When Eben decides to rob the isolated town nestled deep in the woods, he could never have predicted that he would be forced to atone by serving Adder, the powerful and terrifying gorgon charged with protecting the town of Nǣdre Tor.
However, as Eben...
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The transition from winter to spring is one full of fanfare. However, if spring is busy, filled with creatures all raring to grow and find mates, summer is doubly active. In Adder's little corner of forest, this couldn't be more true. Scorching heat warms the earth, replacing cool springtime mornings. In the afternoon, the light of day lengthens, and in the evenings are no longer dominated by the sounds of the nightingales, but a trilling chorus of cicadas.
Their habits in turn, also shift. Farm work doubles as Eben and Adder take advantage of the season. This year they have a bountiful early summer harvest to enjoy: peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbers, cabbages, and leeks, to name a few. Previously, Merlyn preferred to bumble around the garden gathering pill bugs and chasing butterflies. However, seeing her caregivers hard at work, she makes it her task to mimic them any way possible. She follows Eben around with a basket, plucks eggplants off the stem with great effort, ferociously rips apart weeds, and nearly falls on her face attempting to lift the watering can.
Most of this occurs in the morning, after breakfast. Sometimes changes to the routine do happen though. This morning proves to be one of those times, as Adder is not awoken by the usual sounds of Merlyn playing with her doll. Instead, he wakes up to the upsetting sound of gagging and coughing. He sits up in a hurry, eyes wide, just in time to catch poor Merlyn look up with shivering wings, hair disheveled and tears running down her face.
"Gods!"
Quickly, he rushes to her side. His first instinct is to pick her up, but the heaving of her chest tells him that more is to come. He rubs her back as she coughs harder. The sound quickly rouses Eben, who sits up in the dark.
"Adder? What's wrong?"
"I don't know—she's sick, she was coughing and—Eben you need to go get a healer now!"
Eben comes closer, brushing his hand against Merlyn's forehead. She leans into the touch, breathing heavy as she fights back another fit. "She feels a bit warm. Did you see any blood?"
"No. She's just coughing."
"Let's wait a bit then. I don't think a healer is necessary yet."
"You must be joking, didn't you hear her? She's in pain!"
Eben smiles, picking up Merlyn. He rubs her back soothingly, rocking her back and forth. "Adder, I was sick all the time at her age. She just needs some rest and care to get back on her feet."
"Really? Are you sure? "
"Make something easy to eat. I'll tidy her up."
Adder frowns, but obeys the order. Into the kitchen he goes to fret over their supplies. He counts five pears, plenty of carrots and potatoes, some dried meat, and some fresh bundles of herbs. Stewed pears would be an easy enough breakfast, and he knew it was good for the lungs. However, she needed something better for her lunch if she was to recover soon.
