That should give them plenty of time to do their thing, then for you to get dressed and us to make the party by ten. Oh, also, I’ve been in touch with Van Marten’s about some jewels for this evening.”
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