She grabbed Bromwyn’s arm.
“Look at those feet! Lady Witch, where are your shoes? Well, the floor’s a mess as it is, so no worries there. Just be careful not to trip. Come inside!”
Bromwyn, who had been struck speechless by the baker’s outbursts, let herself be led inside the store.
As they walked in, Master Baker, who was putting fresh rolls into another basket, shouted, “Kimmie, what’re you doing? No customers inside! You, there, outside! Sorry about the rain, but the shop’s just too much a mess to have anyone … ” His voice trailed off as he recognized Bromwyn, and then he blushed furiously. “Wise One! Here in my shop! And with it looking like this!” He glared at his wife. “Damn me, Kimmie, you want me dead, don’t you? I’m about to die from embarrassment!”
“You’ll die of my strong arm if you don’t shut your mouth,” Mistress Baker shouted back. “Lady Witch here,” she said, emphasizing the title, “wants to see our boy. Go haul him up from the storeroom, will you?”
Master Baker grinned at Bromwyn, then frowned at his wife. “Will you at least feed the girl? She looks like she hasn’t eaten in a year.”
“Charlie! Get the boy!”
“I’m going! I’m going!” And he went, grumbling.
“Forgive him,” said Mistress Baker. “He says things before he thinks. He’s a man. Can’t be helped.”
Bromwyn burst out laughing.
“Here, now, this is for you. Your favorite, if I remember correctly.” From her large basket, the baker took out a sugar cookie and gave it to Bromwyn. “Eat up now.”
“I am afraid I did not bring my coin purse,” Bromwyn said, blushing.
“Like I’d make you pay, after the way you helped that boy and girl last night! I saw you, Lady Witch. You did a good thing. To say nothing of your helping my own boy. He told us a little about it—something about him getting into trouble with the fairies, which isn’t really a surprise, since he and trouble go together like bread and jam, though I suppose the ‘fairies’ part is a little bit surprising if you didn’t know any better. But of course you do, given how you were right there. He said he got into trouble, and he wouldn’t have gotten out of it with his skin intact if not for you.” The baker smiled a warm, lovely smile. “He said wonderful things about you, Lady Witch.”
Around her cookie, Bromwyn said, “Thank you.”
“Oh, don’t thank me. He’s the one who said them!” She leaned in closely. “Truth be told,” she whispered, “I think he’s sweet on you!”
Bromwyn didn’t just blush; she felt her entire face go red. “I am sweet on him too.”
“Wonderful!” The baker made as if to pinch Bromwyn’s cheek, then thought better of it. “Lady Witch, if I may: My boy, he’s got a good heart, even if he tends to be lazy. But he gets into trouble, as you know. Would you keep your eye on him? And if he gets in over his head again, would you help him?”
“Of course,” Bromwyn said.
The baker dimpled a smile. “Thank you, Lady Witch. You’ve made this mother very happy. Oh look, here’s my lay-about of a son.”
“Mam,” Rusty said, affronted. “I’ve been working my fingers raw without a break!”
“Only because I threatened to chain you to the stove!” Mistress Baker harrumphed. “Go on, then. Take your break. At least that fool hat of yours will keep the rain off of your head. Hmm,” she said, squinting out the window. “Actually, it looks like the rain’s stopped for now.”
“Thank you for the cookie,” Bromwyn said.
Mistress Baker waved her off. “Go, go, go. The sun won’t be out for long.”
Rusty grinned hugely and nearly leaped out of the store, with Bromwyn close behind. They wove their way around the other villagers, finally coming to the cartomancer’s, where Bromwyn led him up to the roof.
Alone, the two looked at each other, and then they both began speaking at once.
“Winnie, last night—”
“Rusty, I must tell you—”
They stopped, and laughed quietly, and then Rusty said, “I know it’s supposed to be ladies first, but I have to say this now, Winnie.”
Biting her lip, she nodded.
He took a deep breath. “Look, I know I said some things before the challenge yesterday, serious things, and I’d be lying to you now if I said I was lying to you then. But I don’t want you to worry about any of that,” he said firmly. “You’re promised to the blacksmith’s apprentice, and I’m due to wed the bakery, so that’s all there is to it, and there’s nothing else to discuss … ”
In the space between him taking a breath and him babbling, Bromwyn remembered something her mother had told her yesterday, before the insanity of Midsummer had begun.
When you love someone, you give up part of your soul.
But it wasn’t losing anything, she realized, listening to Rusty talk nervously and not hearing a thing he was saying. If anything, she was gaining from it.
Love was a silly thing. A wonderful, powerful, silly thing.
“Rusty,” she said, “shut up.”
And because he didn’t, she decided to shut him up. Her lips fit perfectly on his, and for a lovely piece of forever, they kissed.
After, Rusty said to her, “Well, this makes a right mess of things, doesn’t it?”
“Perhaps not so much.”
“Oh, really?” Hope sparkled in his eyes. “Were you going to say something before you attacked my lips with yours?”
Grinning, Bromwyn told him that she no longer had to marry Brend.
Rusty whooped and kicked his heels in the air, and then he grabbed her hands and shouted, “A dance to celebrate this happy news!”
And so they danced across her mother’s rooftop, laughing and thrilling in the moment. When they were done, they held each other closely. Bromwyn leaned her cheek against his, and she felt his smile against her skin.
“This,” Rusty said, “is very good.”
She murmured, “Very good indeed.”
“You know, until your visit, I’d been having a bad day. I think you need to visit more often.”
“As often as you like,” she said. “Unless, of course, I am studying with Grandmother.”
“Of course,” he agreed. “If there’s one woman I don’t ever want to anger, it’s your granny.”
“Very wise.”
“See that? I can learn.” He kissed her again, just a gentle press of his lips on hers. “I have to get back. The shop’s a mess—the fey really know how to leave their mark. Flour everywhere; sugar turned a color that I don’t think exists. Whole thing’s been quite the shock for my folks. They were lost this morning until I got started with the clean up. How they manage when I’m not there, I’ll never know.”
She grinned. “I can hardly believe my ears! Sir Baker, eager to return to work? Who would have thought it possible?”
“Maybe you’ve been a good influence on me.”
“Maybe. Could I come with you, and help you return the bakery to its former glory?”
“Will you use your magic to make it go faster?”
“Maybe.”
“You just want another sugar cookie, don’t you?”
“Wounded,” she cried happily. “To the soul!”
Rusty threw back his head and laughed, and Bromwyn thought the sound the sweetest thing she’d ever heard.
“See that?” she said. “Maybe you have been a good influence on me as well.”
“Maybe indeed.” He offered her his hand. “Shall we?”
She entwined her fingers around his. “Yes.”
As they started to walk, he said, “Winnie?”
“Yes, Rusty?”
“I love you, Lady Witch.”
With a smile, she replied: “And I love you, Lord Thief.”
She could think of no better title for him, for, in truth, he had stolen her heart.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This book was a very (very) long time in coming. It started as a short story and eventually
grew into the full-length novel that it is today. This never would have happened without the help of many people, including:
Miriam Kriss, my fabulous agent, who has long believed in Bromwyn’s tale.
Georgia McBride, my terrific editor, whose feedback helped me flesh out the story. (Go Hornets!)
The entire Month9Books team of authors and editors, for being so supportive and terrific.
Ty Drago, who cheered loudly the entire way.
Ryan and Mason, who don’t mind when their mom has to lock herself in her office because it’s time to write.
And Brett, my husband, my true love, who makes everything possible. It’s all good, hon.
Jackie Morse Kessler
Jackie is the author of the acclaimed YA series Riders of the Apocalypse, published by Harcourt/Graphia. The first two books in the quartet, HUNGER and RAGE, are YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers; in addition, HUNGER has been nominated for several awards and RAGE is an International Reading Association YA Choice. RAGE, LOSS and BREATH are Junior Library Guild selections.
Thank you for reading TO BEAR AN IRON KEY.
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Table of Contents
PART 1
A KINDRED SPIRIT
A WISH FOR A WITCH
PART 2
HASTY WORDS
FAR FROM COMFORTABLE
THE BAKER’S SON
A STOLEN KEY
A NOTE
SEEKING HELP
PART 3
MAKING READY
THE WORLD DOOR OPENS
THE LORD GUARDIAN
FIGHTING FIRE WITH FIRE
CHILD’S PLAY
KEEPING THEIR HEADS
WISE WORDS
PART 4
BONDS THAT WILL NOT BREAK
INSULTS
CHALLENGED
TO BREAK A CURSE
THE PRICE OF A SOUL
THE WORLD DOOR CLOSES
PART 5
TO FAIL A TEST
ONE NIGHT’S ACTIONS
APPRENTICED NO MORE
THE LORD THIEF
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
MORE FROM MONTH9BOOKS
To Bear an Iron Key Page 20