Uprooted

Chapter 2

"Oh, I did not realize. Skip said..."

"That's alright. You can keep them. I know Skip."

"Of course, he mentioned a cousin who lived at an orchard nearby?"

"Yes, that would be me. Though I'm not sure anywhere could quite be classified as nearby to here."

"Ah. Well, it's not so bad, if you don't mind the quiet."

"Or the isolation."

"Isolation is about more than just physical distance."

"Indeed." Something about the look in his eyes suggested he understood. "Can I be of any more assistance?"

She blinked, the truth escaping in a rush. "Oh, no. You've done enough. I believe I can manage from here on."

"If you're certain." He watched her intently. What did he want? What did he expect to find?

She looked back down at her patient, dismissing him. "Yes. Thank you."
"Alright, then. I won't keep you. I'm sure you are a busy woman." But he lingered, making no immediate move to leave, instead glancing around the room.
At last it was she who nodded in acknowledgement of his words and made for the door. He was polite enough to follow her hint. "Good luck with your patients," he said over his shoulder as he passed her.

"Luck? I don't need luck. I have science." But he was already long gone. She looked down again at the strange boy still stretched across the pallet, his face pale and peaceful as if in sleep. And then she got to work.

***

Cole flexed his fingers as he slunk back to his father's house. Numb. He sighed. He hated the feeling, or rather, the lack thereof. It was lucky he'd run into someone at the market who'd agreed to bring the horses back, or he'd have to go and get them before his father realized they were gone. And the healer girl was right, the state of his hands hadn't made controlling the horses any easier. It had certainly been exhilarating. The freedom of bolting down the path... until he'd realized he was about to run someone over. Until he had, it seemed, run someone over.

And not just anyone. He had thought he had known everyone in the village, and yet had met two strangers that day. The blond traveler, and the girl he'd saved. He had known there was a healer in the village, but he had not expected ... her. Magic users in stories always seemed to be either haggard crones or deadly beautiful temptresses. This girl was... ordinary. She might have been any other village girl, with her too-pale skin and her no-nonsense hair. Though he knew that such tales rarely held the whole truth, he couldn't help feeling disappointed. And confused. Why had father kept him away?

He eased the door open and crept toward the stairs. A shadow spoke, freezing him.
"Where have you been?"
Drat. "Father, I—"
"I thought I told you not to go out. It's too dangerous."
Cole straightened his shoulders. "I can take care of myself."
A harsh laugh answered him. "I didn't mean for you."
Of course he hadn't. "Well, I can't disagree with that."
The man was there in an instant, gripping his shoulders. "Why, what happened? What did you do?"
Tension buzzed under his skin at the touch, and he fought to contain it. He shrugged the grip off, and his father made no move to touch him again. "They'll be fine. Nothing happened."
"They? You hurt people?"
"No! I mean, not permanently."
His father spun away, lifting a hand to his face."I knew this would happen. Goddess, these abilities... they only hurt. I'd hoped they'd skip you."
"I'm sorry, alright? I'm sorry I'm such a disappointment." Cole's hands flung out at the words, and he only realized his mistake when his father sucked in a breath.